Performance on Thursday

BRING YOUR VIOLIN TO MGA ON THURSDAY!

All of the MGA Violinists will be on the stage together. We will play through our songs in the order listed below. When/if we get to a song that you are not yet an expert at, you will stand and hold your violin in rest position while the others are playing.

Please have your violin out of it's case and ready to be tuned during lunchtime.

1. Twinkle Variation A (taka taka stop stop)
2. Twinkle Variation B (Doctor... Suzuki... said never... be lazy...)
3. Twinkle Variation C (DOWN wiggle, UP wiggle)
4. Twinkle Variation D (caterpillar caterpillar)
5. Twinkle Theme
6. Cuckoo
7. Lightly Row
8. Song of the Wind

Lightly Row

This is already in your book and on your CD (track 40), but here it is again the way I wrote it down today in class. Click on the image for a larger version.

Next Week: Performance for Parents!

C Class will perform Twinkle Variation A
D Class will perform Twinkle Variation D
E Class will perform Lightly Row

WEEK BEFORE THANKSGIVING

Everyone: The Symphony of Toys is on Sunday, Nov. 28th. It's a free family-friendly symphony concert with a toy donation. Print out tickets here: http://www.newconservatory.org/sot/index.asp

C GROUP:

• Twinkle Variation A at different tempi - it should never feel fast to you. If it feels fast, you are not controlling your playing and you need to slow it down.
• Introduction of Variation B: the rests between the notes can be sung as "shh". So, the note pattern is as follows:

A A ssh A E E ssh E F F ssh F E E ssh
E D D ssh D C C ssh C B B ssh B A A ssh
A E E ssh E D D ssh D C C ssh C B B ssh
A E E ssh E D D ssh D C C ssh C B B ssh
B A A ssh A E E ssh E F F ssh F E E ssh
E D D ssh D C C ssh C B B ssh B A A ssh A!
Practice singing the notes (and the ssh) along with the CD. If you can sing it, you'll be able to play it.

• Down Wiggle, Up Wiggle variation: practice moving your bow straight up and down in the air while singing "down wiggle, up wiggle".
• Caterpillar Caterpillar variation: This one was pretty easy for you all today. Well done!

D GROUP:
Twinkle Variations:

1. taka taka stop stop
2. Doctor (ssh) Suzuki (ssh) said never (ssh) be lazy (ssh) just practice (ssh) and practice (ssh) till mama (ssh) goes crazy! (ssh)
3. DOWN wiggle, UP wiggle
4. pineapple pineapple
5. caterpillar caterpillar
6. Theme (regular Twinkle)

Cuckoo (track 38 on your CD)

E GROUP:

1. Twinkle Variations: make sure your bow is doing what you want it to do (always start a new note with a down-bow, for example).
2. Cuckoo: track 38 on your CD
3. Lightly Row: track 40 on your CD
4. Preparation for Song of the Wind: track 44 on your CD.

WEEK 8: Twinkles and more

C CLASS:
Today we experienced how we can communicate a message using volume - we played softly and loudly during the game of 'find the rosin' in order to tell a classmate where the rosin was. This was a lot of fun, and you all had a chance to improve your Twinkle variation in the process. Wonderful!

We started a new variation: "caterpillar caterpillar". In your book this is referred to as the fifth variation. We talked about creating a bouncing feeling with the bow hand. You can practice this more just by bouncing your right fist on your lap - the bold syllables are the ones where your hand is bouncing down: cat er pil lar cat er pil lar

D CLASS:


E CLASS:

Twinkle variations:

1. taka taka stop stop: start each new note with a down-bow, every time
2. Doctor... Suzuki...: short, fast bowstrokes
3. down wiggle up wiggle: make sure your bow is following the "down wiggle, up wiggle" pattern every time
4. pineapple pineapple: steady triplets please
5. caterpillar caterpillar: make sure you remain steady, without speeding up. Play along with your CD or a YouTube video for this.
6. Theme: long, lyrical bowstrokes.

Cuckoo:
Below is the pitch outline for Cuckoo. It is track 38 on your Step by Step CD (Lexus, click on that link to get to the Amazon page for the book/CD).

E C# rest rest
D B rest rest
then "taka taka stop stop" as you play:
A C# E C# then (quick!) back to the beginning.

