Suzuki music students learn at their own speed
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/04/2013 (4773 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
To mark the end of a year of hard work, dozens of violinists, cellists and guitarists training under the renowned Suzuki Method performed at Knox United Church on Saturday.
The Japanese-developed program, which first came to Canada in the late 1960s, is based on how children learn language and has expanded to be applied to almost every instrument, including more recently vocals.
“It’s step-by-step, you progress at your own rate,” said Michelle Bouchard, director of the Suzuki Talent Education Program in Brandon, who has been teaching cello in Brandon under the program since 1995.
“When a child is two or three years old, you don’t put a book in front of them and tell them to start speaking.”
Although the program is geared towards younger musicians — some as young as two-and-a-half — Bouchard said she’s used the same model with students as old as 85.
The fundamental philosophy of the program is to create an environment conducive to learning music by exposing them to other musicians in a group setting, attending local concerts and listening to music as often as possible.
“There’s no grades, there’s no expected progress rate, everybody goes at their own speed,” Bouchard said.
Brandon’s program is one of the oldest Suzuki programs in Canada, starting in the late 1970s, administered through Brandon University and four private teachers, including Bouchard.
“They are some of the highest Suzuki-trained teachers in Canada, right here in Brandon,” she said.
In the 18 years Bouchard has been teaching under the program in Brandon, she said the growth has been staggering and the local program now has about 85 musicians.
At Saturday afternoon’s concert, along with the Suzuki musicians, students from École New Era School also showed off their chops.
Part of the provincially-driven Community Schools Partnership Initiative, several New Era students get once-a-week music lessons at the school.
“It never ceases to amaze me how incredible the kids are,” Bouchard said. “A three-year-old up there, fearless, up on stage, it’s incredible.
“They’re pretty incredible little people.”
» gbruce@brandonsun.com