tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51047243178167770032012-02-16T03:59:40.605-08:00... Memoirs of a Suzuki Piano MomSuzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.comBlogger151100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-52418751524566762962009-04-24T19:04:00.000-07:002009-04-24T19:20:21.524-07:00

Things are getting busy for with Spring around the corner so I'm going to start posting once a month. I hope some of these experiences have helped you with your lessons. Thanks for tuning in.Today Koji and Kai's group classes had a parent participation day. They do Eurhythmics which explores body rhythm, self expression and music. They totally enjoy it. The kids are so adorable and I found

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-62334054452589039282009-04-14T18:01:00.000-07:002009-04-14T18:06:32.065-07:00

I'm working on a giant banner to hang over our piano. Saturday will be our 100th consecutive day of practicing. We actually started a month before lessons started to get our kids used to the habit of practicing first thing in the morning. Back then we just fooled around on the piano. We still have fun although I admit it's becoming more challenging. Koji and I have had some trying days where

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-34557887261321968472009-04-07T16:32:00.000-07:002009-04-07T16:47:21.024-07:00

I have been wanting to blog but I've been incredibly busy these last two weeks. My writing portfolio was due yesterday and it contains all the work I did this year in my 2nd year of my MFA in creative writing. It doesn't just contain my first draft, it contains all my rewrites and my final edits. Writing is so much like playing the piano. You have to do it over and over again. By that, I

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-60597205963330997692009-03-25T17:34:00.000-07:002009-03-25T17:49:44.176-07:00

While I was pregnant I read tonnes of books on pregnancy and birth. After my kids were born, I continued to read books on 'baby's first year'. Then life took over and didn't read much at all.Since discovering the Suzuki method, I've been devouring the reading list of books our piano teacher gave us. Many of the books are on parenting or coaching and they each offer many, many insights and

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-83372740035918231392009-03-16T18:24:00.000-07:002009-03-17T18:00:43.574-07:00

One of the reasons I love writing is that because all things are possible in writing. Through stories, fiction or non-fiction, one can influence change, one can ignite an inner fire, one can inspire. But most writers are self employed and it takes discipline. One of the reasons I believe I am a writer today is because of piano lessons. Having to practice everyday and also round up my younger

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-4336168316227240482009-03-09T18:26:00.000-07:002009-03-10T17:02:21.276-07:00

I have a deadline to meet but here I am blogging about our piano lessons. All February, all I've been wanting to write about in my journal is my family, whereas last year it was all work. Last year, I was in school full time plus I was doing some freelance writing. All my efforts were focused on my career. When I was with my children my mind was off somewhere, thinking about the novel or the

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-57003718638469080692009-03-02T16:22:00.000-08:002009-03-02T16:24:48.994-08:00

Today Koji played his first recital. All week he had been saying how nervous he was so everyday we practiced his intro and bow. By the end of the week, he had it down. When we got to the concert, (we were early) he was so excited that was willing to sit in the front row alone, waiting for the others to arrive. But he was also scared. His hands fidgeted but he wore a smile like he was about to go

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-24542962601310223992009-02-25T18:41:00.000-08:002009-02-26T10:43:54.511-08:00

My son's teacher at school came up to me on the playground and said, "Mrs. so-and-so and I were just saying what a happy boy Koji is. Everyday he walks in with a big smile." Other friends, relatives and also our piano teacher have mentioned this as well. My kids smile a lot which is interesting since neither my husband or I smile more than the average person, I think. What I do know is that we

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-83299230884995732812009-02-12T19:44:00.000-08:002009-02-25T19:00:12.370-08:00

Since Kai won't be starting lessons for a while, I've been trying to think of things we can do to prepare for lessons. As I had mentioned, both Kai and Koji wake up ready to practice before seven in the morning. Lately, it's Kai who gets to the piano first not wanting to be left out. I put together a list of things which we started working on, just for a couple minutes a day to make him feel like

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-15611403172421369882009-02-07T18:09:00.000-08:002009-02-10T10:47:47.111-08:00

One of the components of Suzuki music lessons are group classes. Ours involve eurhythmics and both Koji and Kai love them. During class, I can hear them laughing all the way down the hallway where I'm sitting. We've attended four classes so far and they each attend one specifically geared towards children their own age. Although Kai won't be starting classes until September, the instructor

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-51121198738446900652009-01-26T11:50:00.000-08:002009-02-07T18:47:45.270-08:00

Practicing is something I look forward to with Koji. It's our time together and I really try to keep it lite but effective. We do our practicing in the mornings because it's the best time for us. After school there's homework and I find they're more irritable and not as clear minded.Koji and Kai wake up around six-forty-five in the morning. They come and stand by my bed and say "It's piano time

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-1337009648275993922009-01-13T18:25:00.000-08:002009-05-03T18:46:53.765-07:00

Koji had his first piano lesson six days ago. Originally, I wanted to start both Koji and Kai at the same time. I knew the younger one would get upset if he saw the older one doing it and I didn't see any harm in having them begin at once. When I finally chose a Suzuki teacher, I'll call her Mary, she brought up an interesting point. She said that starting the boys together might bring out some

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-73628560184589833702008-12-23T12:29:00.000-08:002009-05-03T18:48:37.997-07:00

After Koji and Kai had expressed interest in piano, we went to stores trying out pianos everywhere. I held back on buying anything for two months because it occurred to me (and will always) that maybe, this is a passing thing. As we shopped around, their interest seemed to grow. They would go to stores and test out grands and uprights, different colours and finishes, new and used. I found it as

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-30787951935925699832008-12-18T18:14:00.000-08:002009-02-07T18:46:25.208-08:00

We've had our piano for five weeks now and it's been terrific. We bought a secondhand Yamaha U1 through craigslist and the woman, Lisa who sold it to us was just wonderful. I had placed an ad explaining our children's recent interest and our ceiling price. She told us about the history of her ebony black piano and how she too played when she was young. Lisa said that it helped her to get through

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104724317816777003.post-83500063804667490672008-12-15T18:13:00.000-08:002009-02-25T19:01:12.702-08:00

In the summer of 2008 my three year old son Kai began to show an interest in music. He had a fascination with our stereo and several times a day, he'd feed the CD's into it then sing and along with familiar music. When he discovered an old keyboard at my in-laws house, it became his favourite toy.I had taken lessons and trained to grade eight under the Royal Conservatory of Music so I played the

Suzuki Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18090567470011543081noreply@blogger.com0