As I watched everyone perform, I remembered last year's recital like it was yesterday. It dawned on me how different so many of the players are and how many faces were missing from past years. The past 8 years of teaching have been incredible, but incredibly fast. Especially these last two years. It seems to be the side effect of having kids; time starts to fast forward no matter how much we try to stop and enjoy the small moments. Everything just flies by. This weekend flew by way to quickly, so I want to take note of the incredible moments and music that I heard from two different groups of performers.
On Saturday, the Fiddle Class put on an amazing show at Chartwell Residence. I didn't feel like I was leading a group of students or that it was something we just threw together. It feel real and polished, heartfelt and powerful. We just played. Everyone knew what to do, and we all did it together. These students continue to surprise me in taking my crazy ideas and turning them into something real and amazing. I am so proud of these performers.
On Sunday, the Group Class performed advanced repertoire confidently and younger students demonstrated respect, patience and immense self control to be able to wait for the pieces they know how to play. These students put together ensembles with minimal rehearsal time and played them all beautifully and coherently. They all made my job way too easy and I am so proud of the individuals they are growing up to be.
Although I only saw a moment of it, my heart stopped as I watched my daughter on stage during Row Your Boat. I can't believe the little person she is turning into. She knows more than I will ever know.
None is these experiences would be possible without the continued support of all my students and Suzuki families. Thank you for supporting Amy's Violin School and allowing me to continue to do what I love.
May 6th is fast approaching as we head into spring and I've got a list of repertoire for you all to look at and get practicing. I have some fun twists to put on these pieces so please take note of the ones you know how to play and even some that you don't (you may have a part in them anyway!) Happy Practicing!
As I said at the recital, everyone was prepared and everyone was ready. Even knowing this, I was still blown away by all the solid performances!
I saw everyone demonstrate all the details we had been working on in lesson these past few weeks. The graduating students played Gossec Gavotte with confidence and ease. Seitz Concerto's were played with impeccable tone and clarity. The many Gavotte's shone in their unique ways and everyone landed form, intonation, big bows, tone and dynamics. Young Book 1 students set up their posture and played like professionals.
Were there mistakes here and there? Of course, but NO ONE let these little things get in the way of all the hard work that was put into preparing for the recital and all the incredible musical moments that were displayed. Everyone had a smile as they left the stage - this is success!
Thank you also for a successful fundraising event. Even though there were fewer of us at this recital, we ended up making more than at last years recital. I am so grateful for your continued support and hope the winners enjoy the prizes!
One last reminder that I am taking two weeks off for March Break and lessons will resume on Monday March 26th.
Group Class will resume on Tuesday March 27th.
If you have any practice questions or need a violin tune up, I will be around home so please feel free to send me an email.
Also, be on the look out over March Break for the release of repertoire for the Year End Recital. Once this is released, please print or save the list and start working on these pieces!
Our March 4th Recital is coming up next weekend! Here is what you need to know.
Mandatory Rehearsal to the Recital - Group Class on Tuesday February 27th at 5:00 (extra rehearsals may be scheduled)
Arrival Time - 1:30
Bring pocket change to buy Raffle Tickets & Candy Grams!
Dress Code - Comfortable
Location - (as always) Siloam United Church
This recital will feature Solo Performances as well as three Graduating Students. I'm looking forward to see who wins this years Magic Rosin and Mini Violin Lego!
Fundraising for Amy's Violin School starts today! Although, winners won't be chosen until the end of the recital on March 4th, you can check out what you could win this year at lesson and start sending your Candy Grams to friends in group class (or family members!).
Candy Grams & Raffle Tickets are:
$1 each or 6/$5
Parents - have something that you would be able to donate to this years raffle (musical or non?) Please talk to me about it.
