Suzuki Violin Teaching Method: Its Theory, Philosophy, and Cricticsm

This article highlights about to examine the roots and development of Suzuki Method,
entitled ‘Talent Education’ or ‘Mother Tongue Method’, its philosophy, its adaption
into American educational system, its ties with language acquisition of young children
and Eastern Philosophy and its problems and cricticisms. The journal begins with
introduction of the founder of Suzuki method, Shinichi Suzuki who was born in Japan
in 1898. His father was a violinmaker and that is how Suzuki begin to involved with
music and that’s make him the most influential pedagogue in the twentieth-century
American string education.
According to the author of this article, Suzuki went to Berlin in 1920s after five-
years training in Tokyo to study more about violin. After a few years, Suzuki returned
to Japan with his wife Mrs. Waltraud Suzuki who was a German singer and later had
been influenced in the administration and development of ‘Talent Education’. Suzuki
begin to introduce western music through teaching violin in Tokyo and get assisted by
his brothers. Suzuki discovered the ‘Mother tongue method’ when he was at his
brother place. He was impressed by some of the very young age Japanese children
who can speak Japanese fluently. He began to think about using educational method;
mother tongue. Suzuki had to leave Tokyo right after the World War II and live in the
mountains of Kiso-Fukushima. At that moment, he observed his sister’s babies as they
learned to talk and realized the naturalness of the babies’ learning ability of language
by imitating their parents. This incident helped Suzuki to shape his Mother Tongue
idea on music education.
In 1945, Suzuki moved to Matsumoto and start the ‘Talent Education”
movement. His main idea was giving the children who was suffered after the war a
happiness through music. His major concern was not creating virtuoso players but
helping them to develop their abilities. “The word education implies two concepts: to
educe, which means to ‘bring out, develop from latent or potential existence’ (Concise
Oxford Dictionary), as well as to instruct. But the emphasis in schools is only on the
construction aspect, and the real meaning of education is totally forgotten (Suzuki,
1983, 86). Suzuki believed in the human potential, that makes he accept whoever was
interested in playing violin in to the Talent Education Intitution.his concept is “Ability
is one thing we have to produce (or work for) ourselves. That means to repeat and
repeat an action until it becomes a part of ourselves. Everyone is able to do it; it
depends only on one’s will (Suzuki, 1983, 44). Furthermore, Suzuki basic ideas
regarding his invention, Talent Education are as follows: The environmental
conditions and their influence on the new-born baby as it accustoms itself to the
sounds of the ‘Mother tongue’.
This Suzuki method was create by Suzuki in the middle of 20 th century who was
influenced by who struggled to learn violin. In the article, there was three of Suzuki’s
brothers formed the Suzuki Quartert. They was practicing at the house. From that
Suzuki has discovery that children intelligence id below average. Suzuki also
impressed by the parental influence on children.
Suzuki came out his mind on how to educate little student from four until five
years old child. He was aware of the value in education for young generations. It is
because we have to realize that children is so precious. The children at these ages was
so innocent and obey to any instruction. And the most important is they trust the
oldest. The children also have to love and enjoy the lecture cheerfully and full of fun.
So then, Suzuki made a Mother Tounge on music education. Which is very
important in education developments. These ideas came when the world war II. He
observed his sister’s babies. From their talk, the babies naturalness imitating their
parents. Besides, after the war which is on 1945, Suzuki felt touched to the children
that suffered from learning in music. With his thought, he moved to Talent Education
movement. For the first time, the children was accept with no audition at all. At that
time, he was include the parents also to encourage the parents to practice with their
child together. He involved the parents to play and help practicing with their child. He
believes that education implies two kind of concepts. Which is to enduce and to
instruct. (Suzuki, 1983, 86).
Suzuki also believe in potential human being. He said ability is one thing that
produce ourselves. So from that he very sure that every people be able to do it
depends on their wills. (Suzuki, 1983, 44). Its also came with person’s effort. He also
believe that every attitude if the parents after the baby starts to talk is natural progress
trough daily practice. All children are encourage to gain their potential. It is because
any child can learn to do anything. Furthermore the most important in teaching
method is the parents role. Child always copying their role model.
What I learn from this method that incorporates private lessons and group lessons.
Participating in group lessons and performances help motivate children as they learn
from each other. Other than that, The Suzuki method apply through listening first
before reading. This helps student to learn fast and it exposed to the music and are
given opportunities for active and passive listening. Once they have had sufficient
exposure, they begin to learn how to play the pieces by ear. Over time, as they learn
more, they will eventually be introduced to music notation and they will be taught
how to read music.
 Edwin Gordon’s Impact

