The Story of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki photo by Art Montzka Dr. Shinichi Suzuki was born on October 17, 1898, in Nagoya, Japan, to Mr. and Mrs. Masakichi Suzuki. As a boy, Shinichi Suzuki and his brothers would play in their father's violin factory using the wooden violin parts as toys. One day Masakichi Suzuki brought home a record player, or gramophone, for his family to enjoy. The first recording played was Ave Maria composed by Franz Schubert and performed by world famous violinist, Mischa Elman. The beautiful tone coming from the recording so inspired Shinichi that he asked to bring a violin home from his father's factory and with much practice and dedication taught himself how to play Ave Maria. When Shinichi Suzuki was 21 years old he went to live with the Marquis Tokugawa in Tokyo where he studied violin. A year and one half later with the permission of his father, Shinichi left to study music in Berlin, Germany. When he arrived in Berlin, Suzuki went to many performances looking for a teachers who could speak to his heart. He found that teacher in Professor Karl Klingler while hearing the Klingler Quartet at a home concert. At another of the many home concerts Suzuki attended, he met his wife, Waltraud and his mentor and friend, Albert Einstein. After his marriage, Shinichi and Waltraud moved back to Tokyo and Shinichi took a job as a teacher at the Imperial Conservatory. This is where his philosophy of how to teach children to play the violin began to take form. Suzuki immediately noticed that Japanese children learn to speak Japanese by listening to their parents speak. He wondered why a child could not learn to play the violin if they had a proper environment, a willingness to participate, and patient encouragement from parents and teachers. With his philosophy in place, Suzuki started the Talent Education movement in Japan. It was his wish that through music all children would have a noble mind and spirit. Dr. Shinichi Suzuki passed away on January 26, 1998, in Matsomoto, Japan. Left to carry on his mission are thousands of teachers, families and students indebted to his vision.

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