November Concert Date and ABSENT CHILDREN!!

REMINDER: PARENTS  all signed an application in which you were asked to do four very important things:

• SUPERVISE DAILY PRACTICE between classes
• CALL AHEAD WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO BE ABSENT
• PLEASE DO NOT MISS CLASSES OR CONCERTS,
•  OR SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS DURING CLASS TIME unless absolutely urgent

The success of your child depends on these three factors along with your careful attention at class.

November performance:
We have been invited to share in helping other children with the Toys for Tots drive shared between Canadian Tire and Salvation Army.
Canadian Tire 's Manager, Mike Kenopic, loves our program and is now a sponsor of Music at the Towers. SO we can show our gratitude by playing a concert at his Canadian Tire Store- Shopper's World 
DATE: Friday night November 30 - arrive 6:15 pm concert is 7pm-8pm.
All children are asked to attend. Attire will be discussed, but please wear a black skirt or pants.

Home work this week.
Level 1- please review your perfect bow grip, holding postion lots of times each day.
           - do 3 rhythms (eg run pony) using elbow at upper half of bow -see last week blog for details
           - open string cycle across all strings
           - 0-1 string cycle listen for perfect tuning
Twinkle- line 1: D D A A /B   B     A
                          0 0-  0  0  /A1 A1   0

Practise at least 4 times each week!

Level 2
For November Concert:
Twinkle with cello acc.
Long Long Ago with cello acc.
Canon-
Jingle bells -NEW violins: DF#A- /  play 4 x , DGB-/ DF#A-/ DEE/   //1st X A A/  2nd X- DAD//
Concert Song #75
Duet # 84
NEW O Come little children:work on bowing open strings first LH/ WB. short short,etc  
Jolly Old St Nicholas
NEW Joy to the World -line 1
Practise at least 5 times each week- or more!

Moving forward!! Check later this week for photos.

Level 1A and 1B Homework.:    

• PRACTICE at least 4 times per week
• Your daily practice may take 10 to15 minutes .

Use the chart to remind yourself what to work on:
bring Practice chart to class for checking at beginning of class

Continue to check BOW GRIP and instr. HOLD POSITION , standing/sitting position              

Practice 3 rhythms on all strings : Mrs.sippi hot dog,
                                Mrs.sippi, Mrs sippi ELBOW does the work

and RUN PONY, RUN PONY
that is, long-short,short bows
 

Remember: FOR GOOD SOUND:- straight bow- stays parallel to bridge

- solid bow grip

- all of arm weight rests on hand and therefore the string

- pull up and down using wrist to keep bow straight

REVIEW: PLACEMENT OF LEFT HAND FINGERS

fingers are little hammers- stay in curved shape

slide left hand towards end of string (nut) till knuckle and "happy face" are  in place

finger tip presses firmly onto string

should sound like doh- ray-listen for correct sound 

 pluck string 0-1 ie., open (no fingers)-then one finger down

then draw bow for same notes

 

practise on every string-"0-1 string cycle"

YOU ARE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS- KEEP AT IT!

 

LEVEL 2

PRACTICE 5 times per week- BRING CHART TO CLASS

Daily Practice Assignments:

• Listen for perfect tuning ALWAYS
• Scale of D and G -after one time, play in slurs, 2 notes per bow

• Finger exercise -very quick 0-1 on each string
• Duet # 79
• Jolly Old St Nicholas- cellos practice "check-marked" bars especially
• Lightly Row (cello ensemble-3rd part) and Twinkle -review only

NEW- O Come Little Children-#89  watch full and half bows, eg. UH-upper half

                                                                   LH- lower half,and WB whole bow.

Be ready to play this through correctly next week!

 

Looking forward to making music with you TUESDAY

CHECK BACK FOR PICTURES LATER THIS WEEK!

New times and PHOTOS this week!

As mentioned we will be separating older from younger beginners starting this week.
Students 11-17 will come at 4:30 to 5:30
Students 6 to 9 will come  at  5:15 to 6:15
Be ready ALL with your beautiful positions and your smiles!! for pictures. We will post some of them on this blog in the following weeks.

Level 1 Homework.:

• PRACTICE at least 4 times per week
•  bring Practice chart to class for checking at beginning of class.
• Your daily practice may take 10 to15 minutes at this point.

USe the chart to remind yourself what to work on:

       Check BOW GRIP and instr. HOLD POSITION , standing/sitting  position OFTEN                  

     soon it will be absolutely natural and comfortable for you!

