Do you have a young child in whom you’d like to instil a love of music, instrumental skills, increased focusing and listening abilities, ease with performing, and a lifelong foundation in cultural pursuits?

Juffie Stieneke has cultivated beautiful hearts and musical souls in children and families for some 40 years. Parents work with their children from any age from 6 up to teenage, in both individual and group settings with this experienced, internationally-certified teacher. The violin is taught by the same method the child learns to speak: through repetition, encouragement, small steps, and constantly building and reinforcing their skills. The students learn to perform with confidence, both solo and in a group of their peers, and they become part of a musical community that will benefit them throughout their lives.

About the Suzuki Method

The Suzuki method of learning music (or as Dr. Suzuki preferred to have it called, Talent Education, since each child has many talents which can be cultivated when nurtured with love) is modeled on the “Mother Tongue” method, or in other words, how we all naturally learn to speak our native language. When Suzuki was a young man, living and studying in Germany, he was struck by the ease with which the very young children around him spoke the language which he, as an adult, was struggling to learn. That all children successfully master their own language and even dialect is a phenomenon many take for granted. However, Suzuki became fascinated with this discovery, and began to study and observe the circumstances which occur naturally, in a child’s environment when they are learning to speak.

He realized that if one were to apply these principles of this “perfect” learning method to other areas of education, there could be equally successful results. Since Suzuki was a professional musician, music seemed an obvious choice of field to which to apply his new ideas.

Among the principles of the Mother Tongue Method that Suzuki observed were:
1. Tireless repetition of words by the parents to the baby every day.
2. Much natural excitement and praise is given to the baby for even the smallest bit of progress.
3. Performance opportunities are abundant (for relatives, neighbors, etc.)
4. Vocabulary is built on itself; the first words spoken are never discarded or forgotten.
5. We don’t ask that a child learn to speak his language and learn to read it at the same time.

Accordingly:
1. Repetition of the songs the child is learning comes from the Suzuki CDs which the parent plays in the home regularly (and also from the parent playing the songs on their violins at home if they continue taking lessons themselves, which is encouraged!)
2. Praise is given by both teacher and parent for the smallest successes with the instrument.
3. Performance opportunities are provided for the children as often as possible in organized solo and group concerts as well as in the essential group lessons, where children play the repertoire with and for their friends and classmates.
4. Repertoire is built on itself and no piece is ever discarded or forgotten. “Review pieces” are used as the building blocks of learning and are returned to again and again for learning new technical points.
5. Reading music is a skill which is taught only when the child is comfortable with the instrument physically and is able to make a beautiful tone; only then is the child ready to lift his focus to notes on a page.
Dr. Suzuki’s ideas about learning are now widespread around the world. His Talent Education Method is an internationally-known and respected way to instruct children in music mainly because of its highly successful results both in producing wonderful musicians, and more importantly in Dr. Suzuki’s opinion, wonderful human beings.

I have had the privilege to play for Dr Suzuki and witness how he taught several times, which highly inspired me. This was during several International Workshops in which I particated  during the official Suzuki Teacher Training, which allows my students to take part -well prepared – in any international Suzuki Event. “Suzuki” brought me to international Conventions in Belgium, Sweden, Berlin, Aberdeen, Dublin, Turino and in the USA in Stevens Point and many times in Bloomington, where I studied with Mimi Zweig. In 2013, I finally attended the international Suzuki Convention in Japan, and many sommers I spent in Bloomington with my children in the Indiana Summer String Academy while is was doing the Teachers Retreat.

New Students Welcome in the Riouwstraat : The Archipel Suzuki- en Gypsy Academy makes space always for new students and fiddle kids age (almost) 6 and up. Ideally you observe the teaching process during the year before joining: the first year Group Classes resume in September

Please email top be added to the mailing list for future concerts.

