By hearing a recording before learning a piece, students internalize an overall concept of the music. They do not have to be able to play it to get an idea of what it sounds like. This process of absorbing the entire piece through the ears supports what educators call "whole to part" learning. When the target is established first, it is far easier for students to know where the steps of the learning process are taking them. Knowing what the end result will sound like is not only motivating, it also sets up a category in the brain into which all of the random bits of learning can be readily organized. Learning is then more efficient and effortless. This mental soundtrack also makes memorizing and performing easier and more secure.
Excerpt from Studying Suzuki Piano: More than Music by Carole L. Bigler and Valery Lloyd-Watts, 1979.
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