The Hartt Suzuki Program is one of the largest and most reputable Suzuki schools in the country.
We offer Suzuki instruction inviolin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, flute, trumpet, French horn, and piano for children as young as four. As in traditional methods of instruction, students take weekly private lessons. Suzuki students also must attend group classes (weekly for string students and monthly for pianists). Students perform in monthly recitals, group concerts, and community presentations.
The Suzuki program requires the active participation of a guardian, including mandatory attendance at all lessons and group classes and a willingness to serve as the child's at-home practice partner.
In addition to weekly lessons and group classes, we offer Suzuki orchestras, the annual summer Hartt Suzuki Institute, and the annual Spring Suzuki String and Guitar Workshop.
Being a part of the Hartt Suzuki program is a long-term commitment. In this fast-changing world, we stay constant. We plan to be there in 14 years for your child’s senior recitals. Our alumni have attended such schools as University of Connecticut, Dartmouth, Smith, Princeton, Columbia, Boston College, and NYU.
The Suzuki method of teaching music to young children is based on the way they acquire language. It is also called the "Mother Tongue method."
Young children are wired to process sound. From birth to age three, a child learns an incredibly complicated language, which includes all the rules and local nuance. How? By hearing the language spoken constantly around them—plus family encouragement. This is what violinist Shinichi Suzuki realized when he began to develop his method in Japan in the 1940s.
In the Suzuki method, the steps prior to playing an instrument are broken down into small increments similar to a child’s first vocalizations. Games and activities are used in the lessons to provide a fun, nurturing environment in addition to a strong element of family involvement.
- incremental instruction based on how children learn language
- music-related games and activities
- individual and group instruction
Families join our Suzuki program to:
- have fun making music
- increase mutual respect and understanding between parent and child by using healthy communication
- enrich the child's aesthetic sense
- foster self-esteem and self-discipline
- develop focus and concentration
- teach commitment and responsibility
- gain an appreciation and respect for the body and its proper use
Meet Our Team
Suzuki Faculty
Instrumental Studies
HCD Music
HCD Music
HCD Music
Dean's Office for Hartt
Students begin the Suzuki method between the ages of 4 and 6 (piano students begin between 5 and 7). The Suzuki method recognizes and encourages the quick development students can make at this age.
Guardians provide the vital element of encouragement. When a young child first says “ma-ma,” our reaction is one of pleasure. We never say, “Is that all you can say?” Positive encouragement keeps the child aiming high and working hard.
Children learn to read after their ability to talk has been well established. In the same way, Suzuki students develop basic technical competence on their instruments before notational literacy.
Responsibilities
We expect our students to:
- practice and listen to their repertoire every day
- attend regular group classes in addition to their private lesson with their parent
- participate in a minimum of two recitals each year
- perform in one ensemble concert per year (as appropriate)
Guardians are responsible for:
- attendance at all lessons and group classes
- taking notes during lessons
- supervising daily practice
- attending four parent classes each year
After registration, the first six group classes are for adult practice partners only. These meetings form the creation of a nurturing home environment for successful practice. Parents are introduced to elementary skills, ensuring a common ground with their children.
- Students listen to recordings of their Suzuki repertoire every day to facilitate the aural learning process.
- Students learn small musical ideas, repeat them, and then reuse them in more sophisticated ways, just like when we learn a language.
- Students learn to play with other musicians and become motivated by their peers. They are encouraged to support each other’s efforts, develop generosity, and create a sense of community.
Questions?
Call us at 860.768.5593 or e-mail us at hcdlesson@hartford.edu.