At the Suzuki Strings in Canterbury, Sue Ann Erb brings an internationally-renown form of violin instruction to New Hampshire children by building connections.
“It’s based on parent-child relationships,” Erb said of the curriculum created by Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki, inspired by how children learn to speak by imitating their parents.
The theory involves having the students work side-by-side with a parent at home, as well as attending lessons twice a week: once with Erb and once with an ensemble of students. These community and parent relationships are a huge part of what makes the Suzuki method sought-after.
Nearly 50 years ago, Erb learned about this method of teaching music. She had been studying at the Wheaton Conservatory of Music in Illinois as a double major in music and psychology when her friend introduced her to the method.
She trained with Suzuki himself during the 1970s and ’80s and went on to found the State College of Pennsylvania Suzuki program in 1973, the New England Suzuki Institute in 1979, and the N.H. Suzuki Institute in 1985, in addition to Suzuki Strings in Canterbury in 1984.
“I’m a very fortunate and lucky lady to have had a very long and abundantly successful and nourishing career by doing this,” Erb said.
Erb believes her background in psychology contributed to her love of the Suzuki concept of building connections.
The relationships formed by the violin program stretches farther than within the walls of the school.
“Making music with the same group of people every week for years upon years creates a bond that cannot be made by doing anything else,” said student Fiona Adams. “Sue Ann Erb has this bond with every one of her students.”
Fiona’s mother, Maureen O’Brien Adams, said that this group has become a second family for her three children who have been taught by Erb.
“My hope was to give the gift of music to my children … with Sue Ann’s amazing guidance, and my sweat and determination,” Adams said, and that goal was realized.
Erb teaches students from ages 2 to 17. Violins are able to be made in many sizes, allowing students tall and small to participate.
The group performs locally at places such as school assemblies and nursing homes in order to give joy to their community, and learn the value of volunteering. Despite the range of age and abilities, the students perform together at concerts.
As Erb explained, although not every student is old enough to know every song, at the end of each concert, the group plays the first song each student learns when beginning lessons. The idea of having a common goal for the entire group contributes to the positive impact that this ensemble has had on students and parents involved.
An added benefit of performing for their community is that Erb’s students learn to be confident in front of crowds when they’re young, which is a skill they can maintain into adulthood. Erb said “stage fright doesn’t set in until their teenage years.”
The skills taught by Erb expand beyond the violin and relationship-building. It also aids the students in STEM and language areas.
“Rhythm is just math and time. Most of the students are extremely adept at mathematics, science,” Erb said. “All of our music is in Italian, so we have language study through music. It’s all there.”
Leah LaCross, a senior at Pembroke Academy, who has been studying at Suzuki Strings since she was four years old, believes that her study of music has been closely tied to language learning.
In her lessons, she aims to “nail certain phrases and sections in our pieces, in order to really get the whole feel of the piece, and same with learning a language. You really want to continue to use the words you’ve already learned.”
By getting a feel for the piece, the musicians can gain an understanding of how the music sounds, analogous to hearing and repeating a sentence versus reading it. Further, the Suzuki theory values building a vocabulary of musical phrases, unlike traditional methods where students perform a piece and move on.
By focusing on producing quality music through listening to pieces and breaking them down, students are taught how to learn music auditorily before reading sheet music, and are able to have a deeper connection with the sound they are creating.
“I can pick up my violin, and if I hear a song on the radio I can probably play it,” Leah said.
Erb has had many of her students qualify for the All State orchestra, including five in one year, among many other musical achievements.
But more so than violin alone, Erb has taught students and their parents the possibilities that can be made by building relationships.
“She is one person who proves time and again that a single person can make a difference,” Adams said.