Lightly Row:
Listen to track 40 on your CD repeatedly. You should be listening to this CD every single day, over and over. The more you listen, the easier it is to learn new songs. Find the page that corresponds to Lightly Row in your Step by Step book if you need to see what the notes are, but the best way to learn this is by using your ears instead of your eyes. The goal is to be able to play this without looking at the music, so keep that in mind!

WEEK 7: Twinkle Superstars

If your name is on this list, it means that you were able to play Twinkle Variation A with no mistakes today! Bravo!!

If your name is not on this list, you'll get another chance to be on the list next week. Practice carefully!

TWINKLE SUPERSTARS

C Class

Noah	Eckstein
Marco	Giovanitti
Nash	Kendall
Caleb	Smith
Robbie	Stoltzfus
Anna	Velez
Gretchen	Velez
Niki	Weeter

D Class

Austin	Armstrong
Cade	Deraud
Emily	Masters
Jaden	Rose
Sam	Steppy

E Class
everyone in this class was able to play ALL of the variations today. WOW!

Dylan	Deraud
Lexus	Estes
Antonio	Giovanitti
Marley	Kendall
Lydia	Masters
Luke	Smith

If you are not on this list yet, you need to spend some serious time with the videos below. Become an expert at the first Twinkle variation so you can be added to the list!



above: the beginning of the first Twinkle Variation, for practicing along with.
below: three Variations with stops and reminders, for practicing along with.



Here are all of the variations, with no interruptions. Don't try to play along with this if it feels too fast - listening carefully is excellent practice too.

WEEK 6: Making a square

Can you see the square that Nash is making with his arm and his bow?
Make one with your arm!

WEEK 6: review, more Twinkle Variations

NOTES FOR EVERYONE

1. Listen to your CD every day. Listening is a form of practicing. You would never try to learn a language without listening to it, would you? Music is a language. Listen and watch these Twinkle Variations as well - this violinist is using an electric violin:



2. If you have a specific problem that's keeping you from practicing successfully, please email me about it. I can probably help. (christineauger@gmail.com)

3. Here are the notes for all of the Twinkle Variations:
REMINDER OF HOW TO PLAY THE NOTES FOR THIS SONG:

• A = no fingers on the A string
• E = no fingers on the E string
• F# = left thumb in the thumbnest, place first finger (index finger) on the E string directly across from thumb.
• B = same as F# but on the A string
• C# = two fingers on the A string
• D = three fingers on the A string

4. Review should take up 15-20 minutes of your daily practice time. Become an expert at what you already know. Spend 5 minutes on "new" things.

NOTES FOR EACH GROUP
(SCROLL DOWN TO FIND YOUR CLASS)

A/B Class
Caleb I will bring you a new pinkinest and shoulder rest, with receipt. We worked on letting someone help – while he was holding the bow, I held the bow screw and moved the bow up and down on the string. We did track 3 on the CD (E string) alternating between him doing it all himself and him letting me help. It was difficult for him to let someone help; please practice this daily with him at home. Dirty Doggie Scrub Scrub: start with a down-bow every time. Sit on mom's lap and have her scrub with you, or do it in the tub! Have fun with it. dirty doggie scrub scrub put him in the tub-tub rub a dub a dub dub dirty doggie scrub scrub	Briden Excellent playing today! He followed directions incredibly well and was very attentive and careful with his playing. Practice tracks 3 and 4 with the CD. If those become easy, add track 5.
Both Kids Watch the videos I've posted below in the sections for the other classes. The more you start thinking/listening/watching in preparation for what you'll be learning soon, the easier it'll be to do it when you're ready. Online Superstar Challenge! Whoever can play along with track 4 on the CD with a beautiful bow hold, great violin position, and beautiful tone will get to be videotaped next week and added to the website as an Online Superstar! (no one was really 100% ready for this today (although Briden was very close!!), so we'll try again next week!)

C Class
review Review of "old" material should take up 15 minutes of your daily practice time. Become an expert at what you already know. Spend 5 minutes on "new" things.	new
naming parts of your violin bow hold violin hold Twinkle beginning (practice along with video below) Twinkle - whole thing	following nonverbal instructions while playing the first Twinkle Variation. (louder/softer, play/don't play). You guys did a fantastic job with this. Practice along with the two videos posted below - they will help you tremendously if you use them. If you are feeling secure with the first Twinkle Variation, try the others that are demonstrated in the second video.
above: the beginning of the first Twinkle Variation, for practicing along with. below: three Variations with stops and reminders, for practicing along with.

