The Importance of Listening

Life can be incredibly busy, but listening to Suzuki recordings is one of the easiest parts of practice. Just start by turning it on while going about your day.

Here are a few benefits:

• Better Tone: Hearing skilled musicians helps children understand the potential richness of tone and improves their self-evaluation.

• Quicker Learning: Regular listening allows children to figure out new pieces independently, making the learning process smoother.

• Avoiding Mistakes: Clear understanding of how music should sound helps avoid ingrained mistakes in pitch or rhythm.

• Faster Memorization: The blueprint for the music is already there when a student has listened. It helps clarify the structure of pieces, reducing memory slips during performances.

• Grasping Musical Details: Expressive elements like dynamics, articulation, and rubato can be learned through listening, reducing the need for constant reminders. Meaning of these elements is conveyed through listening.

• Building Excitement: Listening to upcoming pieces can motivate students to practice more diligently.

• Maintaining Review Pieces: Regular listening keeps review pieces fresh and performance-ready, boosting confidence.

• Prime for Learning New Techniques: Hearing advanced techniques like vibrato, tremolo, chord rolls and trills helps students aquire them naturally when it is time.

The Suzuki Method is based on the idea that children learn music similarly to how they learn to speak: through immersion and imitation (Mother Tongue Approach). Consider how much they hear their native language vs. their Suzuki Listening Assignments. This might be a factor if progress is slower than expected.