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!