Why Group Class? Part 1

Ms. Sonia's piano students waiting to perform.

Why Group?

Group classes are an essential part of a well rounded music education here at CYM and an invaluable part of the Suzuki student’s musical education.  There are many ideas, thoughts and practices that are taught and reinforced in the group setting which simply can’t happen in a private lesson.  

Over the next few weeks we will feature writings by faculty members on what happens in the group class and why it is important.  Ms. Sonia Tripathi starts our series off with her thoughts on the benefits of the group class for young pianists.

There are countless benefits of group class for pianists in the L1 and L2 level, as well as L3 and up.  Literacy is the same in every Classical group class, so I will focus on the Piano Performance aspect of the group class.

Solo Performance Skills

 In Levels 1 and 2, piano students are just at the beginning of their piano studies, and have the valuable opportunity at CYM to hear the progress of their peers on a weekly basis.  While one student, in his private lesson, may be focusing on refining his tone in “Honeybee,” in his Group Class, he might have the chance to hear a friend who is working on refining Alberti Bass perform “Go Tell Aunt Rhody.”  At all times, the students are either hearing the pieces that are coming up next for them, or hearing past pieces being continually refined by their peers.  

 The all-around motivation that occurs in this setting is invaluable, and has been proven to keep kids driven and excited about their piano studies for years to come.  At the L3+ levels, groups of piano students are often heard performing Beethoven’s “Fur Elise,” or a Mozart Sonata, or a Chopin Nocturne for their peers.  

 At these levels, the Group Class truly has evolved into a Performance Class, where the kids listen intently to each other’s performances, and make constructive comments to each other about tone, dynamics, pedaling, virtuosic technique, and practice-approaches.  They are building their knowledge of piano repertoire every year, and refining their listening not only by playing and analyzing their own playing, but also by absorbing the fine (and often varying) details of musicianship heard in their peers’ playing. 

Ensemble Skills

Ensemble playing is introduced very early on, and leads to very mature duet and trio playing in L3 and up.  In L1, these skills are developed by having 3 or 4 kids, playing one or both hands, practicing any of the Suzuki Book 1 pieces, at the same time.  At CYM, having 2 pianos in our Group Class rooms makes it possible for us to do this.  In this set-up, even though the students at this age are playing the same pieces at the same time, they are forced to listen to each other, and concentrate on matching their partners’ tempos, volume, and touch.   

Being able to listen to others’ playing, while also listening to themselves, is the primary concept which leads into really advanced ensemble playing that can be heard from students in L3+.  In recent years, we have heard students from L4 and L5 Piano Group Classes perform duets such as Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag,” and Gounod’s “Funeral March of a Marionette.”  Many of the piano students graduate from this type of Group Class and move on to join one of the Chamber Groups at CYM, where their years of Ensemble practice serve them tremendously as they play with combinations of violinists and cellists.

-Sonia Tripathi, pianist  

The ABC’s of Group Experience by Jacqueline Maurer

 Arrival- Arrive early with time for unpacking and tuning and time to catch your breath! Help the class to start on time!

 Behaviors- Loving, courteous and respectful behaviors are cultivated. We try to respect each other and others’ feelings.

 Community- People working on common goals have a sense of belonging, and bonds are strengthened between them.

 Discipline- Classes are enjoyable within a disciplined framework. Students learn to follow a leader and develop many cooperative skills.

 Exhilaration- Contributing to a large group sound and accomplishing shared group goals are exhilarating activities. Group experience provides a showcase for skills!

 Frequent performances- Frequent ensemble and solo performance opportunities build confidence and ease of playing.

 Games- Games have a purpose! They teach techniques in fun ways and give students a chance to take a break.

 Head to Heels- Group time is a chance for teachers to gently remind students to play with their best postures.

 Interest in the child- If you spend a large block of time with your child, he/she can sense the importance you attach to these activities.

 Joy- Work is joy. Participation gives a sense of accomplishment which is an important part of the happiness journey. Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

 Keeping skills sharpened- Students should be well-reviewed before group classes. Then pieces can be worked on in a confident and challenging way.

 Listening- Listening skills improve by listening to directions in class, learning audience listening manners and developing a heightened awareness of tone and musicality.

 Motivation- A direct by-product of all of these points will be increased enthusiasm for playing the instrument.

 New ideas- Teachers have new and different ideas which can be shared in a group setting and among themselves.

 Observation- Observe each other’s postures and techniques, poise of recital soloists, more advanced players and the many interactions of parents, children and teachers.

 Peer interaction- A group class spurs growth in a way that teachers and parents can’t.

 Quick reflexes- Quick reaction to instructions. Mental agility. Quick reflex games.

 Reinforcement- Reinforce, review and revise techniques and musical concepts learned in private lessons.

 Socializing- Friendships are made between students and parents and teachers. Problems and successes can be shared in a relaxed and informal way.

 Team work- Team competition instead of individual competition is recommended for group classes. The results of team efforts can be very rewarding.

 Unison playing- Ensemble and unison playing offer various challenges and bring awareness of different combinations of sound.

 Variety- Some teachers are high energy, some have a more relaxed style. Some are right brained, some left. Some sequential, some holistic. Children learn to adapt to their group teachers’ different styles.

 Working on polishing pieces- After notes and bowings are learned, details of phrasing, intonation and musical ideas can be refined in a fun and challenging way.

 eXpectations… Vary from parent to parent and child to child. With a variety of faculty and classes, these can be met at different times and in different ways.

 Yielding results- Yields of highest quality and quantity for our youth from group experiences!

 Zest- Zest for music!