The Countdown Begins...

So time is flying by and we are down to the last few weeks before the holidays. Stay safe as you drive the snowy roads and brave the busy malls. As we prepare for the upcoming holiday season I have a few events to remind everyone about...

#1 - Recital this weekend! 
Everyone playing the Tango must be at the church no later than 1:45. 
Everyone else, please arrive no later then 15 minutes before the recital you signed up for (2:15 OR 3:30). 

Yes, our Christmas tree is up, It has been for a while.
Our cat Cordelia has been loving it a little too much.
Whenever it is you decide to put up your decorations, be
sure to make it a family event. Turn on some good tunes, and
enjoy decorating your home together for the holiday season.
Start some new traditions this year that get the whole
family involved!

#2 - Our Christmas Ceilidh is still on Monday December 16th from 5:00-6:00. 
I will have prizes for everyone's participation and for the winners in the Play Challenge and there will be the chance to play any Christmas and fiddle tunes. 

#3 - Pull out your Christmas tunes! 
Looking for some new ones this year? Bring in your requests to lessons. I have some great duets if you have a family member or friend you'd like to play with!

See everyone on Sunday!

Parent Ed Night Recap

Thank you to the parents who braved the snow to get to Parent Ed night! Your commitment is recognized and appreciated. Even though it was not a nice night for driving, please make every effort to attend these sessions. It's a great opportunity to hear Sharon speak from her first hand experience with Shinichi Suzuki and for all the parents to interact, get ideas and support each other.

We had guest speakers Frances and Ruth who talked about their experiences with the Suzuki method and how it has impacted both of their child's lives who are now adults. Here are just a few points as to what was discussed:

Listening is learning.

Take advantage of the time in the car to really talk. 

Yes, your lives are busy, but one day this busyness will be gone. Take the time now, whenever the opportunity arises, to just talk, not nag about things that need to be done once you get home, but talk. These are the moments you will remember.

Join events in the summer to keep the motivation of playing alive. 

Any musical camp, institute, orchestra, ensemble, anything is a great way to meet new people and keep the desire and motivation to play throughout the summer.

The Suzuki method builds confidence that will support children in any career path they choose.

Set the expectation that daily practice is expected and there will be no questioning this later on.

The parents attitude and awareness is key. 

Enjoy the one hour a week in group class where you get to relax and watch your child just be. Your attention and smile is the security your child needs to grow and succeed.

Parents, you are the model, and your attitude reflects strongly on your child.

If you show interest in only your own child, your child may think that they are the only ones that matter. Enjoy and support the process of watching everyone grow together.

Punctuality, flexibility, work ethic, determination, confidence, responsibility, community, commitment... character first, and ability second. 

Parent Ed, Parking Update, and the chance to de-clutter your life!

Parent Education Night on Monday November 11th at 7:00 at Sharon's House - 958 Crestview Cres. Hope to see you all there! (No group class that night.)

Quick parking update:
I just a received a message from the condo board about cars idling in parking spaces. If you are dropping off/picking up your child from a lesson, please turn your car off while you wait. There is a 2 minute law against cars idling. Thank you for your understanding in all matters concerning parking.

In high school, I considered going
into interior design! I love to clean &
organize, its kind of weird. A clutter free
home is definitely a stress reliever for me.
Start now by choosing one small area of your
home to purge and organize every week. You could
be living differently by the New Year!

So, even though we are a few months away from the Silent Auction at our February Recital, I want you all to start thinking about it now. Take advantage of the opportunity before and after this holiday season to reduce the clutter in your homes and the stress it carries in your life.
Anything you could donate would be greatly appreciated. I will have a bin in lessons for you to start dropping off any items you'd like to donate. We had great success last year with the auction and the kids had a wonderful time bidding on items. At this recital, students play in duets which is a great learning experience different from solo performing! I look forward to another exciting February recital.

Sunday October 27th Recital!

We've made it to the first recital of the year! Congratulations to all the hard work that everyone has put into their performance pieces. Everyone should be proud of how prepared they are. Now all that's left is to have fun!

Please arrive no later then 1:45 for the 2:00 recital or 3:15 for the 3:30 recital.

Thank you for my two student volunteers that are handing out programs, the families who volunteered to bring in juice and the parents helping out during the reception!

