At an age when most kids have their heads stuck in Pokemon, four-year-old violinist Mairead Hickey is already a stage veteran.

But far from claiming her daughter is a child prodigy, mother Clare Hatcher says that every kid is capable of such feats, given the right help and encouragement.

Mairead has been learning for the last year under a programme devised by Dr.

Shinichi Suzuki and has played numerous recitals as well as appearing on stage with her father Mick Hickey at the Bermuda Folk Club this month -- to rave reviews.

Clare explains: "The whole thing about Suzuki is that they don't believe there is born talent, it's not in your genes, it is because of what you've been exposed to.

"She listens to all sorts and goes to sleep at night listening to music.

"She's always been around music, we've made music a part of her life. I play the penny whistle and Mick plays the banjo and bagpipes.

"When there's a record on I might say can you hear that guitar part or that violin part?'' Mairead was given a tiny violin which set her on her musical path and quickly took to it despite initial doubts.

"The first time she went to her violin lesson she didn't even want to go, but she ended up crying when it was over because she didn't want to leave.

"Mick's mother also plays the fiddle and we have sessions round here.'' Programme builds on natural musical talents of children Mairead gets her lessons at the Bermuda Conservatory of Music which uses the Suzuki method of teaching.

Clare explains: "Suzuki was asked years ago to teach a five-year-old the violin and he said to himself `how can I do this?''' "But one day when he was playing he thought to himself all five-year-old children here can speak Japanese, which is a very difficult thing to do.

"So he came up with this philosophy for teaching young kids.'' The step-by-step approach takes pains not to overwhelm children -- they start with finger exercises before touching the violin.

And when the children finally pick up the fiddle they first do routines to build up neck muscles so they can support it.

Children start playing easy nursery rhymes after hearing them on record.

Harder tunes and learning to read music come later.

"They play finger games to learn to hold their fingers in the way they need to hold them. They give their fingers names and it's made child-friendly.

"You put the Suzuki tape on and before they know it they are singing the tunes.

"You learn in chunks and work your way through the tune.

"Then the practice comes in -we try to get her to practise twice a day for five or ten minutes.

"It's just like brushing your teeth, that's what's involved in an instrument.

"You should only concentrate on one thing at a time, you don't swamp them.

"There's no other way around it except practise but we are not shoving it down her throat. She goes out and plays on the swing like any other child.

"Currently she is tackling Bach's Minuet One but she can also pick out tunes on her own. She knows about 25.'' Boys of the Lough is her favourite band and she goes to sleep listening to their tapes.

"She has Irish grandparents. With the Irish culture, music is part of her life -- it's not just a fad.'' "I'll probably teach her penny whistle when she's older.'' "Sometimes we put on music instruction videos, rather than put on a junk video we put this Peter Seeger video on.

"It's fun, there are sing-a-longs but if you want to keep the child quiet you can do it with something which is going to be good for them rather then wasting a half hour of their time to learn nothing.

"It works like a treat, we are careful what we let her watch.

"People think having a violin is a big investment you can get a violin for a couple of hundred dollars and you can always sell it.'' Mairead is also a favourite at St. Brendan's Hospital, where she performs for geriatric patients every month with Jean Howes and Friends - an informal collection of musicians playing acoustic country music.

Clare says: "The patients love it. They don't get many children coming to visit, they get forgotten but they love to see her.'' Bermuda Conservatory of Music instructor Joan Stewart said: "The whole idea of studying young is that people are very receptive to language and music is a language.

"At an early age it's a very natural process.

"In the Suzuki programme it's not uncommon given the proper environment, the commitment of the parents and the interest of the child for a three-year-old to play fabulously well.

"Parents play an integral part, they will learn with the child and practise at home.

"It's not a horrific thing, it's fun. The child notices the parents interest and wants to do well. "We emphasise the fun and play lots of games.'' Photos by David Skinner Musical youth: Four-year-old Mairead Hickey can play more than 25 tunes and has performed at various recitals and at the Bermuda Folk Club recently. She began taking violin lessons about a year ago.