Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

On behalf of Steven, Maggie and myself, we wish you all a wonderful holiday. 

See you in the New Year!

One Week Old

It's A Girl!

Margaret ("Maggie") Holly Barten

Born December 5th at 9:29 a.m.

7 lbs. 12 oz.

With being a week overdue, it was a surprise to have my water break early Monday morning at 2:30 and then a quick delivery to follow. We arrived home with her on December 6th around noon and are enjoying getting to know each other and figuring out our schedules. She gave us a few hours sleep last night and has been great feeding and visiting and napping. Steven and I are doing well and are so excited to have a daughter! Stay tuned for more pictures!

December is HERE! But still no baby...

I'm hoping the process of writing this will trigger something to start. Like I've said before, I am so grateful I was able to get through all my teaching and shows, but now time is standing still. What do I do without all of you! Everything is planned, everything is ready, and baby is taking it's time.

So while I'm waiting. I thought I'd just mention some incredible things that happened during the past few weeks.

I witnessed some amazing musicianship from some young minds. From helping hands to being able to on the spot fill in for those who unfortunately were absent from the recital (ex. substitute leaders and filling in on melody parts). The ability to not only go with the flow and accept new responsibilities but to do so with respect and understanding was amazing to witness. I also received so much extra help without having to ask which made everything run so smoothly and efficiently.

Experimenting in lesson to figure out more Holiday tunes. Not everyone in the studio celebrates Christmas so it was great to see the excitement in trying to learn other tunes that mean something to each family. This month is such a wonderful opportunity to test what our ears can do and share our love of music with family and friends. We can play anything on our violins if only we try!

Assigning notes to learn over the break brought about a surprise in what we already know. Trying to play some of our new pieces and realizing that without any preparation other than LISTENING, we know many of the notes already. The power of listening is intense yet simple and can bring such joyful results to a young musician.

I like to take some time to watch the recorded recitals. I find I only see a portion of what is going on in the moment and the recording gives me another perspective. One thing I really noticed was the smiles, eye contact and communication that happened between the groups that played together. The respect between those of different ages and levels and those of the same age and level was powerful. One reason why the recital was a bit shorter than I had planned was how prepared and organized everyone was. Everyone knew what their job was, where to stand, how to start, how to end the piece and how to work together. And there was so much caring to do it right! This caring is what makes small group performances so successful.

I felt so proud to find out that when asking students what their job is over the break, the most common answer was REVIEW! What incredible Suzuki students! Maintaining skills and pieces that we already know is essential. Yes, you may have fun trying some notes to your new pieces, but in order to just pick up where we left off in January without having to back track, review is key.

I hope you all enjoyed the past three months of music as much as I did. I am anticipating what more we can accomplish in 2017! Enjoy this month and focus on the people rather than everything else that comes with this busy time of year. Value time spent rather than money spent. I suppose I should take my own advice and enjoy these last few afternoons of time spent with things just as they are. Change will be here soon enough. Take care!

Thank You All!

Thank you for a wonderful Sunday Holiday Recital and Tuesday Fiddle Show & Ceilidh Night. I wasn't sure if I would be making it this far into November, but I am so glad I did and am so grateful for all of you! Thank you to those especially who helped me out at the Tuesday Ceilidh setting up and taking down equipment for the Fiddle Show. I have never been very good at accepting help from others as I like to do things on my own. I am often a perfectionist and just want things done a certain way. I feel so privileged to be working with families that I have known now for years who just seem to understand how I like things done. You have all made the past few weeks a breeze to get through and I love getting to work with all of you on a weekly basis. I know even once the baby comes I will miss all of you and playing with you once a week, but the Holidays will be upon us soon. Time will fly and the end of January will be here before we know it. So keep playing your violins, experiment with new pieces, keep listening and listening to other works besides the Suzuki CD's. Call or e-mail me with questions and let me know of any tuning emergencies.

Thank you Santa for joining us again this year!

Happy Holidays ... See you in January!

What To Do Over the Break (approx.) Nov. 27th - Jan. 23rd

So we have an 8 week break from lessons coming up as I take some time for maternity leave. Just because lessons are on hold, doesn't mean that the playing should stop.

Take advantage of this time of year and have fun playing holiday tunes at home and at family gatherings. Ask me for sheet music, look online, use your ears to play any piece you like or head over to your local music store and look for some sheet music!

Parents - try turning your kids advent calendars into practice motivation! They don't get their candy or prize until they play that day!

Get creative with review! Pick from pieces out of a bowl or hat, mark them off a list or follow the review chart available in lesson. This is the perfect time to check up on those older pieces and making sure a strong foundation is established before continuing on with lessons in January.

Advanced players should have a piece in mind that they are preparing for the next solo recital on Sunday March 5th. Take this time to become comfortable with your piece and master the notes and bowings so we can just polish things up once lessons resume.

Get online and find some interesting shows nearby to attend. Public Libraries, Western University, Aeolian Hall and the London Music Club are all great venues for a wide range of artists.

Listen, listen and listen some more. If you are going away for the holidays and the violins are not making the trip, make sure the recording does and listen daily to keep your ears trained.

As always, I will try to be available over the break to answer any e-mails or phone calls as well as any tuning emergencies! Thank you for your patience and understanding in the changes made to this years schedule.

Stay tuned for a birth announcement and I look forward to seeing everyone back at the end of January!