Shinichi Suzuki, born in 1898 in Nagoya (Japan), is the son of the founder of the largest violin factory in the world. He starts his violin studies at the age of 17 in Tokyo and then travels to Germany where he continues his studies with the famous violin pedagogue Karl Klinger.
After taking lessons with Karl Klinger for 8 years, Shinichi Suzuki returns to Japan to make music and teach. He becomes one of the first Japanese concert violinists and sets up a string quartet with his brothers. He will also teach at the Imperial Music Academy and the Kunitachi Music Academy in Tokyo.
The Second World War marks the end of his podium career.
From 1945 he developed a new teaching method: the mother tongue method. Some of his students, Toshiya Eto and Koji Toyoda, become famous concert violinists with this native language method.
From the time that Shinichi Suzuki developed the mother tongue method, he focused solely on teaching children and adolescents.
He receives honorary titles and prizes everywhere for his pedagogical work and he even receives 8 honorary doctorates.
Shinichi Suzuki dies on January 26, 1998 after hundreds of thousands of children have learned to play the violin or other instruments through his method.

When a family moves to a different country everything changes for the child: school, friends, house, teachers.

For a child that is learning through the Suzuki method,  the new teacher in the first lesson in the new country simply continues with the next piece, because Suzuki teachers can be found almost everywhere in the world!

Thus, a violin child that starts with juffie Stieneke in the new country soon feels happy with his/her new Suzuki friends 

On May 30/31 and June 1, 2020 the 24th International Pentecost Workshop is taking place in The Hague. All children who particpated last year(s) cannot WAIT!

Lees meer

https://vioolles.info/gypsy-academy/The lessons change three times a year and TWO teachers teach the children, who in a playful way learn a lot of music theory in PRACTICE.

The children especially remember the fun Gypsy and Folk music repertoire and the ever more challenging parts that they learn every period. (But the PURPOSE of those lessons is secretly: learn more …..) Hihi!

Gypsy repertoire
Source of infinite joy and excitement are the Gypsy Pieces, introduced by Herr Schaefer who used to come several times a year to reveal more exciting Gypsy repertoire to the Riouwstraat pupils. The songs are built up from very simple parts and playable from day one, where the most advanced students enjoy excelling in the virtuoso parts. However musically rewarding the Suzuki-books are, if the children had it their way: they would only play Gypsy music! Juffie Stieneke has taught these Gypsy pieces in Durban and Pretoriain 2 township’s orphanages (South Africa) as well at IU in Bloomington, Ind. and Brooklyn College and the Lucy Moses School in New York City. More recently in Indonesia and Capetown. 

Read more 

Ask 10 teachers and you might get 3 different answers: anytime, age 3 or age 6 /7.

In MY experience it is best to start a child (almost) 7 years old or 8 (or 9).  In Australia years ago on a univiersity they made several movies : The importance of being  ONE  (up to 6 I believe)

It clearly showed how children learn. Their point was not to start befor the age of 5. Motorically, psychologically, intellectually kids grow at diffenerent tempos.

When a normal child with a motivated parent enters my studio within 3 years that child will play Bach Double Concerto, with regualr practice. Does that really have to be sooner than 9 or 10 years?

Welcome with your 6- and 7+ years olds! How I hope the younger kids are doing a lot of singing…..

After you learned to speak you learned to read, right?

So after the children have mastered the instrument note reading is introduced- and after 2 weeks they read.  All new pieces are from then on read from a large paper and memorised the next lesson. That is why all performances are “by heart” – I love the English  expression over the Dutch: ” uit het hoofd”

Each note is given a special character, so the children know where to find it once they read.

Regular performances reduce the fear of failure

Performing for audiences is a central part of Stieneke’s method, so her students won’t devellop fear of failure. Each new piece is a concert piece, learned by heart or after the initial 6 months by reading from the music, and ALWAYS performed without notes in front of an audience. 

Practical understanding of music theory Understanding the harmony of what one plays is essential to musical intelligence and performance and is taught from the very start. The necessary violin technique needed for Vivaldi and Bach violin concertos is wrapped up in first month/year games already.

Jokes and games in the lessonsThe lessons are full of play and humor and musical jokes and the accompanying parents learn how to become efficient Suzuki Parents. Many parents decide to also learn to play violin simultaneously with their child, in the same lessons, and some manage to keep up the high tempo of their child.. 

Preparing for the Cito test, or doing well academically
Children who learn the violin and play virtuoso pieces within a few years also do very well in the CITO tests and in high school – so the investments in violin-time and -lessons prove to be good ones! 

During the violin year (september until around June 24th)   the pupils get ample opportuities to perform what they (just) learned: each piece in the Suzuki books is also a concert piece!

