Suzuki Mamas Tribe - Page 8

[ebethmom]

Originally Posted by ShanaT

Hi!
We've got to play them great music and explain that they need to get THROUGH LR to get to the good stuff. That approach really resonated with Gus. We've ordered the second CD for expanded listening and I hope to add 3 and 4 as well.
:

Congratulations on the break through! The more you listen, the better it goes. In his book Teaching from the Balance Point, Ed Kreitman recommends buying the Book 4 CD and listening to it right from the start, especially on those days that you just can't face another Twinkle! Book 4 is the book that introduces pieces written especially for the violin. Books 1 - 3 are transcriptions of pieces written for other instruments and ensembles.

I think you've gotten some great advice. You might want to check out Barbara Barber's series Solos for Young Violinists. She has 8 volumes, and all have CD's. Many Suzuki teachers use these books to supplement the Suzuki volumes. The performances on the CD's are similar to the Suzuki recordings, solid, standard vanilla. (But not terribly exciting.) They are a good starting point with repertoire that the student will learn in the next few years.

Brian Lewis has a great CD out called The Hot Canary. You can find it at Young Musicians ( ymonline.com ). My kids like to listen to Sarah Chang, too. They like the encore pieces best, short and flashy!

[Malva]

Originally Posted by moominmamma

My 5yo's teacher has had her practice just two notes (say, middle C with 3rd finger LH and treble C one octave up with 3rd finger RH) at the same time. The aim at first was to have one C speak and the other C key move a little but not speak.

Miranda

Thanks Miranda,
We're trying that!

[Kappa]

Good idea?

I wanted to buy my baby a Schoenhut toy piano, just so that we can have a "piano" around. We just moved to an apartment and there is no room for our upright. Please tell me, if I give a toy piano to a 10 month old will he learn bad form as his fine motor skills are developing? I had a piano in the house as baby and it didn't result in any difficulty, but reading the posts about box violins, I started thinking about this. Thank you!

Also, in my area they have Kodomo music classes for the small toddlers. The only Mommy and me classes for infants I have found are Music Together and Kindermusik. Which program is better? Does it just depend on who's teaching?

[ShanaT]

We did Music Together for years and just loved it. We still pull out the CDs and play and dance after our violin practice time. If we could afford another activity, I think we'd still be doing Music Together.

[greencat]

Help, help!

Sorry to jump in here. I have a quick question regarding a protocol, or etiquette, if you will.

Do you pay your teacher when your kids have "Graduation" recital? This is not a part of school, but something we did aside as many of Suzuki Families do when they are done with Book I or Twinkle. I paid the piano accompanist, as I made arrangements for the recital but wondering if I am to pay our teacher as well?

I will write about how the recital went later.

Thanks!

[ebethmom]

Originally Posted by greencat

Do you pay your teacher when your kids have "Graduation" recital?

I wouldn't expect to be paid for a student's Book recital. A teacher appreciation gift would be a thoughtful gesture.

Good luck with the recital! I can't wait to hear how it goes.

[insahmniak]

At DD's latest recital I tried to pay the teacher but she just wouldn't accept. Our teacher has a heart of pure gold and doesn't seem to be very focused on compensation (she charges about half the going rate). We do automatic payments to her through our bank and have overpayed her a few times and she cited that as a reason we shouldn't pay. I brought her a very nice arrangement of flowers and was sure to publicly express my appreciation of her at the recital.

Congratulations on the recital! :

[greencat]

Thanks, Suzuki Moms! I guess I wasn't too far off from the protocol. I think I am going to give her Chartism’s present in the equivalent amount to what I paid for the piano accompanist with gift receipt. She is newly wed, so I have good idea to what she may enjoy.

Our Graduation Recital for Book I and Twinkle went fine. To make a long story short, my DD was done with Book I back in May, but we lost our school with the flood. Currently, the school is renting a basement of a church to continue our lessons. So, arranging our teacher's schedule, finding a piano accompanist, and asking the church to let us use their room for recital took a lot of time to coordinate. The church was kind enough to let us use their service room, with beautiful stained glass windows. (I think they call it “Sanctuary.”)

Anyway, we were not sure if we were able to have the graduation recital after all because of the flood. Yet, I got the o.k. from the church to use their service room last week, and a spot in our teacher's schedule for Dec. 5th. I had trouble finding a piano accompanist with such a short notice, but another violin teacher had agreed to play the piano for us on Monday. (Actually, he is our teacher for the group lessons. Our school is part of Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra and all the teachers play in the orchestra. Each group teacher has students for private/individual lessons, but some of us have different teacher for the group lesson and private lesson.)

I had no time to snail mail invitations as I planned, but get on the phone and E-mail. Fair amount of people attended, despite the weather. The recital lasted about an hour. My DD started with Gavotte and down to Lightly Row: Some with piano accompaniment and some with harmony played on violin by her private lesson teacher. She took a seat after the Lightly Row, and my son played Twinkle variations next. Then, my DD got back on the stage with him to play Twinkle Theme together with my son. After the Theme, he played the theme again, but with my DD playing the harmony with him. They both did very well: )

Of course, I had my husband video taped the whole thing. I took few pictures as they were playing. One of the photos will be this year's holiday card. My friends brought bouquet of flowers for DD and DS. They felt like a star, and felt very proud of their achievement.