What I Listen To

I've been recommending more and more music over the past few months as there has been a growing interest in fiddle music. So I thought I'd take a moment and tell you all about what I listen to and how I listen.

I get a lot of inspiration and new things to listen to by attending concerts and festivals throughout the summer. You don't need to go more than an hour or two outside of London to see some incredible musicians perform. Youtube is also an invaluable resource to see groups that you might not otherwise be able to see and to get links to other groups that are similar.

Although this list does not include anything classically specific, that is not to say that I don't listen to classical music. I enjoy solo violin, piano and cello music, but I've never come across one classical musician that I love. It's more about the repertoire and the heart of the performer/performance that makes a recording great and mean something to me.

So here is a list of musicians, mostly folk and celtic, to listen to or purchase some new recordings. These are either groups that I have been listening to for years and are always a comfort or some that are fairly new but are just too amazing not to tell you about!
Get inspired by some new music and artists! Click on the links to view a recommended recording or website!

The East Pointers

Maggie and Cassie McDonald

Everything Fitz

Natalie MacMaster

Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy

Leahy

Sierra Hull

Alison Krauss

Genticorum

Shane Cook and Jake Charron

Andrea Beaton

Winifred Horan

Coig

Katie McNally

Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas

Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy have just a released a Christmas Album! Find it HERE!

Consider some CD's this year to give as Christmas Presents!

Also, if you haven't already purchased Celtic Shift's CD One On Beautiful Day, (the group I play in), you can find CD's in lesson for $20 or you can find a link to the right to purchase on itunes!

Upcoming Events

Here is a reminder for all upcoming events!

Tuesday November 15th at 5:00 - MANDATORY Rehearsal

Sunday November 20th at 2:00 (1:45 arrival) - Holiday Recital

Tuesday November 22nd at 5:00 - Fall Fiddle Class Show & Ceilidh!

Also, please make sure to check your phones messages and e-mails regularly for any possible changes to lessons due to baby's arrival! I will do my best to give you all notice if things need to be cancelled over the last few weeks of lessons. I have discussed with my family that we will do everything possible to make sure that the dates and events listed above DO happen no matter what!

Regular lessons, as of now, are scheduled until November 26th. 

Irish Pub Night with Celtic Shift

Looking for a night out? 

Check out Celtic Shift performing at Eldon House for an Irish Pub Night!

Group Class Recap #2

NO Group Class THIS WEEK! 

See you back for Group on October 25th!

Our Rehearsal Group Class was smooth sailing last week, which isn't always the case on rehearsal days. This can be a tough group class to make it through, especially for the little ones. There are no games, not much talk, activities or challenges, just playing, playing and more playing. They might get bored pretty easily.

Bored kids is exactly what we are trying to avoid right? WRONG.

Being bored is such an important state for a kid to be in and it is a time when we truly see their character and overall behaviour. Can they self regulate, self calm, be patient, listen quietly, be respectful?

There may have been some boredom at group class, but everyone demonstrated incredible character. From little boys chatting quietly about their violins, to big eyes looking up in awe at more advanced players rehearsing. From girls practicing their piece together as they realize they are preparing the same song and many kids facing their fears, but stepping up on stage and trying their best anyway.

These are the moments we want to remember and acknowledge in children. When they are able to, without being directly asked to, sit quietly, be respectful, wait patiently for their turn and support their peers. There is definitely a magic felt when those of all ages are on the same page as to the task at hand and they get it done. I felt this unity last week and it was amazing to be a part of.

This character and understanding of one another is truly what violin lessons and group classes are all about.

"Character First, Ability Second" - Shinichi Suzuki

One Last Reminder...

Our Sunday October 16th Recital will start promptly at 2:00 at Siloam United Church. 

Arrive NO LATER than 1:45 and as early as 1:15.

Don't forget your reception treat!

Holiday Repertoire Sign-up

We've got our 2nd recital coming up on Sunday November 20th. This recital will embrace the skill of playing in small and big ensembles rather than as a soloist. It also provides the opportunity for more advanced players to focus less on playing advanced repertoire (we'll save that for February!) and more on the skills of sight reading, playing duet parts and taking on leadership roles.

Every student must sign up for at least ONE Suzuki piece (melody or harmony) and may also sign up for ONE Holiday piece as well.

Everyone will participate in playing Jingle Bells and the new ensemble this year is an arrangement of Carol of the Bells!

Take a look at the following list of pieces and come to lesson next week (Oct. 17th) with an idea of some pieces you might want to sign up for (selections will be guided by teacher):

Suzuki Pieces:

Twinkle (variation or theme) + duet

Lightly Row + duet

Song of the Wind + duet

O Come Little Children + duet

May Song + duet

Allegro + duet

Minuet 1 + duet

Chorus + duet

Bouree + duet

Holiday Pieces:

Up on the Housetop

The First Noel

Joy to the World

Deck the Halls

O Christmas Tree

Silent Night

Recital & Reception: Sunday October 16th, 2:00

Our first recital of the school year is almost here. On Sunday October 16th, 2:00 at Siloam United Church, we will gather to share our music and support one another in our preparations as well as enjoy a reception at the end of the recital.

You will find a sign-up sheet in lesson for the reception as this year I am trying to encourage some healthy alternatives. Feel free to sign up for fruit/veggie trays, cheese & crackers and chips & dip so that we might have a balance between the treats and some healthier choices.