3 rhythms: Mrs.sippi hot dog, Mrs.sippi,Mrs sippi
NEW- RUN PONY, RUN PONY
use short-long bows as needed for correct rhythm
on ALL open strings (no fingers)-"string cycle"

FOR GOOD SOUND:- straight bow- stays parallel to bridge

                                                                       - solid bow grip

                                     - all of arm weight rests on hand and therefore the string

                                     - pull up and down using wrist to keep bow straight

 

NEW: PLACEMENT OF LEFT HAND FINGERS

fingers are little hammers- stay in curved shape

slide left hand towards end of string (nut) till knuckle is in place

finger tip presses firmly onto string

should sound like doh- ray-listen for correct sound when you

1.pluck string -open (no fingers)-then one finger down

then draw bow for same notes

practise on every string-"0-1 string cycle"

listen carefully that

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

 

 

LEVEL 2: PRACTICE FIVE TIMES EACH WEEK.

                 Bring practice chart to class-hand in at beginning.

Assignments:

D scale , G scale smoothly and in tune

Finger exercise 0-1 very quickly on all strings-aim for very clear sound

Songs: Cellos: Lightly Row  and Doh a Deer accompaniments

Violins: Lightly Row and all other songs-review

ALL: Book: #64-learn to play quickly, then review 75

#79. Learn both parts of #79- Duets to be played in class.

JOLLY OLD ST NICHOLAS- learn to play perfectly in tune and at singing speed

If all is good, we will start a new Carol -Joy to the World

 

TO BECOME VERY COMFORTABLE AND GOOD AT IT-

PRACTICE OFTEN and PRACTICE CAREFULLY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

RECENT STUDENTS- SPECIAL: CLASS

As we add new students , (which is very important for our program to do!), we can see that the first few are having to wait for others to catch up during class, which is not the best way to go for sure!
Nayan, Joanna, and Cesar, who are the newest students, will be called to set up a special class before Tuesday. If you would like to join into this class for extra help, please call Ms. Currie: 905-459-9606.

SO although the newer students will continue to attend with us, and we may even add a couple more, we will be planning a special catch up class or two for the last entrants in the program.
This week there are 2 more recruitment sessions at the Towers - we will then close enrolment, and work to ensure all are moving forward together.

Meanwhile, here is what we are working on at home for this week:
LEVEL 1 Beginners:
DON"T FORGET TO FILL IN THE PRACTICE CHART every time you review your lesson, at least 4 times per week- dates in left column, check marks across the page.
Level 1:bow hold-: "bunny" -flexing of fingers, bent thumb-firm hold with middle 2 fingers (ears up)
                                  wrist exercise with eraser- elbow and shoulder relaxed
                                 " wind shield wiper" for finger strengthening
              String Cycle - long bows-start on lowest string, weight of arm
                                      (C)GDA(E) cello starts with lowest string- C, violin has highest- E
              bowing - middle of bow- rhythms on each string
                                                        "mississippi hot dog" short short short short long long
                                                        "misissippi mississippi" all short bows

To make a STRONG, clear sound- make sure you have:

• a firm bow grip
•  the bow is staying on one spot on the string
•  the bow is moving parallel to the bridge

VIOLINS: Remember to hold the violin using the weight of the head on the chin rest.

LEVEL 2:
DON"T FORGET TO FILL IN AND BRING PRACTICE CHART TO CLASS
 LOTS of review from last year: suggestion- work on two each day for 5 practice days
Twinkle- cellos  learning the accompaniment
Lightly Row-  cellos learning the accompaniment- pizzicato
Concert Song: #75
Rosa Lee
Doh a Deer- violins- it is a very slow D scale  cellos learn accompaniment line
Pachelbel Canon- don't forget this one- it's a crowd pleaser!
NEW: work on these every practice session- JINGLE BELLS #64
                          homework:  All for Strings book #78 and #79
                                              Jolly Old St. Nicholas- cellos have this music- violins, next week.

 Have a very good week!
                                                  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Everybody gets an extra day off this week-end to appreciate all the good things! Music is one of the best things you can be involved in- it brings lifelong joy, in many different ways. 
SO where are we going with this?
Keep on with your daily review sessions at home- you are giving yourself a magnificent gift, which 90% of children don't have a chance to receive!

Level 1: Your simple beginning exercises are setting you up for very comfortable ease with your instrument, so you can move on and learn more.

Do careful repetitions of :

• bow grip review- all fingers rounded 
• (remember the bunny!) elevator(with coin or eraser for wrist)
• instrument holding, standing position
• rest position
• string naming  C G D A E
• bowing-short bows at middle: mississippi hotdog  (shortshortshortshort long long)

Level 2: This week we review all songs , reverse #75 duet parts and Rosa Lee.
Work on Jingle Bells- learn it from memory!
We will be performing for an audience at Christmas time.

Enjoy some quality family time this week-end! Play your songs for your family- they'll love it!
Happy Thanksgiving!