Suzuki Strings of San Diego offers a premier instructional program for children and adults using the Suzuki method for violin and cello. The Suzuki Strings program follows the academic calendar with classes starting in October and continuing through May.

The Preschool/Kindergarten program consists of a weekly Suzuki repertoire class with 4-5 peers. Elementary school students are also grouped by grade. The group class experience, a cornerstone of the Suzuki technique, enables each student to develop the unique set of skills needed for school orchestras and ensemble playing. In this setting, children are not only inspired by their teacher but also by each other. Aside from the music skills that are learned, children form a special type of camaraderie from playing in such a group setting. It is through the joy of playing with their peers that self–esteem and confidence are developed and nurtured. This is reinforced in our program with performance opportunities ranging from concerts and solo recitals to community events.

Children trained in the Suzuki method learn to play their instrument in the same way children first learn to speak their native language – by hearing a sound and then being encouraged to reproduce that sound. Dr. Shinichi Suzuki revolutionized music education by employing this “Mother Tongue” approach. He understood that effective learning will only happen when the ear is able to recognize the correct tone, which enables the student to consistently reproduce the same sound on their instrument. These are some of the key principles that distinguish the world-renown Suzuki Method from all other music instruction.

In the last twenty-five years, science has shown convincing evidence of the benefits of starting children in music instruction. Benefits are not just musical. The classes emphasize development of fine and large motor coordination, focused listening and instrument playing — all critical to the development of the whole child. Studies show a direct correlation between guided music instruction and abilities in math, language and spatial reasoning. For example, children who are given musical training on string instruments, in particular, have better verbal memories than those who have not had lessons. Furthermore, benefits carry on through high school where music students score 51 points higher on the verbal part of the SAT than the national average as reported by the College Entrance Examination Board. The College Board also reported that these same students scored 39 points higher on the math portion of the exam. Our program takes advantage of this extraordinary period in children’s learning development.