TheViolin diary is meticulously kept up to date!.

https://vioolles.info/events/lijst/

Parents are expected to attend all classes. Please sit quietly and support the learning environment by being involved in what is going on and participating when called upon (i.e., this is not the time to read the paper or talk with other parents!). Take notes for home practice. If you need to be elsewhere, ask another parent to have an eye to your child, and get their notes after class. Parents are expected to attend to learn musicianship as well and reinforce class assignments at home.

Make sure your child is in “good review shape” by playing review pieces at home every day, and practicing the assigned review pieces for class.

Read more about how to practice  

Special Events during the year  Please look in  Agenda

‘I myself am not musical and I can not read notes….’

Welcome! My BEST parents also did not know anything about music!

Suzuki parents only have to work with their child at home as the home-teacher. Their job is to repeat what is done during the lesson.  So that what is explained and practices in the lesson as new knowledge (kennis) becomes expereicnce (kunde)  ar home.

Parents are encouraged to take intensive notes during the lesson and ask the child during practice “What did the teacher say about…” or How do you have to put your feet/hand/fingers?”  Uually the child will KNOW: “Oooh  yes, look, mommy!”

The job of the HOME teacher is to bring back the lesson in the memory of the child

All parents of The Young Violinists get support. Juffie Stieneke made exclusive YouTube movies of each Suzuki piece and all paents getemails with the information of the new piece. The last few years have brought Whats APP groups per year in which parents share what is said and done (video’s and pictures taking during lessons)

Where and how do I find a nice violin? And how much does it cost?

You best rent a nice violin, preferably an old violin. Please do NOT buy  a (cheap ) violin on internet or in an nsturmnet shop because . Goedkoop=Duurkoop.

If someone would insist to buy your child an instrument please contact a violin maker like Bouman, not a shop. You will need  around 750 euro for a good violin. Plus a bow and a violin case. Is it a better idea to RENT  an instrument until the moment your child needs a full seize violin? Ask your teacher first! Prices vary from  €10 -15 per month

Your teacher  regurarely measures your child to gauge the right seize. Sometimes you may  need a seize lager around Christmas! Or in february…

Better a year too long on too small an instrument than a day too early on too large an instrument!

The group of new children will start on the first day of the new school year: Monday, at 4.15 at the Boulevard. See agenda 

In October they will have their first Gypsy Academy project: a period of 2 weeks with a concert at the last day of those 13 days. Outside students could join on Mondays and Thursdays from 4-5 and perform their first Gypsy concert mid-October.

Same for a period beginning in February  resulting in our festive Valentijn Concert, when the children will perform in gypsy clothing, on a Sunday around Valentine (special worskhops the Sunday prior to that). At that moment they will play their important part in almost all the (different) Gypsy pieces. And the same for the third period in June, resulting in one or – like this year – two concerts in FESTIVAL CLASSIQUE ( quite an honor!). By then they will have learned to play with low second and high third fingers so they are then playing again new and more challenging gypsy pieces.

You are cordially invited to attend one of this year’s concerts

You could check anything we do on the violin agenda of this website

English Information: “De Jonge Violisten” / The Young Violinists in the Riouwstraat Violin School 

Juffie Stieneke, recently introduced by a colleague as “the teacher who enchants children and violins”  has been teaching violin to hundreds of 6 till 8(plus)-year-old violin beginners, as well as adult beginners, for some 40 years and they all remember the cozy and joyful group lessons and the rapid progression through the Suzuki-books. 

In the Suzuki Method, children thrive in an environment of parental support. Suzuki students develop confidence and self-esteem, determination to try difficult things, self-discipline, and concentration. As well they acquire a lasting enjoyment of music, and the sensitivity and skills necessary for making music.

Parent involvement as “Home teacher” 
Parents play an active role in the success of their children as “home teacher” and are always amazed when their child plays the famous Vivaldi or even Bachs Double Concerto within 3 years. Year after year they wonder how that was possible,..

When a family moves to a different country everything changes for the child: school, friends, house, teachers.

For a child that is learning through the Suzuki method,  the new teacher in the first lesson in the new country simply continues with the next piece, because  Suzuki teachers can be found almost everywhere in the world!