This weekend is the perfect time to do a practice performance of your recital piece! As family gathers for Thanksgiving, make sure to get out the violins and put on a mini performance! Some things to keep in mind when you are preparing for a performance are as follows:

• take time to set up your posture points and any others
• prepare your starting note and where you are starting on your bow
• listen for the introduction (either on the cd or in your head) OR rehearse the 'Sniff & Nod' lead
• play through the piece thinking only about what has to be done in that moment. Listen to your tone, feel the music and work through your checklist of things to remember.
• take time to end the piece, either with the bow on the strings or off the strings
• lastly, bow & smile!

The mandatory rehearsal group class is this Tuesday October 11th at 5:00. This recital is essential to not only rehearse with piano but to support our peers. Any unexplained absences from class will result in NOT participating in the recital.

It is hard work to get up on stage and share a part of ourselves with the audience. Embrace the challenge, remember that we are all in this together and that mistakes are allowed as long as we stay true to ourselves, try our best and enjoy these moments. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Starting New Habits for a Successful School Year!

So summer has come to an end and we all need to get back in routine. So much of developing a working routine is setting daily habits. These may be designating a time for homework, reading and doing chores, or finding time to prepare dinners, clean the house and exercise with a busy schedule. There are some great habits we can establish NOW to prepare for a successful year of violin.

Daily Practice - Remember that consistency is key to not only developing habits but also for young children to accept and understand new routines. The family that requires practice to happen a few minutes EVERYDAY will have more success (and less convincing!) than those that only practice occasionally, but for longer amounts of time. Daily habits are healthy habits.

REVIEW before NEW Pieces - failure to play previously learned pieces means that our new skills will suffer if not stop all together. Get playing those oldies!

Daily Listening - along with consistent daily practice must come daily listening. Listening ensures that we have a deeper understanding of our repertoire and our instrument and also opens up incredible motivational doors.

OBSERVATION: Attend Performances & Recitals - another motivational booster. Upcoming recitals on Oct. 16th and Nov. 20th are mandatory, but there is so much to hear outside of the violin school. Check out local music venues regularly (like Aeolian Hall and the London Music Club) as well as Western University and Library performances which are usually FREE!

It is easy enough to say that we are going to practice, work/do homework, get meals ready, vacuum, exercise, etc. etc.  We know the things we should be doing because we know they are good for us and a lot of the time we want to do these things, and then 10:00 pm comes along and we wonder where the day went. Decide what the important things are to get done in a day and a week and then schedule, plan, organize and commit. Charts can be incredible resources for not only kids but for our adult routines as well. Check out the PRACTICE SHOPPE for lots of free charts (where I get most of my 100 charts). Interested in finding motivation for organizing other areas of your life? Check out these blogs: I HEART ORGANIZING, ORGANIZING JUNKIE.

Thank You, Suzuki Parents

I had a wonderful time at last nights Parent Ed event.

Part of what I love about my job is the freedom and flexibility to try new things. To be adventurous and different, while still sticking to what is routine and familiar. To learn is to try. Even if when we try and it doesn't turn out quite like how we wanted, we still learn in the process, and I want to keep learning. A well used Suzuki quote is that “Every Child Can Learn” and while this realization is the basis of teaching children music so young, it for sure does not only apply to children. We can all learn and we can all continue to learn.

I think every parent last night learned something, both from reading the articles and from listening to the other parents. So many important topics were addressed such as review strategies, practice strategies, posture motivation, educating the whole child through music, institutes, the importance of not comparing your child to other children, the list goes on and on. They were important topics and everyone had an understanding of them all. I definitely learned more about all of you. Each one of you spoke so eloquently despite those who had to speak over the lovely piano playing (I apologize for this. But we all made it work!). You definitely all did your homework and you did your homework well. An A+ to all of you!

So, thank you, Suzuki Parents. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to try new things week after week. Thank you for choosing to give your children music education. Thank you for supporting Amy's Violin School and for your kind words. You are all incredible parents.

I left class last night with a boost of energy. I was so excited by the enthusiasm and ideas and thoughtfulness that came from all the parents meeting and supporting one another. I look forward to reading through all the articles chosen and plan to have them available in lesson to read as well as posting article summaries on the blog to highlight the topics that you all agreed are important.

I also want to give a special Thank You to Lukas and Drew for helping out during the class so that the parents can meet. These Parent Education Events are essential and they have run smoothly these past few years because of your commitment and time. You both are truly appreciated. 

Thank you, Suzuki Parents! I look forward to our next meeting in February!

Parent Ed Event on Tuesday September 27th

Well, Fall has officially started and thank goodness the weather is reflecting it this weekend. It's so nice to have the windows open and to comfortably sit outside and get some reading done!

I look forward to seeing all the parents this Tuesday September 27th as we gather for the first Parent Ed Event of the school year. You all took home an SAA Journal with the assignment to read some articles that look interesting and to bring in one article to share with the group.

I will collect all the magazines at the end and put together a resource of the articles that were recommended by all of you to access and read in lesson!

I look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday!

Group Class #1 Recap

Hey Everyone, it was so great getting together once again at Group Class last night. This is such a unique class with varying ages and levels and there is so much to learn from one another. Here is a recap of this evenings events and everything you need to know to make the following group classes successful for everyone.

