The Heart That Feels Music Will Feel People
I think that must is the most wonderful one of the man-made arts. If we listen to the music of Bach or Mozart, we can feel the hearts of Bach and Mozart in their music. Maybe at first only the melody is understood, but after continuous listening it is possible to understand all of the religious, sensitive, overpowering personality of Bach. With Mozart, his loving personality is packed into his music. Even now, Bach and Mozart live in their works. This is the beauty and wonder of music.
If a child is raised on Bach from a young age, the noble soul, the powerful personality and the religious sensitivity of Bach will develop in the child. If a child is raised on Mozart, then the loving soul of Mozart will develop in the child. The life force in the child will absorb those traits to a high level. The heart that feels music will feel people.
In Talent Education, there is a kind of graduation test. The children study the graduation pieces, tape them and send the to me. None of the children sending tapes fail to graduate. Each has put much effort into the tape, and it is enough for them to be told how to improve their performance. This is at the National Concert.
I have my own kind of graduation present. At first, I chose about hone hundred of the best performances in the group and rewarded them with something I painted. Then I decided that method was a mistake. All of the tapes had been completed with great effort. Of course there were human differences of superiority and inferiority. But separating them was a mistake because all of the children had worked so hard. Now I give a prize to everyone of the graduating students.
This year there were 970 graduating students. Each one received a prize.
Speak to Each One
I have been listening to the graduation tapes sent to me. At the end of each tape I include some comments:
“Your right elbow is just a little too high. Play with it just a little lower.”
“The little finger of your bow hand is straight. Curve it.”
People wonder how I know. If I listen to the tone, I know the posture, the feelings, and the entire child. Sometimes I even understand the home situation.
“You are somewhat disobedient, aren’t you? You have been doing some practicing alone. Today you clearly said ‘I am a disobedient child’ through your music. Now practice being obedient three times a day. Practice saying yes instead of no. Make the next tape say to me, ‘I am an obedient child.’ It is in your hands!”
Some mothers ask me how I can understand so much. Various factors combine to show a result. The ability to now those factors when listening to the result develops after much experience.
Practice Understanding Others
On the graduation tapes of children who play quite well I say, “You can play quite well. Now here is some homework for you to practice everyday. Practice understanding others and be sensitive to their feelings.”
There are many insensitive people in the world and many people think nothing of wounding the heart of another person in public. When ugly words are said to someone, he will become angry. If a person could feel the hurt and anger in another, he would not say such ugly words.
I often tell children that their parents will be sad if they say ugly words. Ask children to try to understand how such a sad heart feels and to help their mothers silently. If this is done the mother’s thoughts will be happier.
“When you can delicately feel what is in the heart of another then you will be able to understand Bach and Mozart. The ability to feel music means understanding the human heart.”
At the end of the tape, I usually address the child who then follows my words faithfully. At home, the tapes I return are often heard by the entire household, and I receive letters of thanks from parents. This education deals not merely with violin technique, but with the advancement of human nature. I, also, develop along with the child and his parents.
from Ability Development from Age Zero by Shinichi Suzuki