Preparing for Suzuki Lessons

While you are observing groups and waiting for a teacher there are other ways you and your child can prepare.

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Required Reading for Parents

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It is vital that prospective parents understand the philosophical basis of the teaching method that they have chosen for their child, in this case, the Suzuki method. Therefore we feel that all parents should read "Nurtured by Love" and/or "Ability Development from Age Zero" by Shinichi Suzuki.

These books can easily be obtained online. You may also find them in your local library or online.

In addition to these books there are many excellent Suzuki websites and online resources available. We've collected some articles and helpful websites here for further reading.

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Daily Listening to the Suzuki Recordings

One of the most important aspects of the Suzuki philosophy is that music must be internalised before a child learns to play it on their instrument. By the time your child begins to learn any piece in the Suzuki repertoire they should be able to sing it with ease. For this reason Suzuki children listen to recordings of their pieces every day.

We encourage you to begin listening to the Suzuki Violin Book One recording as soon as possible, in it's entirety, every day. It is a good idea to set a reminder to do this or have a set time for listening each day. In addition to helping to musically prepare you and your child for lessons this routine will help establish a daily Suzuki practice.

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The recordings can be obtained from the British Suzuki Institute or online. You may wish to purchase Suzuki Book One with the cd, or you can purchase or stream the recordings online.

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Beginning a Daily Practice

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As a Suzuki parent you will be responsible for establishing a daily Suzuki practice with your child. You can prepare together for this by setting time aside to do something special with your child each day. This could be reading, colouring, gardening, or anything where you and your child spend focused time together.

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Classes for Young Children

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We offer two general music classes for young children at Lauderdale.

Suzuki Stars is a class for babies through children aged three, taught by Suzuki teachers Mallory Hamm and Amy Cluggish. The class meets Wednesdays from 1.45 pm until 3 pm and is limited to twelve children and their parent. For more information or to inquiry about a place please visit the Suzuki Stars website.

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Children aged three to five may be eligible to join our Music and Movement class once you have started observation of violin groups. Please contact us if you'd like more information.