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Flashcards
I was organizing my teaching basket and realized that I had lots of different sizes of flashcards. Which made it hard to keep track of everything and store them. So I redid my music alphabet cards, A scale cards, fingerboard ID, and treble clef first position flash cards. Now they are all the same size and fit my storage containers. Music Alphabet Flashcards or A Scale Flashcards You can do the same activities with either the music alphabet flashcards or the A scale flashcards. You can read more about some group class activities with these cards here. But these cards are great for saying the alphabet forwards and backwards. First,…
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New Easter Violin Solo
A new Easter violin solo is available of the gospel song Christ Arose (Lo in the Grave He Lay). This has been a long time Easter favorite for over a century. Robert Lowry of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania wrote both the tune and text for this song in 1874. Many of Robert Lowry’s songs are still sung in churches today – songs like, I Need Thee Every Hour, Nothing But the Blood, Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy, Here is Love, Something for Thee and many more. If you think you might use the duet version some day, this Easter violin solo can be played with just the 1st violin part…
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Draw the Clefs
I have created videos on how to draw the clefs, treble clef, alto clef, and bass clef. I made these videos to go along with The Magic of Music Theory series. Sequence of Learning to Draw the Clefs PreReading B In the early books students learn to recognize the 3 different clefs. Clefs are first introduced in PreReading B. The clefs are introduced through a story and each clef is related to an instrument. The treble clef related to the violin, alto clef to viola, and bass clef to cello. Then students color a full page coloring page of each clef. They also are introduced to tracing their clef and…
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I Spy Rests Notes and Clefs
I Spy is a worksheet to help students identify rests, notes and clefs by their name. How many times have students heard you refer to it in lessons, but then when you ask them what it’s called you get a blank stare? In the lesson I’ve started asking them to repeat the word or read the definition out loud. I’ll often ask a question where they have to answer with the term. Students might understand the concept but not know what it’s called. I find this to be especially true of rests. They often call it a “rest.” I’ll ask what kind of rest…. that’s when the sheepish grin happens….…
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Christmas Count-Down Practice Chart
I saw an advent calendar puzzle this year that had acts of kindness for each day of December. Ideas to help us be intentional being kind to others in a month that can be hectic, busy and tiring. It also helps us not think of ourselves in a month where we think about everything we want. It got me to thinking that it might be fun to do something similar with practicing. Helping my students want to practice and have a little spark of fun to practicing. So I created a Christmas Count-Down Practice Chart. Pick one tree or bell to do each day in the month of December. Some…
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Christmas Solos for Violin
Here are some recommendations of Christmas solos for violin. All of the Christmas titles listed below come with a printed piano accompaniment. Some of them have downloadable piano tracks to practice or play along. Enjoy some old favorites in new ways this Christmas season. March Level 1B The Nutcracker signals Christmas for many people. And for many students who also take ballet, this is a great opportunity for them to play a piece they hear as they prepare for their part in the Nutcracker. This arrangement is set in the key of D, and the student will need to review moving 2nd finger from low to high. Bow retakes are…
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Thanksgiving Violin Note Names
It’s November! Here is a thanksgiving note naming worksheet for violin. Do you have students traveling over the holidays and can’t take their instrument? Here’s a way to keep violin note reading up over the break. This worksheet can double as a coloring page as well as reviewing first position note names. The student should also write the finger number that plays that note on the line below the note name. Download Thanksgiving Note Name Worksheet
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Violin Music for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving might be the most underrated holiday. Growing up we attended a Praise Service Thanksgiving morning. Many churches celebrate the Sunday before with praise, thanksgiving and testimony services. It is appropriate that singing and music is apart of that service. Maybe you have a time of thanksgiving and singing as a family. If you are looking for some string arrangements for any of these occasions here are some options to consider. Advanced Violin Solos for Thanksgiving Praise My Soul the King of Heaven Sing Praise To God Who Reigns Above My Shepherd Will Supply My Need Intermediate Violin Solos for Thanksgiving He Leadeth Me Praise To the…
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Power of Listening
I got to play Peter and the Wolf Saturday for the family/kids concert. to It took me back to laying on the floor in front of our stereo system staring at the LP jacket of the recording and playing with the carpet. I listened to that record so many times! It’s amazing how imbedded that interpretation is in my mind all these years later. A few spots “felt” wrong to me Saturday just because it was different than what was on that recording. 🤣 (don’t worry I played what I was supposed to!) I was reminded: never underestimate the power of listening – especially as a kid!
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Fall 2024 Practice Calendars
I’ve been using practice calendars in my studio this last year. I’ve really liked how these practice calendars have helped both students and parents. It’s given me a way to know how much practice is happening at home during the week. Rather than the conversation that goes something like this…. Me: “Did you practice this week?”Student: “Hmmm, yeah” Me: “How many days were you able to practice?”Student: “Umm.. well Monday I had soccer. And then Tuesday my brother had a swim meet. ummmm Wednesday we were really busy. I practiced on Thursday.” Me: “What about Friday, Saturday and Sunday? Were you able to get some practice in on the weekend?”Student:…
