-
Listen
“Above all, listen.” Here at the beginning of another year of teaching, I’m rereading Dr. Suzuki’s book Nurtured by Love. I’ve been reminded of the value of each child. Also, I was again challenged to listen carefully. It’s one of the ways we can communicate care. Stephen Covey a modern time management coach says it this way, “Seek to understand, then to be understood.” –Stephen Covey As we begin a new year of teaching, may we strive to be good listeners, and to encourage our students to listen.
-
Romance by Anton Stamitz
About Anton Stamitz Today’s post is the middle movement from a violin concerto, Romance by Anton Stamitz. It seems that a music gene ran in the Stamitz family. Violin virtuoso, Johann Stamitz, performed and composed at the dawning of the Classical period. “It is difficult to overestimate Stamitz’s influence” on the both the sonata form and the Minuet and Trio movement he added to the Classical symphony [1]. We also see his influence in his two sons Carl and Anton who followed in his footsteps. Both boys were violinist and composers. Johann Stamitz died in 1757 when Carl was 11 years old and Anton was only 7 years old. Found on…
-
Violin Solo of The Star Spangled Banner
Here is an arrangement of the United States national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner for solo violin. This violin solo is arranged for the late intermediate or advanced student. The technique needed in the left hand for the double-stop and triple stops would place this at a Level 6. The player will need to be comfortable playing in first and third positions as this arrangement uses double stops to provide the harmony. Opportunities to Perform Use this violin solo of “The Star Spangled Banner” to bring your string program or studio attention at events where the national anthem is needed. There are school and community sporting events, plays and productions, school flag raising ceremonies are all occasions…
-
Great Composers Note Reading Worksheet – Bach
Here is a great composers note reading worksheet on Bach for beginning violinists. I was listening to Beyond the Music podcast a couple weeks ago and their guest, Clair Allen, mentioned teaching her students about the composers of the pieces they are learning. Christine and Abigail mentioned growing up listening to cassette tapes of stories of great composers., and suddenly, it took me back to my own cassette tape collection. I loved these stories and listened to them over and over and over. The Music Masters Series – Johann Sebastian Bach So, this gave me the idea of creating a note reading worksheet. The notes covered are only the A string…
-
Violin Teaching Podcasts
Looking for some teaching tips or ideas as the school year kicks off? These podcasts are filled with conversations that get your creative juices flowing.
-
Parts of the Violin
One of the activities I do at the very first lesson is teach the parts of the violin or viola. Both the student and I sit on the floor and we place their violin on the floor in between us. I will point to the violin and beginning on the same pitch as open A, I’ll sing, “Here is the violin.” The student then points and sings the same thing. Then moving up a step to B, I’ll sing, “Here is the scroll.” Going through all the parts of the violin. When the pitch gets up to the next A octave, I will then step the pitch back down until…
-
Clef Coloring Page
Download a clef coloring page for your beginning string students. This is for students who are just being introduced to the staff and clef signs. You can download and print the clef coloring page for each clef from the links below each picture. You can listen to your Suzuki CD or any classical music while coloring. So, turn on your Suzuki CD, break out the crayons and have fun! Clef Coloring Page Treble Download here Alto Download here Bass Download here Suzuki CDs You can also check out other recordings such as, Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, or Peter and the Wolf. Students learn about intonation, musical phrasing, good ensemble playing and…
-
How To Draw a Treble Clef
Drawing a treble clef can be a little bit daunting for young students. It looks like likes of swirls and squiggles. I’ve had more than one student give a horrified look when I ask them to draw a treble clef. If you break it down into smaller steps, it’s not overwhelming. Giving reference points to which staff lines gives guidance as to size and shape. So download the worksheet on how to draw a treble clef below. Before the advent of computers and even music typewriters (Yes! that really is a thing) music was hand written using a wide-nib quill. This caused notes and notation to look like it was…
-
Learning the Staff
Through the years, I’ve sort of pieced together worksheets or drawing worksheets on blank staff paper for little violin students learning the staff. I’ve found some worksheets online that aren’t keyboard specific and used those. Since moving, I’ve had some extra time the past few months and I’ve just started a beginning student. The perfect circumstances to create some worksheets staff worksheets for violin students who aren’t reading yet. I’ve made the mistake of starting to teach note reading from the note reading book and I find myself explaining in one lesson, staff, line-notes, space-notes, treble clef, quarter-notes, measures… What was I thinking!!!! No awards for that lesson. It makes me…
-
Learn the Music Alphabet
Learn the music alphabet this summer using ice cream. Who doesn’t love a dripping ice cream cone on a hot summer day? Summer arrived with a bang here in Louisiana and our temperatures are in the 90’s with the humidity level about as high, I’m using ice cream cones in my lesson today to teach the music alphabet. Today we are going to talk about skips and steps through the music alphabet. There are several activities you can do with or without the instrument. And we can celebrate summer with ice cream scoops. Stepping Activities to Learn the Music Alphabet 1. Music Alphabet Mix-Up – mix up the scoops on…
