What is Suzuki Recorder?

Suzuki Recorder is a teaching philosophy coupled with an established graded high-quality musical repertoire. The principal teaching philosophy centers on students learning music in the same way we all learn our first language: immersion!

Image from Suzuki Association of the Americas

Because Suzuki Recorder is linguistic in nature, particularly at the earliest stages, it has been found that students can begin learning this second, musical language shortly after they have begun acquisition of their first, spoken language. Most students can begin learning an instrument as early as age three or four.

Seldom "Too Young" and Never "Too Old"

To the parent of a young child interested in the recorder, I suggest you do start them early.  This will ensure that recorder playing becomes a part of their daily routine from which they will not deviate with competing activities vie for their time later in adolescence.  To the older student, I suggest you start as soon as possible. It is never too late to begin!

Misconceptions

Because of the many remarkable videos available of very young Suzuki students performing advanced repertoire, some people mistakenly believe that Suzuki is a "children's method" not suitable for later beginners or adults.  This is certainly not the case.  Any person, at any age, with an interest in learning an instrument can thrive under the guidance of a certified Suzuki teacher.

Another misconception is that students are taught by rote and that music reading is not emphasized.  This is also not the case. It is for the pre-literate student that written music is not emphasized.  As the student begins to become a literate person in their primary language (e.g. English), they are introduced to reading in a very natural, developmentally-appropriate fashion.

Students are trained to play by ear, not by rote.  The difference may seem subtle to the casual readers, but it is substantial.  Listening and mimicking is a natural process of language acquisition. Ear training is also used for older, literate students.

Image from Suzuki Association of the Americas

Principles of Study and Guidance

  1. The [student] should listen to reference recordings every day... to develop musical sensitivity. Rapid progress depends on this listening.
  2. Tonalization, or the production of beautiful tone, should be stressed in the lesson and at home.
  3. Constant attention should be given to correct posture and proper hand positioning.
  4. Parents and teachers should strive to motivate the [student] so [they] will enjoy practicing correctly at home.

(excerpted from Suzuki Guitar School, Vol. 1. Van Nuys, CA: Alfred Music, 2018, 4.)

The adult or self-motivated adolescent student will naturally not require the same level of external motivation as younger students.  Nevertheless, others in the home should support and encourage the music student's endeavors.

Preparation for College
and Beyond!

The Suzuki Recorder repertoire includes material suitable for the college and professional level.  A student beginning at age three or four with a support system in place who practices regularly can expect to complete the final book in high school. When the students are ready to apply for college, their life-long dedication will cause them to stand out and be noticed for acceptance and scholarship.  Even if the student does not study music in college, they will be equipped and primed for a life-long relationship with music through their accordion which will never leave them.

The Berlin
Recorder Method

The only person that really taught "The Suzuki Method" was Dr. Suzuki. There is no "one, true way" to teach an instrument.  Every student is different and every teacher has their own unique and innovative strengths and strategies for their students. Dr. Berlin's background, personal study, and scholarship makes his teaching unique in all the world, even with a shared repertoire!

Graded Repertoire

The soprano recorder repertoire for levels 1-4 is listed to the right. The rest of the collection is listed below.  Students working through the material have a expansive range of repertoire from which to draw. The recorder has been around for over 900 years. There is a LOT of music available for it plus it is easily-adapted to play just about anything whether pop music, folk music, sacred music, jazz, or classical.

Menuet II, from Suite in A Minor (Georg Phillip Telemann), Musette, Op. 1, No. 4, (Pierre Danican Philidor), Giga, from Sonata in A Minor, Op. 5, No. 8 (Arcangelo Corelli), What Shall We Do This Evening (Wat zal men op den Avond doen) (Jacob van Eyck), Canzona La Bernardinia (Girolamo Frescobaldi), Suite No. 3, Op. 2b (Jacques hotteterre le Romain), Allemande (La Cascade de St. Cloud)

Adagio, from Sonata in C Major, Op. 1, No. 2 (Francesco Barsanti), When Daphne the Most Beautiful Maiden (Doen Daphne d'over schoone Maeght) (Jacob van Eyck), Grave, from Concerto in F Major (Antonio Vivaldi), Affetuoso, from Sonata in D Minor (Georg Philipp Telemann), Air a L'Italien, from Suite in A Minor (Georg Philipp Telemann), Adagio ma non tanto, from Sonata in F Major, BWV 1035 (Johann Sebastian Bach), Allegro, from Sonata in F Major, BWV 1035 (Johann Sebastian Bach)

