Inexpensive Violin Lessons for 4th graders

To all Thank you for supporting your child and the school in preparation for our Michaelmas festival. The students rose to the challenge of providing music well.

For 4th grade families Several parents have expressed interest in making violin lessons possible for as many 4th graders as possible. Just this past weekend I learned that through South Whidbey Parks and Rec, Linda Good--who has been teaching violin lessons for 35+ years on Whidbey Island--is offering an 8 week block of very affordable group lessons (parents attend as well to support the child at home). Although the initial advertisement indicated that the class was for 5 to 8 year olds, Linda has welcomed an 11 year old, a 15 year old, and one of our 4th graders into the class. She will be glad to welcome more 4th graders, but she did say she can't offer a discount for the 3 classes new students would have missed. Because the cost of the entire 8 week session is $20, to have to pay $20 for the five remaining lessons (or $4 per lesson) still seems like a bargain. If you are interested, please read Linda's information below.

Beginning next Friday, I intend to volunteer some time to work with small groups of 4th graders who may need extra support (because they are not getting outside lessons or for other reasons) during the painting clean-up time on Friday.

From Linda:

Beginning Violin Lessons: Ages 5–8 (but she now accepts older students) You can learn to play this extraordinary and beautiful instrument! Due to budget cuts, strings are not going to be offered in [public] school this year, so this class will give students an opportunity to try violin and possibly the viola and cello. Instructor Linda Good has 40 years experience teaching strings, and many of her former students have been soloists with the Saratoga Chamber Orchestra. She has her MA in Ethnomusicology and has extensive Suzuki training on violin, viola, cello, guitar, piano and recorder. Island Strings is now celebrating its 35th year on South Whidbey, and the Suzuki program is well respected in the community. Linda will make learning the violin fun and enjoyable for your child. Violins may be rented for $10, paid directly to instructor – please notify us in advance if needed. A parent should attend the class to give the student the best opportunity to practice effectively at home. Saturdays, 9/12 – 10/31 (8 lessons), 10 – 10:45AM, $20. Contact South Whidbey Parks & Recreation District for more information or to register: Call 221-5484 or visit www.swparks.org “If a child hears fine music from the day of his birth and learns to play it himself, he develops sensitivity, discipline and endurance. He gets a beautiful heart.” —Shin’ichi Suzuki

Linda Good

llgood@langleywa.com

Michaelmas, tape for 4th graders

4th Grade

Children were enthusiastic in class on Thursday, and I've been impressed with how many students are willing to lead the group (e.g., come play a rhythm for the rest of the class to play). I notice that the lack of fingering tape makes playing more than open strings very challenging for a number of students. I know some teachers are putting on tape (and ran out at the first lesson); I will be prepared to put fingering tape on all violins that need it during lunch time on Thursday before class. Please let me know if it is not all right to put tape on your student's violin.
We probably will be unable to have strings class Tuesday because of a Michaelmas rehearsal during that time (if rain or some other event cancels rehearsal, we will have class, so please have students bring violins if not terribly inconvenient).

For practicing: if a student does not have fingering tape, practicing call and response type rhythms on the open A and E string will be great. Also bowing through a tube to help develop a smooth tune.
For students with tape, or students without tape who are motivated, they can work on Steps 1 to 6 in Smart Violin (which we have been doing in class in a group format out of imitation).

5th & 6th grade We received positive feedback about the sound of the strings from today's rehearsal. Students should bring instruments on Monday and Tuesday for Michaelmas rehearsal.

For practicing: polishing Oats and Beans and Jolly is the Miller Boy. From Strings Extraordinaire, begin looking at "Harvest Reel," the first song in the book. Students playing the A part should take note of the accidentals and key changes.

Also practice Tumba. Students particularly like this song, and we may play it in an assembly. Students and I will work on intonation of the interval from f natural to G# that comes in the A part. Students should also practice this at home.

7th & 8th grade As with 5th & 6th, audience members thought the guitars sounded solid in today's rehearsal. We will not have class on Monday, but students will need guitars for the Michaelmas rehearsal at that time.
It is wonderful that students are working to figure out songs. They are welcome to do this. They also gracefully played and sang children's songs for the nursery and are continuing to do so. I encourage them to try to figure some of these songs out (like Wheels on the Bus, This Old Man). Many can be played with 2 chords, D and A.
We have introduced the 12 bar blues, and after Michaelmas will try to solidify the rhythm section on this.
We will be ready to look at Rise Up Singing soon. Please have your student let me know if she or he needs one--again, the case of books at a discount price are on back order, but I will do my best to find a few reasonably priced copies for students who need them.

