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CONCERT NOTES


CONCERT Notes: THREE CONCERTS in JUNE
Please mark your calendars and make sure you can attend as follows! Level 2 and 3's are ON for all three, Level 1's for the first two concert days!

1.Tuesday, June 10 : Annual Brampton Towers Concert 5pm. in the Party Room
ALL STUDENTS PLAY
INVITE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS  and INTERESTED  FUTURE STUDENTS!
free refreshments afterwards for players and guests, traditionally provided by MATT parents. Please let Claudia know if you would be able to contribute, homemade or bought:
a box /bag of cookies, cupcakes, fruit, a cake, bottles of drinks etc. Thank you!

 
2. Saturday June 21st At Shoppers World; 2 performances between12 noon to 2:30 pm
Participation for Level 1, 2 and 3 students is dependent on pieces performed and ability of students to play them! Program will be taken from June 10 program - finalized by June 17
 
3. Tuesday June 24 ;
"Night Cruisers" Fund raiser event  (50% of funds for us!)in Shoppers World parking lot
A short program to be performed by Level 2 and 3 students 7:30pm
AFTER our annual year-end pizza and pool party 4 to 6 pm. at Ms Currie's home- nearby.
 
SUMMER MUSIC PLANS: We will be offering lessons and a couple of classes during summer, to prepare for our August appearance at the Entertainment and Leisure Fair at Shoppers World More on this in June. We will confirm dates and lesson times by year-end .
 
HOMEWORK THIS WEEK
LEVEL 1
 
1.Lightly Row -for concert- careful bowing and tuning
2.AFS Book from 61 to 72. Now adding A string notes A to D reviewing D string notes
3. Canon continue to practice your 4 bars of notes- in tune
4. Twinkles. careful tuning and bowing
5. New next week March from Scipio for concert Finale
 
 
LEVEL 2
 
1. March from Scipio- get to know this well-it is our CONCERT FINALE.
2. Concert Song- AFS #75- you lead Level 1s in this one.
3. Over the Rainbow. Learn the ARCO (bowed parts) really well- this is the tune -the rest (pizz) is quite easy
4. CANON- we may use this in one or two of our concerts- learn your part without the music!
5. Chariots of Fire- if you have this music, you will be rehearsing it with Level 3's for Concert
5. In your AFS Book- continue through to 110
 
                                                                  LEVEL 3
 
CONCERT REPERTOIRE SO FAR:
March from Scipio
Handel: Allegro,
             Hornpipe and
             Air
Chariots of Fire
Over the Rainbow- Be GOOD at the arco (bowed) -melody parts
Dust off your Pachelbel Canon we may use it in some of the concerts!
 
Also be sure you know the notes and counting for Solo accompaniments:
Vivaldi Concerto, Marcone: Gabriel's Oboe and this week the altered "Let it go" part will arrive -in C major, with some changes
New next week for the CONCERT:
                               Eleanor Rigby  for the Beatles' 50th anniversary YEAR -2014
 
Have fun learning all this fabulous music!! 
When you play it well, your audience will say:
You kids are AMAZING!! 
:
 
 


YOUNG MUSICIANS AT WORK!



THANK YOU PARENTS! PLEASE NOTE:some of your comments and your children's too, are now enthroned front and centre in our blog- thank you for taking the time to respond. Your input is welcomed and appreciated. We are constantly adjusting our program to meet your needs as much as we possibly can - please call Claudia or Andrea, and let us know your concerns and suggestions at any time!
PROGRESS :
Some students, due to careful and consistent practice, and encouraged by their parents, are gaining confidence and increased expertise. Much is yet to be done-some are not reading their new music well yet, so start by having your child mark in the note names and/or finger numbers. With this  process they become more familiar with the notes they are reading, and eventually they don't need these crutches. WHATEVER WORKS to give them confidence is the motto at this point! The practice you encourage now is a gift to your child and is NEVER wasted! Be gentle and persistent - make it part of your daily routine.

HOMEWORK THIS WEEK
 
LEVEL 1 
1.For perfect RH and LH position: Scales of D and G make sure fingers are on tapes, listen for the correct tuning on every note.
2. Lightly Row- practice daily , with note name sheet if needed, then gradually learn to work without the notes. FOR CONCERT performance
3. AFS Book : from 51 to 61  Play each exercise two times. Name the notes first for each one. Do one to two exercises/day.
4. TWINKLES Long bows- Review Daily
                        MRS SIPPI Hot Dog, MRS SIPPI MRS SIPPI - upper half of bow.
 
