Food for Thought
In our Suzuki pedagogy we use a lot of analogies around food. Because we come from many cultural backgrounds, I am aware that some of these analogies do not work so well. Some, however, are just right!
Music is something that is intangible. It is a way for us to express feelings and moods when words sometimes fail us. I often say to my students, without background music in the movies we watch, the movies would not nearly be as effective. The moment there is a possible danger, the music gets dark and spooky. When there is emotion, sadness, or tenderness, the music becomes very romantic and smooth. Music is very powerful, but so is the image of food.
When we teach using the Suzuki pedagogy, even with our youngest beginners, we use analogies to help produce the sounds and tone colors on our instruments. Light staccato on the piano may sound like popcorn popping, or long legato sounds may sound like melting chocolate! Many of these stimulate the imagination and trigger the part of the brain that is emotional and sensitive. In the Suzuki pedagogy we are teaching through these senses. We rely on hearing the music, using the body, and feeling emotion even at the earliest stages of learning.
This is very different from the traditional way of teaching classical music which starts with reading. By looking at the notes on the page, one is using a different part of the brain. Focusing on reading makes it much harder for the beginning student (child or adult) to hear the music, listen to their own playing, and feel how their body is producing the sounds on the instrument. When I tell my students to feel how their arm is heavy to produce a deeper tone, I say to pretend they are holding a five pound bag of oranges hung from their arm---food again! We are imagining and feeling our bodies, not looking at the f for forte on the printed page and thinking we need to play loudly. As we play a deep legato tone, a teacher might say "imagine some creamy fudge for this phrase."
The food analogy that has bothered me the most is the referral to Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star as a sandwich. This is a metaphor referring to the form of the piece. For some people, I believe this analogy requires some explanation and one cannot assume that everyone is familiar with a peanut butter, ham, or cheese sandwich. We are a melting pot of food cultures, and so sliced bread with an additional ingredient inside is not something that everyone eats. Sandwich bread is a quick and easy way to assemble a meal or snack, but not all food cultures include sandwiches
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By taking one slice of bread, spreading a layer of peanut butter, then a layer of jelly or jam, and then placing another slice of bread on top, we have a "sandwich." The form of the Twinkle song involves an "A" section, a shorter "B" section followed by another "A" section. This is also described as a slice of bread (phrase A) plus two slices of cheese (phrase B) and then another slice of bread (phrase A). Hence the analogy that the Twinkle song is like a sandwich.
While I believe that the analogy is explainable and understandable to an older student or an adult, this is not a good analogy for a child in the 4-6 year old age range. Why? This is a left brain approach to learning. The analysis of the form should happen after the song is learned and not as a means to learning the song. Developmentally, young children live in real time. Phrase 1 is followed by Phrase 2 and is followed by Phrase 3. Phrase 1 is not Phrase 3. Children think and feel sequentially by adding on to what they have played and not by taking the whole and dividing it into three parts. If one takes the "sandwich" approach, one should be sure to say, "here is the first phrase, here is the second phrase, and our third phrase 'sounds like the first phrase.'"
Finding ways to relate to our students is based upon how they are experiencing life. Food is a great way to relate to our students, since we know it is important to get daily nutrition. Dr. Suzuki would say, "only practice on the days that you eat." But we must also be mindful of those who may be faced with food challenges or different food cultures. The use of analogies is an effective tool when used with sensitivity to others. LIkewise, it is a very enriching part of our school community to be made up of so many different cultural heritages. By learning about each other, we can enjoy and appreciate each other in many meaningful ways. Next time you see a triad, you might think about odango or play your legato repeated notes like natto. What food metaphors do you use?
- Sachiko