Harmonizing Techniques: Integrating Suzuki, Roland, and Dalcroze into Actual String Teaching

Workshop


Sunday, 24th March, 5:30pm-6:30pm

In the ever-evolving landscape of music education, a synergistic approach that harnesses the strengths of established methodologies is essential. This workshop unveils a holistic strategy, “Harmonizing Techniques,” which seamlessly weaves the Suzuki Method, Rolland pedagogy, and Dalcroze Eurhythmics with actual music genres like pop, rock, and film scores. We will explore the amalgamation of these worlds to optimize learning and musical mastery.

The foundation of our proposition is rooted in the Teaching Points of the Suzuki Method. Esteemed for its focus on nurturing talent through the environment and character, it emphasizes skills learning before use in the repertoire. “Harmonizing Techniques” ensures that every step is a scaffold to higher musical and technical development.

Yet, every educational blueprint requires dynamic, practical exercises to translate theory into practice. This is where the pedagogical insights of Rolland step in. Known for their emphasis on practical exercises, Rolland’s methods lend hands-on experience, ensuring that theoretical knowledge gleaned from Suzuki’s teaching points is absorbed and lived. The quality of our movements determines the quality of our sound, leading to our approach.

The workshop will illustrate how the approach of Dalcroze Eurhythmics, with its focus on rhythm and expression, becomes the bridge connecting the timeless wisdom of Suzuki and Rolland to the vibrant energy of actual music. The structure of pop, the soulfulness of rock, and the ambience of the movie soundtrack are channels through which our teaching finds its contemporary style.

“Harmonizing Techniques” is not just a teaching strategy but an immersive experience. It beckons educators and learners alike to a world where Suzuki’s structure, Rolland’s practicality, and Dalcroze’s expression coalesce, finding their contemporary echo in the music that defines today’s rhythms. It is highly recommendable to attend with your instrument and/or bow.

About the speaker

Juan Carlos Navarro, Violin

Juan-Carlos was born in Llíria (Spain), where he earned a BMus (Hon) in violin and Chamber Music. Juan-Carlos completed his Suzuki Training Course at the British Suzuki Institute in London and is a fully qualified (Level 5) Suzuki teacher through ESA. He trained in Rolland Pedagogy with Lynne Dennig, Nancy Kredel, and Claudio Forcada at Scherzo Workshop (London, UK). Juan-Carlos completed his Dalcroze Training at the “Joan Llongueres” Institut based in Barcelona (Spain). He also completed the Music Mind Games (Unit 1) with Michiko Yurko in Madrid (Spain).

In 2017, he finished his University Master’s in Research and Innovation in Music at the Valencian International University (VIU). Currently, Juan-Carlos is pursuing his Ph.D. at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB).

Teaching experience: Since 2005, he has been teaching violin, chamber music, and orchestra for beginners at “Tomás de Torrejón y Velasco” Conservatoire in Albacete (Spain). Juan-Carlos has taught in various workshops at conservatories and music schools in Spain, Ireland, the UK, France, Lithuania, Iceland, Poland, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, and the Netherlands. He has been a speaker in several lectures organized by ESA in Poland, ESTA Sweden in Malmö, and other countries like Spain, Denmark, and the UK. Since 2022, he is a teacher at “Master Universitario en Pedagogía Instrumental” at Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio (Spain).

Leadership Roles in Education settings: From 2013 to 2015, he was the Vice-President of the ‘Federación Española del Método Suzuki’ in Spain. He has coordinated the 1st and 2nd National Suzuki Workshops in Spain. Currently, Juan-Carlos is an Officer on the European Suzuki Association board. Since 2006, he has been the Director of the “Seminar for String Teachers” (Albacete, Spain), organizing workshops for teachers and children with educators such as Claudio Forcada, Sergio Castro, Elvira López, Joaquín Torre, Vicente Antón, Oriol Saña,…

Performance experience: Juan-Carlos, with the Quartet ‘Iquart’ and ‘Aurum’ Piano Quartet respectively in 2001 and 2002, was awarded in the Concurso Nacional de Música de Cámara de Juventudes Musicales in Vinarós (Spain). From 2001, he has played in several professional groups, such as the ‘Orquesta Sinfónica Principado de Asturias,’ ‘Orquesta de Valencia,’ ‘Orquesta Sinfónica de les Illes Balears,’ ‘Orquesta del Mediterrani,’ ‘Grup Instrumental,’ ‘Collegium Instrumentale.’ From 2004 to 2016, he was the violinist of the ‘Espai Sonor’ Ensemble, a group specializing in contemporary music. He has performed premieres in prestigious halls in Spain, France, Finland, Brazil, and Chile. With that Ensemble, Juan-Carlos has recorded three CDs with the label Stradivarius.

+34 660 88 48 10

juankinavarro80@gmail.com