Suzuki School Continues To Break New Ground, This Time With Specialized Music

The Suzuki Talent Education School, at 111 Church Hill Road in Sandy Hook, has begun offering a new program this season. “Specialized Music” is a program for mothers and their children through age 2½.

The program is designed to guide parents in establishing a musical environment at home through the use of song, rhythmic movement, beanbag fun and various musical movement games. Classes meet once each week for eight weeks and run 30 minutes each session.

W. Jeanne Luedke founded the Sandy Hook branch of Suzuki Talent Education School in 1977. Since 1987 the school has been under the direction of Helen Malyszka and Andrew Lafreniere. The newest member of the staff is Trish Keil, who joined the faculty in 1997.

Together, Mrs Malyszka and Mrs Keil, identical twin sisters originally from Edinburgh, Scotland, have been teaching musical programs in various preschools and daycare centers in Newtown for ten years.

From its earliest beginnings, the school has followed the teachings of its founder, Dr Shinichi Suzuki, whose most important goal was the development of the whole child through music education. Dr Suzuki believes learning to produce great music develops high sensitivity in children and that beautiful music develops a beautiful heart. Dr Suzuki argues that while all children come into the world with different genetic backgrounds, all children can attain a high degree of success in the correct environment.

Information on “Specialized Music” and all other offerings at Suzuki Talent Education School is available by calling 426-3939.