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COUNT DOWN to the ROSE!

November 23, 2016 

  PARENT NOTES

1. NB: HEADS UP!  No Private or Theory lessons will be held the week of Dec.19. We resume all WEEK 2 lessons beginning Jan 10, 2017.

NEW DATE APPROVED for Advanced Carollers! Friday evening Dec. 16th:
TOWERS Christmas event this year will be held in the Party room, instead of the travelling road show to the building lobbies. We are invited to play carols.
ARRIVAL TIME :4:45 pm
We will play three carols sessions at 5pm, 5:30 and 6pm.

2. Advanced class,  and others who can play the carols, must sign in your planned attendance with the receptionist this week.


3. MUSIC AT THE TOWERS CONFIRMED  IMPORTANT DATES :

1.Tues. Nov. 29th: Rose Orchestra Dec 3rd Concert tickets arrive for pick up. 
If you have not ordered tickets, you can call the Rose Theatre Box office and place a n order at regular prices (use code Friends 50 for a 50% discount on tickets
2.Tues. Nov. 29th Advanced class  dress shirts/tops arrive for payment ($30) /pick up 

2. Sat. Dec 3: Advanced Students perform at Rose Theatre. Arrival time 7pm.

4.Tues./Wed. Dec. 6 /7 Session 2 Fees Pay Date: $50/70/75
5.Tues./Wed. Dec. 6 /7  T-shirt pick up day

6. Fri. Dec. 9th Concert :ALL students perform.Shoppers World Mall arrive 7pm - 8:30

7. Fri Dec 16th: Carolling at the Towers: arrive 4:45 
8 December 19 week: NO Private or Theory LESSONS will be held the last week before holidays.

9. DEC 20 and DEC 21. Last class before MATT Winter Break 
10. JAN. 10th Classes and lessons Resume   WEEK 2


HOMEWORK this week:

BEGINNERS:
REVIEW 1. perfect bow hold  (RH on chart) 
Bow exercises: 2."elevator"-  Coin/eraser "Windshield wiper"  3 "Monkey crawl".

BOWING - STEPS for good sound: LIft bow over string, "touch down" flat bow hair. Relax arm weight onto hand, feel the "grab", then PULL four strokes on each open string.

STRING CYCLE: .Pull four short strokes in the middle of the bow on each string lowest to the highest string and back to the lowest.
OPEN -1 .STRING CYCLE: Play 4 x open then 4x 1 on each string. Listen for correct tuning and fix as needed,
                                                  
NEW THIS WEEK. 
1.TWINKLE LINE 2 and 3
Use the sheet handed out to review lines 1, 2 and 3 of Twinkle. Practice many times with smooth and clear sound
2.D SCALE.  D E F# G A B C# D and down again!
 on the D string.D E F# G  on the A string A B C#D
Coming back down the scale from high D, remove one finger at a time (cellos use fingers 1 3 and 4), then after A place ALL fingers on the D and take them off one at a time. LISTEN carefully and fix to get right sounds.

THIS WEEK is your chance to practice lots, with careful attention to details!

INTERMEDIATES Week 1 lessons and Theory  this week-take your difficult passages to your lesson and make sure your teacher helps you learn them !!
CHARTS TO BE BROUGHT TO CLASS- PRACTICE  5 DAYS- AT LEAST 30 MIN PER DAY! If you consistently don't have a chart,YOU will not play in the class!

Practice at least FIVE days a week.
Practice scales : G and scale of D
1. AFS book CONCERT TRIO #126 for December concert Learn YOUR assigned part    A B or C#  with the repeats, first and second ending and Da Capo. First ending is only played ONCE in the song- the first time through!
Simone and Reagan now  play Line A. Aaron and Jeremiah, Jordan and Rashad, Julia and Aswin play Line B. All violas and Cellos play Line C


2..  Sahara Crossing -  
Special bars to review this week: Bar 52  rhythm, learn to  bar 61
                                                       Bar 64 to the end
                                                       Bar 68  PIZZICATO
                                                       Bar 43- two strings at once
Practice the Road map. From beginning,play to BAR 63, then go back to BAR 27 S(SIGN) . Play to BAR 40 , (to CODA) then jump to BAR 64 , (CODA) to end .
                          
        Use your practice time to work hard and perfect all parts of your music!

ADVANCED Week 1 lessons this week- take your difficult passages to your lesson and make sure your teacher helps you learn them !!

CHARTS TO BE BROUGHT TO CLASS- PRACTICE  5 DAYS AT LEAST 40 MIN PER DAY! If you consistently don't have a chart you will not play in the class!

