Daily Listening

The Suzuki method approaches learning music as one learns their native language. To be successful, we must immerse the child in the music they will play by hearing it every day. There are two ways to listen:

1. Passive listening is played softly in the background. Do not announce it, do not scold them for not paying attention to it. If your child complains, turn the volume down, press skip to the next song, or mix it up entirely by playing the next book's recordings. I prefer to make my own playlist to shuffle or repeat the next three pieces you'll be playing. Either way, play it softly several times, in various places: bed time, meals, homework, free play, in the car, etc. Note: if you're only in the car for 10 minute commutes, remember that won't be enough by itself! You'll know you're doing enough listening when they accurately sing/hum or find the correct notes on the piano to the piece you're learning.

2. Active listening is singing, dancing, drawing what they hear or following along with the music. If your child is struggling to learn the right notes, it simply means they need more listening. Active listening is an excellent tool, but should not replace passive listening.

Listening teaches more than the correct notes and rhythms, students also internalize good tone and subtle musical expression. Our task is more than memorizing words, it is being able to hold a fluent conversation. This learning process is also like trying to put a puzzle together - I have more fun and less frustration when being able to visualize the final picture!

I cannot emphasize the importance of listening enough. If you are not doing the daily listening, your lesson progress will slow to a crawl, practice will become overwhelmingly frustrating, and you may think, "My child is not musical." I firmly believe EVERY child is musical.