Suzuki Violin - Discussion

[phankao]

chamonix:

Most students need exams to push them on in the learning journey..

I discovered that my younger son was this way, so I've since insisted that he take exams every year. He's doing chinese instrument though, but the motivation to work hard for him comes from genuine assessments(exams, for instance), and he has thus progressed well.

[metz]

phankao:

No need. You only need grade 5 theory(not practical) before you can do any of the grades 6 to 8. You need grade 8 to do diploma (ABRSM). But...if you are doing Trinity Board exams, no need theory, no need grade 8 .... voila! haah. You can really go straight to ATCL diploma exam bc no requirements.

Now I understand. No wonder my piano teacher insisted that I let my kids continue with theory even when we are overseas.

[smurf]

Just want to know, which school did u put your children in when they first started out? :?

[metz]

My kids were formerly with the Suzuki Association of Singapore @ Jurong Crestar. The Association no longer exists. Instead it’s simply a part of Crestar now.


Your son is 6 going 7, right? You may want to consider a switch to Classical Violin instead of continuing Suzuki Violin. He’s old enough for sight reading.

[smurf]

He is with crestar too, but different branch, and different teacher. Youris Mr Kang right?


He is not 6 yet, going to 6 next week, haha…coz he is dec bb…

[metz]

You can consider yourself lucky. Some parents with Jan babies have to try ways and means to get their kids start school one year earlier.


Anyway, not to worry. Kids born in December don't necessary mean they will be at a losing end. My niece who is an end-Dec baby did well enough to join the 2nd top class in her school.

For violin, Mr Kang started on note reading with my gal at a much younger age, 4+ years old. I am glad he did so cos I realised my girl had a strong tendency to play by ear than sight. Still, I feel she tends to rely more on hearing when playing violin. But for piano, she will sight read instead. Think it has become a habit for her.

How long has your son with the current teacher?

[smurf]

I notice that my boy also play by ear, I guess it's normal? :?


He is very poor in sight reading.

He is with the current teacher for slightly less than 5 mths, starting this aug only.

[metz]

Yes, it is normal for a Suzuki trained kid to play by ear. In fact, that’s the way it should be.


But, I feel the Suzuki teaching is more suitable for younger children who have yet to learn to read or unable to read notes. As a child progresses to more difficult and longer pieces, sight reading is important as well.

Since your son is still at Book 1, it is easier for him to pick up the note-reading now. If you are intending for him to take ABRSM exams, then sight read is very important.

[shn]

I read most of the thread n seems like those mentioned are in the west. Any in the east for age 3 ???

[empressplace]

My kid went through a term of Suzuki Violin at one of the more expensive and well known music schools. $405 plus 7% GST per term plus other material fees and enrolment fee.


After one term, my kid did learn to hold the violin and the bow and can play on the E string. Progress is slow but this is to be expected for this age group.

Overall I don’t find the whole experience very fun or engaging. The room was not very comfortable and rather crammed for the number of kids and parents involved. Since violin is technically not easy especially for very young kids and even for adults, the amount of one on one attention to teach or impart technique is very important. I find that in a group class, each kid does not get enough individual attention needed to really learn well. In addition, the purpose of a group class to encourage peer interaction and interest is not really served. While the teacher is attending to one child, the other kids are basically bothering the parents as they are not engaged in anything interesting. There is very little group activity.

The concept of enlisting parents to teach the kid by also learning during the class is also not very helpful. While the parents are learning the violin on the adult violin, the young kids are basically bored and sometimes making noise and disrupting the adult session. I am also not very sure why the parents are taught so far ahead of the kids. At the end of the term, the parents can play the whole twinkle twinkle but the kids are going to take a much longer time to get to the same stage. So what’s the point of learning all that so fast?

The cost per lesson can actually pay for an individual violin lesson. Generally high cost group lessons could only be justified if the kids are well catered to as there are not many places which can teach very young kids.

I feel that such classes should be kept shorter (30 min) and to a smaller class size not exceeding 4 to be effective. And there should be a more child friendly routine planned out to engage the kid first before embarking on the hard technical stuff. If we can accept that young kids would progress slower at violin, at least make it fun.