the SoNo Guitar Studio

...your roving cultural resource

203.979.4004

about the studio - bulletins - recital checklist - registration forms - photos

“True it is that Invention (Musicke) is a gift of Nature...” Christopher Simpson, The Division Viol, London 1655

studio philosophy and goals
As one of the parents in my studio aptly put it, “Oh! It’s not just music lessons.” Since the goal of the SoNo Guitar Studio is the growth of the child as a whole person through the study of music, I would not know how to go about teaching “just music.” We are a musical community where students, their parents and instructor pursue a common goal, the good of these children -- using an uncommon approach, studying classical guitar.

We are so goal-oriented, we sometimes forget that end results (playing a guitar concerto, for instance) are really artifacts of a process. As the founder of the internationally acclaimed Suzuki Method, Dr. Shinichi Suzuki said: “Process, not product.” In the process, children discover themselves and grow strong.

why music?
Music study has been used over the centuries to develop character and intellect. Plus, recent studies show that children studying an instrument score far higher in abstract reasoning skills. Since the process of mastering an instrument necessarily takes place over years (an infinity in the eyes of a child! and maybe for the parents, too, come to think of it...) it teaches students the value of persistence and gives them a taste of its rewards. They also learn to play remarkably well.

the methods
children aged 5 to 10
After many years of teaching I have developed my own version of the Suzuki Method, which involves the student, teacher and parent in a disciplined yet enjoyable cooperative effort. Parents are present both at the lessons and at each of the home practice sessions; this is critical! In this approach (often called “the mother tongue method”) playing comfortably and with musical fluency comes before reading music. You should hear some of the kids in the program who began at 3 and are now 9 or so. Wow. And it’s like falling off a log for them, so easy.

children 10 and up
Once the children turn 10, a traditional classical guitar method is offered, both to new and continuing students. This is when they learn to read sheet music and expand beyond the Suzuki repertoire. Students soon find their musical skills are so strong that all kinds of music are accessible and that their musical abilities give them real pleasure.

why it works
Simple: practice. That and lots of support from parent and teacher. More studies show the brain literally does not develop its gray matter in areas which correlate to the ability to see consequences long-term (in particular the prefrontal cortex) until age 18 or later! Until then children go on emotion and peer pressure, all driven by intelligence residing in a developing brain. Which is exactly why as smart as they are they will not understand when you say “You need to practice. Don’t you see?” No, they can’t, not yet, so thank goodness they have you, the parents and us, the teachers.

the program
Five practice sessions a week is the minimum for this program: anything else is setting these children up for failure, since with less practice they just cannot make enough progress to feel good about themselves.

fun stuff
Public performance, though not required, is always encouraged for the acknowledgment and sense of community it instills. We have two recitals every year at the Bruce Museum, sometimes with other informal events along the way. A favorite was performing at the Maritime Aquarium --in front of the shark tank. The recital/pizza party at Whole Foods was a big success, too. And this summer we performed our Garage Band Concert at the Maritime Center Garage, during the 2009 Norwalk Harbor Festival.

the point
Playing an instrument yields many lasting advantages. It is a wonderful investment in a child’s future. And it is good for the soul.