Just a reminder that even though on the Calendar handout it says there are no lessons next week, I am teaching regular lessons because I will be taking off the first week back in January.

See everyone on Sunday!

Character First...

What is character?

Decisiveness, integrity, concentration, sincerity, adaptability, ambition, patience, truth, courage, energy, enthusiasm, discipline, self-control, confidence, respect, perseverance, promptness, persistence, consistency, endurance, determination, thoroughness, initiative, compassion, contentment... 

The past few weeks we have been talking about character in lessons. The development of character is the foundation of Shinichi Suzuki's method of teaching violin.

"Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline, and endurance. They get a beautiful heart." - Shinichi Suzuki

Character is developed in many ways...

By showing up to lessons on time - promptness, respect
Entering lesson and group classes quietly - respect, self-control
Choosing to practice everyday at home - decisiveness, consistency
Completing repetitions of a practice spot - concentration, persistence, thoroughness
Performing at a recital - confidence, determination
Listening and waiting to play at group class or a recital - patience, respect, self-control
Helping out a peer in lessons or group class - sincerity, compassion
Bringing into lesson questions about practice/the violin - initiative
Being able to play any review piece well - contentment, confidence

These are only a few examples.

Lets continue to model and encourage all of these character traits to children of all ages.

Character is something that is formed by the choices that we make in our everyday lives. Help children to make healthy choices so that we may nurture the development of their character and they may grow up to be fine human beings.

Please check out the poll to the right of this post about the music theory class. Take two seconds to let me know why you did not sign your child up for the theory class so I can better make decisions about running additional classes in the future. Thank you!    ---------------------------------->

Play Challenge Extra Point #2 and Happy Thanksgiving!

Some of you by now have seen the Extra Point #2 Challenge written on my board in lesson. We are on week #4 of the play challenge and you have until week #6 to complete the extra point challenge. 

Since the start of lessons in September, there has been a Suzuki Quote in the top right corner of my board. What was the quote?

Hint: "________ ________ , _________ second."

Not sure? This is a well known Suzuki quote and one that we should all be reminded of as to what makes the Suzuki method such a wonderful education for children. Look up quotes by Shinichi Suzuki and see if you can figure it out!

I have been impressed by everyone's participation in the play challenge. Please take the opportunity over the holiday weekend to play for family members and show off all the hard work everyone has been doing in just picking their violins up everyday and playing! I hope everyone is starting the see the difference between a well played and practiced week versus the outcome of a week when the days just seem to get away from you and the violin doesn't get played. Lets all keep trying to work towards setting lifelong learning habits for children. 

Sunday October 27th Recital 2:00 or 3:30 (with reception!)
If you have not already signed up for a recital time, please do so on the sign up sheet in lesson or send me an e-mail. Try and keep the times even, otherwise I will have to move performers to different times.

Shinichi Suzuki Books!
Here is a link to the new Nurtured by Love book written by Shinichi Suzuki. If you haven't already read this book I do highly recommend it to Suzuki parents. It puts you in the mindset of Suzuki and you really get the feel for what he wanted to accomplish through the early musical education of children. It will leave a lasting impression and will be a book you will want to come back to again and again. 

Other books I recommend are Ability Development from Age Zero also by Suzuki and To Learn with Love by William (Bill) Starr. Look for these books in the public library system as well. Ask me for additional recommendations if you really wish to broaden you knowledge of the Suzuki method!

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Clarification, Reminder and a Fiddle Concert!

Last call for Theory Class sign-up:

Please hand in your registration now! Class starts Wednesday October 2nd from 6:00-7:00. Take advantage of this opportunity to help master music theory skills (ex. note naming, note values, rhythms, key/time signatures, composition and improvisation!)

Clarification to the Lesson Etiquette handout:

When I talk about technology being forbidden in lessons, group class and especially recitals, this is expected because all of your attention should be on your child and the other children participating. However, if you are using an electronic device to either video or take pictures this is of course allowed because it is involving your child. 

Fiddle Concert with Ashley MacIsaac:

Ashley MacIsaac is playing at Aeolian Hall on Saturday October 26th at 8:00. If you are interested in fiddle music you should definitely check out this concert. Being a Nova Scotian born fiddler and representing the Cape Breton Scottish Fiddling techniques and traditions, Ashley MacIsaac has made a name for himself through his rock inspired variations on traditional tunes. Click HERE for details!