Parent Education Event Assignment

ATTENTION ALL PARENTS! Every parent received an SAA Journal in class tonight. You have two weeks to read through your journal and pick out one or two articles that you liked and be prepared to share the article at the September 27th Parent Education Event. Sharing the article would include a few ideas in your own words as to what the article is about or you could read a passage that you liked from the article. I will collect all chosen articles after class and put together a Parent Ed Resource that you all can access in lesson of articles that you all have found inspiring.

As I mentioned, this is not meant to be a lot of work on your part. It is meant to be a few minutes of reading over the next couple of weeks that will hopefully inspire you in one way or another or to give you more information about the Suzuki method. Enjoy your reading!

NEW Group Policy

Group Class is NOT a drop off class. For insurance purposes, parents must accompany their child(ren) if under the age of 16. Therefore, children (16 & under) are not to be dropped off and left unattended. 

Returning Group Policies

Please arrive 5-10 minutes before class starts.
Every Parent Education Event and every Rehearsal is MANDATORY.
Electronics Off & Away during class.

Getting to Group Class & Avoiding Construction

Consider arriving to Group Class from Highbury rather than Adelaide. This way you avoid most of the construction and can turn right into Siloam instead of left. Give yourself a few extra minutes to accommodate any delays.

Attendance and Punctuality

Group Class does not run as regular as private lessons. Therefore it is important to take advantage of all scheduled group classes. There is a lot to be learned and many skills to develop from those of all ages who attend group class that cannot be learned in the private lesson. Punctuality to class is also imperative so there is time to relax, unpack, get tuned and find a spot on the stage. It can be very stressful, especially for the young ones, to come into class after it has started and to interrupt the class to get tuned and not be able to find a conformable spot on the stage.

NEW Theory Trivia Challenge

This year we are trying out a Theory Trivia Challenge. Test your knowledge in Group Class on note naming, parts of the violin, time signatures, symbols, key signatures, etc. Win a prize for your knowledge gained!

Welcome Back!

It's back to school and to violin lessons this week! Back to school to me means the beginning of autumn. Even though it's still a few weeks away, fall decor (meaning pumpkins!) has made it's way into my home. The next four months are my favourite time of year and I look forward to once again sharing it with all of you!

The cat approves of this years fall decor!

These next 12 weeks are going be a whirlwind of excitement. From posture challenges to graduations in October, NEW Holiday repertoire and a Parent Education Event. There is going to be lots to do as we approach the Holidays (which are coming a month earlier for me this year, along with an early Christmas present!)

I look forward to checking in with everyone this week in lesson to see what happened during the summer and to create some goals for the school year.

The second week of lessons we will get back into Group Class on Tuesday September 13th at 5:00 at Siloam United Church.

Keep in mind that there is still construction on Fanshawe. If you are finding it backed up travelling East on Fanshawe, maybe consider coming from the West off of Highbury road (then you can also turn right into Siloam instead of left). As always, please do your best to arrive to class promptly so there is time to relax, unpack, get tuned and find a spot on the stage. It can be very stressful, especially for the young ones, to come into class after it has started and to interrupt the class to get tuned and not be able to find a conformable spot on the stage.

I am so excited to try out some new things in Group Class this year like a Vibrato Club and a Theory Trivia Challenge. I am also anticipating our Holiday recital and what we can accomplish through new duets and ensembles! Let's get to work!

Suzuki Violin Graduations

I am anticipating this year to be a big year for Suzuki Book 1 Graduations. There have been many students working their way through Book 2 knowing that the chance to graduate from their first Suzuki Book is right around the corner.

The two recitals throughout the year designated for graduations are the October and February Recitals. For our performers sake, as well as our audience, it is nice to have these recitals even in terms of the recital repertoire. Therefore, because of the interest in Graduating Book 1, not everyone eligible will be able to graduate in the October recital.

For those interested in graduating, I will be deciding who graduates when based on who has been waiting the longest and who is the most prepared. I will of course take requests but will ultimately be making the most even and fair decision I can. After all, as much as I love the Suzuki repertoire and listening to all of you play, I'm not sure we all want to hear 6-8 Gossec Gavottes in ONE recital. We may all be pulling our hair out by the end!

If you want to graduate this year, especially if it is Book 1, please speak to me ASAP so that I can plan for it, and so that you/your child can start preparing! The first week of lesson may be too late the secure your graduation spot for October (just something to keep in mind. There is never any rush to graduate).

Not sure what it means to Graduate from a Suzuki Book? 
Check out the guidelines below:

1. Perform the recital piece for your graduating book at a graduation recital
2. Create a recording of two polished pieces in Books 1 & 2, and one polished piece in Book 3
3. Write a self reflection based on the recording(s)
4. Give a spot (group) performance on recital day of a piece chosen from the lowest graduating book

Graduation Repertoire

Book 1 - Gossec Gavotte                 Book 2 - Boccherini Gavotte

Book 3 - Bach Bouree                      Book 4 - Vivaldi A Minor Concerto, 1st Mvt.

Book 5 - Vivaldi G Minor Concerto, 1st Mvt.                      Book 6 - Corelli's La Folia

Books 7-10 To be decided by teacher and student

Happy Practicing!