LEVEL 2
1. Scales for perfect position and tuning: G and D scales
2.AFS book: review up to 109.
3. March from Scipio for CONCERT-work carefully on counting
4. NEW Over the Rainbow- for the concert work most on arco parts- they are the melody ! write in the note names if needed, till you know them well.
5. review #75 Concert Song- for Concert, with Level 1-YOU are the leaders!
 
LEVEL 3
Each day try to improve any challenging parts of  two or three of any of the following pieces:
1. scale of F major and Handel AIR
Definite Concert pieces: 3 solo accompaniments:
2. Vivaldi Concerto, 2. Gabriel's Oboe, (3.Let it Go-do not practice yet- till key is confirmed).
 
3.Handel Water Music: Allegro and Hornpipe
4.Over the Rainbow
5.Chariots of Fire
 
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!



YOUR MUSIC- SO LOVELY!

An OPEN LETTER to MATT students:

My Dear Students,
If you ever feel that practising is hard, or annoying, or no fun, think again!
It's because you practice that you are beginning to make Beautiful music!

 Remember :
"Nothing good in life is achieved without lots of dedication, persistence and plain hard work."

The rewards of playing a stringed instrument are huge! They are life-transforming even! And they bring benefits which help in every area of your life- from school grades to group projects to social connections and travel opportunities.
JUST LEARN to PLAY WELL!!
Keep on practicing 20min to an hour every day. Practice is interesting if you  focus on a specific goal for each thing you practice. Play one difficult bar till it's perfect: for example,
  • correct notes
  • smooth bowing
  • perfect tuning
  • correct counting
  • beautiful sound
  • correct dynamics (loud and soft)
IT's EASY to get good-JUST PRACTICE!
 
with much love to each and every one of you,
Ms. Currie


 
 
PARENT NOTES:NEXT ROSE CONCERT features the ROSEBUDS
try to make sure your young musician gets to as many live concerts as possible
THIS is the last one of the Season. Claudia needs to have your payment by Tuesday .

MATT JUNE CONCERTS will require special LONGER class times so students can 
REHEARSE TOGETHER.
beginning May  20TH:
LEVEL 3: ALWAYS AS A PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED arrive 3:45  NOT LATER PLEASE! leave at 5 pm
LEVEL 2 Please bring your child 30 minutes ahead class -arrive 4:15, play at 4:30
LEVEL 1:
Arrive 5:15 START 5:30 FINISH between 6:45 -7pm


HOMEWORK THIS WEEK
 
Level 1:
NB: check for perfect position each time you play something!
 
1. AFS Book: 38 then 41 to 51  ! !   Play each exercise twice-2 or 3X each day.
Check for:
  • correct notes
  • smooth bowing
  • perfect tuning
  • correct counting
  • beautiful sound
2.Scale of D and G (one each day)- beautiful long bows
3. Lightly Row- play parts over until you can play without music! You have a few weeks to carefully work on each part.
4. Twinkles: Long Bows, then, ELBOW bowing :-start at middle and do DOWN BOW (to tip): Mississippi Hotdog   and  Mississippi, Mississippi 
5. Canon- notes


for variety and fun: if you have time review one thing each practice time eg Long Long Ago or string cycle(0-1)a different Twinkle I stop and you stop and run pony Mary had little lamb
 
Level 2: Use the tips above for productive practice
1. March from Scipio- work on the whole thing, BUT do just a few bars each day and repeat. vln 1:Start with bar 4  then the beginning through to repeat sign. Then next day start with bar 6, next time bar 7. Get your teacher to help. Then ihe rest quite easy!
2. Chariots
3. AFS Book:
4. Canon- 5 minutes only
5. Rosa Lee and Concert Song #75
 
Level 3
Work in order of need:
"Air "Scale of F major- mark flats and naturals in pencil, then remove once learned
Vivaldi  smooth and long notes, soft as a cloud- 2 hair bowing except for bars 1 to 4 , 7-8 and the last 5 bars VERY IMPORTANT : you must be able to hear Kalpi (Ryan)or play softer till you can!
Gabriel's Oboe- bars 27-30 count and learn . Plus get good at the rest too!
Chariots, Rainbow Allegro and Hornpipe
 
  ENJOY!! You are doing WELL!
 
 


OK STUDENTS - YOU ARE IN TRAINING!

YES! We are in training. With our June Concerts coming, we can all make a special effort to PREPARE: the goal is to be able to have fun playing all your music in class and especially at the concert

HOW do you train for real improvement and enjoyment?
  • practice every day if you can, but certainly no less than 4 times per week
  • pick a regular time of day to practice and stick with it 
  • check out those practice charts-they are designed to help you FOCUS your practice and understand how to really improve!
  • in class mark the parts you need to work on most, so you don't forget
  • ask your private teacher to help you fix those tricky parts 
                                                         IT"S UP TO YOU!