Here are some of the important ways in which this fundraising is used:
covering accompanist
fees for all students
lowering or covering the cost of extra events
purchasing instruments
and materials for group and fiddle classes
having musical prizes
available to inspire hard work
the possibility of bringing in guest speakers or performers
The act of sending candy grams I think is so simple and yet can bring together friendships and connections in this small musical community that can last a lifetime.
This year, every student will receive one 'free' candy gram to send to the student of their choosing.
I hope every family will participate in sending a few more to those who they have spent time with in group class or even to family members who will be at the recital supporting everyone's musical efforts.
Learning any new skill depends on small steps. Lesson time is spent determining how to break down practice spots so we can isolate the problem, correct the problem, learn a new skill and then master the new skill.
Sometimes in lesson the steps seem obvious and sometimes they don't. Sometimes, more often than not, we see the small steps but don't acknowledge them, wanting to just be able to do it right the first time, from the start. Who needs to practice something that you can get by with? It may not be perfect but it sounds close enough right?
Why should we settle for being adequate? Why should we only do things so long as they are easy even if it means sacrificing what is true? Why can't we just stop and do the few minutes of work so we can actually play the music and produce the skill correctly? It's our lazy human nature I suppose, and it is internally hard to battle especially as we get older.
So what brought this discussion about today? Well, I saw a video about teaching your cat to jump through an arm loop and I felt very discouraged at climbing this morning and tried to come up with a solution. The randomness of my brain...
So I've been climbing off and on for a few years now. I'm finally in a good routine of attending the gym after having Maggie, but each time I go, I get discouraged by not being able to complete the easiest routes and then don't even want to practice them because I feel like everyone is judging me and I beat myself up that I should be better than I am. It's a vicious circle.
This evening, I saw a video about how to train your cat to jump through your arms made into a loop. They broke the skill into 6 EASY steps. 6 EASY steps for 1 skill. 6 EASY STEPS FOR ONE SKILL...!!!
When I break a violin practice spots into 1 or 2 small steps in lesson, I get groans, possibly some eye rolls. We all want a short cut, we all want it to just magically work.
What I love about the cat training video is that it's not just 6 steps, it's 6 EASY steps. EASY! When we break things down, we mean to make our lives easier. Yes, we are asking ourselves to commit time to the steps and therefore time to developing the skill. But isn't the result of achieving that skill what should give us satisfaction? Adrenaline? The need to learn and do more?
Sometimes, even when we break a practice spot into one or two steps, the steps can still be hard. If this is the case, why not break it down more until the steps are easy. Don't you think 6 easy steps will take less time to master than 1 or 2 still challenging steps?
Couldn't we apply the process of small, easy steps to any area of our life that we want to improve on?
So I'm breaking my climbing practice into steps.
Photo Courtesy of Junction Climbing
Step 1: is to go and do the job that I set out to do and not worry about what anyone else is thinking about (mentally prepare). Step 2: I'll try to master what is easy by repeating what is easy - Doing all the routes I can do easily multiple times (review). Step 3: Take a breather and watch someone else do a route that I want to work on (learning through observation) Step 4: Pick 1 or 2 more advanced routes and determine what the problem spot is. Work the problem through repetitions, observation and isolation (practice). Step 5: Try anything else that looks fun (ending the lesson on a high note).
Is this not how we organize our practice? We need to practice for ourselves and not for anyone else. We review what we already know so that we can become more proficient. We practice our advanced repertoire repeating and isolating difficult passages. We end our practice on a high note by doing something different or playing a piece that we love. All we have to do is think about the steps that we know will lead us to success and implement them. I've been back to the gym a few times now with plan in hand and what a difference there is leaving the gym. Discouragement is gone and I feel like I've actually accomplished something even though I'm not conquering the advanced routes.
Step by step is not hard work. It's just doing the work. It's about not accepting things as they are but always striving to do things better. Reflect on how you approach new skills or solve problems in your life. What small EASY steps can you take to be a better student, a better parent, a better human being.
Strive to be better. (I really needed this self talk - thanks for listening!)