Summer Adventures

Summer is coming to a close with just over 2 weeks remaining. I've heard about cottage trips (where the violins took the trip!) and flights taken. I've heard about so many different camps that have inspired new interests and days at home just relaxing. Whatever you have accomplished this summer, I hope you all have enjoyed yourselves and the people around you.

My summer adventures have included:

Being in my second trimester and starting to feel the baby move (A LOT!)

Hiking at the Bruce Penninsula & Niagara Glen

Running a 10 km obstacle course

Shopping at the St. Jacobs Market and Mennonite Furniture shop (got a beautiful rocking chair for the nursery - highly recommend their furniture)

Checking out the music at the Home County Folk Festival & at the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival

Rocking climbing in Quebec at Altitude Rock Gym at 25 weeks pregnant - cannot believe it! (see pictures) 

My baby shower next week!

Need some last minute summer adventures? Check out Junction Climbing here in London. I also recommend running/walking/biking at Fanshawe Conservation and Komoka Provincial Park. You don't have to go far from home to find adventure and beautiful trails. 

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer and make sure to take some time to do absolutely NOTHING before the busyness of the fall starts. I cannot wait for the FALL, although a little disappointed I'll have to limit my intake of Pumpkin Spice Lattes this year! :)

It's August! Let's Reconnect

The baby planning is underway and it has been so much fun setting up the nursery. But that's not what this blog is about. It's about all of you. And there is lots in store for this next year of violin lessons! Whether you've been in my studio for the past 5 years or are new to Suzuki violin lessons, there will be some of the same things as past years and lots of new things to try out. Hopefully there will be something throughout the year that will inspire you or allow you to look at things in a new light.

The first new thing for this year is the SCHEDULE. You all will be getting lots of reminders but here is the first of few so that we can all get through this year smoothly. If you are ever in doubt of the schedule, you can find all dates HERE. They are also posted in lesson on the white board.

Violin lessons start back the FIRST week of school. For Monday students, that means LABOUR DAY MONDAY! If you plan on being away Labour Day, please speak with me ASAP as we may be able to move your lesson to Tuesday for that week.

Group Class does not start the first week of school, but the second week of school on September 13th.

Fiddle Class Registration will also be available within the next couple weeks. Fiddle Class will run Saturdays 1:30-2:30 on the following dates:

Sept. 17th, Oct. 1st, Oct. 15th, Oct. 22nd, Oct. 29th, Nov. 5th, Nov. 12th, Nov. 19th.

The Final Fiddle Show will be announced ASAP.

Our first recital is Sunday October 16th at 2:00. This recital is a chance for Graduations and solo performances. It is never too soon to think of what your next solo challenge will be!

It's going to be a busy year for Graduations! If you are wanting to graduate from a Suzuki Book, especially if it is Book 1, please speak with me ASAP. All those wanting to graduate from Book 1, and there are many of you, may not be able to graduate at the October recital. Some will need to graduate in February in order to keep the recitals even in terms of repertoire. Whether you perform in October or February will be based on who speaks with me about it sooner rather than later, who has been waiting the longest and who is the most prepared.

Our Holiday Recital is Nov. 20th at 2:00 (keeping my fingers crossed that the baby goes to full term!). One way or another, we will gather for some duets, ensembles and some fun playing holiday favorites and fiddle tunes! Have a favourite holiday tune that you would like to hear at this years recital? Please let me know and I would love to include it!

As of now, I will be taking Maternity Leave starting November 27th (my due date, yikes!). If you have any changes to your contact information over the next few months please let me know right away so I can keep you all up to date on if and when my maternity leave needs to change.

That's whats in store for the next few months. Can't wait to see what we all can accomplish!

Parent Ed 2016 Recap... sort of

So I'm not quite sure where the time has gone! I've gotten used to the fact that each year seems to go just a little bit quicker, but the last 4 months have just been a flash. Wasn't it just March Break? Well, as a result I have been majorly slacking in watching my Parents As Partners videos. It just hasn't been on the top of my priority list the past few months. At the start of the Parents as Partners Event I was so committed to watching these videos, way better that I did last year. However, that only lasted about a month and a half. Did any of you do any better? If there was a video you particularly enjoyed, please let me know!

I was going to go into a whole recap session but honestly the ones I watched and liked we already spoke about at the last Parend Ed Event and the others were the same as last years. You can find last years recap HERE and HERE.

In all honesty, I have a bunch of half ready posts that I would love to finish, but I have decided to take the month off from work (except for the few summer lessons that are scheduled in July of course).

I am going into full on baby preparation mode (and have been the past couple weeks!) and will get back to updates and planning for the fall in August. I'm not very good at not working and planning or not thinking about work or planning. But I'm going to do my best to give myself a bit of a break.

So on that note, I am around for any questions, chats or violin tuning, but you probably won't hear from me online for about a month. I hope you all have a great start to your summer, that the kids stay busy and keep playing and listening and that you all get outside to explore and hear some music. There are lots of opportunities close by (Home County Folk Festival is next week and FREE at Victoria Park. Also, the Goderich Celtic Festival is August 1st-4th)

Take care and be back soon!

Ways to Maintain Your Violin Skills Throughout the Summer

Even though we won't be seeing each other on a regular basis throughout the summer there are some great ways to maintain your violin skills so that we aren't having to back track too much come September. Try some of these out over the summer months and getting back into lessons in September will be a breeze!

Play everyday!

Keeping this habit going, even if you cut down on the practice time (keeping up with review is the most essential) means you won't have to recreate the habit come September.

