From the moment she was born we played beautiful music for Mischa while she slept or played. My goal was to produce a love for music and a kind of sensitivity for classical pieces in her. I remember one of my professors explaining that children and teenagers should be surrounded by beautiful music and thought provoking talk about God and life. My main choices were classical and celtic- Bach, Tallis, Mozart, Vivaldi, Pachelbel, Hayley Westenra, Celtic Woman, Anuna, Meav Ni Mhaolchatha, Loreena McKennitt, and Sissle. Unknowingly, for I had not read his book or heard his name, I was also following the advice of Shinichi Suzuki who said:
"Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart."Shinichi Suzuki taught many children to develop remarkable musical talent and wrote a book about it called Nurtured by Love.
The first section of his book is titled, "All Japanese Children Speak Japanese." His point being that children do not produce an ear for music any differently than they do their mother tongue. Both are taught by repetition. Suzuki explains:
"We don't have to look for specific innate abilities or talents, It is a superior environment that has the greatest effect in creating superior abilities... I firmly believe that cultural and musical aptitude does not come from within, and is not inherited, but occurs through suitable environmental conditions."After reading I thought a bit and realized how much sense he made. How many times have you come across "musical families" and just figured it some part of their DNA? I know I have... but he makes such a valid point that I have to think maybe it's something more. Perhaps, the parents have formed such an environment to give the children the ability to become wonderful musicians.
My husband's family presents a perfect example. He and his 3 sisters are all extremely musical. However, the first time I visited his home to get to know his family for dinner, I noticed they didn't have a living room. It was, in fact, a music room containing all forms of instruments. A piano, a drum set, acoustic guitars... etc. Then I learned they all had piano lessons by a classically trained pianist (his older sisters had the most) some had violin lessons, one had guitar lessons and singing lessons. They knew how to play and still can play beautiful music pieces and they were raised with this type of music surrounding them. Not only that but I then learned my father-in-law has an amazing voice and my mother-in-law could pick up a wind instrument and play rather well- though neither did so often (my father-in-law goofily singing random phrases does not count). My husband and his sisters were in an environment where they could grow musically. I imagine they would not have developed very well in many other homes, Suzuki points out:
"To look at a school-aged child with stunted or damaged abilities and say this is inherited is a grave mistake. The destiny of children lies in the hands of the parents...if a child born today were to be brought up and educated in a society of five thousand years hence, he would adapt to the customs and habits of that society."Suzuki uses the example of a nightingale to reveal the learning/teaching factor of music. Unbeknown to most, a nightingale is actually taught how to sing beautifully by another bird. The younger bird will develop beautiful or tone deaf pitch based on the pitch of the older bird teaching it. In relating a nightingale to a child Suzuki says:
"Isn't the example of the little nightingale a valuable hint for the development of human potential as well? I myself believe this very strongly. For the sake of our little ones, therefore, I stress as much as I can the need to provide the best influences in rearing children... But just as nightingales are not born tone-deaf, neither are human infants. On the contrary, a baby absorbs perfectly any out-of-tune pitch of its mother's lullabies. It has a marvelous ear."Again, after considering his words I couldn't help but think how much sense he makes. Have you ever met someone raised in the deep south by parents from the south that didn't have a bit of that country charm to their voice? Have you ever met someone from New Jersey without that so familiar accent? They were indeed raised from infancy hearing how certain words ought to sound and they mimic them perfectly.
As my mom often informs me about Mischa, "She is just a little sponge soaking up all that information."
I can't emphasize how true that statement is of Mischa and of all children. They will soak up what we place before them. It really is our job to insure they have the highest quality environment for learning any given thing. As Suzuki is quoted, "Any child can be developed, it depends on how you do it." Let us take pains in providing the best environments for our children. To produce within them not just a talent but a beautiful character. Suzuki, no doubt, believed that beautiful character produced beautiful music as he said things such as "beautiful tone, beautiful heart."
As we begin to provide an environment of music for our children we ought to also remember as Suzuki tried hard to convey, to help our children look for love, truth, virtue, and beauty. I'll end with a very beautiful response he had to a mother who longed to know if her child would "amount" to something.
"No. He will not become 'something'. He will become a noble person through his violin playing. Isn't that good enough? You should stop wanting your child to become a professional, a good money earner. This thought is concealed in your question and is offensive. A person with a fine and pure heart will find happiness. The only concern for parents should be to bring up their children as noble human beings. That is sufficient. If this is not their greatest hope, in the end the child may take a road contrary to their expectations. Your son plays the violin very well. We must try to make him splendid in mind and heart also."So, there you have it. A bit on the importance of providing a quality filled musical environment for children based on what I've read in Shinichi Suzuki's autobiography, Nurtured by Love. I hope it encourages you to encourage your own children both musically and mentally.
~Mickaela
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