Thus, a violin child that starts with juffie Stieneke soon feels happy with his/her new Suzuki friends in the new country 🙂

Read more about the VERY IMPORTANT role of the parent 

Regular performances reduce the fear of failure.
Performing for audiences is a central part of Stieneke’s method, so her students won’t develop fear of failure. Each new piece is a concert piece, learned by heart or after the initial 6 months by reading from the music, and ALWAYS performed without notes in front of an audience. 

Practical understanding of music theory
Understanding the harmony of what one plays is essential to musical intelligence and performance and is taught from the very start. The necessary violin technique needed for Vivaldi and Bach violin concertos is wrapped up in first month/year games already.

Jokes and games in the lessonsThe lessons are full of play and humor and musical jokes and the accompanying parents learn how to become efficient Suzuki Parents. Many parents decide to also learn to play violin simultaneously with their child, in the same lessons, and some manage to keep up the high tempo of their child.. 

Preparing for the Cito test, or doing well academically
Children who learn the violin and play virtuoso pieces within a few years also do very well in the CITO tests and in high school – so the investments in violin-time and -lessons prove to be good ones! 

The group of new children will start on the first day of the new school year: Monday,  at 4.15 at the Boulevard. See the Violin agenda 

In October they will have their first Gypsy Academy project: a period of 2 weeks with a concert at the last day of those 13 days. Outside students could also join on Mondays and Thursdays from 4-5 and perform their first Gypsy concert mid-October.

Same for a period beginning in February  resulting in our festive Valentijn Concert, when the children will perform in gypsy clothing, on a Sunday around Valentine (special worskhops the Sunday prior to that). At that moment they will play their important part in almost all the (different) Gypsy pieces. And the same for the third period in June, resulting in one or – like this year – two concerts in FESTIVAL CLASSIQUE ( quite an honor!). By then they will have learned to play with low second and high third fingers so they are then playing again new and more challenging gypsy pieces.

You are cordially invited to attend one of this year’s concerts
You can check anything we do on the Vioolagenda of this website

Acknowledgments
The kids need to be trained well from the very beginning. The role of the parent is to come to the lessons and practice every day with the child and to create a positive environment.There is no testing of the children other than making sure the child is ready and eager to learn. Maybe parents should be tested? The triangle parent-child – teacher is very important.

No method is complete. Supplements are thrown in from the very beginning.
When a child is set up well, he can play violin till a high age, and the memory is set up for life! In the integrated Riouwstraat method the ear is trained to great sensitivity.
That is why they can memorize hours of music within 3 years ….

Dr. Shinichi Suzuki  (1898-1998) caused a revolution in the violin world. His father made violins and he sent his son to Europe to become a better violinist and teacher, so he would sell more violins!

Paul Rolland wrote a method for American Children because he was upset with the very low level of string playing in his country. How to hold the bow, how to shift, how to use the body in the most natural way? Juffie Stieneke uses what these great men came up with and adapted it for her own students in The Hague

And Mimi Zweig’s greatest contribution to Stieneke’s integrated method is to develop a non-judgmental attitude.

All these things are incorporated into the weekly lessons and intermingled with humor, so the children  – and their parents –  understand what needs to be done.

Will they read notes?

After you learned to speak you learned to read, right?
So after the children have mastered the instrument note reading is introduced- and after 2 weeks they read.  All new pieces are from then on read from a large paper and memorised the next lesson. That is why all performances are “by heart” – I love the English  expression over the Dutch: ” uit het hoofd”  Each note is given a special character, so the children know where to find it once they read.

Practice: Parent as a Home Teacher

‘You don’t have to practice on the days you don’t eat’  says Shinichi Suzuki
One of the parents will have the pleasure of taking on the role of active parent. This means you have to do the following things

1. Attend lesson with the child.

2. Practice with the child every day.

3. Ensure after Menuet 1 that the recording is listened to every day.

4. Attend parents’ meetings and concerts and of course the group lessons.

5. Most teachers will want to give you lessons on the instrument for a short period.

This is the crux of the whole method. When a child learns to speak, how could he do it if a parent weren’t around to help? A six-year old is not yet capable of logic, but the practical process of practice requires logic if it is to be done well. The great effect of praise and encouragement on students is far more effective when applied by the parent during the practice.

You are, in fact, the home teacher. A  Suzuki teacher shows you at the lesson how to teach the child at home. The effectiveness of the lesson is implemented by you every day and is multiplied seven-fold! Instead of having 2 lessons a week, the student will have at least seven!

