A Suzuki Family

I have been involved with the Suzuki programs in Perth for 15 years with my four children now aged 19, 15, 13 and 4.

Two of my girls have completed programs, Caitlin with 'cello and Erin with voice. The younger two are progressing through the levels.

The outstanding gains aside from the obvious musical education benefits are the building of self esteem, developing the joy of performance (not just their own but that of others too) and enhancing concentration skills.

Dr. Philippa Brown (Suzuki mother)

Inspired and Pleased

My husband and I recently attended a Suzuki Early Childhood Education Programme Parent evening. Early childhood Suzuki teachers and parents spoke about their programs and experiences - from baby class through to the selection of an instrument for pre-schoolers. It was a great opportunity to hear about the rationale behind the classesand to ask the questions that run through your mind during class. Coming from a nonmusical background, I was relieved to know that parents don't have to be musically literate to participate in the Suzuki method! The session also highlighted to us the many benefits of involving kids in music from an early age; such as developing self confidence, concentration skills, socialising and having fun and a love of music in all its facets. We feel this holistic approach to teaching is one of the great strengths of Suzuki. If you get the chance, I would recommend that every parent attend one of these sessions no matter how young your children are. Dan and I came away really inspired and so pleased that our family was able to have the benefit of these wonderful classes.

Felicity Huxtable,
mother of Alexandra 3 1/2
and Amelia 20 months

When I started teaching my babies to play the violin, it was just natural because they have been listening to me teach the violin even before they were born. I was looking for a method to teach them, and when I found the Suzuki books it was like a gold mine. I had heard about the Suzuki Method, but had never seen it in practice. I just taught my children before they were three years old like a mother teaching her children her native language by instinct. It was when I came to Australia that I found out that I was actually practising the Suzuki Method – The Mother Tongue Method.

Two of my three children are now professional violinists, having been outstanding music students, winning scholarships and competitions and prizes at school and at university. Both of them are holding good positions in the WA Symphony Orchestra, including Associate Principal. The latest achievement of one of them is winning the Strings Finals of the ABC Symphony Australia Young Performers Awards.

Loving & Compassionate Tuition

My son Richard learnt Suzuki classical guitar from the age of 10-15. Under his Suzuki guitar teacher's loving and passionate tuition, Richard's musical ability absolutely flourished - I had no idea he would be so talented. Being able to play guitar, and develop that musicality has reinforced my son's sense of identity and self confidence. He may never have known that piece of his soul existed. I will always be thankful to his teacher and her commitment to the Suzuki method, and music, in general for this gift.

Helen Leggo

Amanda Drybrough trained as a Suzuki violin teacher with George Coleman in the early 1970s, when the Suzuki Method was introduced to Western Australia.

She set up the Suzuki programme at Penrhos College, Como, in 1975, and has enjoyed teaching the violin for 35 years. Amanda has three daughters, each of whom is now a performer and teacher.

Emma, a cellist with Advanced Accreditation in both her instrument and in Suzuki Early Childhood Music, supervises the “Grow with Music” Studio, and her son, Liam, began classes at two months old. Harriet, a pianist, now teaches, performs and accompanies, her daughter Freya starting on the piano, while Kate is the violinist, with Phoebe on the violin, plays for various functions and shows, and runs a teaching programme in the south west.

It is rewarding to find that families so often become involved together, once introduced to the Suzuki Method, and the Drybrough family is now proudly encouraging a third generation to become enriched by music.

I was first introduced to Suzuki violin ten years ago whilst shopping for Christmas at Garden City, when a group of young string players were performing a Christmas repertoire. I made a few initial enquiries and started lessons with Mrs. Drybrough in the New Year. Being a Suzuki parent has brought more joy to my life than I could imagine, watching my two girls go through the books, sometimes painfully slowly with frustration; sometimes with great enthusiasm and enjoyment, but always with the same goal – to achieve a beautiful sound and to make beautiful music.

I have met wonderful people and been invited into their lives, and made a great many good friends. I became involved in the committee and over the years have done many things, both fund-raising and fun-raising!

So when Jana arrived some ten years after our first lessons, I did not hesitate to start my third daughter on the violin. She was two years old when she did her first solo, playing “Busy busy Stop Stop”. She is already moving, slowly, carefully, with lots of frustration, but always with great enthusiasm and enjoyment through the rhythms. Now nearly four, I look forward to starting again. Renewing my passion and becoming involved all over again. Three different girls, different books, different personalities, different ages. All three bringing new spirit to their violins and joy into our home.

