Top 21 Shinichi Suzuki quotes

One summer, in Ed Sprunger’s teacher training class at Stevens Point, we were presented with a lucky dip of Suzuki quotes.  We all had an opportunity to read our chosen quote to the group during the day, which obliged us to appreciate each one in detail and to think deeply about the implications of his teaching philosophy.

Please feel free to print out the list, chop it up into individual quotes and pass them around, at your next parents’ evening, or group class.

“When love is deep, much can be accomplished”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Music exists for the purpose of growing an admirable heart.”

Shinichi Suzuki

“It is necessary to be concerned about the importance of educating a really beautiful human spirit”

Shinichi Suzuki

“What is man’s ultimate direction in life? It is to look for love, truth, virtue, and beauty”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Every child grows; everything depends on the teacher.”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Talent is no accident of birth. In today’s society a good many people seem to have the idea that if one is born without talent, there is nothing he can do about it; they simply resign themselves to what they consider to be their fate.”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Knowledge is not skill. Knowledge plus ten thousand times is skill.”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Children learn to smile from their parents.”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Any child can be developed, it depends on how you do it”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Man is a child of his environment”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Wrong education and upbringing produces ugly personalities, whereas a fine upbringing and good education will bring forth superior sense and feeling, as well as nobility and purity of mind.”

Shinichi Suzuki

“The fate of a child is in the hands of his parents”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Art is not in some far-off place. A work of Art is the expression of a man’s whole personality, sensibility and ability”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Tone has the living soul”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Beautiful tone, beautiful heart.”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Art Exists for the human species. I think that all of the people who love art, those who teach art, and all of you should burn with the obligation to save the world”

Shinichi Suzuki

“The real essence of art turned out to be not something high up and far off – it was right inside my ordinary daily self – If a musician wants to become a finer artist, he must first become a finer person.”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer.”

Shinichi Suzuki

“I am mentally preparing myself for the five-year-old mind. I want to come down to their physical limitations and up to their sense of wonder and awe.”

Shinichi Suzuki

“Practice only on the days you eat”

Shinichi Suzuki

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