Early Childhood Program

“All Children Can Learn”
—Shinichi Suzuki, Nurtured By Love

There are two Early Childhood classes: one for children age 0 - young 3s and, a second just for children aged 3 - young 4 year olds.

Children ages 0 to young 3 year olds (Baby Class) participate in the Suzuki Early Childhood Education (ECE) class. In the Suzuki Early Childhood Education classes, infants and toddlers learn through their senses, and through social interaction. Parents need not be musicians! Through the musical environment created in the class, parents learn how to recreate this musical environment in their homes so babies and toddlers have the opportunity to learn music naturally, as their mother tongue. Children who participate in this class are prepared to go on to learn any instrument of their choice at around age three. Parents are encouraged to learn a new lullaby or song each week in class. At home, parents sing their new songs to their child, and play the games and activities learned in class with in the natural rhythm of each day.

Parents also play the professional recording of the ECE class songs in their home. Combined, the home and ECE class together, become a holistic, natural musical environment for little ones to grow in. Through this experience, babies and toddlers gain enhanced listening and sequencing skills, they develop a sense and understanding of size, pitch delineation, and motion skills (high/low, fast/slow), number skills, they experience increased motor skills, and they grow socially and emotionally while developing vocabulary skills.

Children age 3 to young 4 year olds participate in a special, small ECE class where individual attention from both parent and teacher is present. Violins are introduced in this class when the individual child is ready. (Up to 5 parent child pairs per class.) Through physically active games mixed with quiet activities, young students learn to focus their bodies, hearts and minds on basic skills helpful to beginning to play the violin. Children pay attention to detail, develop memory skills, body-mind co-ordination, and begin training their ears. In the 3-4 year old class, children are introduced to Music Mind Games, to begin their journey toward musical literacy. Parents participate side by side with their children.

When the child is ready, he or she will move to Individual Lessons combined with the Repertory Group Class.

Tuition

ECE Baby Class (0-3 Year Old):
$200 per semester

ECE 3-4 Year Old Class:
$375 per semester

1 hour class per week, 3-5 children per class,
Parent participation required

A semester is 15 weeks long. There are three semesters per year, making lessons available 45 weeks of the year.

Early Childhood classes are located at Catherine Whelan’s studio, near Multnomah Village.

When we started our very active 4-year-old with music lessons in the Early Childhood Program, it was more the idea that musical activity could calm him down a little. Despite thoughts that he would be much too wild for this “brain-sport,” he learned to listen and concentrate in a fascinating way. The concept may be seen as fun games by the little ones, but in fact, is a well-elaborated sequence of skill-training, step-by-step. Through listening to music, watching and copying, being part of the group, and being given little music-related tasks, our energetic boy has gained the ability to focus and concentrate, and also, to play the violin beautifully. Instead of breaking the instrument, which we expected to happen sooner or later, he developed a close relationship to his violin and takes care of it now, all by himself.
— Stephanie Siefert, Suzuki Parent, 2005

For more information contact Catherine Whelan
503.244.6190 Email catherine AT suzukiportland dot com

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