What we are working on

Classes sound great in the pavilion.  The attitude of the students was wonderful and positive.  Below is what we are working on and what you can support in home.

Especially in the 4th grade, but also possible in other grades, some students will master the material I present quickly.  In general, I'd recommend rather than speeding through the book we are using in school, your child work in parallel with a different book (such as Suzuki grade 4, Smart Violin 2 or comparable in grade 5, and beyond in 6 to 8), rather than risking becoming bored with material the class is trying to catch up on.

Grade 4  There was great enthusiasm, even from students who had never played before.  It was also a challenge for some to move from a violin camp where playing was always in groups of 2 to 4 to a group of 19.  That being said, they did well as a group.

As a group, we will work on Strictly Strings Book 1, page 7, all 6 exercises.  For some students this will be very easy, for others a challenge.  For those who could race through Twinkle, Twinkle, the work will be to play in the same tempo as classmates (much as they have to sing together in choir).  Please have your child look at this page at home; if it is really easy, allow your child to move on.  If it is really intimidating, the Strictly Strings series has lots of written coaching to help parents coach children at home.

Grade 5  "Oats and Beans and Barley Grows" sounded really good.  I will provide sheet music to students who need it, particularly those who switched instruments.  "Jolly is the Miller Boy" was a challenge for some last year, and continues to be.  I have written out parts to help those switching instruments.  We will play with grades 6 to 8 for Michaelmas.

For now, please skip page 3 (Scarborough Fair) in Strictly Strings 2.  It is more challenging than the songs on the subsequent pages.  Time permitting, we will work on all the exercises and songs on page 4 and 5 in the next week or weeks.  If these are really easy for your student, he or she could begin learning both the A and B parts of Scarborough Fair on page 3.

Grade 6 to 8 sounded solid on the Michaelmas songs.  I distributed parts for new students.  After a rocky start the first day, "Bluegrass Blastoff" on page 2 of More Strings Extraordinaire sounds really good, as does the "German Dance" on page 3.  We will continue with these 2 songs and move quickly to Daydreams and Fanfare Minuet on pages 4 and 5.

After Michaelmas, I will pass out the second book for this class, Jazz Philharmonic.


Respectfully,

William Geoffrey Dolde


With warmth and light,

William Geoffrey Dolde

p.s.  Grades 5 to 8 will play string instruments for Michaelmas on September 29.  Grade 4 will be dancing.