Parents and Babies Can Join the “Beautiful Heart Musical Journey”
I bet you would never guess how I became interested in music and playing the violin. It’s probably not what you might think either. So, keep on reading to find out how I started my “Beautiful Heart Musical Journey” and how parents and babies can join in that same ” journey”, too.
Back in the day, children rarely were taken to symphony concerts or any other kind of concert. It was expensive and at the time, people tended not to be as tolerant of children in those settings as they are now. Symphony children’s concerts weren’t as prevalent then either.
Children typically weren’t exposed to instrumental performances or instruction until later Elementary School. There certainly weren’t those programs for babies and toddlers. The closest you probably came to that was what the 3 to 5-year-olds were learning in Nursery School.
Did You Have Musical Experiences When You Were Young?
You may or may not have had musical experiences when you were very young. In fact, if you didn’t, it’s probably kind of hard to wrap your head around the idea that a preschooler, baby, or toddler can even participate in a music class.
If you did have childhood musical experiences, they probably didn’t begin until you participated in a school program. Music teachers thought it was a waste of time to try to teach very young children to play an instrument. They just assumed that it wasn’t even possible!
That is until, Japanese violinist and teacher, Dr. Shinichi Suzuki took a group of very young violin students on a tour of the United States. They played difficult music beautifully. Audiences were enthralled with these young musicians.
My Musical Experiences
So it turns out that I was exposed to violin playing when I was very young. However, my parents didn’t really plan my musical journey. They just happened to watch a daily television program that featured a pianist who was the star of the show.
But it turns out that I was more interested in his violin playing brother. So I was seeing and hearing violin playing almost every day. It would be another few years before I actually saw someone play violin up close and personal.
When I was in fourth grade, the advanced string students gave a demonstration concert. Well, I was hooked! I went home and asked my parents if I could learn to play the violin.
They were encouraging, generous parents. So, we went to the local music store and rented a violin for me to use in string class. I was beyond excited!
I didn’t realize it at the time. But, I was beginning to learn to play the violin at a time when every elementary, junior, and senior high school in our city had a string program. They were good programs. There were some fantastic teachers running them.
I had one of those fantastic teachers from fourth to ninth grade. Her name was Lorene Gunderson. She had high standards and expected everyone to do their best. Students wanted to really work hard, learn the music, and perform it well.
I also studied violin privately with Mrs. Gunderson and my playing improved even more. I had a good orchestra teacher in senior high school as well. Then, I went on to study privately with another teacher, Cecil Vashaw. She was a Julliard graduate and really expected her students to practice and work hard.
Playing or Teaching?
With these two teachers, I became accomplished enough to study violin at the university level. I went on to earn Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in violin performance. But, as much as I loved to play, my real passion turned out to be teaching violin.
I had taught private lessons while I was in high school and as a college student. I really enjoyed the challenge of helping someone learn to play and make music a part of their life.
When I first began learning to play the violin, I had no idea that I would be drawn to teaching others. Today, I now know that Mrs. Gunderson and Miss Vashaw had set fine examples for me to follow.
New Experiences on the Musical Journey
Next, my teaching experience would be taken to a new level when I was in graduate school. I had the opportunity to observe a teacher working with a 5-year-old student using the Suzuki Method.
Now remember, this was still at a time when students typically did not begin instrumental study until they were nine or ten years old. If someone so young did play well, they were considered a “prodigy”.
This lesson was out of the ordinary. I became very fascinated with how the teacher worked with this very young student.
So, I continued to delve into Dr Suzuki’s teaching philosophy of “every child can learn and develop high ability”.
The more I learned, the more I was convinced that this was what I wanted to do.
Suzuki Teacher Musical Experiences with Parents and Children
It would be another two years before I would have the opportunity to begin my Suzuki teacher training. I was then living in the Washington D.C. metro area.
Once again, I didn’t realize that this was a huge Suzuki community. I was interacting with all the teachers at workshops and festivals. It was so valuable to me and my students.