VIOLIN TRIO for MALL CONCERT- will be rehearsed this week. Learn your part at home this week-end!

FOR ROSE THEATRE CONCERT:
1. Three Christmas Pieces-  short light fluffy notes when not playing melody
work on your solo parts where you have the tune- make it sound beautiful! 

2. Harvest Home:Review all parts and work to perfect them   violas practice Bars 17 to 20 Violin1: last three bars.

3. Canon: Review all -perfect each bar with correct dynamics and tuning
VIOLAS: Practice pizz notes for clear sound .
Cellos: in TUNE notes- smooth and beautiful tuning. especially B and F3 in bar 1
Violins: review and perfect all passages  for clear beautiful sounds. 
4.Canadian Ballad: Review : notes /rhythms /dynamics/bowings carefully
      
5. Red Carol binders -review all carols, to ensure you are good at them
                                          
  ADVANCED CLASS  This is the last week before the ROSE- 
                                      make sure you practice carefully, and often !

ON CONCERT ROAD!

  November  17, 2016
                                                         PARENT NOTES

1. Advanced students received a letter for Parents Tuesday-
                                - PLEASE  ensure you see it!

 2. T shirt order deadline Thursday Nov 17: The following orders have NOT been received:  
        Mya Norman ;  Misha and Riley  Partington;  Sofia Popovic,;   Leah Tiwari, 

Please email (or phone) the correct size to:
                                      andrea@musicatthetowers.ca     
     
Order must be placed Friday morning - we must select the size for you if you do not.                                                                               

  
3. MATT IMPORTANT DATES  confirmed:

1.Rose Orchestra Dec 3rd Concert ticket orders, with payment, due Tues. Nov. 22, this week. NO extensions. 
2. ALL students perform Friday eve. Dec. 9th Concert -Shoppers World Mall Dec.9 7pm - 8:30
3.Advanced Class  Rose Theatre- Intermission Performance Sat.Dec 3rd- arrive 7pm
4. MATT Winter Break: Last class DEC 20 and DEC 21. Resume  JAN. 10th
5. Session 2 PAY DATE December 6

HOMEWORK this week:

BEGINNERS:
REVIEW 1. perfect bow hold  (RH on chart) 
Bow exercises: 2."elevator"-  Coin/eraser "Windshield wiper"  3 "Monkey crawl".

BOWING - STEPS for good sound: LIft bow over string, "touch down" flat bow hair. Relax arm weight onto hand, feel the "grab", then PULL four strokes on each open string.

STRING CYCLE: .Pull four short strokes in the middle of the bow on each string lowest to the highest string and back to the lowest.
OPEN -1 .STRING CYCLE: Play 4 x open then 4x 1 on each string. Listen for correct tuning and fix as needed,
                                                  
NEW THIS WEEK. 
1.TWINKLE LINE 1
Use the sheet handed out to review line 1 of Twinkle. Practice many times with smooth and clear sound
2.D SCALE. Placing the first/ second/ third (/fourth) finger on the D string.D E F# G :
HOW:? The FIRST finger tip touches on the tape on D string to get the note E,
 then  VIOLIN/VIOLA add finger 2 with big space for F# and 3 right beside 2 for G
  CELLO:after finger 1 E. add fingers 2 and 3 with spaces between to get F# , add 4 for G
  BASS: after finger 1 add 4 for F# and the G string for G (Elizabeth will offer alternates)


INTERMEDIATES Week 2 lessons and Theory  this week-take your difficult passages to your lesson and make sure your teacher helps you learn them !!
CHARTS TO BE BROUGHT TO CLASS- PRACTICE  5 DAYS- AT LEAST 30 MIN PER DAY! If you consistently don't have a chart,YOU will not play in the class!

Practice at least FIVE days a week.
Practice scales : G and scale of D
1. AFS book CONCERT TRIO #126 for December concert Learn YOUR assigned part    A B or C#  with the repeats, first and second ending and Da Capo. First ending is only played ONCE in the song- the first time through!


2..  Sahara Crossing -  
Special bars to practice this week:Bar 52  rhythm, learn to  bar 61
                                                       Bar 64 to the end
                                                       Bar 68  PIZZICATO
                                                       Bar 43- two strings at once
Practice the Road map. From beginning,play to BAR 63, then go back to BAR 27 S(SIGN) . Play to BAR 40 , (to CODA) then jump to BAR 64 , (CODA) to end .

