All Categories - Appassionato Strings

Week 21

6/29/2016

Happy Memorial Day!
We have many things to be grateful for! Every day is an opportunity to be thankful for music and the ability to study and play violin! Try making a list of things you love about music or playing the violin this week--add one each day--then, post it in your practice area.

Week 20

6/29/2016

How do you feel while practicing? Each day, after you have completed your practice, write down how you felt and what you could have done better on your practice chart; for example, "I felt tired while practicing this evening, so I should try to find time to practice earlier in the day."
Successful practice = successful playing!

Week 19

6/29/2016

Divide and conquer! It can be difficult to complete all of your practice points at one time, so try practicing in small chunks throughout the day--time seems to go quicker, better focus and ease on shoulders.

Week 18

6/29/2016

Have you created a practice space?

Here's a checklist:
—Music stand
—Mirror
—Adequate lighting
—Quiet
—Pencil
—Moderate temperature
—Music
—Practice Chart

Week 16

6/29/2016

Happy Easter!

As our spring recital is rapidly approaching, practice performing with a twist this week: Ask your "audience" to distract you by making funny noises or dancing around. Your audience members could even try hopping like a bunny in honor of the Easter Bunny. The more distractions, the merrier!

Special Tip: In order to keep your instrument safe, be sure to leave plenty of room between you and your audience.

Week 15

6/29/2016

For a change of scenery, practice outside on a day when the weather is moderate!

Special Tip: Careful to keep your instrument safe and use a music stand just as you would when practicing indoors.

Week 14

6/29/2016

Spring Break is here!

This week, try listening to some classical you've never heard before! Here are some suggestions:

-The Four Seasons by A. Vivaldi
-Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major by J.S. Bach
-Clair de Lune by L. Beethoven
-Academic Festival Overture by J. Brahms
-Firebird Suite by I. Stravinsky

Week 13

6/29/2016

Spring has sprung!

Try practicing by a window this week and play one review piece in the same style as the weather outside. For example, if it's stormy out, you could put more weight on the bow to give the effect of thunder, or if it's windy, you could have almost no weight on the bow to make the sound quality "wispy."

Special Tip: Experiment with all weather types, no matter the elements outside your window!

Week 12

6/29/2016

Playing your instrument can feel and sound different with your eyes closed. Try keeping your eyes shut while playing at least one song during your daily practice this week and focus on making a beautiful/ringing tone!

Special Tip: To create a ringing tone, keep your bow on the Kreisler Highway with the help of your home-teacher!

Week 11

6/29/2016

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

First, get a box of your favorite cereal, then choose a practice point. Next, take out the same number of cereal pieces as the number of times you are to practice the practice point, and line each piece up on a plate or other clean surface. Now for the fun part-as you successfully complete each time practicing the point, you can eat one of the cereal pieces! Yum!

Special Tip: To keep in the St. Patrick's Day spirit, try the Lucky Charms cereal!

52 Practice Tips

Weekly practicing advice or new practicing techniques to try at home.

"If, as person works at playing the violin well, he develops the talent to overcome any difficult problem by working, then the talent will be born to accomplish even the hardest problems easily. As a person practices the violin, he creates this talent."
- Dr. Shinichi Suzuki (Ability Development from Age Zero, p. 62)

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Meghan's professionalism and skill as a violinist and teacher are outstanding but even more than that, she has opened my daughter's eyes to the love of music. I would highly recommend Meghan as a violin teacher. Her love for music and for children are evident in every lesson. Her passion for violin is contagious and it has spread to my daughter. I am grateful for the time she spends each week with us. She has taught my daughter more than the fundamentals of violin-she's taught her about life and doing what you love to the fullest! She is a wonderful role model.

-Jenny R.

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