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Reading Music By Ear - Book by Cathy Williams Hargrave. Item # CH001 - $12.95

This book describes the Mother Tongue Approach of The Suzuki Method as it relates to reading musical notation. It is designed to help music students of any method or instrument to read music by associating their inner hearing of music with its notation on the printed page. This means that the students must have the music in their ears before learning the symbols that represent the sounds. This is in contrast to more common reading approaches that begin with notation and expect the student to produce the sound on sight. The book is easily understood by teachers who may wish to re-think their teaching of reading in order to have a more successful outcome.

The author begins the Preface of the book by saying, "Many people believe the widespread myth that Suzuki students do not read musical notation or become poor readers at best. Before becoming a Suzuki teacher, I believed this too. . ." In only 45 concise pages, she manages to enlighten the reader about the Suzuki philosophy and then show a specific sequence for teaching using the "gospel according to Suzuki." Along the way she deals with the role of parents, gives the rationale for using a fixed ‘Do’ System, discusses how to develop sight-reading and aural sensitivity, and ends with Frequently Asked Questions and a Bibliography.

Who should read this book? Suzuki teachers and wannabes. Traditional teachers who want to effectively help their transfer students who have studied with a Suzuki teacher. Parents who wish to help their children become good music readers. Pedagogy students.

Contents include:

Introduction by Dr. Haruko Kataoka
Preface
Ch. 1 The Philosophy of Learning to Read
Ch. 2 Applying the Suzuki Philosophy to a Reading Approach
Ch. 3 Learning Reading Assignments
Ch. 4 The Rationale for Using a Fixed "do" System
Ch. 5 Sight-Reading
Ch. 6 Theory and Cognitive Thinking
Ch. 7 Developing Aural Sensitivity to the Printed Page
Ch. 8 Frequently Asked Questions
Bibliography
About the Author

What readers say:
"I read and highlighted Reading Music By Ear the first night I bought it and it was a blessing. It answered all the questions I had been wanting to ask our teacher."

Suzuki Parent, Orange County, CA

"I knew by the title and your reputation that the reading books would be right on target I am so very glad you have produced them for all of us.
Thanks!"

Clarice Leite, Suzuki Piano Teacher
Oakland, CA.