Preface to the 20th Anniversary Edition
Appears that his wife Nancy studied at Eastman and wrote 2 articles on the Suzuki method. Glad I studied at IU instead of Eastman… brrr.
My experience with Suzuki method via classical guitar seems more in line with the essence she describes. My teachers always incorporating non-Suzuki repertoire, esp. Brouwer Etudes Simples. Focus was always on vocal lines and musicality. Rubato.
Children generally learn a second-rate piece reluctantly and poorly, and then come alive at a really great piece.
I fondly remember the obsession and dedication and… fervor, of learning the first piece of music that I wanted to learn. A challenging piece that seemed just so out of reach. And after days and weeks and months of struggling, it becomes yours. All yours.
One day you’re begrudgingly practicing out of rote habit and guilt, and suddenly something hits you, and you desperately want to that piece you’ve wanted to learn since the beginning of time. Somehow your teacher magically transforms from a browbeating killjoy into a cheatcode for skill aquisition. As long as they catch the excitement, and as long as you listen and don’t give up on fundamentals, the pieces doesn’t stand a chance.
He rightly concludes the preface
Soli Deo gloria.
Related Links
Link to Nancy’s Suzuki articles (JSTOR)
- Toward a Deeper Understanding of Suzuki Pedagogy (I)
- Toward a Deeper Understanding of Suzuki Pedagogy (II)
Computer History Museum has a 3-hour interview with Barry Boehm:
Preface to the First Edition
Worked on OS/360. Demonstrates great humility and responsibility when he takes the blame for delivering the product late, over-budget, exceeding memory reqs, and poor performance early on. Would I put something like that in my own book? Maybe if I were leading a team and felt the same level of accountability.
Q: What makes large projects more difficult than small ones?
A: The division of labor, and preserving the conceptual identity of the project throughout.