Jordan Junior Strings

                                                                      Teaching Techniques

      The Suzuki Method

Dr.Suzuki's encouragement of children as young as three or four, to learn to play by listening and imitation, with the active participation of the parent, has revolutionised traditional music teaching over the last forty years. Strictly speaking, children learning this way do not start to read music until they can play whole concerti and other very advanced music. The principle is that they cannot afford to take their eyes away from what they are doing physically with the instrument and the bow, and therefore learn to play by ear, in the same way that babies learn to speak before they can read words.

However in our society, children like to be able to read music at a fairly early stage in order to play with their school friends and have some fun, which is, after all, what music is all about. Therefore, while still being aware of the technique of holding the instrument and the bow correctly, and producing a good sound, all of the members of Jordan Junior Strings learn to read and play in conjunction with Suzuki Method, and usually join the string orchestra when suitably proficient at sight reading. Young cellists of the same sort of age and ability are invited to join the orchestra, too.

Elaine's students also learn to play scales and studies in addition to the Suzuki course, and usually take Associated Board Examinations at Grades 3, 5, 6 and 7.