The Suzuki Concept: An Introduction to a Successful Method for Early Music Education

by Shinichi Suzuki, Thérèse Murphy

During the past ten years a "Suzuki Explosion" has taken place in the musical life of the United states. More than 100,000 children, aged three and up, have been taught to play the violin, piano, cello, and flute through the method conceived by Dr. Shinicki Suzuki. Their facility has amazed most observers. They have demonstrated musical skills, improved learning ability, and a deeper relationship with their parents, teachers, and communities. Their talents stand as tributes to the Japanese violin master who is one of the giants in the field of early education. In this book, Dr. Suzuki and many of his leading advocates in the United States explain the philosophy, psychology, and procedure that characterize his method. The Suzuki Concept contains photographs, musical examples, and charts and diagrams that show how Dr. Suzuki's humane and successful principles may be applied to early education in music and in many other fields. --- from book's back cover

Genres: Music, Education

220 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Shinichi Suzuki (鈴木 鎮一 Suzuki Shin'ichi, 17 October 1898 – 26 January 1998) was the inventor of the international Suzuki method of music education.

He developed a philosophy for educating people of all ages and abilities & is considered an influential pedagogue in music education of children.
Suzuki often spoke of the ability of all children to learn things well, especially in the right environment, and of developing the heart and building the character of music students through their music education.

Before his time, it was rare for children to be formally taught classical instruments from an early age and even more rare for children to be accepted by a music teacher without an audition or entrance examination. Not only did he endeavor to teach children the violin from early childhood and then infancy, his school in Matsumoto did not screen applicants for their ability upon entrance.

Suzuki was also responsible for the early training of some of the earliest Japanese violinists to be successfully appointed to prominent western classical music organizations.
During his lifetime, he received several honorary doctorates in music including from the New England Conservatory of Music (1956), and the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, was proclaimed a Living National Treasure of Japan, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace prize.

Source: Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Tamsyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book addressed a lot of my concerns about the Suzuki method successfully. I learned about some bad habits I have in my violin playing that I didn't even know were bad habits, so that was good for me. This book convinced me that next year Christmas, maybe a violin would be a good present for then 2 1/2 year old Peter...