Suzuki Voice
Suzuki Voice has been specially designed to teach vocal technique in a progressive manner for all ages: pre-school, elementary, teenage, and adult. It begins with the understanding that the voice is an instrument and is committed to addressing each student’s unique and individual needs.
The Suzuki Voice Program recognizes that voice is the primary human instrument for music making and is accessible regardless of age. Because of this, technical training can occur earlier than for any other instrument.
The Suzuki Method incorporates a ‘triangle’: parent, teacher and student. Parents are involved in their child’s musical learning just as when a child learns to talk. Parents attend lessons with the child and serve as “home teachers and practice partners” during the week.
The program begins with simple folk songs and graduates to classical songs, providing a solid musical and technical foundation. As with all Suzuki instruments, classical repertoire forms the foundation and core material.
Features of the Suzuki Voice program are:
- Listening materials
- A positive learning environment
- Everyday singing and special singing exercises
- Development of the child’s unique and natural voice
- Development of listening skills and support of linguistic ability
- Singing in different languages from around the world
- Performing at an early age, both solo and in ensemble
More About the Suzuki Method
Every Child Can Learn
More than fifty years ago, Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki realized the implications of the fact that children the world over learn to speak their native language with ease. He began to apply the basic principles of language acquisition to the learning of music, and called his method the mother-tongue approach. The ideas of parent responsibility, loving encouragement, constant repetition, etc., are some of the special features of the Suzuki approach.
Parent Involvement
As when a child learns to talk, parents are involved in the musical learning of their child. They attend lessons with the child and serve as “home teachers” during the week. Parents learn alongside the child, so that they understand what the child is expected to do. Parents work with the teacher to create an enjoyable learning environment.
Expanded meaning of ‘parent’ may include any caregiver, guardian, grandparent, etc. who is supporting the child in the learning process.
Early Beginning
The early years are crucial for developing mental processes and physical coordination. Listening to music should begin at birth; formal training may begin at age three or four, but it is never too late to begin.
Listening
Children learn words after hearing them spoken hundreds of times by others. Listening to music every day is important, especially listening to pieces in the Suzuki repertoire so the child knows them immediately.
Repetition
Constant repetition is essential to learning musical skills. Children do not learn a word or piece of music and then discard it. They add it to their vocabulary or repertoire, gradually using it in new and more sophisticated ways.
Encouragement
The child’s effort to learn should be met with sincere praise and encouragement. Each child learns at their own rate, building on small steps so that each one can be mastered. Children are also encouraged to support each other’s efforts, fostering an attitude of generosity and cooperation.
Learning with Other Children
In addition to private lessons, children participate in regular group lessons and performance at which they learn from and are motivated by each other.
Graded Repertoire
Children do not practice exercises to learn to talk, but use language for its natural purpose of communication and self-expression. Pieces in the Suzuki repertoire are designed to present technical problems to be learned in the context of the music rather than through dry technical exercises.
- Suzuki Association of the Americas (https://suzukiassociation.org)
