The Suzuki Experience

Getting started with Suzuki talent education [Pinned post]

Mon, 28 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Are you thinking about starting your child in music lessons? Here's the place to begin.

How slow can you go

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Of the hundreds of practice techniques at our disposal, one rules them all.

Marking up music for focus and clarity

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Marking up directions on the music - fingerings, bowing, phrasing and other instructions - is a staple of learning the music. But what do you do when there are too many markings? Here's a simply solution using plastic sheet protectors and dry erase markers.

App review: 'Dice by PCalc'

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

We're always looking for ways to keep practice interesting. This iPhone app is a new take on the old idea of using dice to pick review pieces, choose repetitions, and more.

The process is the reward.

Sat, 08 Aug 2020 00:00:00 +0000

You find progress and joy when you're not looking for it.

Quarantine practice: making the most of it.

Sat, 11 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

While most of the world is (or should be) under stay-at-home orders in the wake of a viral pandemic, there's no need for practice to suffer

No instrument? No problem!

Sun, 19 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

One of the most frequent questions that comes up online is what to do if you cannot practice with your instrument. Here's a handful of tips about practicing without an instrument.

News

Sat, 18 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Sectional listening in small segments

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

We often think of listening as a way of building memory and reinforcing tone. It's also possible to listen intently in smaller segments. Here's how.

So you want to solo with orchestra: 10 tips for a successful performance

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

A solo appearance with orchestra is regarded as a highlight in the life of a young artist. Here are a handful of tips to prepare for a great experience.

Suzuki parenting as a form of deliberate practice

Sat, 11 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

In part 3 of a series on deliberate practice, we look at the work of Suzuki parents as a form of deliberate practice and how thinking about it in this way can lead to more mindful high-quality practice sessions.

Mental representations and deliberate practice

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

In part 2 of a series on deliberate practice, we dive into the heady concept of mental representations and how they affect practice.

Deliberate practice: what is it? How to do it? A new series

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

The first of a series of articles on deliberate practice. Learning to practice with focused intent.

Finding the recipe for success

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Artistry comes from finding the right recipe of contradictory ingredients in the practice room.

On Having a Plan...

Fri, 04 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Part of having a plan is planning for it not to work.

Trust the process

Wed, 16 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Confidence comes from knowing that your route will take you where you want to go.

Tempo Ladders: Helping speed demons get to performance tempo (accurately)

Mon, 03 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Kids seldom need help playing fast. But they do need help playing fast well.

Colophon

Sun, 11 Nov 2018 15:22:11 -0500

Creatively using audio recording in practice

Sun, 11 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

How we use real-time audio recording to enhance practice.

Practicing better by plugging leaks

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Improving by focusing on fundamentals

I just need space to be overwhelmed.

Mon, 30 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Sometimes the process can be overwhelming.

Managing practice workload for frustration-free practice

Sun, 25 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Advancing students will eventually hit a point where doing everything is no longer possible. Some tips on managing it.

How to make an audition video

Fri, 23 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Sooner or later you'll probably need to make a high-quality video for auditions. Here are some tips on doing it well.

What the Suzuki method means

Sun, 07 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

What is the Suzuki method of talent education; and what was Suzuki hoping to accomplish?

Why false summits make good Suzuki practice

Tue, 19 Sep 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Actual climbing often involves a series of false summits. So does the road to artistry.

Review stories: a new practice game

Mon, 11 Sep 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Yet another way to make review practice fun.

Book Review: Beyond the Music Lesson

Thu, 03 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0000

A new standard in defining Suzuki parent education

It's just for fun

Thu, 03 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0000

(Hint: it can be both fun and work.)

Why Suzuki institutes matter

Thu, 03 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Suzuki institutes make an enormous difference in our musical year.

Technique in service of what? The practice of expression

Mon, 05 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Of what use is technique if not to be harnessed and used to express a musical thought or emotion?

How metaphors can improve musical practice

Thu, 25 May 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Metaphors, descriptive visual comparisons, can inspire understanding of stylistic and technical details in ways that more direct descriptions cannot.

The Gardener, Carpenter, and the Suzuki parent

Wed, 19 Apr 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Are Suzuki parents gardeners, carpenters, or some of both?

Repetitions on autopilot!

Wed, 08 Mar 2017 00:00:00 +0000

The last thing we think of in practice is to 'go on autopilot.' But this works.

Practice notes revisited

Sat, 28 Jan 2017 14:16:09 +0000

I'm the kind of kid who practices.

Mon, 09 Jan 2017 00:00:00 +0000

How can identifying as a musical kid help support the practice habit?

What I learned as a Suzuki parent in 2016

Sat, 31 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000

It's the season of reflections, annual reviews and planning for the future. What did I do right as a practice parent? And what did I do wrong?

What's the trick?

Tue, 06 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Isn't there an easier way?

Myths about beginning to learn a musical instrument

Tue, 04 Oct 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Separating the truth from fiction about playing a musical instrument

How barnyard animals helped our practice

Wed, 03 Aug 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Yes, cows, sheep, chickens, pigs and cats all helped our practice.

Comparisons: dangerous and inevitable

Sun, 31 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000

"Comparison is the thief of joy." said Theodore Roosevelt. How can we stop comparing our child's progress to that of others?

How to be a more patient Suzuki parent

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000

A dose of patience can calm frayed nerves in the practice room and mean the difference between successful session and all-out war.

How to be a more patient Suzuki parent

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000

A dose of patience can calm frayed nerves in the practice room and mean the difference between successful session and all-out war.

Helpfulness, intrusion, and perfectionism: the fine line of the Suzuki parent

Sun, 26 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Being a better practice parent by mindfully balancing competing roles.

Dealing with perfectionism in Suzuki students

Wed, 08 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Suzuki kids can be incredibly hard-working and responsible. They can also be perfectionists.

How to deal with frustration intolerance in Suzuki students

Tue, 31 May 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Low frustration tolerance can lead to dysfunctional practice and impaired progress. Here's how to deal with it.

Yoda, the Suzuki teacher

Sat, 28 May 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Yoda was an exemplary Suzuki teacher or practice parent.

Listen in a purposeful, customized way.

Sun, 01 May 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Evidence-based Suzuki playlists

On not being greedy

Tue, 01 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Even with the best of intentions, it's easy to become greedy over the accomplishments of our children.

Practicing with empathic listening

Sat, 19 Dec 2015 00:00:00 +0000

How to practice in a way that kids will listen.

Speaking of empathy

Sat, 19 Dec 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Learning how to harness the power of empathic connection in practice.

The water spider, the hippo and the tuna: On the imagery of tone

Sat, 12 Dec 2015 05:39:30 +0000

Suzuki's metaphors for qualities of tone

Making practice more enjoyable

Fri, 23 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

It's indisputable that the road of progress is paved with good consistent practice. But why worry about making practice more enjoyable? Much of Suzuki pedagogical technique is about making practice fun. But why? After all, at young age, we can simply impose our will and make practice happen..

gallery

Tue, 20 Oct 2015 04:40:16 +0000

20 reminders to self

Wed, 14 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Someone published a piece in the American Suzuki Journal nearly 12 years ago entitled "20 Memos from your Child" These are thoughts that I need to remind myself of as we approach practice.

What's in our practice kit?

Mon, 12 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Over the years, I've collected quite a few things in my practice kit - my bag of tricks that we use during practice. It's quite a diverse collection of objects, some more useful that others.

14 tech tips for Suzuki listening

Sat, 10 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Here are some ideas for using technology to make listening convenient, consistent, and intentional.

A way to think about practice

Sat, 10 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Four pieces of advice about practice.