Suzuki method teaches you and your

@hild the language of music

While the typical four to six year old
child may spend free time rummaging
through a sandbox with a My Little Pony
or a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toy,
there are those who would prefer to dedi-
cate their energies to more serious
pursuits.

And Gordon Cool is there to help them.

As the instructor for the Douglas College
Community Music School’s String Pro-
gram, he teaches young boys and girls the
skills necessary to play the violin and
cello.

Using the internationally acclaimed
Suzuki "Mother Tongue" method of teach-
ing, instruction is based on the principle
that at a young age while children learn
language they can learn a musical instru-
ment. Children learn to speak through
eo: and imitation. In this same way
ey can learn the violin or the cello.

The key is repetition. Students are given
tapes to listen to over and over. "By the
time the student picks up the instrument,"
says Cool, "they're so familiar with the
piece of music, that they recognize when
they put their fingers down onto the
strings whether they're playing the right
note or not."

While the method may seem magical,
there’s no guarantee that a child will auto-
matically become a pint-sized virtuoso.
"This requires hard work and there are
no shortcuts," says Cool, "just like any
other skill."

Unlike traditional teaching methods that
are built around individual one-on-one les-
sons, the Suzuki program focuses on short
group sessions supplemented by the ac-
tive participation of the child’s parents,
who sit in on their child’s studies and

2. along with them.

 

 

 

 

 

Young violinists practise during a session of Douglas College’s Community

Music School’s Suzuki String Program.

"In the Suzuki Method we feel that the
most important teacher in a child’s life is
the parent," says Cool. "So for a period of
time we shift the kids aside and give the
parents the same set of lessons."

Parental involvement is paramount in the
child’s musical education. When the les-
son is over, the parent is expected to go
home and practise with their child and
correct his or her mistakes.

Cool is blunt about the importance of this
central aspect of the learning method. "If
you're looking to send your children
away for lessons and then send them to
their room to practise, then you're not
Suzuki material."

Cool feels that if the children are not en-
joying themselves they’ll grow bored of
their lessons. So he goes out of his way to
create a fun atmosphere for learning
incorporating games, videos and opportu-
nities to perform in recitals throughout
the year.

Those willing to invest the time and en-
ergy involved in giving a young child a
musical education can contact Gordon
Cool at 524-1850. The deadline to apply
for classes beginning September 13 is
September 6.

The Community Music School offers a
range of courses for tots to seniors. Call
527-5469 for more information.