Let’s Sing Together!
I have sometimes heard people say "I have no musical ability" or "I can't sing," or even "I'm tone deaf." People often say the same thing about learning a foreign language: "I don't have the talent for languages." These are skills that some believe are based upon talent, but in truth they depend upon learning through practice and having an expert teacher. One would not expect a person to "know" how to swim, but we learn because we are taught how to swim and then we become better with practice! Dr. Suzuki called his method of teaching the violin "talent education" because children are not born playing the violin, but with excellent teachers and training they can develop extremely amazing skills. When we hear a young musician play with such excellent skills , we say they are "talented." In the Suzuki philosophy we believe talent is trained and every child can learn a musical instrument. As in sports, music ability becomes talent with opportunity, training, and effort.
Why do we sing? As musicians, we know that singing helps us to internalize the music. As human beings, singing connects people together. We sing "Happy Birthday" in celebrations, and hymns and prayers are sung in spiritual and religious ceremonies to bring fellowship and communion. The moment of joining together through singing is very powerful in creating a richer and more memorable experience.
To have the ability to sing, we must realize the vocal cords for singing are actually a muscle. We have two vocal cords that are very thin, and by using them, we learn how to sing. This fall we have started our Suzuki Voice Department with two excellent teachers, Rose Hegele and Nicholas Ford. Moreover, we want all students to sing! We want them to sing in Musicianship class, in their lessons, and at home! As a child, I would sing American folk songs while my mother played the piano. We want to celebrate the joy that singing can bring, but also develop better musicians by requiring them to sing. All persons learn how to speak using their vocal cords. It only takes a little more training, to learn how to sing---and what a wonderful way to take part in a very human connection with our peers, our families, and our community.
- Sachiko