Violin lessons

[Jyotsna]

My son has been singing in a choir for 2 years, and he may sing next year if he doesn't go through the voice change before then.

He has gotten so much out of singing in the choir, that when he caan no longer sing in it due to voice changes, I want something else for him to do. He told me he wanted to play violin. It is a complicated instrument to play and so I asked around and a father from his choir is willing to teach him the basics. He is going to teach the Suzuki method.

For those who's children take lessons, which do you prefer more. I want him to have a firm base in music and he is developing that through the choir where he is reading music and understanding music theory with exceptional ease.

Should I allow him to learn via Suzuki method?
Will he be able to transition into traditional method of playing if he wants to later? He is very musically gifted, and he may have a future in college as a music education major, or performance major.

Thanks,

[aris99]

Hi,

I haven't taught it myself, nor have my kids learned via this method BUT my sister learned to play the violin thru Suzuki at 2 yo and she ended up in Julliard I think if the gift is there (and the passion) there's no stopping a child !

[twilight girl]

My 6 y.o. DD goes to a private music conservatory elementary school here in Costa Rica. She is getting private violin lessons at school with the Suzuki method. So far she loves it.

[Jyotsna]

How about with piano?

I thought I may get all three to take piano lessons. Is Suzuki suitable for learning the keyboard, notes, fingering ect? Obviously they will play.

My son can sit down and play about 1 hours worth of music on the piano.

[AAK]

My dd takes piano--not suzuki though (we did look into it though). It seems that the key to suzuki is to find a qualified instructor! Lots of people claim to teach suzuki but aren't certified to do so. Our teacher uses an approach that works well for our dd (it seems to be a blended approach). Our teacher likes suzuki but had some critiques. She says that eventually you learn to read music too but that you need to be in it for the long haul and it drives her nuts when a parent brings her a suzuki taught child simply to learn to read music. Usually the child has only been playing for awhile. So, if you choose suzuki--dedicate yourself to that method--it is very successful. But don't try to bounce back and forth. And get a good, qualified teacher!

Amy

[alllyssa]

My 7 year old DD has been playing Suzuki violin for almost exactly a year now. We are very happy with it. I think the method works very well for young children who would probably be too frustrated with trying to learn how to properly hold the violin/bow, play, and learn how to read music all at the same time. With Suzuki they learn how to stand, hold their bow (they don't even get their violin for over a month) then their instrument, and then learn to play 5 or 6 different variations of "Twinkle" one at a time. This takes 6 months or more for very young kids, it's quicker for older students or those who practice a LOT.

After the "Twinkles" they learn some simple songs which are the basics for the songs that they learn later and are slowly introduced to more formal musical concepts, but not until after book 1 which takes more than a year at least.

All that being said, if you son, at 11 has been singing, can play some piano and already has a lot of more formal musical exposure (thru singing) then I would say that he is too old/advanced musically and that he doesn't "need" Suzuki. Lots of kids who don't start violin/piano until mid/late elementary age learn just fine with a more traditional method of instruction. Plus I think the "Twinkles" are probably a bit baby for him.