Amarilli mia Bella (Jacob Van Eyck); Recercada Secunda (Diego Ortiz); Ancor che col partire Divisions (Giovanni Bassano after Cipriano de Rore); Wat zal men op den Avond den (Jacob Van Eyck); Sonata prima (Dario Castello); Adagio from Sonata in G Minor, BWV 1034 (J. S. Bach); Andante from Sonata in G Minor, BWV 1034 (J. S. Bach); Allegro from Concerto in F Major (Giuseppe Sammartini)

Adagio from Sonata in F Major, Op. 5, No. 4 (Arcangelo Corelli); Allegro from Sonata in F Major, Op. 5, No. 4 (Arcangelo Corelli); Dolce from Fantasia in F Minor, TWV 40:7 (G. P. Telemann); Spirituoso from Fantasia in F Minor, TWV 40:7 (G. P. Telemann); Réjouissance from Suite in A Minor (G. P. Telemann); Largo from Concerto in C Major, RV 443 (Antonio Vivaldi); Allegro molto from Concerto in C Major, RV 443 (Antonio Vivaldi); Allegro assai from Concerto in F Major (Giuseppe Sammartini)

External Link for Reference

The Suzuki Recorder Repertoire
Soprano 1-4

Bk. 1-2 Recordings
Bk. 3-4 Recordings

  1. One Bird, Variations - Kodály
  2. Now We Sing - K. White
  3. Mary Had a Little Lamb
  4. Suo Gan
  5. Daddy Long Legs - Kodály
  6. Cuckoo
  7. French Children's Song
  8. The Finch - Kodály
  9. Mary Had a Little Lamb (G Major)
  10. Clair de Lune - J. B. Lully
  11. The Honeybee
  12. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
  13. Go Tell Aunt Rhody
  14. The Best of Times
  15. Allegro - Shinichi Suzuki
  16. Clouds
  17. Goodbye to Winter
  18. Clown Dance
  19. Swedish Dance
  20. A Tiny Forest Bird
  21. My Little Boat
  22. The Turtle Dove
  23. Hungarian Dance
  24. Hansel and Gretel
  25. Dream, Children, Dream
  26. Little Man in the Woods
  27. Are You Sleeping?
  28. Two Kings' Children
  29. Come Lovely May - W. A. Mozart
  30. The Flowers Are Sleeping
  31. The Silent Moon
  32. Early One Morning
  33. Menuet, BWV Anh. 114 - J. S. Bach
  34. Menuet, BWV Anh. 116 - J. S. Bach
  35. Aria, Bourrée in F Major from the Water Music Suite - G. F. Handel
  36. Larghetto from Sonata in F Major, Op. 1, No. 11 for Alto (I) - G. F. Handel
  37. Menuet, BWV Anh. 115 - J. S. Bach
  38. March, BWV Anh. 122 - Ph. E. Bach
  39. Menuet from Suite No. 2 in B Minor - J. S. Bach
  40. Menuet from Suite No. 4 - C. Dieupart
  41. Siciliana from Sonata in F Major (III) - G. F. Handel
  42. Bourrée from Fireworks Suite - G. F. Handel
  43. Passapied from Melpomene Suite - K. Fischer
  44. Adagio from Sonata in A Minor (III) - G. F. Handel
  45. Presto from Sonata in G Minor (IV) - G. F. Handel
  46. Larghetto from Sonata in G Minor (I) - G. F. Handel
  47. Allegro from Sonata No. 1 (IV) - R. Valentini
  48. Giga/Allegro from Sonata in F Major (IV) - G. F. Handel
  49. Minuet - E. C. Jacquet de La Guerre
  50. Rondeau - E. C. Jacquet de La Guerre
  51. Adagio from Sonata No. 4, Op. 7 (I) - R. Valentine
  52. Hornpipe from Royal Water Music Suite - G. F. Handel
  53. Larghetto from Sonata in C Major (I) - G. F. Handel
  54. Air from Les Gouts Reunis, Suite No. 8 - F. Couperin
  55. Siciliano from Concerto in F Major (II) - G. Sammartini
  56. Tempo di Gavotta from Sonata in C Major (IV) - G. F. Handel
  57. Allegro from Sonata in F Major (II) - G. F. Handel
  58. Allegro from Sonata in A Minor (IV) - G. F. Handel