History of the Suzuki Method®

A short biography and the early beginnings

Sinichi Suzuki – violinist, educator philosopher, and humanitarian, was born on  October 17, 1898, the son of Japan’s first violin manufacturer and the largest in the world at the time.  Suzuki worked in the violin factory as a child, but was not interested in playing until he was seventeen years old. Suzuki taught himself, listening to a record of the legendary violinist Mischa Elman playing  Schubert’s Ave Maria.  Suzuki then studied violin in Japan for some years before going to Germany in the 1920’s for further studies. There he was under the tutelage of two pupils of one of the most legendary violin pedagogues of all times Josef Joachim. While in Berlin one of his inspiring friends was Albert Eisntein.

Upon returning to Japan, Suzuki and his brothers formed a string quartet that toured extensively. He also taught violin at universities in Tokyo and elsewhere. During this period, Suzuki became interested in the education of young children.

After World War II, Suzuki carried his interest and sympathy for children into his work as a musician and teacher.  Noting the ability of children all over the world learn to speak their native languages with ease, Suzuki applied these principles to the learning of music.  He called his method the Mother-Tongue Approach or Talent Education.  His philosophy is that musical ability is not an inborn talent, but an ability that can be developed.  The potential of every child can grow if given the proper training and learning environment.  In 1946, Suzuki start to apply his new discovery at a school in Matsumoto which later became the Talent Education Research Institute (TERI).

Dr. Suzuki first applied his theories to the violin. Today the Method includes violin, viola, cello and bass, piano, flute, harp, guitar, recorder and organ.

Within a year after beginning his program, Suzuki presented some of his young students at a concert in Tokyo. Listeners were amazed at the performance of the children, and the Talent Education movement began to grow.  Nowadays there are over 8000 trained Suzuki teachers and and close to a quarter million students all over the world.

Suzuki was active teacher and learner well into his nineties when he passed away on January 26, 1998 eight months before his 100 birthday! He received many honorary degrees during his life time. He was also named a Living National Treasure by the Emperor of Japan, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.