Practice Michaelmas songs and the 12 bar blues. Students have purple guitar books we are creating that they are welcome to take home.

More teacher Recommendations, Practicing

Dear 4th through 8th grade families,

I have received 3 more recommendations for teachers from current families:

1. Quinn Fitzpatrick for guitar
2. Kimmer Morris for violin
3. Randal Bays for Irish fiddle

I include more information about these 3 teachers at the end of this entry. In addition to these teachers, remember that Kat Fritz (who has a new studio on Maxwelton Road), James Hinkley (cello, viola, violin), Levi Burkle (guitar), Elizabeth Lovelace, and Teo Benson have been recommended in the past by families at our school.

On Practicing I read a great deal about violins, guitars, history, and theories of practicing this summer. Different sources offer conflicting advice. Here are some statements to sink our teeth into (I don't necessarily support or denounce them).

1. No practice is better than poor practice or practice done without joy. One teacher claims that students who do not feel motivated may progress more by playing only with the strings teacher in school (and/or with a private teacher) than they would practicing without attention and intention.

2. Paganini's father had him practice 10 hours a day; that was probably too much. Ivan Galamian, Itzak Perlman's teacher, was able to simplify practice for his students so that they only needed 4 hours of practice a day; this practice was so intense (and rewarding) that more than 4 hours would be too much.

3. A standard recommendation is for students to NEVER practice material beyond what their teacher has assigned.

4. That being said, as a student I almost always practiced ahead in the book and learned more challenging material, so I would have a hard time enforcing point 3. It is also true that when I went to advanced music camps, I had to go through a lot of remedial technique work--whether this is because I had rushed before or because it was in the nature of my particular Julliard teachers to get me to use their exact technique, I don't know.

5. The benefit of playing a challenging instrument is that it causes hand, heart, and head to work together. Galamian was a successful teacher because he avoided having students focus on rote drills, but rather had them challenge their minds and fingers together (thousands of ways to make any scale more and more challenging, in a playful manner). Galamian has inspired me to pick back up my etudes and scales; an hour or two spent with them does not feel like work--though it is intense.

4th Grade We have begun playing. Some students note how scratchy their tone is. Here are techniques I am working on to help them develop a good tone and bow technique.

A. Isolate the bowing and left hand fingering.
B. Bow through a tube (toilet paper, paper towel) while singing to get a sense of a straight bow arm.
C. Bow open strings, concentrating on the A and E strings (highest pitch).
D. Use short strokes in the middle of the bow at first; longer, slower bow strokes are more challenging at first.

For left hand fingering, the following helps.

A. For the first couple of weeks, allow the banjo position; this lets the student see her or his left hand placement.
B. Play pizzicato (plucking the strings) while fingering with the left hand.
C. Wait to bow the strings while fingering with the left hand.

In class, working out of imitation, I am introducing the students to the 6 getting started exercises in Smart Violin. You have all received this book (please write a check for $8 to WIWS if you have not done so yet). Please keep this book at home for now; this is for you (or a private teacher) to use to support your child. In class we will be working out of imitation at least until the new year.

5th & 6th grade Continue much as before as we prepare for Michaelmas

1. G major scale (challenge yourself with new rhythms like we do in class)
2. Jolly is the Miller Boy
3. Largo (Strings Extraordinaire)
4. Tumba (Strings Extraordinaire)
5. D major scale.
6. Oats and Beans and Barley Grow

7th & 8th grade Wednesday I will introduce the A chord and the progression for Oats and Beans and Barley grow. Students have purple main lesson books they can and should bring home to practice.

Practice the G, D, and A chords, particularly switching amongst them.
Practice playing and singing (or humming or thinking about) Jolly is the Miller Boy and Oats and Beans.

We will work on strumming muted chords. Michaelmas is coming soon. I intend for the students to perform, and muted chords are away to bolster the rhythm section if the left hand is not quite ready to finger all the notes.

Michaelmas Band meets for 2 more Mondays and then will perform for dancers after the Michaelmas play. We are performing 2 waltzes and 1 polka. I encourage parents to join us as well. I will provide sheet music.