ADVANCED Week 2 lessons this week- take your difficult passages to your lesson and make sure your teacher helps you learn them !!

CHARTS TO BE BROUGHT TO CLASS- PRACTICE  5 DAYS AT LEAST 40 MIN PER DAY! If you consistently don't have a chart you will not play in the class!

VIOLIN TRIO for MALL CONCERT- will be rehearsed this week. Learn your part at home this week-end!
NEW PIECE:1. Three Christmas Pieces- we will play the first two. 
work most on  your solo parts where you have the tune- make it sound beautiful! 
2. Harvest Home:We are making good progress, but there is more work to be done!  NEW CUT : Bars 27 to 30  
3. Canon: CUT - play to bar 14, cut to bar 43 NEW CUT : bars 49 to 53 are out.
 bars 19 to 21 may be played one octave lowered. Mark it in 
VIOLAS: Practice pizz notes with clear sound . Especially bar 2 :
Cellos: in TUNE notes- smooth and beautiful tuning. Practice till it's easy to play the B and F3 in bar 1
Violins: learn all passages- in small sections for clear sounds. 
4.Canadian Ballad: Learn the notes for the whole piece. 
       all above on list for Dec 3 Rose Theatre concert. 
                                     : carol binders to be handed out this week
                                          
                   SOUNDING BETTER AND BETTER- KEEP AT IT!!


THEORY SCHEDULE IS DONE- TAKE NOTE!

November 9, 2016

                                                          PARENT NOTES                                                  

 FINAL THEORY SCHEDULE!!


N.B. Please bring your Theory workbook, a pencil and eraser to class.

WEEK 1 Theory starts Nov 15, then Nov. 29 and Dec. 13, Jan.10...

   Tuesday Week  1  4:15 to 4:45             Tuesday Week  1  4:15 to 4:45 
          arrive 4:10                                                       arrive 4:10                                                       OFFICE                                                        LUNCH ROOM

   Julia Lai
                                               Simone Gowe 
   Jonathan Nguyen                                            Nathan Merisanu

   Jeremiah Gowe                                               Jordan Merisanu

   Aswin Senthilnathan                                        Aaron Mersisanu 
   Reagan Lovell
                                                     Rashad Merrick
       ____________                                                Riley Partington

Tuesday Week 1             5:15 -5:45
                            arrive. 5:10 
                             OFFICE

  Kalpi Patel
     Elijah McLaughlin
     Mya Norman
     Leah Tiwari
     Graeme Georges
     Hanna Matthews ..

WEEK 2 THEORY CLASSES - continue Nov. 22, , Dec 6 and 20, Jan 13.

   Tuesday Week  2  4:15 to 4:45                                  Tuesday Week 2     5:15 -5:45
               arrive 4:10                                                                 arrive 5:10  
               OFFICE                                                                         OFFICE            
                                                       
Johann Ragoobar                                                                Ryan Francey        
Johan Joseph Jensen                                                          Leila Merrick       
Madison Lovell                                                                     Sofia Merrick       
Saige Lovell                                                                         Christian Dal Dosso       
Olivia Lawson                                                                       Dania Murtaza       
Elizabeth Lawson                                                                  Ali Dixon       

 coming TO CLASS  this week:
1. T SHIRTS :ALL STUDENTS Place your order for our NEW T-SHIRTS this Tuesday and Wednesday . Advance payment is $10 cash or check to Music at the Towers.These are not the same as last year. This is the ONLY chance to order -they arrive Dec 6th.. in time for Mall Concert Dec 9th.                                                                                          
2. ROSE ORCHESTRA CONCERT Tickets Dec.3rd. will be on sale. Our ADVANCED MATT students will perform at Intermission. Two children's choirs will perform in a program filled with lots of seasonal favorites, like "Home Alone" and The Nutcracker. Deadline to order is Nov. 29th.

  
MATT IMPORTANT DATES  confirmed:

1. ALL STUDENTS Friday eve. Dec. 9th Concert Shoppers World Mall Dec.9 7pm - 8:30
2. ADVANCED CLASS Rose Theatre- Intermission Performance Sat.Dec 3rd arrive 7pm
3. MATT WINTER BREAK: Last class DEC 20 and DEC 21. Resume  JAN. 10th
4. Session 2 PAY DATE December 6                                                                                               


    HOMEWORK THIS WEEK                                                                                       
                                                  BEGINNERS:
PRACTICE THE FOLLOWING EVERY DAY- at least FOUR DAYS 
REVIEW 1. perfect bow hold  (RH on chart) 
Bow exercises: 2."elevator"- for flexible wrist :Place Coin/eraser- flat top of  hand . V
2. "Windshield wiper"  3 "Monkey crawl".
Review: Pizzicato- plucking the string - string cycle- pluck four notes on each string high to low and back

BOWING - STEPS for good sound: LIft bow over string, "touch down" flat bow hair. Relax arm weight onto hand, feel the "grab", then PULL four short strokes!