At the beginning, the practice time is not very long (because the child isn’t playing much material and his concentration is built up slowly and naturally as he progresses). The start with it might be five minutes two or three times a day. You must be available whenever the child wants to practice, unless the house is on fire 🙂  How much more productive if the practice is done when the child wants to do ti.

Also you will have to establish a routine. Some children are most receptive in the morning. In this case, get up half an hour earlier and teach the child then. If it’s done in the morning, distractions later in the day are less important- at least you have done one practice that day…

Other children are at their best in the afternoon, so for these children this is the best time to practice. Most families split the practice into two sessions – one in the morning, another at night, the content of each practice geared to the child’s energy. Whatever system you adopt, practice is far more harmonious (and regular) if it is done at the same time each day. However this doesn’t exclude doing some if the child suddenly wants to. If the child really wants to do it at another time, then you can reschedule to a more convenient moment. But you must learn the difference between procrastination (uitstellen) and true fatigue!

It can be difficult to put aside all other concerns and simply enjoy the pleasure of the moment, but that’s exactly what you need to do to be a good Suzuki parent. If you are always aiming for a distant goal (e.g. to have the child become a world-famous violinist, or to reach Book 10) you miss out on the pleasure of the learning process. Suzuki says the parent must give the child a good environment, and then wait and enjoy as the child learns to play. You know your child will learn to speak eventually and you don’t rush him to learn- and no child fails to learn his own language.

During the practice at home, parents should avoid negative criticism. Comments could be: ‘Very good! Can you play this note better?’ ‘Let’s play ‘May Song’ and listen for a beautiful tone. Very good. That was a lovely tone.’

In the practice the parent should concentrate on only one problem at a time. Some parents say, ‘Elbow down. Violin up. Bow straight. Fingers around. Your third finger is sharp.’ This only confuses the child and makes him feel inadequate and useless. It is far easier- and more successful- to concentrate on one part of playing until it is correct before moving on to the next.

The practice should also be a pleasant experience. The best gift a parent can give to a Suzuki student is a sense of enjoyment. Education does not have to be stuffy and formal. Discipline is necessary (or you can’t learn successfully), but there is always room for a sense of humour and imagination. If you enjoy it, chances are your child will too.

Students may only practice 15 minutes a day at the beginning. However when the child can play all the ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little star’ variations, he can play them consecutively for the full four minutes it takes to play them. Thus the concentration span increases naturally with the amount of material studied. Halfway through Book 1, 30- 45 minutes is a reasonable amount. By the end of Book 3 it should be at least one hour.

Dr Suzuki says, ‘If one child practices 15 minutes a day, and another child practices three hours a day, it takes the second child three months to accomplish what the first accomplishes in nine years.’  But most people would say the second child was more talented than the first. This of course is not true – he simply practiced more.

Suzuki method is a no-fail method. However, students do drop out! This is because of the parent’s bad attitude and lack of commitment, not because of an ‘untalented’ child. Every child can play the violin. But not every parent is cut out to be a Suzuki parent. Please be very sure that you want to do it before going ahead. It takes a big commitment, a large slice of your time and effort and is not an easy task. However, it is also a very rewarding task. I urge you to think very seriously about it!

‘Every child has ‘talent’. Shinichi Suzuki

Provide your child with the opportunity to listen as much as possible every day to the companion CD of the pieces he will learn. When students are familiar with pieces before they study them, they are, in essence, developing internal abilities. This is the best method for fostering motivation. Once motivation is in place, your child will practice with enjoyment and develop nicely. The violin is a medium for cultivating human character, ability, and heart.  You are nurturing superior musical sensitivity

Vocalists practice a pedagogical exercise called Vocalization in order to nurture beautiful, refined voices. Their lessons start with Vocalizaiton exercises to develop quality and power in their singing voices. With instrumentalists, as well, it is vital for teachers to lead their students in Tonalization exercises. At home, too, students ought to practice for tone so that they develop ever finer ability. 

Always strive for accurate intonation, a balance posture, and natural approach to the instrument. 

Parents and teachers alike must foster the child’s motivation so that he will practice with enjoyment and good will. So they create motiviation!