At this time, the Suzuki method was still fairly new to the U.S.
Not all of my traditional teaching colleagues were convinced that very young children could or even should learn to play the violin. We Suzuki teachers spent a lot of time on the defense.
What many failed to realize was that Dr. Suzuki’s teaching philosophy was not just about learning to play violin.
It was more about parents and children on a musical journey. They were learning together and developing a deep relationship through music.
Suzuki ECE for Parents and Babies on the Musical Journey
A little over 10 years later, I discovered Suzuki Early Childhood Education (SECE) teacher training. This program guided parents and their babies/toddlers (0 to 3 years) to begin a musical journey together.
Now, talk about being on the defense! Colleagues were even less convinced that babies could do various kinds of musical activities. Once again, I had explained that it wasn’t all about music.
As the years passed, more teachers became familiar with the Suzuki method. We Suzuki teachers spent less time on the defense and more time sharing teaching ideas. It was exciting to play a part in making the Suzuki method an accepted way of teaching a musical instrument.
New Adventure on My Musical Journey
Now, let’s fast forward to 2017. My youngest sister, also a violinist and Suzuki teacher, sent me a link to a website of a teacher who taught violin to adults online.
Heather Kay is an American violinist and teacher who moved to Bulgaria to take a position playing in a chamber orchestra.
When she first went to Bulgaria, her young students back in the States begged her to continue teaching them online. So, she did and it was successful. This led her to niche down and teach adults online.
I decided to check it out. I wondered if taking lessons online would really work. Well, it turns out it does! Heather took me to a whole new level of playing the violin. I was so excited (again)!
However, I myself didn’t even consider ever teaching online. To be honest, it just seemed a little bit scary.
How the Musical Journey Changed for Parents and Babies
Now, let’s go on to 2020. Bam! Pandemic! Suddenly, EVERYONE had to figure out how to do things online. I decided that I was going to keep teaching violin even if it did seem scary to do it online.
It was tricky at first. I had to rethink how to explain many things. I was also forced to be even more observant than usual because student actions were just harder to catch on a screen.
Our Suzuki community of teachers was really on top of it though. Online workshops and seminars began popping up to help teachers deal with teaching online and the technical difficulties. Now, teaching violin lessons online was one thing.
But, I had reservations about teaching “Your Musical Baby” Class online. Again Suzuki colleagues came to the rescue! I learned how to make modifications to some of the activities to make the class work online. It was definitely a radical mind shift, though!
a deeper relationship through music with online “Your Musical Baby” Class.
Online “Your Musical Baby” Class Works!!
But, the last four years have proven that “Your Musical Baby” Class works online. In fact, I have babies who have never attended an in-person class. But, the results have been the same.
I see the parents and babies moving along on their musical journey. They are learning together. They’re developing a deeper relationship through music.
I do believe Dr. Suzuki’s goal for them has been accomplished whether in-person or online.
I plan to continue teaching online for a variety of reasons. First, in today’s world, geography and location don’t have to be barriers to finding a program like this.
Second, parents and children are safer from illness. A violin lesson or a Baby Class doesn’t have to be the place where germs are spread around.
Next, parents can save time, money, and wear and tear on their vehicles by not having to travel to lessons. In this way, we are all being more mindful of the carbon footprint we each leave on our planet.
Finally, because there is no traveling, parents can spend that extra precious time with their babies doing activities that really matter. It is much easier for parents and their babies to begin their musical journey.
How Parents and Babies Can Begin a “Beautiful Heart Musical Journey” in “Your Musical Baby” Class
I’d like to give you and your baby an opportunity to begin your “Beautiful Heart Musical Journey” together. You both can become lifelong learners together and develop a deeper relationship with each other through music.
I’d like to invite you and your baby to observe an online “Your Musical Baby” Class for free on any Saturday morning.
Now I know you’re a busy parent. So, I made it as easy as possible for you to attend. Simply use the “Busy Parent” link below to sign up. Then you will receive the details and the Zoom link to the class in an email.
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