Suzuki Piano of Lexington

Suzuki Piano of Lexington is a new private studio in Lexington, Kentucky. Jennifer Brooke (J.B.) Taylor, an accomplished pianist and Suzuki teacher, comes to Lexington with over 15 years of experience in teaching. Most recently she was a faculty member and Assistant Director of Suzuki Talent Education at the acclaimed MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

J.B. is currently scheduling consultations for families interested in joining her studio. Please visit www.suzukipianolexington.com for more information!

About the Suzuki Method

Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, Japanese pedagogue and philosopher, developed a method of teaching music based on the premise of the "mother tongue." He realized that all children learn to speak their native language fluently at a very young age without any difficulty. Dr. Suzuki believed that this same phenomenon could apply to another language – the language of music. The Suzuki approach encourages early exposure to music with formal lessons beginning as early as age three or four. Parents are intimately involved with the musical learning of their child. They attend all lessons with the child and serve as the "home teacher" during the week.

Children are also encouraged to listen regularly to the recordings of the repertoire they will be playing to assist in the learning process. Repetition in both playing and listening is an essential ingredient in the Suzuki approach. Just as children learn to read after they have already learned to talk, Suzuki students learn how to read music, after tone and technical ability on their instrument has been well established.

The Suzuki Method is a positive, encouraging approach to learning an instrument. Mastery of each small step is celebrated and children learn in a nurturing environment. Students and families are also encouraged to support each other through recitals, group classes and other performances, creating community with other Suzuki families.

More information about the Suzuki Method is available via the Suzuki Association of the Americas: www.suzukiassociation.org.

About the Teacher

Jennifer Brooke (J.B.) Taylor has been active as a piano teacher, performer, and professional church musician for over 15 years. For the past seven years, she was a Suzuki piano faculty member and Assistant Director of the Suzuki Talent Education department at the MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis. Her teachers have included Donna Kurtz, Linda Sabak, Leonard Mastrogiacomo, and Victoria McArthur. She has completed Suzuki teacher training with Fay Adams, Yasuko Joichi, Doris Koppelman, and Mary Craig Powell.

As a Suzuki student, J.B. received numerous awards, including the grand prizes in both the Young Keyboard Artist Association’s and the American Music Scholarship Association’s International Piano Competitions. In 2004, J.B. was selected as a Shinichi Suzuki Scholar by the American Suzuki Institute. She has also served as a faculty member and guest clinician at Suzuki institutes and workshops in Ohio, Minnesota, Alaska, and Tennessee. In addition, J.B. is a former board member of the Suzuki Association of Minnesota.

J.B. holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance and Accounting from West Virginia Wesleyan College and a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Florida State University. She also earned a Master of Business Administration in Entrepreneurial Management from Florida State. She and her husband Mark relocated to Lexington in 2009.