STRING CYCLE: .Pull four short strokes in the middle of the bow on each string lowest to the highest string and back to the lowest.
                                                  
NEW THIS WEEK. Placing the first finger on the A string. Remember the finger tip touches on the tape on A string to get the note B. Press firmly.Pull a nice strong bow stroke and you will hear a nice clear note! Be careful to relax the left hand. 
CELLOand BASS-  PALM of hand faces YOU.
VIOLIN and VIOLA-  left arm is straight from elbow to fingers- thumb and first finger touch the neck  with "mouse hole" between them
You can try this on every string: On D you get __? on G you get __? on C? on E? 
(hint: music alphabet has seven letters) 
NEXT week: D scale and Line 1 of Twinkle!

INTERMEDIATES
CHARTS TO BE BROUGHT TO CLASS- PRACTICE  5 DAYS- AT LEAST 30 MIN PER DAY! If you consistently don't have a chart, you will not play in the class!

Practice at least FIVE days a week.
Practice scales : G and scale of D
1. AFS book #126 for December concert Learn YOUR assigned part A B or C
2.167 violins - E string
3. AFS BOOK: Snake Charmer #153. remember low F - no f# in this one
4. Continue with Double Trouble bar 1 to bar 16!!.
5.  Sahara Crossing - Learn bars 1 to 16 lower your E to  Eb  where marked and violin 1- same on A string for Bb .in bar 9.

ADVANCED Week 1 lessons this week- take your difficult passages to your lesson and make sure your teacher helps you learn them !!

CHARTS TO BE BROUGHT TO CLASS- PRACTICE  5 DAYS AT LEAST 40 MIN PER DAY! If you consistently don't have a chart you will not play in the class!

1. REVIEW APPROPRIATE SCALE BEFORE EACH PIECE
2. Harvest Home:We are making good progress, but there is more work to be done! ALL  VIOLAS: Bars 27 to 30 must be mastered Bar 31 to 33 for violins

3. Canon: CUT - play to bar 14, cut to bar 43
 Violin 2 -you have 1 week left to master bar 19 to 21. If it's too difficult for now, we will drop it one octave. See how you manage- Get your teacher's help.!
VIOLAS: Practice pizz notes with new clearer music KEEP at it! Press LH hard and pull strongly :
Cellos: in TUNE notes- smooth and beautiful tuning. Practice till it's easy to play the B and F3 in bar 1
Violins: learn all passages- in small sections for clear sounds. 
4.Canadian Ballad: Learn the notes for the whole piece. 
5.  December Rose Theatre concert. 
                                     : carols and other pieces -to be handed out this week

                                     ENJOY your BEEEEautiful sounds!!
  ..

       



                                                      Quote of the Month: 
                                                     courtesy of Dania Murtaza
                                           ''Where words fail,music speaks"

                                              Hans Christian Andersen   


IT WORKS, IN THEORY


November 3 2016                             Quote of the Month: 
                                                         courtesy of Dania Murtaza
''Where words fail, music speaks.''

 Hans Christian Andersen   


MEET the MATT STUDENTS!
Ali,10, MATT Advanced class violin, with MATT for a few years now!

Hanna, 12,  MATT ADVANCED CLASS VIOLIN

PARENT NOTES:
WEEK 2 THEORY begins this week, November 8th. 
PLEASE NOTE : 1ST CLASS BEGINS AT 4:20 till 4:50  Be sure to be there, if you are signed in already. A few will receive emails / phone calls if needed .For  others the Theory timetable is being re-programmed to accommodate all students' lessons and classes. Check it out Tuesday 
THEORY REQUIRED FOR ALL. In past years, as you may know, most students attended MATT THEORY on a different day than class. This way we were able to accommodate every one. This year it appears that everyone is too busy to come more than one day and thus we are having problems fitting everyone into one week. These important lessons are a bonus to students, free, under the MATT umbrella. Volunteer students help us provide them. We are doing everything we can to accommodate every student..Theory is important and it is not optional. If you do not attend you will not receive the year- end certificate, so please make sure you fit yourself in! See how the new schedule works for you,and then if needed, call Andrea.