HOMEWORK THIS WEEK
 
Level 1:
1.Review #36 and 37
2.NEW AFS #38: Mary had a little lamb
3. NEW :Continue in book to #44 the notes are the same, but get more comfortable saying and playing them in different combo's.
4. CONCERT SONGS: 1.Lightly Row
            2. Twinkles: Long bows- smooth and perfectly in tune( round fingers , on tapes)upper half of bow, start DOWN BOW:  Mrssippi Mrssippi, MrssippiHot dog         

Level 2:
 1. #84 O Come Little Children- the whole thing (A) Start at middle UP BOW to frog, then
(B)  do long and short bows correctly, (C) REPEAT! -then you've GOT IT!
2. review #97 to 101
3. Review #127  counting "1 and 2 and" in each bar
4. NEW: March from Scipio. review bars 1 to 4. violins remember to count 1 and 2 and for short notes (eighth notes as in #127
5. NEW: Canon, practice / learn your notes  Mark in finger #'s if needed(pencil)
6 Concert Song $75 for the concert!

Level 3:
1.Practice tips: (a).fill in your charts for cues for practice 2(b)play the scale before each piece
2. Scale of F- Handel Air continue through to the end
3. CONCERT PIECES: Allegro, Scipio, Chariots, Hornpipe, Vivaldi Concerto,
4. NEW: Gabriel's Oboe- very smooth bowing PRACTICE Bars 27 to 30 MOST!


                                   HAVE A VERY GOOD WEEK OF MUSIC MAKING!



            

STRINGING ALONG to JUNE CONCERTS

PARENT NOTES: 1.Thank you for your Rose Concert comments - 2 or 3 so far- it's really fun to hear what the children have to say, so "Gypsy" concert-goers, please ask your little one to respond to the recent comment sheet. Either they write, or you write their comments as you discuss them. And your own comments are very valuable, so please bring'em on!

COMING EVENTS: Please pencil these dates in .
June 10th Towers Concert:  Dress rehearsal  for ALL students 4pm, CONCERT 5pm
June 3rd Class adjustments to accommodate combined concert groups-TBA
Saturday,June 21st -tentative mid-day concert(s) at SW Mall times TBA

2. Comments about the MATT program: We are seeking funding at the moment, hoping to build a base for our program's continuation into the future. We felt that parent comments' about  the value of the program for your child, would be helpful. Please do write a couple of sentences about this, if you feel inclined to do so.


3. And we are always working towards increased contact with people who may wish to enroll their children. We take their names and numbers now, and contact them at registration time. If you know any such families, please pass on a brochure to them.
Fall Promotion:  I would like to have a couple of our Level 3's playing with me as I do my annual Brampton Towers promotion in September-I arrive by 3pm and stay till about 3:30 on 4 different days. More on that later.

THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK
LEVEL 1 Parents please ensure your young one practices 4 or 5 times per week, with your watchful eye on correct positions. If they are losing their excellent position habits, they will find it harder to undo bad habits than just continuing the good ones they started with!
Write each item on the practice chart as they do it: Do one of each of the below each day and make sure you laugh and enjoy your time together, while correcting and perfecting!
Scales- D and G For excellent placement of fingers and full bows
Twinkles- upper half(start Down bow) -use elbow-on Msrippi Mrsippi , and Mrsippi Hotdog
nice smooth bowing on theme, and long short short for Run Pony
Song- Long Long Ago, Lightly Row
AFS Book- review #30, NEW #32  continue to #37 and #38 READING .the notes, not playing by ear.

LEVEL 2
We are moving ahead with reading
1. AFS BOOK Work on #84 O Come Little Children -start at middle of bow and go UP to frog, then long short short etc. .Everyone will play bars 1 to 4 Tuesday to make sure you've got it. The rest is  more of the same!
2. Review #92- .
3.NEW this week SLURS #94 smooth::downdown uuup COOL!!! That's why string instruments sound so smooth-they do SLURS
Continue on to #97
For fun play Concert Song(for the concert ), Rosa Lee and Beethoven's 5th

LEVEL 3
Handel Air:  F major scale first then nice and gentle -count those long notes carefully
NEW Vivaldi Concerto in D: Two notes joined . Very gentle . with PERFECT TUNING!!

REVIEW: Rainbow, Hornpipe, Allegro, Chariots
Enjoy long free bows and beautiful sound on  ALL these pieces!

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