Interview Violin Teacher Trainer: Dr. Lan Ku Chen by Dela Posita

Several times ago I have chance to interview Dr Lan Ku Chen and have published in Suzuki Music Association Indonesia Newsletter (SMAI), October Edition. This is my first english writing. Thank you for Mrs Therese Wirakesuma that had edit my writing. To see Smai newletter october edition please click https://drive.google.com/open?id=14n4jWm5s_61eQRr8tYwZVHlRtcgSujtw

Mr Chen is a chairperson of Taiwan Education Association and a certified violin teacher trainer of Asia Region Suzuki Association (ARSA).  He actively teaching in Indonesia for Suzuki Violin Teacher Training. Dr Chen have published many books like 'A Violin Pedagogy'.  This is an interview of his experiences for years in teaching.

What is the major life lessons that a life of music pedagogy and
teaching experience has given you?
Every lesson moment is new experience and every
teaching moment is a major learning experience. In every lesson we have
to see what is the most important thing that we can give. Every moment
when we teach, we have to progress and try with our best of teaching. We
teach always using our heart. I see every teaching is as critical because
every time you teach you influence a people.

What is your most important life experience?
If you want to do your live your life fully, you have to be aware, how you
interact with other people, with your students, with friends. Every moment
you have to be aware, you have to not loose your concentration, that’s why
we do Daily exercise, its awareness concentration. So we live our life with
awareness and fully.

Are you teaching the same technique with every student?
The principal is the same, the steps, but then you meet students with
different levels and different techniques, you have to adjust and sometimes
student can’t take it so I will change to another direction. So we have to
find a way and the approach can be different. The principal is to teach step
by step, but you have to go in a horizontal direction to make the student go
to the next level of this is the basic principle. The principle is the same but
people have a different background and it’s different issues. Some people
have more vibrato for example, some not, its ok, you don’t have to worry
about that. So teaching is to first understand the principle, then you have to
horizontal teaching pedagogy, and different approach and method to do the
same thing.

How you produce many good student in young age?
Use very small steps! That’s a Suzuki principle. We are teaching in very
small details and steps and then we do bigger steps with the small steps, so
every student’s can achieve success. And also the steps has to follow the
principles too, so you don’t waste time. Sometimes we go to steps that waste time. But you have to not waste your student’s time, this is the
principle of the Suzuki way then you have to be able to follow the steps.

Do you have other experience to share with others?
Harmony! This means that we try to work together as team like in our
association, we work together. You want to have harmony with other
people. **(Delapos- Suzuki Violin Teacher, Bogor)**

More info about Suzuki Music Association of Indonesia please click www.suzuki-indonesia.org