Going on vacation? Bring the violin along! 

If that's not a possibility, substitute playing everyday to listening everyday.

Come for summer lessons! 

NEW Summer Lesson day available on Wednesday June 13th.

Schedule performances for family and friends.

Arrange mini group class days where you play with friends!

Goderich Festival runs August 5-7th

Get out and hear some live music! 

This is an incredible motivator. The Celtic Festival in Goderich is amazing and Sunfest and Home County Folk Festival in London are always great free/local options!

Go shopping for some new sheet music.

Sheet music and sight reading not your thing? Try playing and figuring out pieces by ear.

Pick any song you like. The possibilities are endless.

Play outside.

Parents - be proactive and help your child set goals and find their own motivators.

Anticipating our trip to
Port Burwell - reading at
the beach, fries and the best
ice cream!

For example:

• Play everyday for 10 days = Go get an ice cream treat. 
• Play for 20 days = Go to the movies and get popcorn! 
• Play without being asked to play for 15 days straight = Have a day adventure at the beach or out rock climbing or go to Laser Quest. 

The possibilities are endless and can be catered to each child's interest. Parents who play the violin, feel free to give yourself these same goals. It's okay to reward ourselves for doing the things we know we should be doing in a day, but find it so much easier to just be lazy! Continue to set incredible examples and lifelong habits for your children.

As always, I am available to chat by phone or e-mail throughout the summer and welcome any mid summer violin tuning!

Clarification and Reminders

Hey Everyone, this week marks the start of the second trimester in my pregnancy! I am so grateful that I got through lessons as well as I did considering the nausea I was trying to hide for about 2 months. I thought I was completely giving myself away with the snacking, trips to the bathroom and the odd 'gag cough' (sorry to anyone who noticed those!).

This is the first week I have started to feel more like myself since March, except for my ever expanding waist line (and this is just the start)! I also just wanted to mention that I didn't mean any disrespect from the last post. I think I needed to write it more for myself than anything else. Even though I have taken care of kids of all ages my entire life, it's definitely going to be a learning curve having my own child and starting my own family, as I know it is for everyone. Thank you again to everyone for your support in my pregnancy and the violin school. I wouldn't have this amazing and simple life if it wasn't for your support and willingness to allow me to teach music to you and your kids!

Here are your reminders for the next two weeks!

Regular lessons end June 11th.

Make sure to sign up for your 2 summer lessons. 

Times are filling up quickly!

Anyone interested in Music Camp July 11th-14th? 

Now is the time to sign up!

Registration is due in two weeks! 

Make sure to let me know if you have any lesson time conflicts for September otherwise when you register you are securing your current lesson time and there are no guarantees that I will be able to change your lesson time later.

Please mark the 2016-2017 Recital Dates into you calendar NOW! Each recital is a unique opportunity to perform and I don't want anyone to miss out!

On the Changes Ahead

As I hope all of you know by now, Steven (my husband) and I are expecting our first child the end of November. Steven and I have been together for 10 years, married for 3 and we are the best of friends. Having this baby is a dream come true for us. We have worked so hard these past 10 years to make a life for ourselves and we could not be happier for this next adventure.

As I announced my plans for maternity leave this past week, I frequently got looks and statements of disbelief that I would only be taking 8 weeks off from work, so I thought I would clarify a few things. As you all know, each pregnancy, each newborn and each families lifestyle is completely different and completely ones own. Therefore, my decision has been based on what I know is right for me and my family. Steven and I have a lot of family support. My husband and family all support the decision I have made and we all believe that it is the best thing for me. My work means everything to me. You all mean so much to me. I feel lucky that my job gives me the flexibility to do the two things that mean the most to me: to work and to be a mom.

In terms of the Calendar of Events, I find comfort in making a plan and then changing things as they need to be changed, but without a rough plan in place, I feel overwhelmed and I can't function. The calendar of events that you all received is the plan and I know that you all will understand if I need to change the plan. This next week I will be making sure I have everyone's updated contact information (and please continue to keep me updated on any changes come September) so that if things change I will be able to contact you all promptly.

I look forward in sharing this journey with all of you! It's going to be quite a year. Thank you so much for all of your continued support and kind words this past week. I will definitely need the support and kindness come September! For now, let's enjoy these last few weeks of lessons and of school and I have a few motivational posts planned to get you ready for summer!

Registration, A Surprise and Happy National Fiddling Day!

Happy National Fiddling Day! Just last year the government designated the third Saturday in May as National Fiddling Day because of the impact the fiddle and this type of music has had on Canadian culture. I wish you all a day of great music and playing as many fiddle tunes as you can! Check out the official ACT HERE!

So by now most of you have received your registration packages and along with it a surprise for the new school year! It has been an exciting week getting to share the news with all of you and I look forward to sharing more details soon.

Here are just a few reminders as we wind down to the end of the school year.

The last week of lessons is June 6th -12th. 

Registration is DUE no later than this week so that I can start putting together the schedule for September.

Summer lesson registration is also due at the same time. Everyone has 2 summer lessons included in their tuition and there are 2 options for signing up for these lesson (you may purchase more lessons if you wish):

1. You can come for regular lessons the next two weeks in June (June 13th-25th) at your regular lesson time (a great option if you are going away in the summer or if the summer is just too busy)
2. You can choose from the summer lesson dates found on the Calendar HERE throughout July and August. Find the sign up sheet in lesson with available times or e-mail me with your requests.