ADMIN ASSISTANCE: Yogita is away till end of January. Parents have been engaged to help during class. They will be able to assist you with payments,orders, questions, etc. The phone calls received during the week will be recorded Tuesdays, and you should call to report last minute absences or illness as usual. 905 497 2220 Please read carefully and follow the Absence policy document handed out this year. 
Thank you for any assistance you can provide with set-up , and end of class clean up.

NEW T-SHIRTS for ALL students 
MATT has a bright new logo and color scheme ! As usual we will be wearing MATT t-shirts at the MALL CONCERT in December and all other performances this year. We will be taking orders very soon, so check the Admin desk to place your order. Normally Heather Norman is able to arrange these for $10 each- you can confirm the price when ordering. Thanks so much Heather for the work you put into this!


MATT IMPORTANT DATES  confirmed:

1. ALL STUDENTS Friday eve. Dec. 9th Concert Shoppers World Mall  Dec. 9 7 TO 8:30
2. ADVANCED CLASS Rose Theatre- Intermission Performance Sat. Dec 3rd arrival 7pm

3. MATT WINTER BREAK: Last class DEC 20 and DEC 21. Resume  JAN. 10th


HOMEWORK
               
 Set the same practice time every day and don't miss it- it makes a big difference,                                                                               you'll see! 

BEGINNERS:
PRACTICE THE FOLLOWING EVERY DAY- at least FOUR DAYS 
REVIEW 1. perfect bow hold  (RH on chart) 
Bow exercises: 2."elevator"- for flexible wrist :Place Coin/eraser- flat top of  hand . V
2. "Windshield wiper"  3 "Monkey crawl".
Review: Pizzicato- plucking the string - string cycle- pluck four notes on each string high to low and back

BOWING - STEPS for good sound: LIft bow over string, "touch down" flat bow hair. Relax arm weight onto hand, feel the "grab", then PULL four short strokes!

STRING CYCLE: .Pull four short strokes in the middle of the bow on each string lowest to the highest string and back to the lowest.
                                                  
NEW THIS WEEK. Placing the first finger on the A string. Remember the finger tip touches on the tape on A string to get the note B. Press firmly.Pull a nice strong bow stroke and you will hear a nice clear note! Be careful to relax the left hand. 
CELLOand BASS-  PALM of hand faces YOU.
VIOLIN and VIOLA-  left arm is straight from elbow to fingers- thumb and first finger touch the neck  with "mouse hole" between them
You can try this on every string: On D you get __? on G you get __? on C? on E? 
(hint: music alphabet has seven letters) 

INTERMEDIATES
CHARTS TO BE BROUGHT TO CLASS- PRACTICE  5 DAYS- AT LEAST 30 MIN PER DAY! If you consistently don't have a chart, you will not play in the class!

Practice at least FIVE days a week.
Practice scales : G and scale of D
1. AFS book #126 for December concert Learn YOUR assigned part A B or C
2.167 violins - E string
3.AFS BOOK: Snake Charmer #153. remember low F - no f# in this one
4. Continue with Double Trouble bar 1 to bar 16!!.
5.  Sahara Crossing - Learn bars 1 to 10 lower your E to  Eb  where marked and violin 1- same on A string for Bb .in bar 9.

ADVANCED
CHARTS TO BE BROUGHT TO CLASS- PRACTICE  5 DAYS AT LEAST 40 MIN PER DAY! If you consistently don't have a chart you will not play in the class!

1. D scale- work to perfect your tuning and shifting
2. Work on G scale
3. Harvest Home:We are making good progress, but there is more work to be done! ALL  VIOLAS: Bars 27 to 30 must be mastered Bar 31 to 33 for violins

4. CANON: Reminder:CUT - play to bar 14 then cut to bar 43
 Violin 2 -you have 2 weeks to master bar 19 to 21. If it's too difficult for now, we will drop it one octave. See how you manage- Get your teacher's help.!
VIOLAS: Practice pizz notes  KEEP at it! It's getting better!-press LH hard and pull strongly :
Cellos: in TUNE notes- smooth and beautiful tuning. Practice till it's easy to play the B and F3 in bar 1
Violins: learn all passages- in small sections for clear sounds. 
5.Canadian Ballad: Learn the notes for the whole piece. 
These three pieces are for the December Rose Theatre concert. 
Christmas music in is on its way for December concerts

                                                         HAVE a GREAT WEEK, ALL! 



QUOTE of the Month: please send in a musical quote for us to share!