D Class
review Review of "old" material should take up 15 minutes of your daily practice time. Become an expert at what you already know. Spend 5 minutes on "new" things.	new
Twinkle Variations: taka taka stop stop Practice along with the videos you see below. Copy these examples as exactly as you can.	Twinkle Variations: down-wiggle, up-wiggle caterpillar caterpillar
above: the beginning of the first Twinkle Variation, for practicing along with. below: three Variations with stops and reminders, for practicing along with.

E Class
review Review of "old" material should take up 15 minutes of your daily practice time. Become an expert at what you already know. Spend 5 minutes on "new" things.	new
Twinkle Variations: taka taka stop stop down-wiggle, up-wiggle caterpillar caterpilla	Twinkle Variations: Doctor... Suzuki... said never... be lazy... just practice... and practice... till mama... goes crazy... (in the video she calls this one "happy... I'm happy..." - it's the same thing) Marley and Lexus: practice lightning bows with Song of the Wind. Marley, learn the harmony part to Song of the Wind.
above: the beginning of the first Twinkle Variation, for practicing along with. below: three Variations with stops and reminders, for practicing along with.

WEEK 5: listening, review, Twinkle Variations

NOTES FOR EVERYONE

1. Listen to your CD every day. We like to listen to it in the car, while we're doing other homework, or sometimes while we're eating.

2. If you are having trouble keeping up in class, you need to be spending more time at home practicing what you know. This is just like learning a language - if you don't spend time listening to it and repeating it, you won't learn it very quickly and you'll probably get frustrated and discouraged. You can expect successful results if you're putting in the time at home.

3. If you have a specific problem that's keeping you from practicing successfully, please email me about it. I might be able to help. (christineauger@gmail.com)

4. Review of "old" material should take up 80% of your practice time. Become an expert at what you already know.

NOTES FOR EACH GROUP
(SCROLL DOWN TO FIND YOUR CLASS)

A/B Class
Caleb I gave him a pinkinest today and asked him to keep it on his bow and keep his pinky finger in it. We worked on letting someone help – while he was holding the bow, I held the bow screw and moved the bow up and down on the string. We did track 3 on the CD (E string) alternating between him doing it all himself and him letting me help. It was difficult for him to let someone help; please practice this daily with him at home.	Briden Excellent playing today! He followed directions incredibly well and was very attentive and careful with his playing. We talked about keeping a mouse hole open when he holds his bow. See picture for example of a nice round thumb and mouse hole. Practice tracks 3 and 4 with the CD. If those become easy, add track 5.
Caleb demonstrates holding a violin with just his head. He held it while I counted to ten, then kept on holding it! He could have kept it there all day!	Briden demonstrates a lovely round bow thumb with a hole for a mouse to go through!
Both Kids Online Superstar Challenge! Whoever can play along with track 4 on the CD with a beautiful bow hold, great violin position, and beautiful tone will get to be videotaped next week and added to the website as an Online Superstar!

C1/C2/C3 Class
REVIEW track 3 on CD track 4 on CD track 5 on CD track 7 on CD Playing notes on the A string: D (3 fingers), C-sharp (2 fingers), B (1 finger) beginning of Twinkle: A E F# E	NEW First section of Twinkle Variation 1: A E F# E D C# B A Practice this slowly.
Keep left wrist straight (not touching violin) When using left hand fingers, make sure you know which to use First finger = index finger Second finger = middle finger Third finger = ring finger
Online Superstar Challenge! Whoever can play along with TWINKLE VARIATION 1 (taka taka stop stop) on the CD with a beautiful bow hold, great violin position, and beautiful tone will get to be videotaped next week and added to the website as an Online Superstar!