Also, please make sure to review the changes made to the Calendar of Events for 2016-2017.

Over the next week or so I will be checking in with everyone to make sure I have updated contact information and to go over the NEW Group Class & Lesson Policies. Please make sure you review and sign this sheet in your registration package. Have a nice long weekend!

What a Week

Well, this post is a week later then I would normally write it, but my partial week off from teaching turned into prep work planning for the summer and upcoming school year (while finally getting to sit out in some sun!).

Despite the planning, I have been able to relax this week which is sometimes hard for me after big shows or performances, and I've had many in the past few weeks. Being a perfectionist and wanting everything to go a certain way makes for a lot of judgement on myself after a recital in thinking about what I could have done differently, what could have been better or what I should change for next time. It becomes an obsession.

Well, I've been obsession free. Our Year End Recital and the Winter Fiddle Class performance at Masonville Manor all went beautifully, seamless and smooth.

The listening and attention on Sunday May 1st was incredible. The effort and enjoyment that was seen on the faces of 30 violinists all playing together was astounding. Leaders traded places without hesitation and harmony parts were played exceptionally. The advanced students exceeded my expectations and ALL memorized the tricky Concerto A'La Potpourri. Quite a few students found their voice this year in the singing of Wishing. Some students found the confidence to join in on their newest learned pieces and some in Book 1 decided to join in whether they knew the piece or not, but just found joy in playing! 

The fiddle class performed Andy Renwick's Ferrett just like they were the Leahy Family this past Saturday May 7th. Such amazing fast finger work, memorization, coordination and ability to go from playing to dancing and back to playing without missing a beat. You all are rock stars! The creativity and leadership from this class also continues to surprise me. So many students are making artistic decisions and having opinions on how a piece could be played or what could be added to make it more interesting.

I could not be happier or more proud of all of my students and their families. My role and input only goes so far into whether a recital is going to be a success or not. You all have to put in the time to show up and do the work. It has been a dedicated year from showing up to lessons and group classes and to practice. Congratulations to everyone and I hope you have had as much fun learning music this year as I have.

With just a few weeks left until I am on Summer Schedule (the last week of lessons are June 6th-11th), you will all be receiving your registration packages and summer lesson sign-up information within the next week. Stay tuned for an exciting 2016-2017 year!

Celtic Shift in Arva

Celtic Shift - Live in Arva!

Find us playing at St. John's Church in Arva on Saturday May 7th at 7:00. We'll be playing tunes from our recent CD On One Beautiful Day as well as other favourites. See you there!

This Weeks Recital Reminders #2

It's a week before the final recital of the school year.
Here is what you need to know to prepare to Sunday May 1st!

Arrival time on Sunday May 1st is 1:45.

Arrival time for Concerto & Fiddle students is 1:30.

The last MANDATORY Group Class of the year is this Tuesday April 26th. Please make sure you arrive a few minutes early so we can get started smoothly. Also, there is some construction on Fanshawe Road so giving yourself a few extra minutes might be good in case things get backed up on the road.

Make the recital repertoire a priority this week! Think about where you are sitting/standing, what pieces are you playing, what harmony parts are you playing, where you need to move to and if you are leading.

There are NO private lessons next week, unless I speak to you this week about a lesson I need to make up.

Dress code for Sunday is the Amy's Violin School t-shirt & dark bottoms.

You all have done incredible work preparing for this recital and throughout the school year. Congratulations to everyone on a wonderful year of making music. I have seen many of you grow so much this year and many of you persevere through challenges. It's been wonderful taking this journey with all of you. I look forward to performing with all of you once more before I start planning for the 2016/2017 school year. More adventures are on they way!

This Weeks Recital Reminders

It is less than two weeks to the May 1st Recital and everyone is sounding really prepared in their lessons. However, this recital is not just about if we are individually prepared but if we can prepare and perform together.

For this reason, today marks the first MANDATORY rehearsal for the recital. Therefore, please make sure you have cleared your schedules for today and next Tuesday as failure to participate along side everyone else will result in NOT performing at the recital regardless of how individually prepared we may be.

100 Charts are Due this week! Finish filling these in over the next few days and bring them in to lesson to decide with teacher how many days you have practiced since January 12th!

Concerto A'La Potpourri Rehearsal on Saturday April 23rd at 3:00 at Nancy's. Rehearsal will be approx. 15 minutes or so.

Make the recital repertoire a priority over the next two weeks. Run through duet parts and ensemble parts and especially your most advanced pieces. Watch the Wishing videos I posted HERE to get the melody into your mind and keep sounding out the Japanese words.

Put on a mini recital this weekend for friends and family where you play the recital repertoire (posted HERE) in order, maybe pretending to be the leader!

Pull out your Amy's Violin School t-shirts and make sure they are clean and ready to be worn next week with dark bottoms.

Celtic Shift Won the World Music Jack Richardson Award!

Sunday night was a crazy evening at the London Music Hall. I got to perform with Celtic Shift like we were a rock band and then we won the World Music category Jack Richardson London Music Award. Another new and unique experience I feel so grateful to have been a part of.

Wishing - for Spring!

As promised, here are a couple videos of the song Wishing we will be singing at the Year End Recital. Please listen and watch with your kids and have fun sounding out some of the Japanese words.