Challenging, yes. But could you deny your third child, or fourth, or fifth…something so wonderful, something their older siblings have enjoyed and benefited from just because you……… No, I didn’t think so!

Learning Life Skills

We have three children who began learning piano through the Suzuki Association, 15 years ago at 6yrs old. Now as adults, music is one of the most important parts of all their lives and it will always be - in so many ways. The benefits don't stop there, they have learnt many life skills, learning and memory skills and formed so many lasting relationships, not least of all the one dedicated teacher who has heroically stuck with them through it all!

Sue Bass

Growing in Confidence

For the last 4 years I have watched my child grow with Suzuki Voice. She has learnt so much, made new friends and grown in confidence. For me, the highlight is watching the Suzuki Graduation Concerts where all the Voice students sing as a group, accompanied by many Instrumental students.

Bruce & Cathy Sinclair

Delightful Suzuki Newsletter

I'm always delighted when I see the STEAAWA stamp on the back of the envelope, knowing that it will be the Suzuki News.

I have a special fondness for Suzuki music and all that it has offered not only my own children but thousands of others throughout Western Australia over the last thirty or so years. I always check to see who the new teachers are and whether I remember them as Suzuki students. What a great career!

I still have the notebook that I used from my son's original Suzuki violin lessons beginning on 15th September 1979. It was a memorable day especially as it was the beginning of a long and happy association with Suzuki WA - all the dedicated teachers and parents.

There is such diversity now in what is offered in the Suzuki tradition and the newsletter reflects all this with the news from various instrument groups and the photos and articles.

Congratulations for your excellent newsletter and thank-you for my continued subscription. Always appreciated.

Jane Boxall (Honorary Member)
Past President Suzuki Music WA

Wonderful Experience

Learning piano via the Suzuki method has been a wonderful experience
for our daughter and myself. Our daughter's lessons were conducted in a
very caring, happy, fun and encouraging environment, which resulted in her developing a real love of the piano, music generally and her teacher, which will stay with her for a lifetime.

Robyn

Great Introduction

Suzuki voice has been great introduction to music and group activities for my small son. Run with the imagination and firm technical background of our voice teacher I feel sure we are setting him up for life...!

Violinist Mother

Favorable Influence

I owe much of my success to learning the piano. It provided me with a strong musical background, which meant my TEE music score was high enough to favourably influence my overall results. Apart from that, playing piano was a great means of taking a break from study whilst still being intellectually stimulated.

Joel Bass (Suzuki piano student)

Sharing Singing Together

Suzuki voice training has been a delight for my youngest daughter (5 years old) and me. It has been a wonderful opportunity to share singing together, and to enjoy watching her develop a skill which I know gives her such pleasure. She is always eager to go to her lessons, enjoys the companionship of the group class and is willing to practise her latest song. I am surprised that she is so keen to sing her solo each week and is uninhibited and confident doing so - a great life skill to develop. Her teacher is sensitive to the strengths of each child and is encouraging, positive and has the children under her spell as she manages to makes the lessons an enjoyable challenge. I can see that Suzuki voice will be something we will be doing into the future. And, my older children are stunned that I can finally sing Twinkle Twinkle in tune!

Jenny and Amelia

Fun & Engaging

Our daughter has enjoyed singing from an early age, but with the Suzuki voice lessons she has developed a better understanding of how her voice works and how to use her voice to make many different sounds. The vast repertoire of unique and interesting songs means she never gets bored with the material, and the classes are structured in such a way that they convey what I consider to be "serious" musical principles in a fun and engaging manner. We really enjoy seeing her perform in class, at home, and at her concerts. She looks forward every week to her music class and her lovely teacher.

J. Royle, Nedlands

Natural Progression

The Suzuki method requires the parent to be present during lessons. Therefore younger siblings become part of the lesson. Our younger family members learnt in a caring environment, how to be a good audience. With our Suzuki piano teacher the good times were acknowledged at the end of lessons with a kind word and may be a lolly. Now they are on their own music journey, making the natural progression; from the couch listening, to bowing at the end of Andrew’s lesson, then their own lesson. The teacher's respect for the family made it possible to participate fully in the lessons.

Our family is musically rich from our Suzuki piano and the special influence of our teacher. It’s a gift we’ll have for a long time to come.

Janelle Healy

The Suzuki way is really special. It has helped me to be able to use my ear. I can play something I heard on the radio or TV straight on the piano or to compose my own music and I find it truly rewarding. Trust me, if you stick to it and follow what your teacher says someday you will play stuff that will truly impress. Enjoy, Enjoy, Enjoy music! It is truly an awesome art form!

Enoch Auyeung (Suzuki piano student)