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Suzuki Early Childhood Education: Tuneful Tots
Music exploration for babies, toddlers, and their caregivers
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These classes are built on the belief that ability develops early, and that a musical environment shapes cognitive, communicative, and social development. Children and their caregivers explore music side by side and grow a lasting bond.
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Through singing, movement, rhythm, and simple instruments, children build a foundation before they ever touch a violin. The Suzuki philosophy holds that the ear comes first: by the time a child is ready for an instrument, the music already lives inside them.
What happens in class
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Vocal and movement activities set to folk music and nursery rhymes
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Rhythmic and instrumental exploration
Spring Semester: January 12 - May 18th
Classes are located at St. Luke's Church on the Avenue in Baltimore
Mondays from 10:00 -11:00 am
Summer Semester: May 26, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30,
July 21, August 11, 18, 25
Classes are located outside in zipcode 21212 on Tuesdays from 4:30-5:30pm
Join at any time! Summer semester price: $250
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Caregiver participation throughout — you model, they follow
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Encouragement through repetition and joyful familiarity
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"I was unsure what to expect walking into the very first lesson of Joanna’s Suzuki Early Childhood Education class. Although I was excited for my daughter, she was only three years old and I worried she would be too young for formal music lessons. What I didn’t know at the time was that the Suzuki approach is designed to be natural and nurturing. Joanna was incredibly patient, kind, and enthusiastic, making each lesson feel like a fun adventure and I could see my daughter’s excitement for music, along with her discipline and self-esteem building each week. But perhaps what I love most about the Suzuki approach, is how it emphasizes that every child can learn with dedication and the right encouragement. I highly recommend this class for any parent wanting to introduce their child to the world of music in the most joyous and supportive way."
Brig's Experience
Suzuki, Irish Fiddle, and Improvisation For Kids
A holistic musical education rooted in listening, tradition, and creative development
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Children ages 3.5 and older study Suzuki violin alongside Irish fiddle and improvisation. This combination is rare: classical technique gives students precision and physical ease on the instrument, Irish tradition gives them music that lives in community, and improvisation teaches them to trust their own musical voice from the very beginning.
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Progress is built on listening. Students hear the reference recordings daily, so the music becomes natural before it becomes technical. Parents are partners in this process — home practice is an extension of the lesson, not an obligation separate from it.
Structure
What children study
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One individual lesson per week
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One group class per week
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Daily home practice with a parent
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Daily listening to reference recordings
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Suzuki Violin, Irish fiddle, improvisation
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Ear training through games
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Memorization and performance training
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Sight reading (eventually!)
Individual lessons located in zipcode 21212 and occur on weeknights
Group classes are located at St. Luke's Church on the Avenue
on most Sundays at 4:00 pm
All new students must first observe 3 individual lessons and 2 group classes before joining
Suzuki, Improvisation, and Irish Music
Complement Each Other
Suzuki Violin
"CHARACTER FIRST, ABILITY SECOND" - Dr. S. Suzuki
The Suzuki philosophy holds that musical education and character development are the same work, not two separate goals.
LISTENING
Children hear the music long before they play it. Just as language is absorbed before it is spoken, music enters through the ear.
PARENTS AS PARTNERS
A parent attends every lesson and guides home practice. The teacher teaches the parent how to teach the child.
MASTERY BEFORE MOVING ON
Each piece is practiced until it is deeply internalized, not just completed. Thorough mastery builds unshakeable confidence.
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Creative Ability Developement (Improvisation philosophy)
CREATIVITY IS ESSENTIAL
Creative Ability Devlopment (CAD) utilizes improvisation as a tool to grow the creative part of the brain.
KIDS LEARN DIFFERENTLY
For some kids, memorization is natural. Others struggle to learn a tune, but when given tools to build their own, they thrive!
DEVELOPING CREATIVITY SPANS DOMAINS
Many CAD students have gone onto successful creative careers, which can be attributed to Howard Gardner's theory that we can grow creative myelin through creative music making.
THE THREE RULES OF CAD
1. There's no such things as a mistake
2. Never criticize a friend
3. Silence and Applause
Ideas found in Alice Kanack's "The Book of Games"
Irish Music
IRISH MUSIC BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER
People of all ages come together to play traditional Irish sessions. It's a great way to make friends and socialize for your whole life!
IT'S PLAYED ALL OVER THE WORLD
There are Irish sessions in many parts of the world including all over the US, Japan, Thailand, Germany, and France.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A NICHE
There are many fiddle styles including old-time and bluegrass music. It can be good for mastery to focus on one style first before branching out.
AN ORAL TRADITION
It's learned by ear and can't even be written down correctly!
KEEPING TRADITION ALIVE
Those who learn Irish music are the carriers of a long-heald tradition. It's important to pass it on so it continues for centuries!
Classical, Irish Fiddle, and Improvisation For Adults
As an adult learner, you know what you want out of lessons, whether it's to jam with others, play for your family, or even just enjoying the challenge of learning an instrument. Joanna employs a student-led approach, so you can get out of lessons what you are looking for. Joanna teaches adult of all skill levels. Anyone can join the studio as long as there are available openings.
Structure
So this is how it works. You pay up front for 3 months (only for new students), 6 months, or 1 year. Lessons happen on a tailored basis according to when you are prepared. When you have practiced and sufficiently learned material from the previous lesson, or if you are stuck, you reach out to schedule the next lesson. This means lessons could happen as frequently as twice a week or as infrequently as every 3-4 weeks. This policy is used because it incentivizes dedicated practice​
Individual lessons located in zipcode 21212 or online
Testimonials
"Very quick to identify problem areas and recommend exercises that address them efficiently. Kind and patient. I made more progress from her teaching in a couple months than I had with my previous teacher in a year."
-Jon
"Joanna is a fabulous musician herself and very intuitive and patient in helping students improve their playing and reach their potential."
-Leah
"Joanna is a fabulous violin performer, as well as a patient and skilled instructor. I would recommend her teaching to anyone."
-Jimmy
"Joanna is an incredibly talented player and teacher who uses a clear, informative, and deeply experienced approach to the art of Irish fiddle playing. Thank you so much for your wonderful guidance, expertise, and professionalism!"
-Mairead
"Explains concepts behind technique; is patient and challenges my self doubt; loves all things Irish! Love her lessons!"
-E.
About Your Teacher
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​Joanna has been playing the violin since she was three years old and has been teaching individual Suzuki violin and Irish fiddle lessons online and in person since 2020.
She has been trained to teach Suzuki Violin Units 1 - 4, and has also taken Every Child Can!; Suzuki Early Childhood Education Stage 1 and Stage 2; Play!: Exploring Creativity, Developing Autonomy, and Finding Meaning in Music Lessons; Inclusive Group Class Teaching; and Psychology, Music, and Teaching, through the Suzuki Association of the Americas. She also has training in Creativity Ability Development from its founder, Alice Kanack, which teaches instruments through improvisation.
Joanna has led workshops at The Philadelphia Folk Festival, The Baltimore Irish Trad Fest, The Maryland Irish Festival, The Philadelphia Ceili Group Festival, Spring Thing, The Irish Weekend (in Ismaning, Germany), and Fiddlemania. She currently teaches privately at The Violin Studio of Joanna Clare