on the Field of Music Aptitude

This article highlights the definition of Music Aptitude, theories of Music Aptitude,
the Gordon’s tests of Music Aptitude, the test of Stabilized Music Aptitude and test of
developmental aptitude. Based on the article, Edwin Gordon has working and
exploring music aptitude in in individuals and his work are divided into three areas
which are definitions, theories, and measurement.

Gordon has his own definition on Music Aptitude, that is involved Gestalt and
atomistic features. Gordon has identified at least 20 dimensions of stabilized music
aptitude (Gordon, 1987, p.36). Tonal and rhythm aptitude is the main or dominant in
the dimensions. Other than that, Gordon’s definition of music aptitude isthe statement
that “Recall, not imitation, is the basis of music aptitude” (Gordon, 1987, p.15). music
aptitude can only be demonstrate by doing a process called audiation. The purpose of
the audiation is to discover the perception of specific characteristic in the music. In
psychological terms, “characteristic” of stimulus are referred to by others (Rumelhart,
Lindsay, & Norman, 1972).

Gordon has spent so many years to explore the music aptitude in individual.
Therefore, he believes that the music aptitude with which a child is born will be
maintained only if the child is exposed to favorable musical experiences soon after, or
even before birth. This is because, Gordon find that all children are not born with the
same innate capacity for music. Child who born and lack of early experience of music
could be lose the potential of music aptitude. Furthermore, the level of music aptitude
can never exceeded by enriched aptitude. This period is called “developmental
aptitude” by Gordon. There are two quality musical experience which are formal and
informal. The period is between the ages of birth and 9 years old. At the age of 9, it is
the time that child stabilizes at their life level of music aptitude. This frame is labelled
as the “stabilized” music aptitude. There are so many othe competing hypotheses as to
why this may occur, but Gordon’s theory has stood up to initial tests.
 Musical Aptitude Profile (Gordon, 1965) was the first music aptitude test that
formed by Gordon. The first test was formed on 1965 in childrens that are in fourth
through twelve grade. Which is called Map. Map is devide into three section. There
wqas subtest which is melody,harmony and tempo meter. Then, the test will begin
with three subtest. Which is phrasing, balancing and style. Student will tested based
on ability to isolate specific characteristics in a musics. This kind of method to make
sure the student remembered the lecture. It’s also can help student to memorize the
phrases, measure the music achievements. These concern obvious that MAP is a fault.
It’s only found in populations that not be originally intended.

This method is usually to measure development on music aptitude. According to

What we learn about this method is that it is similar to other sequenced learning
approaches, such as Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development or scaffolding.
Gordon’s approach relies on a gradual increase in skill level difficulty as the student
progresses. For example, because improvising music is far more difficult than
imitating basic patterns, the latter is required in order to perform the former. The
article stated that there is more that Gordon has demonstrated in regard to the process
of theory formation. Gordon's work exemplifies the attempt to take theory and
improve instruction. Which means that Gordon’s work not only rely based on theory
but also practical application.
Reference

Dilek GÖKTÜRK. (2008). Suzuki Violin Teaching Method: Its Theory, Philosophy,
And Criticism, 1(1), 1-10, doi:
https://www.academia.edu/8258832/Suzuki_Violin_Teaching_Method_Its_Theory_P
hilosophy_And_Criticism
Robert A. Cutietta. (1991). Edwin Gordon’s Impact On the Field Of Music Aptitude.
The Quarterly, 2(1), 73-76, doi: http://www-
usr.rider.edu/~vrme/v16n1/volume2/visions/spring8.pdf