I look forward to the next three weeks of recital prep! Just a reminder that Group Class on Tuesday April 19th and 26th are mandatory in order to play in the recital so please make sure NOW there are no conflicts.

Enjoy!


(I love watching this video every year. Those boys are too cute and what incredible parental support they have!)

Happy Easter!

Hi Everyone, just checking in to wish you all a Happy Easter Weekend! Enjoy the sunshine and time spent with family and especially the little ones while they are little.

One last reminder that there is NO Group Class on Tuesday March 29th, 2016.

The last 4 group classes run April 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th. The last two are mandatory rehearsal classes so please make sure there are no conflicts in your calendar. See you all for lessons next week!

The Plateau

THE PLATEAU can happen to all of us. Whether we are a parent who is waiting for a child to master years of working on twinkle twinkle little star, a student who has spent months of struggling on one piece after flying through 10, feeling like one book is dragging you down while the last one was a breeze, or making snail paced headway on a technique.

THE PLATEAU can happen in all areas of our lives;

work, sports, diet, artistic ability, exercise, finances, relationships... 

It can and will most likely happen in the areas that mean the most to us. And when the plateau happens it can make us feel lost. It can make us feel hopeless.

We live for progress and we want things to happen easily and instantly. When we plateau, progress stops, everything seems harder and nothing happens instantly.

So what is there to do? 

Embrace the struggle and find joy in the challenge (Easier said then done).

Go back to what you can do well (Review!). 

Find new inspiration (Listening/Observing!). 

GIVE IT TIME (Also, easier said than done). 

It is EASY to give up. It is EASY to tell ourselves that we just aren't meant to do any better and that our skills are limited. It is much harder to struggle through the unknown. It takes discipline to keep with it, to keep trying, to keep working every day. It takes strength to not lose hope and to believe that things will change. We as adults have experienced these struggles in one form or another, and maybe we've given in to a few and persevered through others. If we can continue to teach children these skills of discipline, strength and what it is to struggle and accept challenges, we will see them persevere through more everyday.

The Plateau will never last as change is always close by. It's only the moment that seems to last forever. If we can get through the moment, and then the next, pretty soon we'll be wondering why we ever had anything to complain about, anything to struggle through... until the next challenge hits.

Playing the violin challenges every part of ourselves. It can make us deal with our emotions and feelings, our identity and self-esteem, our patience and will power. It makes us deal with people and the world around us. It makes us deal with ourselves and allows us to discover how we learn, what we love and who we are.

Technically a running analogy. If you are a runner, USE IT!
If not, think of it in terms of practice. Still applies!

Sometimes as adults we do so much for the children in our lives that we forget to tell ourselves all the same things we encourage children to do. Sometimes we need reminders. After all, we are a child's greatest model. The better we take care of ourselves, the better we'll be able to care for others.

Whether you are one of the amazing parents learning the violin along side your child or are just as amazing by being a rock of support through your child's musical journey, make sure that you handle the plateau's in all areas of your life the way you'd want your child to handle them. And as you'd tell your child, "Just do the best that you can do". That's all any of us can do.

Suzuki Summer Institutes/Camps

It's time to think about Suzuki Summer Institutes and Camps!

(CORRECTION: the next group class is MARCH 22nd, not April)

Not sure what you've got planned for the summer but want your kids (or even yourself!) to do something musical? A great way to immerse yourself into the Suzuki music world is to do an institute or camp.

Now, when I talk about Suzuki Institutes and Camps, I am including official institutes that are registered with the Suzuki Association of the Americas as well as Fiddle Camps. Although, Fiddle Camps are not technically Suzuki, they share a lot of the same philosophy and ways of learning that a Suzuki Institute would.

What are Suzuki Institutes?

Suzuki Institutes run all over the world. They are an opportunity to spend a week learning from other Suzuki teachers, meet other Suzuki students, take lessons and group classes, see incredible performances and hang out with people who are interested in the same things that you are. There is so much magic in the experiences one receives from an institute and everyone walks away inspired and ready to keep practicing through the summer months.

I recommend SOSI in Kitchener Waterloo and Steven's Point Wisconsin

All other Institutes can be found HERE.

What are Fiddle Camps?

Fiddle camps offer similar experiences to Suzuki institutes MINUS specific Suzuki talk, PLUS a different style of violin playing. FIDDLE MUSIC! There are normally opportunities to learn other aspects associated with fiddle music including learning other instruments, learning about recording and harmonization as well as learning the incredible things we can do with our feet, like Step Dancing!

I recommend Leahy Music Camp in Lakefield Ontario and Goderich Celtic Music Festival

Don't want to leave the city?

I've got your covered with Amy's Violin School Music Camp!

Music Camp will include activities such as Group, Theory and Fiddle classes, listening, individual practice time, recitals, arts & crafts, exercise, reading and lots of creativity!

Find out more in lesson - Registration Available in April!

Happy March Break!

SAFE TRAVELS to all of you who are heading out of town over the next week! And fingers crossed for some beautiful Spring weather for those like myself who are staying close to home.

Even though there are NO Lessons or Group Class over the next week, that does not mean that we can stop playing! We are in the home stretch of the 100 Day Challenge. Keep playing everyday and our 100th day will be here before we know it.

See you all at Group Class on Tuesday March 22nd!