D Class
REVIEW track 3 on CD track 4 on CD track 5 on CD track 7 on CD Playing notes on the A string: D (3 fingers), C-sharp (2 fingers), B (1 finger) beginning of Twinkle: A E F# E	NEW All of Twinkle Variation 1: Practice this slowly. Each box above is a "taka taka stop stop".
Keep left wrist straight (not touching violin) Start each "taka taka stop stop" with a down-bow. Don't be sloppy about this! When using left hand fingers, make sure you know which to use First finger = index finger Second finger = middle finger Third finger = ring finger	A = no fingers on the A string E = no fingers on the E string F# = one finger on the E string, across from thumb D = 3 fingers on the A string C# = 2 fingers on the A string B = 1 finger on the A string
Online Superstar Challenge! Whoever can play along with TWINKLE VARIATION 1 (taka taka stop stop) on the CD with a beautiful bow hold, great violin position, and beautiful tone will get to be videotaped next week and added to the website as an Online Superstar!

Luke demonstrates the first Twinkle Variation (taka taka stop stop). Use this video to practice along with.

E Class
REVIEW Playing notes on the A string: D (3 fingers), C-sharp (2 fingers), B (1 finger) beginning of Twinkle: A E F# E Note review A = no fingers on the A string E = no fingers on the E string F# = one finger on the E string, across from thumb D = 3 fingers on the A string C# = 2 fingers on the A string B = 1 finger on the A string All of first Twinkle Variation (taka taka stop stop):	NEW Twinkle Variation: Down Wiggle, Up Wiggle watch, listen, and practice along with the video of Marley and Lexus that is posted below.
Keep left wrist straight (not touching violin) When using left hand fingers, make sure you know which to use First finger = index finger Second finger = middle finger Third finger = ring finger
Online Superstar Challenge! Whoever can play ANY TWINKLE VARIATION with a beautiful bow hold, great violin position, and beautiful tone will get to be videotaped next week and added to the website as an Online Superstar!

How To Help Your Child At Home

Click on the images below for larger, easy-to-read versions.

At some point, practically every violin student asks, "how long will it take me to finish Suzuki Book 1?". There's never an exact answer to this question, because it depends a lot on the individual, but here is an excellent way to make an estimate:


The note below is geared towards Suzuki parents who are attending lessons with their kids, but you can tweak these great ideas to suit your situation. Click on the image to open up a large, easily-readable version.

WEEK 4: review, introduction of A string notes for some

Everyone: put your name on EVERYTHING. Today there was a missing shoulder rest and a report of missing rosin - it'll be easy to reunite you with your stuff in the future if it's all labeled with your name or initials.

We are starting to branch into differently-paced groups now, so I will post specific instructions for each class.

B CLASS Listen to the CD every day.
REVIEW	NEW
Violin hold: head, ear, shoulder	Play taka taka stop stop on open A or E while the CD is playing Twinkle Variation A
Bow hold: Up Like a Rocket, Noble Duke of York	Sing the notes to Twinkle while moving body up and down with the pitch (see video I emailed to you)
	Play open E Twinkle along with the CD (track 10)

C CLASS Listen to the CD every day Always start with a down-bow Straight wrists Correct bow holds
REVIEW	NEW
Violin hold: head, ear, shoulder Can you go from rest position to playing position in 5 seconds? How about 3? 1?	Play open E Twinkle along with the CD (track 10)
Bow hold: Up Like a Rocket Noble Duke of York check for curved pinky and round thumb. If in doubt, refer to earlier blog post with photo examples.	Listen to track 6 extra closely every day – I call this song Polar Bear and we will start learning it next week. Try singing along with it.
Taka Taka Stop Stop on E (track 3)
Taka Taka Stop Stop on A (track 4)
Taka Taka Stop Stop on E & A (track 5)
Taka Taka Stop Stop on E & F# (track 7)
Special notes: Some students still do not have shoulder rests, or all four fine tuners in working condition. Please resolve these issues – these students are not able to fully participate in class otherwise and are bound to become frustrated. Violin is hard enough without these extra challenges! There are three students (in this class of 14) who have only recently acquired violins. These kids have been asked to work extra-extra hard this week so that they can catch up with the rest of the class.

