Why is there a picture of Candyland on this Suzuki piano blog?  Well, if I told you that for $20-30, this little game has joyfully produced thousands of repetitions with as much precision and detail I have requested, would you go out and try it?  These are a little pricier than the standard versions, but you need one that opens up vertically in the middle.  I always keep a roll of clear contact paper in my studio for parents that are taking the challenge and buying a Chutes n' Ladders or Candyland game.  Using a piece of doubled sticky tape and a colorful piece of paper, I move the game pieces around the board every when we complete four repetitions.   Do I have more musically relevant games as well?  Yes, I do, but this is a favorite and I ask for lots of thinking and perfection during repetitions, so why make the game anything but mindless fun?  Suzuki piano focuses on the nurturing of the whole child including his sense of fun!

My four children and I all attended Music Together classes when they were first born before I found out more about the Suzuki Early Childhood Education program this year.  It is a wonderful music experience for ages zero to five.   Even though my cute guys were probably the "busiest bees" in the class, they all now sing with wonderful rhythm and pitch and are picking up Suzuki piano easily.  Starting them as babies got music into their ears and bodies and now they both gravitate to music and dancing as well as assimilate Suzuki piano pieces with ease.  Basic rhythmic and melodic compentency are the joyful goals of Music Together classes.  The forward step to private Suzuki piano lessons is much the same in a structured environment for ages three and up and is a perfect complement to any Music Together experience.

Many Suzuki teachers begin private lessons around age 3 or 4, however the very best time to begin music classes is actually at birth.  Dorothy Jones was given the commission by Dr. Suzuki to develop a program that would provide a musically rich environment from age zero for parents and their children.  She took this challenge to heart and over several decades began what is now known as SECE--Suzuki Early Childhood Education.   Although some would say that even age three is too young, Dr. Suzuki would say three is three year too late:)  

We are soon opening our first classes in the area in Orangevale, CA.  If you would like to become a part of our maiden voyage, you will have an enjoyable experience and bring the power of beautiful music into your child's ears and heart.   You will end up taking away from the experience much more than you could imagine.

​Everyone child can be trained to hear the incredible differences between tones, phrases, rhythms and melodies.  We want to develop a high level of skill through joyful nurture and teaching.

(Heather Williams is the owner of the Suzuki Piano Academy and has been teaching group classes for age zero to five for over 12 years.  She has been teaching private Suzuki piano lessons for 28 years.)

​Our Suzuki Piano Academy will be performing at Eskaton of Fair Oaks on November 16th at 10:00 a.m.  We would like 15 to 20 Suzuki pianists to share their music with the center and for families to consider donating a few dollars to a gift certificate for Marie Callendar pies.  We are gifting the pies towards the staff and resident's Thanksgiving dinner raffle.  If you would like to participate or donate, please contact Heather Williams at 916-397-1404 by text.  We will be making sweet little notes or pictures on Yellow stars to hand out to give to the center's bulletin board.  Formal attire please.  

Yesterday, fourteen of our Suzuki piano students shared their music with residents of Aegis Assisted Living of Carmichael.   Dressed in costume, we had two four-year old students, several five-year olds, all the way up to a 15 year old student who now accompanies for her high school choir.  The Suzuki Piano Academy will continue to create performing opportunities for students whenever possible.  Performance is a key component for Suzuki piano students.  It not only is an experience in performing, but in learning how to practice with a purpose.  Practice suddenly becomes much more purposeful when the next performance is in 4 weeks.  Suzuki piano students are relaxed performers because not only do they play by memory, but every lesson is like a performance.  Together as teacher and student, we jump in and out of pieces, wherever we need to, by memory.  Suzuki piano develops fluency and confidence in the repertoire and performance experience.

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