How do I get started?

It’s never too early to start your child’s musical training. If your child is 3 years old or older, believe it or not, you’re ready for lessons! Here are a few things you can do as a parent to prepare yourself and your child.

Exposure - Many parents think that if their child has not expressed interest in the piano or in music, that they may not enjoy taking lessons. This usually is not true! One of the Mother Tongue Method steps discussed in the "Suzuki vs. Traditional" post is Imitation. If music is something that you believe would be good for your child, then start by showing interest in it yourself and exposing your child to it.

 - Watch concerts on TV or go to them live,

 - Buy the instrument you'd like your child to play and start learning to play it,

 - Take your child to watch other children's lessons,

 - Talk about you and your child learning the instrument together.

Find a Teacher - If the Suzuki Method is something you may be interested in then you can go to http://suzukiassociation.org/teachers/teacherloc/ to find a teacher in your area. If you think a traditional approach would better suit you and your child, then you may be able to ask your child's school music teacher or contact a nearby college's music department. And, of course, you can contact me!

Start Listening - This goes along with exposure, but if you've chosen to use the Suzuki Method then it is never too early to start listening to the CD. You can ask any Suzuki family with multiple children and they'll agree that the younger children excel because of the extra listening they've been exposed to from their older siblings. Ask your teacher for a CD even before you schedule your first lesson.

Obtain an Instrument - Of course this depends on what instrument you have chosen for your child to study. Local music shops typically offer rental programs for many instruments, but check with your teacher before renting one to make sure it's the right size. A rental will probably be difficult to find for a piano, but you can look online, in the paper, or ask family members if they have a piano they're not using. Beginner students can start learning on a keyboard, but I encourage families to invest in a real piano at some point. Having a quality instrument for your child to play will also encourage them.

Observe Lessons - This a completely free way to get to know a teacher and learn a little bit about what you'll be doing. Children learn very well when immersed in a musical environment. You can also learn how lessons progress and what your role is as a parent.

Blake plays while his Mom and sisters observe

Schedule a lesson - You will need to think about when is best for your child to have a lesson. Young children do not typically learn well late at night or during nap time and older children may do better if their lessons are not the same day as other activities.

Parent Lessons - I typically ask that new parents participate in four parent lessons before their child begins lessons. These provide you with the necessary tools you will need to help your child succeed at home. We discuss things such as:
 - The Suzuki Philosophy,
 - Proper posture and technique,
 - Developing good practice habits,
 - Creating a positive learning environment,
 - Your role as a parent.

 I hope these steps make it seem easier to get your child started. If you have any questions about starting your child you can always contact me, Sandra Leary, at dunkirksuzuki@gmail.com, or call (716)270-7117.

Suzuki vs. Traditional

 This topic is usually one of the first that I go through with my new students' parents since most adults who have taken lessons in the past were taught using a traditional method. The differences seem endless, but I will try to highlight the most obvious and important.

 Note-reading - In a traditional method the first thing a child will do is start learning how to read notes. While this is a vital part of music, the Suzuki method uses the Mother-Tongue Method. Dr. Shinichi Suzuki believed that if every child could learn to speak his/her native language fluently, then every child could learn to play music fluently using the same steps.

      Listening - infants develop their hearing while still in the womb at week 16 and typically start forming words around 12 months. The first assignment your child has as a Suzuki student is to listen to the Book 1 CD which plays all of the songs they will be learning.
     Imitating - children always imitate their parents, whether you want them to or not! In the Suzuki Method the parent starts by taking lessons and practicing at home, then when the parent is ready the child copies the parent in taking lessons and practicing.
    Repetition - children love to play the same games, watch the same shows, eat the same food, etc. We use that to our advantage by constantly repeating our review songs to solidify technique.
    Reading - after a child has successfully learned to speak, they will learn to read and write. Every Suzuki teacher starts note-reading at a slightly different time because it depends on the child's readiness, but I typically introduce note-reading at the end of Book 1 or beginning of Book 2.


Parental Involvement - When I was young my Mom dropped us off for our piano lessons (along with $.25 for candy!) and went to do her grocery shopping. It wasn't until I was in college that I finally let her sit in on a piano lesson. I so wish I could go back and have her at every lesson so that she could help me and guide me at home. Since the Suzuki method allows starting students very young, usually at 3 or 4 year old, it's impossible to expect a child that age to take the responsibility of practicing alone at home. Not only that, but it makes a huge difference in the child's success to have the parent involved. Parents, you don't have to know a thing about music to be able to help your children, although you will learn along with your child as you sit in the lessons. You provide stability, partnership, guidance, and fun in the practice sessions at home. Sometimes when your child gets frustrated with something, it helps them to see that you're puzzled by the same thing.

A piano lesson with Mrs. Phyllis East

Technique - It's not fair or accurate to say that all Suzuki students' technique surpass that of a traditional student, and proper technique is not our ultimate goal. However, it is a focal point from the very first lesson. I believe that the Suzuki method, since we start by looking at our hands instead of notes on a page, allows us to address hand position, tone, and musicality from the very beginning.


Repertoire - Most traditional teachers use an array of different method books, and once students reach a certain level they will skip around to find songs the student may enjoy, rather than songs specifically chosen to teach the next step. While this is not a hopeless way of learning, it can be difficult to see progress. The Suzuki method has graded repertoire, all chosen to teach a specific point in a specific order, much like the progression in grade school math. Another benefit to this is that beginner students get to hear more advanced students play the songs they will be learning in the future and are constantly inspired and motivated by them.


Teacher's Accreditation - Obviously, any pianist will reach a level in their musical education, whether they take lessons through High School, or go on for a college degree, which qualifies them to teach piano lessons. The Suzuki Association has taken it upon themselves to make sure that their teachers are not only accomplished performers, but also prepared teachers. To become a Suzuki Certified teacher you must pass an audition process before taking training in each individual book (7 books total for piano) in order to teach the material. If you are interested in taking Suzuki lessons, always make sure that the teacher you're considering is certified. Unfortunately, there are many teachers out there using the repertoire who have not had the training.


 I know this post has been lengthy, but I hope it has answered questions and sparked more interest for this amazing way of learning! My goal as a Suzuki teacher is to teach through love and enthusiasm, and develop a love for music in my students.

Welcome!

 Welcome to Dunkirk-Fredonia Suzuki Piano's site! I have created this hoping to reach out to not only my students and their parents, but any Suzuki parent with a question. If you would like to know more about this unique method of learning music please visit: http://suzukiassociation.org/teachers/twinkler/ to read more about it.

 I am Sandra Leary, and have been teaching the Suzuki method since 2006. I earned my certification in books 1, 2 and 3 through Mrs. Linda Gillette and Mrs. Rita Hauck. I also graduated from Fredonia State in 2007 with a Bachelor's in Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy. My husband, two dogs and I currently live in Dunkirk, NY, where I am developing a piano studio as well as accompanying college students at Fredonia State. My true passion is working with young children so that they develop a love for music as well as a strong ear - just one of the many important things for a musician to have!

On this site I will address things such as:
 - what are the differences between a traditional method and the Suzuki method?
 - how do I get started?
 - what do I do when my child doesn't want to practice?
 - the importance of listening,
 - how to be involved as a parent.

 If you have any questions or suggestions please let me know!