D CLASS Listen to the CD every day Always start with a down-bow Straight wrists!
REVIEW	NEW
Violin hold: head, ear, shoulder Can you go from rest position to playing position in 5 seconds? How about 3? 1?	Play open E Twinkle along with the CD (track 10)
	Repeat all previously learned pieces every day.
Bow hold: Up Like a Rocket Noble Duke of York check for curved pinky and round thumb. If in doubt, refer to earlier blog post with photo examples.	Listen to track 6 extra closely every day. When you play it, does it sound like the CD? You will have an easy time figuring out just where to put your fingers if you listen to the CD daily. This song is written down on page 16/17 of your book, and a preparation for it “Rhythm With Three Fingers (Plucked)” is on page 14/15.
Taka Taka Stop Stop on E (track 3)
Taka Taka Stop Stop on A (track 4)
Taka Taka Stop Stop on E & A (track 5)
Taka Taka Stop Stop on E & F# (track 7)
Special notes: Some students still do not have shoulder rests, or all four fine tuners in working condition, or all four strings! Please resolve these issues – these students are not able to fully participate in class otherwise and are bound to become frustrated. Violin is hard enough without these extra challenges! Violins need to be maintained in playable, tuneable condition. Email me with any questions. There are a few students and (in this class of 8) who have only recently acquired violins. These kids have been asked to work extra-extra hard this week so that they can catch up with the rest of the class.

E CLASS Listen to the CD every day Twinkle Variations Here are the notes you played today. Each box represents a rhythm, like “taka taka stop stop” or “down wiggle up wiggle”. A E F# E D C# B A E D C# B E D C# B A E F# E D C# B A
REVIEW	NEW
Taka Taka Stop Stop on E (track 3)	Play open E Twinkle along with the CD (track 10)
Taka Taka Stop Stop on E & A (track 5)	Repeat all previously learned pieces/exercises every day. There are some bow hold and posture issues that need to be refined in this group.
Taka Taka Stop Stop on E & F# (track 7)
Taka Taka Stop Stop on E (track 3)	Getting from E to D (3 fingers on the A string) quickly and effectively. Practice this with track 8 on your CD (page 16/17 of your book).
	Twinkle Variation: taka taka stop stop – we played through the whole variation 7 times in class today during “Find the Rosin”. Keep practicing this so you can make it even stronger.
	Twinkle Variation: down wiggle, up wiggle – we played through this once. Listen to it on the CD and try to play along with it. Tracks 15-18.
	Twinkle Variation: caterpillar caterpillar – we played through this once. Listen to it on the CD and try to play along with it. Tracks 23-26.
Special notes: Short nails please, at least on your left hand! I will bring nail clippers to class next Monday for anyone who needs a chop-job manicure, but I recommend that you do it yourself. I'm not known for my fingernail artistry. Straight wrists are necessary if you want to play in tune. Watch out for this when you practice. Marley and Lexus – I will have Twinkle Harmony parts for you to play while everyone else is Twinkling. :)

WEEK 3: review, introduction of F#

There are a few students who still do not have shoulder rests! You will fall behind in class if you don't have the proper setup; please take care of this ASAP.

____________________________________________

Violin is a lot like a language. Once you learn a word, you don't stop using it. So, once you've learned a violin technique, keep practicing it.

LISTENING: listen to your Step by Step CD every day. You wouldn't try to learn a language without ever listening to it. This is called the "Mother Tongue Method" because we listen-listen-listen before we start to "speak". Listen in the car, listen during breakfast, listen while you're doing homework. Listen.

REVIEW: make sure you are caught up with the basic techniques we've learned in class so far. Next week, there will be a chart and you will earn a sticker for every technique you can demonstrate PERFECTLY ON YOUR FIRST TRY. If you need help, you will get it, but please use this week to solidify the following:

• head-ear-shoulder; hold violin with just your chin. Left hand on right shoulder.
  
• bow bunny
• Noble Duke of York (round thumb, pinky on it's tip - see previous blog post for examples of a correct bow hold)
• Up Like a Rocket (round thumb, pinky on it's tip - see previous blog post for examples of a correct bow hold)
  
• note circle
• name the open strings (track 1 on your CD)
  
• clapping game (track 27 on your CD)
• fly in the air and land like a bird (round thumb, pinky on it's tip - see previous blog post for examples of a correct bow hold)
• teeter totters (right elbow goes up and down as bow crosses the strings silently. Round thumb, pinky on it's tip - see previous blog post for examples of a correct bow hold)
• taka taka stop stop on E (track 3 on your CD)
• taka taka stop stop on A (track 4 on your CD)
• taka taka stop stop on E and A (track 5 on your CD)

NEW:

• Practice bringing your left hand out and touching just your thumb to the thumb-nest on the neck of your violin. Is there a nice space between your left wrist and the violin? Your hand should look like this:

• With your first (index) finger across from your thumb, tap on the E string 5 times.
• Play taka taka stop stop with your first finger down on the E string. With your finger down like this, you are playing F# (F-sharp).
  
