The Suzuki method began on the violin. It now has its own set of books for viola, flute, guitar, and other instruments. Each set is called a school. This page explains how the viola, flute, and guitar schools work.
The instruments with a Suzuki school
The publisher of the Suzuki books lists these: piano, violin, viola, cello, bass, flute, harp, guitar, recorder, organ, trumpet, and voice.
Every school follows the same plan. The child listens to recordings every day. A parent comes to lessons and helps at home. The pieces come in a set order, and old pieces stay in review. Read the Suzuki method explained for parents.
The three schools at a glance
| Viola | Flute | Guitar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of books | 9 | 14 | 9 |
| Built by | Doris Preucil | Toshio Takahashi | Frank Longay and William Kossler |
Suzuki viola
The books. The Suzuki Viola School has nine volumes. Book 9 came out in 2013. Doris Preucil wrote the school. She has taught by the Suzuki method since 1963 and founded the Preucil School of Music.
How it relates to the violin books. The early viola books are the violin books moved to the viola’s lower notes. Viola Book 1 has 19 pieces and ends with the Gossec gavotte, as violin Book 1 does. Viola Book 2 has the same 12 pieces as violin Book 2, from the chorus by Handel to the minuet by Boccherini. It adds exercises for second and third position and practice notes by Doris Preucil.
The recordings. William Preucil, Sr., plays the viola on the recordings for Books 1 to 7.
What is different about viola. The viola is a little larger than the violin and sounds lower. Its music is written in the alto clef. A child who starts on viola learns that clef from the start. Read viola for kids and violin vs viola.
Starting on violin and switching. Some children start on violin and move to viola later. The shared pieces make the move easier, since the child knows the tunes. Ask a viola teacher when a switch makes sense.
Suzuki flute
The books. The Suzuki Flute School has 14 volumes. Toshio Takahashi put the pieces together. He is named as the founder of the Suzuki flute method.
What is different about flute. A flute player makes the sound with breath, not a bow or a key. The first lessons deal with how to blow and how to hold the flute. A teacher decides when a child is big enough to hold a flute. Ask about instruments made for small players.
The plan is the same. The child listens daily, learns by ear first, and keeps old pieces in review.
For the instrument, read flute for kids.
Suzuki guitar
The books. The Suzuki Guitar School has nine volumes, each with a recording. The books begin with the Twinkle Variations and folk songs.
Who built it. Frank Longay and William Kossler are named as the co-founders. A guitar committee keeps the school up to date. Dr. Suzuki approved that committee in May 1986. The committee says it is revising Volume 1.
What is different about guitar. Suzuki guitar is classical guitar. Children use small guitars sized to fit them. Read guitar sizes for kids.
How to find a teacher
Teachers of Suzuki viola, flute, and guitar can be harder to find than teachers of Suzuki violin and piano. Three steps help.
- Search the teacher list of your regional Suzuki association. In Canada and the United States, that is the Suzuki Association of the Americas.
- Ask a Suzuki violin or piano program near you. Teachers know one another.
- Ask about training. A Suzuki teacher takes courses for each book of their instrument. Read how to choose a Suzuki teacher.
Questions to ask before you start
- Which book and edition do you use?
- Is there a group class?
- What size of instrument does my child need, and do you rent them?
- How much listening do you expect each day?
- When do your students start to read music?
More on the Suzuki method
- Suzuki violin books 1 to 10: what each one teaches
- Suzuki cello for kids
- Suzuki piano for kids
- Suzuki Twinkle variations explained
- Is my child too old to start Suzuki?
Sources
Checked in November 2026.
- Alfred Music. Suzuki Method catalog, 2020.
- International Suzuki Association. Viola committee.
- International Suzuki Association. Guitar committee.
- Asia Region Suzuki Association. Instruments offered.
- Suzuki Association of the Americas. New violin books and recordings, for the biography of Doris Preucil.
- International Suzuki Association. Suzuki Viola School, Volume 1: contents and sample pages. Summy-Birchard and Alfred Music.
- International Suzuki Association. Suzuki Viola School, Volume 2: sample pages. Summy-Birchard. Hosted by Hickey’s Music.
- East Carolina University Libraries. Suzuki viola school: catalog record.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.