printables

Print coloring pages and activities away from the instrument. Activities for violin, viola and cello available including worksheets on clefs, rhythm cards, and instrument coloring pages.

  • great composers note reading worksheet piazzolla
    note reading,  worksheet

    Great Composers Note Reading Worksheet – Piazzolla

    Here is a great composers note reading worksheet on Piazzolla. Astor Piazzolla is a Latin American composer who was born in Argentina. His family moved to New York City when he was 5. Then the Piazzollas moved to Buenes Aires when Astor was 19. Throughout his adult life he lived in New York, Buenes Aires, and Argentina. His father bought a bandoneon from a New York pawn shop. And so Piazzolla’s music education began.  Are you wondering what a bandoneon is? It is like an accordion. Piazzolla became a master at playing the bandoneon. He played the bandoneon in his tour band. You can see Piazzolla playing a bandoneon in the youtube…

  • great composers note reading worksheet mozart
    note reading,  worksheet

    Great Composers Note Reading Worksheet – Mozart

    This worksheet introduces Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as the next great composer note reading worksheet for beginning violinists and violist. Students will review the notes on the A string and E, F and G on the E string for violin. And viola students will review D string notes, and A, B and C on the A string. Students identify the note name in order to fill in the missing letters to complete words. Then they can read the story about Mozart. It is yet another way to reinforce note names away from the instrument. And at the same time teach them about the lives of the composers. Mozart’s works for violin are a…

  • The Story of the Nutcracker in Music Notes
    holiday,  note reading,  worksheet

    The Story of The Nutcracker in Music Notes

    This is the story of The Nutcracker, the most famous ballet of all time, in music notes. Just a few facts about what was happening in Tchaikovsky’s life while he was writing the music for this ballet. Many have a  family tradition of going to a performance of the Nutcracker every year. While this year might be a little different, thanks to technology we can still access and enjoy the music we have come to love at Christmas. Tchaikovsky based the story on E.T.A. Hoffman’s fantasy story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. The BBC has a dramatized recording of this story. There are other audio books and dramatized recordings that you can…

  • Can you find the hidden notes
    note reading,  violin pedagogy,  worksheet

    Can You Find the Hidden Notes?

    I loved reading Highlights Magazine as a kid. There was always one hidden picture in each magazine. I would spend so much time pouring over these pictures looking for the lists of items. So, here is a fun worksheet using basic music symbols! Can you find the hidden notes and music symbols? This is a list of symbols and notes that a student needs to be able to recognize in order to succeed at solving the puzzle. List of Hidden Notes  Treble Clef Bass Clef Alto Clef Whole Note Half Note Quarter Note Quarter Rest Half Rest Whole Rest Time Signature – 3/4 Eighth Notes Forte Piano Mezzo Forte Up…

  • clapping Rhythm flashcards
    printables,  rhythm

    Rhythm Flashcards

    Here are some printable rhythm flashcards. These flashcards use the basic rhythm values that beginning students learn. These patterns are set using 4/4 time, but that is not written on the cards. Often method books introduce rhythm by teaching the names of the note values and how many beats each note gets. There are two patterns on each page. After you print out the rhythm patterns, cut down the middle of the page to create individual cards. I like to print these on card stock so that the flashcards hold up better.  How to the Flashcards in a Lesson Students can clap each card and say the names of the note…

  • great composers note reading worksheet - vivaldi
    note reading,  worksheet

    Great Composers Note Reading Worksheet – Vivaldi

    Here is a great composers note reading worksheet on Vivaldi. While most of the Baroque composers composed for strings, Vivaldi was prolific. He wrote over 200 concertos for violin. Being a violinist himself we see his great love for the instrument as well as his virtuosic skill in all his compositions. He took orders as a priest and served as a priest for year and a half. But due a health condition he was given a dispensation to not participate in Mass.  Because of his red hair, he was nicknamed “The Red Priest.”  Vivaldi the Teacher-Composer He began to teach violin at Ospedale della Pietà, a home for abandoned girls.  Under Vivaldi’s teaching…

  • rhythm,  worksheet

    How to Draw Quarter Notes

    Here is a worksheet on how to draw quarter notes. It’s perfect for young students. Whether the student is learning to play an instrument or just exploring music, his worksheet is perfect for ages 4-6. My young students are just getting ready to enter kindergarten, so their writing and small muscle skills are still developing. These notes are large and the young student can trace quarter notes. The notes are drawn in dot to dot. Students also learn how to draw quarter note stems going up and down.  First students trace 5 quarter notes with stems going up. Trace the circle. Color in the circle. Trace the stem. Then, they…

  • great composers note reading worksheet paradis
    note reading,  worksheet

    Great Composers Note Reading Worksheet – Paradis

    The Great Composers note reading worksheet this week teaches about Maria Theresa von Paradis. Maria Theresa von Paradis was both a composer and performer in a time when women were not encouraged to do either. She performed, composed, and taught.  Maria Theresa von Paradis: Education Maria Theresa von Paradis’ parents named after Empress Maria Theresa, the empress of Austria. Her father worked as the Imperial Secretary of Commerce and Court Councilor. Maria Theresa von Paradis began to lose her eyesight at age 2. And she was completely blind by age 5. Paradis studied composition, keyboard and music theory with Vienna’s best teachers. Her composition teacher Antonio Salleri taught students who became famous. His students include Beethoven,…

  • Twinkle Patterns Rhythm Variations
    game,  prereading,  theory

    Pick an Apple – Twinkle Activity

    We are all social distancing since COVID-19 is here. That means extra time to practice. So here’s a game for beginners called “pick an Apple.” It is an activity that reinforces Twinkle. Right now there is no soccer practice, or play dates, or even preschool happening. While elementary and above are getting activities to do at home. Preschoolers don’t have work to do at home. In order to help parents take advantage of this time, I’ve created some resources to help them to solidify all the skills we use in Twinkle. Build in more receptions and keep their interest by creating different activities using the same skills. This activity is…