Next is preparing for the Holiday Pop. Cedar Rapids Symphony always have Holiday Pop for Christmas. This is one of the biggest events of the year for the symphony. They usually have Suzuki students play, along with their Children's Choir group. They also invite various local high school students/group to play or some one to read story, etc. Well, this year will be played in a much smaller scale, since we lost the Paramount Theater with the flood. It was the home for the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra. We will play at an auditorium of a college. My DD is one of the three to play solo. She is playing Gavotte. She is also having her regular recital on the 15th, and participating on a talent show for her gymnastics’ group.

My house is a mess, with a huge pile of laundry... I am planning to make her dress for the Holiday Pop... I'm just glad we are not expecting any guests over holiday this year. I think I will be able to have my decent sleep : )

Thanks for reading.

Greencat

[ebethmom]

I'm so sorry to hear of the flood damage to the school and the Paramount Theater. I know that the Paramount had been recently renovated, too.

I used to play in a quartet with the concertmaster of the CRSO, Taki. Small world! He is a very gifted violinist. When I was a kid, Lisa Ponton was my idol! I heard her play at Stevens Point when we went for the summer institutes.

Congratulations on your kids' great recital!

[greencat]

I think the Internet makes the world a lot smaller place, don't you agree? 'Taki' is still here. I think he will always be here. However, I don't think he really enjoys speaking with me, since I speak to him in his native language and he gets caught off guard with that (?) I have only being with CRSS for few years, and the little as I know, the CRSS had a lot of political turbulence as well as financial difficulties. I'm sure it is going to take a long time to rebuild after this flood. The school also was renovated couple of years ago. Now, they are all gone with the sludge. It is a common phrase here at CRSS "Because of the flood..."

Anyway, I'm glad the big recital is over. Thanks for your support : )

[greencat]

by the way, now I feel the world is a lot smaller via Internet; does anyone know Martha Shackford? Please, PM me, if you have her contact info.

thanks!

[greencat]

Thank you with the contact info of Martha.
Wadoyouno? MDM is the place, hun?

Now, I am able to mail a dvd of my kids' graduation recital to her. I'll post her reaction here after I get in touch with her again.

Thanks,
Greencat

[greencat]

by the way, Lisa is our new Suzuki Cordinator. I don't know anything about her. To be honest, I didn't even know that she played violin. Shame, hun?

I don't think Taki will appreciate, if I went up to him and said I know someone from his past. If you are interested to contact him yourself, I can probably give you his Email addy. But, you have to let me know how surprised he was to hear from you later.

[littletravelers]

suzuki moms!

:hey, i just found these twinkle mats. they seem great!

[wyovol]

Hi.

I was a Suzuki violin student from age 5-12. I don't have a great ear, even with the training, but I love to play. I haven't played my violin in years, but I do play my flute occasionally, mostly at church. I also play the handbells at church.

DS is almost three and wants so much to make music. I'm going to check with some local teachers to see about observing some classes.

Would it be detrimental to future lessons if I got him a box violin to "play"? Would it reinforce bad habits if we decide not to start lessons for a year or two?

[moominmamma]

Originally Posted by wyovol

Would it be detrimental to future lessons if I got him a box violin to "play"? Would it reinforce bad habits if we decide not to start lessons for a year or two?

No, I don't think so at all. I think it's the ongoing allure of "playing" and making a sound on a real instrument that tends to produce bad habits. (I confess my kids all had real instruments quite young, before starting formal lessons, and I was just careful to gently correct improper violin position and remind them that there was a correct way to hold the bow, and did they want me to help them do so ... etc..)

Miranda

[theretohere]

Hi- I have a question. I'd really love to get my 4.5 year old DD into Suzuki, but the nearest teacher I can find is 140 miles away.
Is there a way to do it just parent instructed? I can play piano, but I wasn't Suzuki trained.
TIA!

[greencat]

Boy, I won't drive that far, but I knew a family who did. They did because they loved the teacher, and they were homeschooling which did not have the time strain of 'after school' schedule.

We had several different teachers since we stared. Each and every one had different essence. We love our current teacher, but planning to transfer to a different music school. The drive to each place is about the same, but the other music school have string orchestra besides group and private lesson for students who can read music. My DD is up for a challenge, and she is the type of a child who thrive under competition.

So, I guess you have to choose driving that far is what you won't mind doing, and the main reason to go attend the school is worth the drive.

[theretohere]

Originally Posted by greencat

Boy, I won't drive that far, but I knew a family who did. They did because they loved the teacher, and they were homeschooling which did not have the time strain of 'after school' schedule.

We had several different teachers since we stared. Each and every one had different essence. We love our current teacher, but planning to transfer to a different music school. The drive to each place is about the same, but the other music school have string orchestra besides group and private lesson for students who can read music. My DD is up for a challenge, and she is the type of a child who thrive under competition.

So, I guess you have to choose driving that far is what you won't mind doing, and the main reason to go attend the school is worth the drive.

I was hoping not to drive that far- I was asking if I could do Suzuki at home. I know we'd miss the group thing, other then the 2 kids together, but my options are slim here.

[megincl]

Summer institutes, anyone?

We're in the depths of winter here, but I'll be registering us for an institute (maybe two?) soon.

We'll be going to Ogontz in New Hampshire, which was amazing, terrific, fabulous -- we loved it last year! : We're going to go one of the weeks in July....any MDC families want to join us?

Also, any other great institutes we should be checking out in the Northeast area?

Thanks!
megin