Pedagogy and Curriculum
Music making for children at Silver Music incorporates elements of the Suzuki Method and the Dalcroze Method of music education. The repetition, listening, imitation, structure, and small steps of the Suzuki Method are combined with the improvisation, musical discovery, and movement and rhythmic emphasis of the Dalcroze Method to offer children a broad range of experiences.
Dr. Shinichi Suzuki realized that all children learn to speak their mother tongue through being exposed to language from an early age, learning in small, sequential steps, and being praised and supported in their efforts. He brilliantly applied these principles to the study of instrumental music and developed a fun and child-centered way to introduce string instruments to very young children.
Emile Jaques-Dalcroze saw the difficulty young students had in the traditional study of rhythm and theory, and also noticed how easily and eagerly these same children could walk, run, skip, and jump. When they experience the rhythmic pulse with their bodies in space through the natural movements of walking, running, and skipping, children may achieve a rhythmic understanding of music that is brought to the instrument. Through improvisation and creative music-making, children gain confidence in their musical voice.