The Twinkles variations is a unique warmup that is early introduced among Suzuki students. Unlike other methods that offer a conventional solution to developing the child’s technique, the Suzuki method uses this familiar song to teach the basics of playing.
However, it’s not as unique as most people would think. In fact, Mozart was one of the first composers who gave life to this simple song by composing several simple to difficult variations of it.
But as prodigious a history the Twinkles have, parents can’t help but ask questions about why it is included in their child’s playing regimen. In fact, here’s the most frequently asked questions that they throw at me with regards to the ubiquitous Twinkles.
Why does my child play Twinkles at the beginning of every lesson?
In general piano lessons, teachers usually let the student warmup by playing technical exercises preparatory to the pieces they are about to tackle during the lesson.
With the Suzuki Method, the Twinkles encompass most of the technical concepts of not just Book 1, but even until Book 7 and beyond.
By playing the Twinkles at the beginning of the lesson, the teacher is able to tell whether certain techniques need to be emphasized or reviewed.
What does my child learn from playing Twinkles?
The Suzuki Twinkles offer a variety of playing techniques, for example:
Twinkle A is usually played with straight fingers, with the movement stemming from the knuckles. The finger pads would touch the key, in a rapid sliding down the key fashion or what teachers would tell the child, “draw a line.”
This simple technique strengthens the fingers and eliminates the caving in of the first joint of the fingers. It also helps to draw out the deep tone from certain notes. It is also preparatory to playing difficult Bach pieces.
Twinkle B prepares the child to play syncopations, mark out differences between soft and loud, staccato and legato, and prepares them to add expression, dynamics and colours in repeated notes. It also prepares the child to be sensitive to tone.
Twinkle C helps the child to play fast passages in a light and relaxed manner. It also prepares them for playing scales and the necessary technique for playing Mozart sonatas.
Twinkle D teaches the child a very important technique — bringing out the singing tone of the piano. This is the foundation by which many great classical pieces are played.
By playing Twinkles, the child becomes more sensitive to sound, and they are given tools so they know precisely what they need to do to achieve beautiful and colorful sounds.
Why does it have to be in the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star? Isn’t it easier to just have the child play do re mi fa so and apply the same techniques?
Yes, it is definitely easier to have the child play do re mi fa so and back. In fact, teachers do that exercise as a preliminary to playing the actual Twinkles, and sometimes as preliminary to scales or certain pieces with fast scale passages.
In fact, it’s not really about the song, but the stroke!
However, when Mr. Suzuki put together the method, he wanted it to be relatable to the child. So instead of the “boring” do re mi fa so, he used a familiar folk song that almost every child around the world can relate to.
It is meant to be a technical exercise, but it doesn’t mean that the child can’t enjoy it too!
The recording plays the Twinkles without stops. But why do you make stops in the lesson?
The stops are actually called stop-prepare. And it’s called that because it’s supposed to make the child do just that.
The stops help the child to play each note with correct technique and then move to the next note deliberately and mentally prepared to execute it correctly. It eliminates mindless mistakes that often forms into bad playing habits.
At the early stage of learning, speed and playing in a continuous fashion is not the goal for Twinkles. In fact, for many children, playing the Twinkles without stops can be overwhelming. So we take it a step at a time by stopping and helping them prepare for the next note.
Later on, when they have a better command of their motor skills, are more aware of the techniques in playing Twinkles, and are about to graduate from Book 1, they are allowed to play the Twinkles without stops.
This stop-prepare method of practicing is also applicable for learning advanced pieces, hence the child is learning a valuable practice tool that he or she can use later on.
Should I make my child practice in the same fashion at home even though my child is perfectly capable of playing it without stops?
It depends. If the child is consistently doing the techniques correctly without stops, then do it that way.
If they are still in Book 1, Twinkles should be practiced with stops.
Why is it taking such a long time to learn the Twinkles? My child has been playing the Twinkles for months now and we haven’t moved to another piece!
Each child learns at a different pace. There’s really no set length of time in learning the Twinkles. I’ve had students who learned all Twinkle variations in one lesson. And I’ve had students who spent weeks learning one variation.
I usually let the learning capacity of the child dictate the pace of the lesson, and I’ve seen that very young beginners (3-5 years old) usually take awhile to learn it because their motor and kinesthetic capabilities are still developing.
Another factor to consider is whether they are able to sing the tune for themselves and whether they can find the tune on the piano by themselves. I don’t teach the Twinkles by rote or by having the child imitate me. I let them discover the sounds for themselves, and this process of discovery can also take awhile.
One thing to remember as a parent is that it’s not about the quantity of pieces they are playing. The goal is not to move on to a new piece. It is about playing a piece beautifully. Trust the process. Teachers usually know when the time is right to move on to a new piece.
If it really concerns you and if the apparent delay is taking a toll on the child, ask the teacher specifically about things you can do during practice, or specific things the teacher wants to see before your child can move forward.
My child is now on Book 4. Why are we still playing Twinkles?
The Twinkles is a springboard of techniques. When a child moves to another level, he learns another set of technical abilities and reviews the techniques he hlearned from the previous level. The Twinkles then becomes a warm-up piece to prepare for the new techniques.
For example, Book 3 has a lot of pieces using triplets and finger changes on the same notes. I will then let the child play Twinkle A according to what he’s used to, then I will introduce playing it by using triplets with finger changes. Or as the child plays Twinkle D, ask him to play forte (loud) and when the same passage repeats in sequence, play it piano (soft). This introduces the child to dynamics, as well as phrasing.
The fact that the child is playing previous pieces does not mean they are not progressing. In fact, reviewing allows them to refine and reinvent ways of playing a familiar song, giving more room for creativity and musical maturity.
Do you have more piano-related Twinkle questions? Let me know on the comments section below!