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12/16/2014 2 Comments My lesson plan on teaching quintuple meter using music by Muse and Steve ReichThought this would be a fun lesson to teach quintuple meter for cellists, violinists, or anyone! by Alice Levine Shinichi Suzuki didn’t come up with an original teaching method, but rather looked to the past, continuing the old tradition of teaching orally. This is what Suzuki refers to as the ‘Mother Tongue Method’. It is true that the act of recording things in writing is a relatively new task and that our ancient ancestors passed information to each other by basically telling stories or singing songs about them. One can argue that modern society has placed an importance on the visual sensory function over the aural sensory function, placing more importance on reading and writing. However, let's consider people of The Golden Triangle, who are from the Himalayas in Burma, China, Thailand, and Laos who still use hearing as their primary sense. Music is used to celebrate the changing of seasons and during festivals or harvest rituals. Music is present in daily life. Mothers frequently sing babies to sleep with lullabies. When a new house is built, the villagers sing songs regarding good wishes for their future in the new house. Songs are also sung when a person is about to travel and take a long trip. Songs are sung by Shamans for people who are sick in hopes that they will recover in good health. Apparently, a boy and a girl will play music to and with each other for days as a form of courtship. The step-wise and systematic organization of the pieces throughout the Suzuki method are not only organized technically but are also meant to expand the musicality of the student. The act of listening to songs in the Suzuki method strengthens a person’s ear to mind memory and this is comparable to listening to chanting which is what our ancestors and the people of The Golden Triangle experience in their daily lives. For more information read: http://www.tribalmusicasia.com/SAA%20Article-Songs-of-m-optim%20.pdf  The Ivory Ban and Traveling with your Instrument or Bow
As you may have heard, JFK International has taken seven bows from violin players in the Budapest Festival Orchestra and then released them four days later for a fine of over $500... Though there is an ivory ban, The US Fish and WIldlife Services had declared weeks ago that bows bought before February 2014 containing ivory are allowed into United States. How can the confiscation of your instrument be avoided & what does this mean for string players? According to the most revised set of rules for traveling into the US with bows containing ivory, you may bring the bow into the US if :
Rules for obtaining a CITES certificate if your are planning on traveling: 1. Know how long your CITES certificate is valid for, the cost to apply for it is $75 in the US. 2. You must get the certificate in the country that you are currently living in 3. It can take up to two months to obtain a cites certificate. To speed up this process because you are in a hurry, speak with a CITES official . IMPORTANT: You must call to inform US Fish and Wildlife at least two or three days prior to your date of inspection. You will need a photo of the bow, fully filled out 3-77 paper, appraisal describing your bow, and the CITES certificate. For more information visit the american league of orchestras web page: http://americanorchestras.org/advocacy-government/travel-with-instruments/endangered-species-material/protected-species-travel-tips.html Good Luck! 9/20/2014 2 Comments Favorite cello masterclass of the moment- Steven Isserlis, Schuman Fantasy pieces.Masterclass: A combination of a lesson and a performanceWhat is a cello masterclass? It is a combination of a lesson and a performance.9/14/2014 0 Comments Response to the article, 'Suzuki Training for Children with Dyslexia’ by Jenny MacmillanAccording to the article, a child with dyslexia needs to be in a learning program
that is organized, methodical, using scaffolding techniques building off of what the student already knows, cumulative, and multisensory. Because students with dyslexia usually struggle with reading and learning notation as well, the Suzuki approach can be very beneficial to them. As the article states, the method is cumulative and students learn by ear. As a Suzuki cello teacher myself, I know that Suzuki students are always learning something new and also may be previewing techniques to a new piece. At the same time, in and outside of lessons, they are working on a piece at their current level, and also reviewing old pieces that they already know. I think this is very beneficial to the self-esteem of the student to be working on and performing something they already know rather than just constantly plowing onto something new. To be able to play, on a whim, a piece that one sounds great on definitely will build confidence in their abilities as a player and also foster their love for the instrument and music making. As the article states, self-esteem is something that a student with dyslexia may struggle with and having a polished piece to play is a definite confidence builder. The use of repetition and positive reinforcement of what was done well before offering criticism are two important teaching tools that Suzuki teachers use to also keep the student’s self-esteem intact. Here is a link to the article: http://www.jennymacmillan.co.uk/Music%20and%20dyslexia%20for%20ASJ.pdf |
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