Ways to Encourage More Listening in Your Studio
“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.” - Dr. Shinichi Suzuki
Those who are familiar with the Suzuki method know how important consistent listening is for developing musicians.
You would never expect someone to learn a language without hearing it spoken, so why would we expect to learn music without hearing the quality of tone and sound we want to have ourselves? But when it comes time to actually develop those skills, listening is forgotten from our regular practice. Whether we’re working on our own skills or helping the young musicians around us, we become hyper focused on the physical aspect of playing and forget that listening shows us the end game for all our efforts.
So as a teacher, I want to try and make this as easy as possible for my studio! Here are a few ideas on how to address this with my students. Some are ones I’ve tried already, others are ideas I’m hoping to implement over the next few months.
Read on to see if any of these ideas might work for you and your studio, too!
Studio Watch Parties
These have been SUCH fun for my studio since we started having these last fall. As I returned from maternity leave, I quickly realized that we wouldn’t be able to regular group activities due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Another unfortunate casualty was our regular studio field trip to see our beloved Maryland Symphony Orchestra, conveniently located in our downtown in Hagerstown, Maryland!
These parties have been a fun way for me to highlight music for different holidays, seasons and playing styles! I host these on Zoom and using the screenshare function I’m able to share recordings of live performances with my students. It can be a bit of work to select what pieces to share, but worth it in my experience.
2. Studio Field Trips
I cannot wait to get back to attending live music performances with my students! You can see some of my thoughts on planning these events here: How to Plan a Studio Field Trip in Five Steps. There’s even a free checklist for other teachers at the link, check it out!
Not only do field trips help our studio get familiar with our local music events, it helps them see their instruments in an ensemble setting, up close and personal! As good as recorded videos are, there is something different about hearing the sound in person. And the plus side is, you don’t have to choose the music!
3. Youtube Playlists
Look no further than Youtube! Creating playlists with one of our most valuable and free tools is a great way to encourage student listening habits.
This amazing resource was in its infancy when I was in youth orchestra, but I can distinctly remember the numerous occasions when our conductor implored us from his podium to “LOOK IT UP ON YOUTUBE” anytime he was guiding us through repertoire. Through the years it’s ever expanding database of performances by the great violinists of the last century to the present day has been a handy reference in my own studies.
One way for music teachers to make it easier for our students to tune into this resource is to take care of some of the work for them. Perhaps they’re overwhelmed by the sheer volume of available music. Maybe their parents don’t have the time to sit down and guide them through searching for music. It’s also worth recognizing the value aspect - This is a FREE resource. When so much of music education has a cost attached, we can alleviate some of the burden our studio families have by taking advantage of something you don’t need an account or payment to access.
Create a studio playlist on a monthly or quarterly basis. Then share the link with your students on your social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, as well as send them in emails to Mom and Dad and in texts if you use a program like Remind.com! The ability to just click and go can really help our studio families who are on the go to include more music into their routine.
4. Suggested Listening Lists
For families who prefer to stick with an old school CD or are more comfortable searching for titles on their own preferred listening platform, having a quick reference list for suggested pieces to search can be a great help, too. One added benefit is allowing families to use the method that fits best in their own established habits. There are so many options for listening to music these days, that it isn’t realistic to expect every family to use the same resources.
You can have a lot of fun creating these lists, too. Here’s just a few themes you can have for your listening lists:
Holidays
Female Composers
Time periods
Composers of Specific Nationalities
Symphonies
Chamber Music
Various Music with Shared Topics (War, Childhood, Dreams, etc.)
There are endless options when you get started. By having a couple lists available, you can quickly email some options to your students and their families to inspire their listening searches.
If you’d like to have some guides to get you started, you can find some of my own in my free resource library here. I hope that helps you get some ideas about other lists you’d like to share with your students!
The importance of listening cannot be overstated. The easier we can make it for our students to tune into recordings from the greats, the more likely they will be to enjoy the benefits in their own musical journey!
I hope you are able to take some of these ideas and use them with your own studio, and I’d love to hear any ideas you have successfully used as well! Share your experiences with me on Instagram or Facebook @shawstrings or email me at renee@shawstrings.co.
Happy listening!
