Nurtured by Love

Wow..its been a long time since i blogged!!!!

Been really busy lately. On top of playing with my ever active and demanding toddler, I had to finish to near perfection all household chores and practice at least 30 mins daily on my beloved...violin.

Well, musically speaking i am improving and am excited by my ability to learn more new songs. Been reading for a second time now, Nurtured by Love which details the life of Mr Shinichi Suzuki and his Talent Education Method. I am totally inspired by his exemplary life and kindness to young children.

Mr Shinichi Suzuki worked in his father's Suzuki Violin Factory in Japan. And at the age of 17, he taught himself to play the violin as he was touched deeply by a beautiful piece of music which he then tried to imitate the sounds as he had heard them on the record player. That was Schubert's Ave Maria played by Mischa Elman. Eventually his ability to learn helped him progress far in his musical career and he spent time learning the instrument in Europe. Later on he went on to coach young children like Koji Toyoda, Toyoshi Eto when they were about 3-4 years old. I am particularly struck by Mr Suzuki's compassion and passion as a teacher. He actively seek out through national broadcast his former child student Koji Toyoda when the later's parents were killed by the War. He gave Koji Toyoda a good violin education and a home.

Many of his children students became violin performers and teachers of international renown. Koji Toyoda became the first concertmaster of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra after graduating from the Paris Music Conservatory in only 6 months when he was a young man. Today Koji Toyoda not only performs but conducts and trains many renown violinists and is the head of the Suzuki International where the Talent Education Method continues to positively impact the lives of children and adults globally. The Suzuki Violin cds i listen to daily were played by Koji Toyoda who started to learn from Mr Shinichi Suzuki at the tender age of three and a half.

Similarly Ms Akiko Suwanai, whose teacher Toshiya Eto was one of Suzuki's earliest child students at age 4. Ms Akiko went on to win the 1990 International Tchaikovsky Compeition in 1990 at the tender age of 19.

Mr Suzuki even learned to teach a totally blind kid the art of violin playing out of compassion. I know most teachers would prefer to teach only healthy and normal pupils.

Well, to Mr Suzuki, every child can be trained to play the violin and violin playing trains a child to learn appropriate behaviour and fine tune their characters. The fact is that nobody is ever born with talents but as babies, young children and adults, we improve on our natural ability to learn whatever: mother tongue, knowledge, skills, hobbies and music. A clever baby can even learn to sing out of tune if that is what he had been exposed to in his environment which he imitates... his mother's out of tune singing!!! GASP!!!

In addition, according to the Suzuki Method, to lament our lack of talents and to GIVE UP is FOLLY indeed. Step by step, without rushing and without ceasing, one WILL develop excellence through repetition.

I am now learning to play the violin using the Suzuki method materials. In fact the more i learn, the more my ability to learn progresses and I am confident i am en route to playing well confidently.

As Suzuki Method seeks to train young children from age 3, I have decided to send Rachel for lessons once she is 3. Its not just the violin playing, it is also the crucial conditioning of body and mind and the developing of the ability to learn both music and good behaviour.

Already Rachel has been listening to both parents practice on their instruments, daddy -piano, mummy- violin, and the many cds and dvds that we play for the whole family daily.I know the environment, the good musical environment is preparing her heart and soul for a excellent musical education for life.

One day we may even play duet together and perhaps start a music school. Hee