Yamaha Method

The Yamaha Music School began in 1954, in Tokyo, as an experimental class for young children with an initial enrolment of 150 children. Because of the excellent results obtained from the unique instruction method, the school soon gained a worldwide reputation. The school has grown to an organization of over 16,000 locations in 35 countries, with more than 22,000 instructors and almost a million students. More than 3,000,000 people have graduated from Yamaha Music Schools.

In 1966, the Yamaha Music Foundation, a non-profit organization was established with the approval of the Japanese Ministry of Education to advance the development of music education.

Yamaha's philosophy in music education is based on the belief that everyone has the potential to develop his or her music ability. Developed in the early 1950's by a team of teachers, physicians, psychologists and musicians, the Yamaha system has four main characteristics.

1. Timely Instruction
2. Comprehensive musical training
3. Group lessons
4. Systematic education programs

Timely Instruction

This means that students are trained in musical skills according to their development stage in life. The material is geared to the student's level of physical, psychological and social development. For example, the ear's auditory capacity develops most rapidly between ages four and six and finger muscles develop most rapidly between ages seven and twelve. For this reason in the junior music course, the emphasis for four and five year olds is on developing the ear rather than keyboard skills.

Comprehensive Music Training

The Yamaha system not only trains its students to perform on an instrument, but also develops the fundamentals of good musicianship, such as good aural and rhythmic sense. The aim is to produce a musician who can do more than just play an instrument, but is versatile and well rounded.