Ida Neufeld, Suzuki piano teacher at Midtown Music School, shares her thoughts on Suzuki and Traditional Methods of Teaching Piano: Differences and Similarities.
Suzuki and Traditional Methods of Teaching Piano: Differences and Similarities
by Ida Neufeld
I have often been asked by parents of prospective students, "What is the best way to start my child in learning to play the piano?" Since this question is very common, I would like to share some insights on the topic. My thoughts and opinions are based on the extensive experience of more than 25 years of teaching both Suzuki and Traditional methods.
A lot of parents and childhood experts believe in early childhood education and I wholeheartedly agree with them. But how much can a child of three or four absorb without getting frustrated and impatient with the demands of grown-ups? This is where the Suzuki Method comes in. Young children love to play, of course, and introducing the instrument in a playful way has a much better chance of success in the long run. Most children by age three or four can clap simple rhythms, sing and count their fingers and naturally imitate the teacher.
But reading music? Not usually, or particularly well. This usually does not occur until the child can read letters and words by about seven years of age. Reading musical notation - especially piano music with two clefs (treble and bass) - is quite complicated. The only thing you can achieve with a four year old trying to do it is a lot of frustration.
Volume one of the Suzuki Piano Method book consists of a lot of simple melodies and predictable left hand finger patterns. The students listen to the accompanying CD and can sing along with it, using words either made up by the teacher or available with some songs, such as Mary Had a Little Lamb or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Young children can develop their finger dexterity quite well before starting to read music, as well as musical memory. This, I feel, is the major advantage of starting music lessons at a young age.
The memorization of patterns that such children develop is a major advantage to them not only in studying music, but other subjects later on when they start school.
Starting with volume two of Suzuki Piano Method, we begin to see an integration of Suzuki and Traditional repertoire. Some of the pieces in volume two are the same as RCM grades 1 to 3, so the technical challenges are the same.
But Suzuki students - who already started playing at age four - have a better ability to overcome those challenges due to early technical and pattern training.
So, if parents ask me how I teach a beginning four, five or six year old, my answer is definitely the Suzuki Method.
If a child is older - seven and up - they could start either, since at that age they should have no problem with developing reading skills (having learned to read and write in school).
Sometimes, we select appropriate repertoire from both the Suzuki and RCM books to accommodate their level of playing.
Another important point I would like to address separately here is the ability to read musical notation for Suzuki students, as there are some claims by traditional teachers that Suzuki students can’t read. I introduce a series of reading books, usually at the beginning of volume two, that are easy to comprehend and have very large text. There are three books in this series, and by the middle of the third book, students usually start reading their main repertoire with no difficulty.
One final issue is RCM exams. A lot of my students take RCM exams (including Suzuki students) starting in grade 3 or above. Suzuki students often perform very well, especially memorizing and ear training as these traits were developed early on.
Overall, I wanted all parents, students and teachers to recognize that that Suzuki and Traditional methods are not necessarily polar opposites, but rather complement each other in the musical development of the student.
--Ida Neufeld
