THE FAMILY MUSIC MAKERS PROGRAM – BACKGROUND Who are the major influences on the Family Music Makers program? This approach is built on the work of Shinichi Suzuki, Jacques Dalcroze (Eurhythmics), and Dr. Edwin Gordon. A.  Shinichi Suzuki  (1898 – 1998) Suzuki believed that the learning of language provided a model for learning music. He saw music education as a triangle formed by teacher, parent and child.  Unlike traditional Western music education, Suzuki believed that the involvement of the parent was crucial.  He felt that musical development starts with one’s ears first; consequently the Suzuki method provides recordings of the repertoire through which young children hear what the music should sound like.   This approach to learning to play an instrument is the exact opposite of the traditional Western approach, which begins with the visual aspect: reading music.  Suzuki also saw music as a community activity, so students learned in groups as well as in individual lessons. Another major difference between Suzuki and traditional Western music education can be seen in Suzuki recitals. Traditional Western recitals open with “beginners” and work up to the more advanced students.  Suzuki students are linked by a common repertoire.  Therefore, Suzuki recitals start with the most advanced students, who are then joined by the intermediate students and, finally, the beginners.  Rather than feeling excluded, the youngest beginner is included in a musical “family” of students where the advanced students become the role models. Elements of the Suzuki approach that have informed Family Music Makers program •    Parent Involvement •    Beginning with very young children  (not counting the siblings who began pre-natally, our youngest enrollee came to his first class at 10 weeks old!) •    Listening •    Repetition •    Encouragement •    Learning with Other Children B.  Jacques Dalcroze (1865 – 1950) - Eurhythmics A Swiss music educator in the 19th century, Dalcroze noted that it was very difficult for his piano students to play the correct rhythms in a piece.  However, after the lesson as they walked to the door, the sound of their footsteps was in perfect rhythm. This epiphany was the basic realization that led him to develop an entirely new approach to music education.  The Dalcroze approach is based on movement, using the entire body in motion to express musical ideas. Known as Eurhythmics, this system teaches musicality for all musicians, rather than focusing on a particular instrument. C.  Dr. Edwin Gordon  (Distinguished Professor in Residence, Univ. of South Carolina) Dr. Gordon’s contributions to contemporary music education are monumental.  He developed a comprehensive theory about how very young children learn music and created the Gordon Music Aptitude Test.  Gordon posits audiation as the basis of musical understanding.  Audiation can be understood generally as the ability to hear music internally even when there is no music present externally.  The rhythm and tonal patterns used in class are the foundation of the audiation process. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * If you have questions or comments, please call Family Music Makers at (617) 783-9818.