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!