Group Class this Friday

Friday at 5:00

Everyone

Group

My House

See you then!

Songs to have ready: 

Jingle Bells

Old McDonald

Bile them Cabbage Down

Cripple Creek

Twinkle Theme

O Come Little Children

Listening Opportunity!

If you want a fun opportunity for your students to hear some great music, keep this Friday night open! Sorry for the late notice- I just found out about this concert. I will not be playing, although this is the group that I have been playing with.

Riverton Metropolitan Orchestra

Presents in Concert...

"Skull & Crossbones"

October 10, 2008

7:30-9:00 PM

Sandra Lloyd Performing Arts Center

12830 S. Redwood Rd. Riverton

Performing famous pieces including "Pirates of the Caribbean" & 

"Pirates of Penzance"

If you want to go, let me know and I can get you a coupon for $2 off single admission or $5 off family admission. You can even dress up in your Halloween Costume to attend this concert! They are very family/kid friendly at the concerts and I hope you all can go!

Don't Forget!!!

You'll probably want to show up 10-15 minutes early to get tuned up. I'm assuming they want to start as close to 6:00 pm as possible. There will be bandanas provided for the students, as well. Don't miss it- you'll have a blast! Wish I could be there! Click on The Aaron Ashton Band to listen to some samples... very cool.

SALT LAKE VIOLIN REGION

INVITES YOU TO ATTEND

FIDDLE FEST SUPER ACTIVITY!

Saturday, September 13th 2008

6:00pm

“THIS IS THE PLACE” 

HERITAGE PARK

2601 Sunnyside Avenue- across from Hogle Zoo

With Guest Artist

THE AARON ASHTON BAND!

Bring your fiddles, families, and western wear! All violin students will perform fiddle songs together featured in the “Fairfield Fiddle Farm” Books One & Two! The Aaron Ashton Band will also perform fun fiddle music! This will be a fun (and FREE!) evening for everyone!

Song Selections Include: Old McDonald, Bile them Cabbage Down*, Cripple Creek*, Old Joe Clark*, Polly Wolly Doodle*, Golden Slippers*, Down Yonder*, Ragtime Annie*, and the Orange Blossom Special*

*duet parts offered in Fiddle Farm Book One or Two

Unbeatable Teamwork

Thoughts taken from the American Suzuki Journal, Spring, 2008
By Elizabeth Young (a Suzuki Mom)

This article compares the life of a Suzuki family to a sports team. "Teamwork (is the) cornerstone of the foundation upon which our ideals are realized."

The team members are parent and student. The parent "brings an intimate and profoundly personal understanding of the student, and how she or he thinks and learns. This, by the way, continues to develop in the practice room, and becomes ever more useful throughout a Suzuki eduation. Likewise, the parent brings the deepest investment in the well-being and development of the child. The teacher, in addition to specific training in educational methods that work well at a variety of developmental stages, brings his or her own experiences as a musician, and a former student."

The opposition, hopefully is not the child, although it sometimes might feel that way. The "opponent may vary from day to day or season to season. One time it may appear in the form of a tendency to tire quickly on the part of the child. Another time it may be reluctance to try something new, or conversely, the inability to understand why we have to keep doing "old" stuff that has already been learned... Then there is the ever-threatening enemy ... an over-commitment to too many activities to ever be able to do any of them particularly well."

I'd like you to think about what some of the oppositions are in your "Suzuki Life". What is stopping you from practicing every day with your child? Would a specific practice time each day help? Are you listening to the CD every day? If not, then why? Do you understand the importance of listening to the CD? How about review? Why DO we keep going OVER AND OVER the "old" stuff? :)

Are you encouraging your child to enjoy practice time instead of dread it? Do you need ideas on how to do this? What are your goals as a parent for your child regarding music lessons? What are your child's goals?

"Your child's teacher is only a phone call or an email away and she would love to share your burden and offer you something new from that inexhaustible bag of tricks!"

Your child is the very important third member of the team. At first "a young child is typically not mature or experienced enough ... to engage fully in the cooperation and collaboration that drives teamwork... Your child needs you and your teacher to lead the way and model the success that comes from collaboration with another."

Please share with me your concerns, and ask for input when you need it! I will do the same. Ms. Young states that along the way, "Practice routines were easier to outline. Review was accepted without resentment. Progress became the norm. And here's the weird part... somewhere along the way each child (gained)... a sense of ownership and shared cooperation in dealing with the obstacles that remained to be faced."

A good saying from Dr. Suzuki for us to memorize: "Every child learns. It depends on the teacher; it depends on the parent; it depends on me. Therefore, I will say, "Thank you, Teacher. Thank you, Parent. I will do my best."

Recommended Links!

I just found these links... this quartet is awesome! You have to check them out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5MLNMgpywk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG6Ef-NQCi4&NR=1

Also, if you're interested in a really great concert this Thursday night the 31st at Park City, check out http://www.timeforthree.com (Different group, but still great!)

Awesome Violinist

If you haven't seen this video, you should really watch it... Don't get turned off by the "DJ" in the back. :) They do a great job together, and the technical ability of the violinist is incredible for how young he looks. I'm not sure how old he is, but you can tell he loves the violin and PRACTICES a LOT! (By the way... I encourage you to NEVER buy an instrument on ebay... you have no idea what quality you'll actually end up with.) :)

Check it out here! (I hope the link works.)

Students at ISSI

Here is a link to Ali's family page with their Institute experience. I hope it's ok to include this link- Steph, if not, let me know! :)

Ali at Institute

I'd like to include some of Cade's experiences too, so Ikuno, if you want to send me an email and/or pictures that would be great!