Situated on the corner of 47th Street near Cedar Avenue sits a small 300-square-foot studio that teaches more than just piano.
The Philadelphia Suzuki Piano Academy, open since 2010, is following Shinichi Suzuki’s style of music education.
“It works the same way as language. When children hear music around them, not just the notes to the pieces, but the inflection and the phrasing, then they learn to pick that up just like the rhythm and cadences of speech,” said Janet Miller, founder of Suzuki Piano Academy.
The fall session has just begun and the academy encourages children of all ages to join individual lessons or group classes. Some students even start before they turn three.
“They learn the basics, it’s kind of like musical Babel. It starts really slow in the beginning but then they can really learn it naturally, just like it is easy to learn your first language,” Miller said.
The space only allows for two pianos, one for the teacher and one for the student. This, however, benefits the younger children because they are able to mimic what they see.
“We demonstrate the posture and tone and they are able to copy it. With two pianos it is better, they see how we sit and they copy our body balance, benefiting their learning,” Miller said.
The Philadelphia Suzuki Piano Academy will continue to strive and achieve The Suzuki Association of America’s slogan that, “every child can.”
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