The universal language of music The universal language of music (December 09, 2005)

Suzuki Strings Academy performs winter concert
by Rebecca Guyon

Some say love is the international language. Others say it is food. The students from Suzuki Strings Academy say it's music, and they are sharing their musical gifts with Pleasanton residents during tonight's winter concert titled, "Music: Our Universal Language," at Trinity Lutheran Church. Showcasing that theme, students will perform pieces that come from a wide variety of countries including Korea, Mexico and China, as well as traditional Christmas and Chanukah songs. The program is mainly instrumental, featuring viola, violin, cello and guitar music, but there will also be some singing.

One of the highlights of the show will be when the students sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" in six different languages and sign language, said Goran Berg, director of Suzuki Strings Academy.

"The first piece all students play as beginners is 'Twinkle, Twinkle,'" he said. "By having them sing the song in different languages, we hope to demonstrate to the audience how languages divide, but that music brings us together."

The Academy currently teaches 70 students, ages 5 to 17, and all of them will perform in the show. Two seniors who have studied at The Academy since they were 5 years old will be featured during the performance.

"Students tend to stick with the program once they start," Goran said. "It's a growing-up-with-the-music process which we celebrate here."

The older students are performing some especially difficult pieces, Goran said, such as an Israeli Concerto and a piece by composer John Hayden. Students are not only performing in the large orchestra, but also doing solos and string quartets.

Suzuki Strings Academy is part of a larger international group called The Suzuki Association of the Americas, a nonprofit organization comprised of teachers, parents, educators and others dedicated to making music education available to all children. Students and schools in the association are connected by their shared belief in using The Suzuki Method of teaching music, a technique developed by Dr. Shinichi Suzuki of Japan in the early 20th century. Called "the mother-tongue approach," Suzuki created this method based on the basic principles of language acquisition and then applied those same principles to music instruction. Key elements are having children learn music at an early age, have them listen to music every day, encourage their progress, have them learn with other children, delay music reading and get their parents involved in the learning process.

"They don't just learn music; they get music in their lives as a natural ingredient," Goran said.
Going to the show

When: 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 9

Where: Trinity Lutheran Church, 1225 Hopyard Rd, Pleasanton

Cost: The show is free to the public, but donations are accepted. Donations will go to The Suzuki Association of the Americas' fund for music education in Latin America.

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