You are to be much admired for make the decision to have your child study music, and very specially the teaching of ‘Suzuki method’ – or better to say, for allowing the ‘Suzuki method’ to enter your home.
The Suzuki method should be one of the most rewarding and positive experiences you will share with your child, and I believe it can be a factor in strengthening the parent-child bond, thereby creating a new interest to be shared by the whole family.
Parents have the responsibility to create an atmosphere conductive to learning, which falls under four heading:
1_ PLAY SUZUKI RECORDS AT LEAST TWICE DAILY
Before long, you will notice your child humming the melodies. Children enjoy repetition and will not be tired of the music unless they feel that their parents are bored or irritated.
Remember, each time your child hears the recording; it will make the playing of that particular piece easier.
He should be thoroughly familiar with the melodic line of each piece before attempting to learn it.
As an added incentive, I have included words to the first few songs your child will learn.
These songs may be sung while running those tiresome errands in the car! They are also a useful reinforcement of the melody.
2- IF YOU HAVE SOME CLASSICAL MUSIC IN YOUR RECORD COLLECTION
If you have some classical music in your record or tape collection, play it and enjoy it!
Your child will watch you and learn to appreciate the things you do. Dr Suzuki recommends familiarizing infants (from birth) with one specific piece and then gradually enlarging his musical recognition repertoire.
We also have several, opportunities each year to expose our children to live performances here in London . Many concerts are FREE. Small children may not be able to sit through an entire concert but half the concert is fine too.
3- SCHEDULE YOUR DAY: TO HAVE A GOOD TIME PRACTICE TOGETHER
Try to arrange your schedule so you have a good time to practice together each day. You are going to spend hours, weeks and years working together, and it should be a time, which is remembered with pleasure rather than a memory of conflict and harsh voices. This is the first important goal for a parent to work toward , rather than learning lots of new pieces in the first Suzuki Book.
Parent and child are working together and it is a wonderful thing that your child agrees to practice outside of his regular school time. Practice must be rewarded with smiles, hugs praise and love.
You will need time to get your child to the piano, and once there, keep it short and pleasant, and stop before his concentration disappears.
In time practice sessions will increase in length according to his/hers ability.