More about the teachers

Guitar teacher Quinn Fitzpatrick has a website www.quinnfitzpatrick.com His
phone number is 579-3052. At least one Waldorf student takes lessons with Quinn and another will start taking lessons from Quinn next week. A parent tells me that he is an amazing teacher.

Kimmer Morris has taught violin to a number of Waldorf students in the past, and parents and students have been pleased with the experience. As a public school music teacher, she helped created the great garden at the middle school which donates food to Food Bank. You can contact Kimmer at kimmerlyzimmer@yahoo.com or 360-221-6932.

Randal Bays sent the following.

Greetings all,

Fall is settling in here on the island, a beautiful time of year and a good time for making music. I'm writing to let you

know that I'm available for private lessons and small classes. My specialty is Irish fiddle, but I enjoy helping people learn

music and I'm happy to teach all styles and all levels of fiddling. I also teach guitar, specializing in solo fingerstyle playing.

PRIVATE LESSONS are taught at my home studio near Maxwelton Beach; half hour, $25; one hour, $45. Beginning

to advanced, all ages. [I'm open to bartering; if you really want to study with me, I don't want the cost to be an obstacle.]

KIDS FIDDLE CLASS I'll be teaching a kids' fiddle class on Saturday mornings in October. There will be five sessions of forty-five minutes

each and the cost is $75. This class would be good for any child who has an instrument and has made a start on learning to play.

The focus will be on learning some easy standard fiddle tunes and having fun playing them together.

IRISH TUNE CLASS There are thousands of Irish fiddle tunes and it's hard to know which ones to spend time on learning.

Starting in October I'll teach a weekly tune learning class, drawing from the many great tunes I've collected in thirty years of

fiddling. Tunes will be taught in the traditional way, by ear, and music handed out at the end of each class.

Randal Bays: 579-1066 randalbays@whidbey.com

Randal Bays has been playing and teaching Irish fiddle for over thirty years and has performed and taught at festivals and

music camps throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. For more information visit www.randalbays.com

Instruments, What to Practice

Dear Families,

With Michaelmas rehearsals coming up, some students will need to bring instruments on extra days in the coming weeks. Please see your child's grade below.

I also list recommended material to practice in the coming weeks. If your child is taking lessons outside of school, that teacher may of course choose to give additional material for your child to practice.

4th grade We will need our violins on Tuesday, September 15, and all Tuesdays and Thursdays after that. Ms. Lindstrom may have additional practice days and will let you know what those days are. After Michaelmas, I may be able to offer some additional help on Fridays to students not receiving lessons outside of school.

I will give specific practice recommendations after our first on-instrument class next week. Be prepared that I will recommend children practice left hand fingering and right hand bowing separately at first. I encourage you and your child to be patient.

5th & 6th grades
This Friday, I will have sectional rehearsals with 5th graders in the afternoon. Please have them bring their instruments then as well.

In coming weeks, with Michaelmas rehearsals, 5th & 6th graders will need to bring instruments to school on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays--and on Monday, September 28 as well.

To Practice
1. G major scale
2. Improvising with the G major scale
3. Jolly is the Miller Boy (in G), by ear if possible. I'll give support in school to students who need it.
4. Largo (Dvorak) from Strings Extraordinaire.
5. D major scale.
6. Oats, Peas, Beans, and Barley Grow (in D), by ear if possible.

While reading music is a valuable school, learning to play be ear--especially for an outdoor festival in which stands and music can distract from the experience--is also very important. It is a good challenge, and with a large ensemble of strings and guitar, if all students do their best (some playing the melody, some playing open strings), we will sound great.

7th & 8th grade guitar

No guitars, Monday, September 14 (field trip).
Do bring guitars on Wednesday the 16th , Thursday the 17th , and Friday the 18th,
And Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of the following week.
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Michaelmas week.

Students have a purple guitar book they are writing themselves to help them practice.

Practice:

1. Fingering and strumming the G major chord.
2. Fingering and strumming the D major chord.
3. Switching back and forth between the two chords.
4. Playing the chord progression for Jolly is the Miller Boy.

Next Wednesday we will work on Oats, Peas, Beans, and Barley Grow.

In these two folk songs for Michaelmas, the chords change more quickly than I would choose for beginning guitar students, but I want students to stretch themselves and do their best; even if not every note rings out in their chord, the rhythm of their strumming will support the dancers.

With warmth and light,

William Geoffrey Dolde