 Group classes give students the opportunity to play together with others and are a fun and enjoyable experience.

The group class is an important means of enriching the musical environment and essential component of the Suzuki method.  Learning happens much more quickly when children are allowed to watch others. In addition group lessons provide a motivating social environment that, if nurtured by the parents, can later blossom into extra-curricular musical activities such as orchestra and small chamber music ensembles as the children mature. It is precisely this kind of social atmosphere that inspires students to practice especially during adolescence when music is in competition with so many other activities.

When a student was already very good at playing the pieces, Dr. Suzuki said “Improve your ability with a piece that you know.”. Not all the children will know all the pieces that are played during a performance – if they do not know a piece or a particular skill, they will sit down and watch and learn from the others. The teacher may give them an activity to do while the others are playing (help another student with posture or straight bows, play on an open string, count circle bows, listen or watch for a specific technique) which will help them when they get to that piece. It is important for the student to be in “good review shape” in order to enjoy the Group Concert experience.

What is expected of Parents?

Parents always were and are expected to attend all classes. however in these days and in The Hague parents may not be physically able to attend  – that is why we have the Whatsapp group per year/level, where most important instruction is shared by parents. Please sit quietly and support the learning environment by being involved in what is going on and participating when called upon (i.e., this is not the time to read the paper or look at your phone or talk with other parents!). Take notes for home practice. If you need to be elsewhere, ask another parent to have an eye to your child, and get their notes after class. Parents are expected to attend to learn musicianship as well and reinforce class assignments at home.

Lessons in Dutch
Please note that teacher Stieneke speaks many languages and has noticed that almost all children who start violin lessons with her usually pick up enough (violin) Dutch to follow the lessons. Former foreign students even claim they learned Dutch only because they participated in these violin lessons! And that their only Dutch friends are their violin mates…

Make sure your child is in “good review shape” by playing review pieces at home every day, and practicing the assigned review pieces for class.

Special Events during the year  Please look in  De Viool Agenda, where all locations and last information are announced close to the date, if not listed prior.

• 3rd Saturday November around midday
  Play for Sint Nicolaas who is welcomed in The Hague
• Last Thursday November Fall Solo Recitalat 4 or 6.30 pm
• December: Christmas Concerts
• June: PINKSTER workshop
• Solo Recital concerts -Two per year. Location TBA.

All concerts commence at 4 or 6.30; please arrive 15 minutes early for tuning and be available until the end of the concert 1 – 1 ½ hours later approx. Families of performers, please bring treats to share to home concerts.

About the Gypsy Academy

The Gypsy Academy was founded in 2007 by Juffoe Stieneke and Herr Martin Schaefer to give young children in the Hague an opportunity to learn characteristic Music of foreign countries These young virtuosi specialize in the traditional music of Balkan countries, but also Spain, Ukraine, Greece, Armenia, Israel – all beautifully arranged by Martin Schrapescu – an enrichment to the Suzuki repertoire. Members range in age from 5 to 12 years.

Initially the group was not intended to be a performing group; time and experience, though, uncovered the fact that the gypsy fiddlers inspired younger kids to want to learn the music, and older people to want to listen to it. Over 300 kids have learned the Gypsy repertoire in this group during the past 12 years which they will take into the world in the future

They perform a repertoire of graceful Greek music, touching Eastern music and fiery Rumanian and Hungarian music, with admirable maturity and finesse. In spite of their tender age, they are able to engage the audience with varying musical emotions.

The Gypsy Academy performs at concerts, festivals, retirement houses, schools, Indonesian Fair and other events in the Hague, and has performed for a wide range of audiences. The experience of the Goodbye party for the Mayor of the Hague and teh performances in the Zuiderstrandtheater will not easliy be forgotten by the children! 

Links
· Suzuki Association of the Americas
· Suzuki Early Childhood Education for children ages 0 to 3
· piano tuner:  Gérard van Hasedonk    http://gvh-pianostemmer.nl

· Do you know of a website that should be here? I’d be happy to put it up – just let me know
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When you are sure this is the best possbiel wasy for your child to learn the violin please fill in this form, sign and bring it to the first lesson.

Call or mail Juffie Stieneke.

Register your child for a free trial lesson.

Follow the parent lesson on 4 September (just register)

Come to a lesson for group 1 in September or January.

Or enroll now