Reprinted from Soundboard magazine, Volume XXXVII, No. 3, 2011, pg. 42-47, with the kind permission of the Guitar Foundation of America
Angela walks confidentially to center stage, wearing her best concert clothes, carrying her prized guitar with her right hand low on the neck and close to her side. She responds to the audience’s applause with a smile and a deep bow before sitting on an adjustable stool and propping her left foot on a footrest. Almost without pause, and without a trace of anxiety or self-consciousness, Angela begins to play “A Toye,” an anonymous Renaissance lute piece with an engaging melody and a simple, but effective supporting bass line. The tone she produces is focused and beautiful, she plays with expression and mature phrasing, including a masterful ritardando at the end of the piece. The audience response is immediate and enthusiastic; Angela stands, beaming, and takes another bow before skipping off stage. Angela is seven years old—she has been playing the guitar since age three.
Angela is not so unusual—she is one of a growing number of children throughout the United States who learn to play the guitar through the Suzuki Method, the marvelous early childhood approach to teaching music that focuses on ear-training, developing good instrumental technique and producing a beautiful tone before introducing the complexities of music reading. What if young guitarists grew up with a solid technical framework from the beginning, without excess tension, using nails to produce tone, all with the support of a group of peers, parents and a network of teachers? What if those students and parents attended guitar concerts, played in masterclasses and listened to numerous recordings of guitarists. What if there were guitarists who grew up playing in ensembles, accompanied violins, flutes, cellos, and felt at ease and confident on stage? This is the idea behind the Suzuki Guitar Experience.
