Shinichi Suzuki

Brief History

Ten Key Elements in the Suzuki Philosophy by Sanford Reuning

Curriculum

Loma Linda Academy Suzuki String Program

Photos

The violin was never a foreign instrument to Shinichi Suzuki because his father, one of Japan's first violin makers, owned a violin factory in Nagoya where Suzuki spent most of his childhood and adolescent years.  At the age of 18, upon graduation from Nagoya Commercial School, he pursued his music education and traveled to Tokyo to study the violin with Koh Ando.  It was during a tour to Germany when Suzuki decided to stay in Berlin to study under Karl Klinger for what would be 8 years, during which he met and was profoundly inspired by Albert Einstein and his colleagues, and also his future wife, Waltraud Prange. 

In 1928, Suzuki returned with Waltraud to Japan and formed the Suzuki String Quartet with his three younger brothers, while holding a teaching position at the Kunitachi Music School.  Three years later, he assumed professorship at The Imperial Music School of Tokyo, and was later elected president of the institute.  In 1946, the Matsumoto Music School, originally established in Shimoyokota, was relocated to Matsumoto-shi and   Suzuki was elected music director.  It was here that Suzuki began the education of young children and renamed the association Talent Education Research Institute.  The next 50 years of his life were dedicated to the research and work with young children and the sharing of his ideas of music education and the betterment of humanity to the world.