Calendar of Events Changes

Please excuse my current lack of organizational skills as I have officially made a huge mess of the Calendar of Events.  So, scrap your copy you received in the registration, make sure all these dates are in your calendars!

If you are ever in doubt about lesson and group class times, all dates will be posted on the CALENDAR year round. Save the Calendar page on your computers and phones right now!

Lessons and Group Classes Resume Monday September 14th!

The biggest change to note is when lessons start. Labour day is late this year but lessons will still start the week after the kids get back to school. I will see everyone back for lessons and group classes starting Monday September 14th!

Also, there WILL NOT be group class Tuesday September 8th, but there WILL be group class on Tuesday November 10th!

Notice the change to the last week of lessons, June 6th - June 11th.

Parents as Partners Recap #1

So back in January a few parents from my studio and I signed up for Parents as Partners which is a program offered by the SAA that sends you Suzuki inspired videos right to your inbox each week.

I have to confess, I am just getting to these videos now. I've spent 20 minutes each morning this past week with some breakfast, a tea and a Suzuki video. Some videos were better then others, but overall a lot of great ideas and reminders were portrayed. If you signed up for the videos, make sure to watch them as they will only be available until June 30.
Here's a snippet of what I've heard this past week:

Every Child Can Learn; Every Parent Can Learn

Every lifestyle type can make Suzuki lessons work. Communicate openly with your teacher. There is always a way to make everyday practice happen.

Are music lessons viewed as optional or extra in your family? If yes, then you can guarantee there will be practice problems. But, if music is consistent and as natural as brushing your teeth everyday, practice will never be questioned.

Problems surrounding practice normally have nothing to do with the violin, but it has the do with the current relationship with your child and how they are testing you. Ride the wave with them and stand your ground. Set boundaries and expectations. The more you work on your relationship now, you are preparing both of you for the dreaded teenage years.

Play games in the early years. Play lots of games!

"Never Hurry; Never Stop" - Shinichi Suzuki

Trust your teachers pacing of learning new material. The parent may see many things that are wrong with a piece, but the one point lesson is key to progress and success. Trust the point that your teacher has chosen to touch upon and practice that point the same way the teacher does in lesson when you go home.

"Raise their ability with a piece they can play"

 - Shinichi Suzuki and the importance of review.

Too many voices in lesson confuse and overwhelm the child. 

"Parents should be like wallpaper" - Shinichi Suzuki

There is so much more. Stay tuned for more recaps and keep your Suzuki motivation going!

Registration Available for 2015-2016

Registration is available for the 2015-2016 school year.

Registration is DUE June 13th, 2015.

This due date is IMPORTANT because it secures your spot in the Fall!

In your registration you will find information on purchasing additional summer lessons, along with Fiddle Camp Registration and the Saturday November 7th Suzuki Conference Date listed in the Calendar of Events.

Please mark in your calendars for all recitals/conference dates for next school year:

Sunday October 25th, 2015 at 2:00

Saturday November 7th, 2015 - Suzuki Conference Day!

Sunday November 29th, 2015 at 2:00

Sunday February 7th, 2016 at 2:00

Sunday May 1st, 2016 at 2:00

My Niece - hoping for a visit soon!

Has anyone else been feeling like the month of May slightly resembles the craziness of December? I've been hearing of this parallel throughout the blog world and I am completely feeling it. Schedules are completely up in the air, unexpected events pop up, there are illnesses and allergies that arise at inconvenient times, and there are too many events to schedule into too little time. Hopefully June will be a month of some relaxation, fresh air and a chance to breathe for us all.

Speaking of June and the summer months, how can we make it through summer and not have September be a month of review and struggling to get back into the practice routine?


KEEP LISTENING. KEEP PLAYING. It's not always about progress over the summer, it's about maintaining our skills and/or growing them in new ways such as attending music camps, going to festivals and shows, putting on a home concert for family and friends or trying something new. Check out an old post HERE which features festivals and shows near you!

KEEP LISTENING. KEEP PLAYING. Keep playing the pieces we love to play, review the pieces that may give us trouble and enjoy the process of using our skills learned in lesson to try and fix problem pieces. Enjoy playing just to play.

I love how quickly the gardens fill in (taken 3 weeks ago).
This gnome has vanished now!

Aside from maintaining our musical abilities over the summer, I encourage all of you to get outside and do something active. You will find me running and cycling around London, rock climbing at Junction (and if I build up the courage on an actual outdoor rock wall in Milton!) and working up to a run and cycle around Fanshawe Lake (20km). Whatever it is that interests you, get out there and do it and bring some family and friends along. The hardest part sometimes is just taking that first step out the door, but once you do, incredible things can happen.

Baby Sienna

Welcoming my niece Sienna to the world this week! 

Both parents (my brother and his wife) are doing well.

Congratulations!

We couldn't have asked for a better Year End Recital day. I had such a nice afternoon playing with all of you! I feel so grateful to be a small part of so many families lives and to share with you all the joy in making music. It's been a wonderful year and I was so impressed by how prepared everyone was and how we all worked together to put on a great show for our family and friends.

One last reminder that there are no lessons this week unless we spoke about making one up. I will see everyone back for regular lessons after Mother's Day weekend for 4 more weeks of lessons before summer schedule.

You can find the summer schedule sign up sheet in lessons next week. Already planning your summer schedule? Send me an e-mail and we can book your summer lesson times early. You all have two lessons included in your tuition to sign up for.

Anyone else enjoying their tulips?

One other bit of exciting news, it looks like I might become an Aunt today! More details soon.

T-shirts, Arrival Times, Wishing

T-shirts are in! Pick yours up in lesson this week.

The dress code for the recital will be your Amy's Violin School t-shirt and dark bottoms.

Arrival times for the recital will vary a bit:
EVERYONE should arrive no later than 1:40 to be tuned and to find your spot in the pews.

FIDDLE CLASS arrival is 1:20 to rehearse.

CHAMBER MUSIC (Tzena Tzena) arrival is 1:30 to rehearse.

Please be singing Wishing together in the car, on the way to school, on the way to lesson, while getting breakfast in the morning, during after dinner dishes, etc.

And here are a couple videos to help with your singing prep!



I love this video, those three boys are just too cute.

May 3rd Recital Repertoire

No Group Tuesday April 7th

3 Rehearsal Group Classes:

Tuesday April 14th

Tuesday April 21st

Tuesday April 28th

With only three group classes left we are on our way towards the year end recital on May 3rd at 2:00. Attendance is mandatory for these group classes so we can all be prepared for not only what pieces we will be playing but how we will be playing them as a group!

Start playing all the pieces you know from the list below everyday between now and the recital.

Parents: bring a note book to class so you can make note of what dynamics we use, how we start and end a piece, whether your child is playing the melody or harmony, and anything else you may want to remember and practice at home.

* means with duet part from Suzuki duet book. Those playing the duet parts will be assigned in lessons & group.

Book 1

Twinkle Theme*

Twinkle Variation*

Lightly Row*

O Come Little Children*

May Song*

Perpetual Motion

Andantino

Minuet 1*

Happy Farmer

Book 2

Musette

Long Long Ago

Two Grenadiers

Book 3

Martini Gavotte

Book 4

Vivaldi Concerto A Minor, 3rd Movement

Other Performances

Chamber Music - Tzena, Tzena

Advanced Repertoire - Csardas by V. Monti

Winter Fiddle Class

Wishing Sing Along!

Hope everyone had a nice Easter weekend!