• Play along with track 7 on your CD (page 16/17 in your book)
  

WEEK 2: Attaching Your Shoulder Rest

There are many different kinds of shoulder rests out there. I recommend KUN or Bon Musica rests, because they are effective and well-made. Cheaper versions with similar design often fall apart after a short time or don't fit securely enough to be effective.

The rest fits on the back of the instrument. A KUN rest has a wide end and a narrow end. From this view, the wide end is on the right (or on the same side of the violin as the chin rest). It is contoured to fit over the player's shoulder.


The Bon Musica rest has a similar design, but with a deeper curve. This curve often helps students keep their violins out to the side and on their shoulders properly.

A foam rest is an inexpensive choice, and can be suitable for some (especially very young players). I do not prefer them because they often do not offer enough support, they can slide around instead of providing a secure violin posture, and the foam against the back of the violin can dampen the vibration of the wood somewhat. Still, they are the most practical choice for many beginning students, so here is one below. It is secured with rubber bands. The curved part fits over the player's shoulder, while the thicker part rests on the collarbone area.

WEEK 2: Playing Along With the CD

LISTENING

If you don't have a violin yet and are taking this class, you can still get your brain in gear by spending time listening to the CD EVERY DAY. Dr. Suzuki used to say, "only practice on the days that you eat."

Listening to the CD is considered part of practice, and you can do this passively (for example, put the CD on during dinner time, or while you're cleaning up your room, or while you're in the car).

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE YOUR VIOLIN

Please make sure you are prepared for next Monday's class by arriving with a properly-sized violin, shoulder rest, bow, case, rosin (those things should all come together if you're renting), and the book we are using in class, Step by Step 1A by Kerstin Wartberg. This book comes with a CD, which you will use for daily listening and practice.

You can practice a correct bow hold using a pencil or pen. Continue practicing the non-instrument exercises from last week. Listen to the CD daily.

IF YOU HAVE YOUR VIOLIN

Become an expert at the things we did in class today:

• Make a bow bunny and transfer it to the bow. Check to make sure your thumb is round, pinky is on its tip, and bunny "teeth" are flopping over the bow stick. Does your hand look like these pictures?

This guy is a little verbose, but he's thorough. Parents, please watch this so you can help your student attain a solid bow hold. We are using the "Suzuki bow hold" he mentions.

• Set Up Your Violin on your shoulder. Make sure your shoulder rest is properly attached first. Use the video below as a reference for whether or not you are holding your violin up properly. Notice how this student has his nose pointed towards the scroll. The violin strings are parallel to the ground. The violin is out to the side and on his shoulder. He is able to hold it up with just the weight of his head.

• With your wonderful bow hold and with your violin up on your shoulder properly, now you can try "Fly in the Air and Land Like a Bird". To do this, raise your bow up above the violin strings, then "land" near the bridge silently. Land at the tip, near the frog, and in the middle of the bow. Every time you land, make sure your bow is parallel to the bridge, and about 1 inch away from the bridge. Use these photos as a reference:

• Teeter Totters: by moving your right elbow up and down, you can make your bow teeter-totter it's way across the strings. Swing from the E string (elbow down) all the way over to the G string (elbow up by your ear). Do this 3 or 4 times.
• With your bow on the E string, play along with track 3 on your CD. At the end of the song, you can hear the piano saying "then you tuck and bow"... when you hear that, tuck your violin into rest position and take a bow.
  
• With your bow on the A string, play along with track 4 on your CD. Tuck and bow at the end.
  
• Starting on E and then teeter-tottering over to A (and back to E again), play along with track 5 on your CD. Tuck and bow at the end.
  

WEEK 1: PreTwinkle Exercises - Up Like A Rocket

This is a slightly simplified version of "Up Like a Rocket" - the motions and words are slightly different from what we did in class, but that's okay with me. Focus on using a beautiful, accurate bow hold because that's really the point of this exercise.