Your Custom Text Here
Last weekend I held a group studio class for some of my students. It was a nice opportunity for some of my younger, less-experienced students to play along some of my more experienced pupils. We worked on a couple of pieces together (in parts) and then practiced performing solos for each other. Every little performance helps calm nerves and ease stage fright for the next time, so I know all attendees will feel a little more confident at my next student recital.
On December 14, I hosted my 3rd Annual Winter Recital for twenty-five of my private students at the Sanctuary at Convergence. Everyone did a beautiful job performing a mix of holiday and classical solos. I love recitals so much because they provide an opportunity for students to set performance goals and feel a real sense of accomplishment at the end of it all. And Convergence provides a beautiful space not only for the students to perform, but also for everyone to convene in the Gallery for refreshments after it's all over!
I absolutely love this time of year. My continuing students are rejuvenated and excited about starting a new grade in school. Many of them are outgrowing their original violins and violas and trading them in for larger and better-sounding instruments. Some students who have been studying with me for several years enjoy looking back on all of the progress they have made. And of course, brand-new students sign on for lessons. I always love getting to know new students: learning their stories and background, understanding their learning styles, and helping them discover why playing music is so much fun.
This is also the time of year when I get to start planning for recitals and group lessons. Stay tuned for dates on both of those events. Happy September!
It's been a very packed spring here at the violin studio! Some of the highlights included my very first Adult Student Music Hour for my more mature students. Three of my adult students and their spouses came over to the house for a small get-together. Each student performed a solo while I accompanied on piano. It was a lovely afternoon and a more relaxed way for my adult students to get a taste of performing (and all the excitement and jitters that come with it)! My band, The Beanstalk Library has wrapped up the recording of our newest album, The View From Here. It will be available for purchase in a couple of weeks. We played a show at the very cozy and intimate Galaxy Hut on Memorial Day to celebrate the completion of the record. Here's a pic from that show:
I was recently invited to perform music for a poetry reading by Iran's national poet, Simin Behbahani.
What a fun December! It was filled with tons of fun performances. My students all did a wonderful job at my studio Holiday Violin & Viola Recital. It was a festive occasion with lots of carols and other fun tunes, and was a great learning experience for the kids. Everyone played their pieces by heart while I accompanied them on piano. Below is a post-recital photo of me with one of my very littlest students!
The Cherry Blossom String Quartet was honored to be a part of some very beautiful holiday weddings, including a gorgeous wedding on New Year's Eve at Memorial Baptist Church in Arlington, VA. And later that evening, I capped off 2012 with a super-fun New Year's Eve show with The Beanstalk Library at a very packed, very sold-out IOTA Club & Cafe in Arlington, VA.
What's in store for 2013? Stay tuned for new events in my teaching studio, as well as new musical collaborations and performances. Onward!
Ah, summer. One of my favorite things about working with kids is being a part of all of the adventure of each school year. For most kids, the first day of summer is the highlight of that year! Over here at my violin studio, we kicked it off with a end-of the year recital last weekend. All of my students were excited and nervous to perform... and I think a little relieved when it was all over. I'm excited to continue working with them over the summer in between all the camps and fun vacations! On the performance front, I'll have a couple shows coming up this week. On Wednesday, June 20, I'll perform with The Beanstalk Library at The Evening Star Cafe as part of the Del Ray Music Festival. Can't wait!
The hills of Alexandria, that is. With the sounds of sweet violin music. Lots and lots of performances lately! My piano trio recital on March 25 with friends C.J. Capen (pianist) and Emily Greget (cello) was well-received and well-attended. It was a very satisfying performance to cap off many months of rehearsal! The Last Monarchs had the pleasure of performing 4 shows during the month of March, including the one below at the Rock n Roll Hotel, opening for Aunt Martha.
I also had a great time sitting in on violin with my friends The Beanstalk Library at the Black Cat on April 4. D.C. Music Download featured TBL in a nice little review of that show.
So what's next? I'll be performing with The Maret School's pit orchestra next week for their production of "Legally Blonde" on April 19-21. I've been working with the amazing musicians in the country/folk/jazz/bluegrass group East of Monroe, and we will be scheduling a show very soon. And The Last Monarchs will return to the Velvet Lounge on Friday May 4!
On the classical front, my quartet, the Cherry Blossom String Quartet is keeping busy with many weddings on the horizon for spring, as well as an exciting re-design of our quartet website!
I'll be playing with The Last Monarchs on Friday, December 30 at the Velvet Lounge. Doors open at 9 pm, and the show is 21 and over. Hope to see you there!!
Last fall, I offered some advice for parents and students on where to get a quality student-level violin. But in addition to the violin, one must consider the other "half" of the instrument: the bow. Most folks would argue that a good sounding violin is more important than a quality bow, and I would agree, but only to a certain point. That is, once a student reaches a certain playing level, say after a year or two of solid work on the violin, he or she will really notice that their bow might be holding him back. As a student learns new types of bow strokes and attempts to do various nuanced things with their sound, a junky bow can really get in the way. The fiberglass (read: junky) bows that come with today's rental instruments can feel like you are trying to play the violin with a wooden club: they feel heavy, unwielding, and dead in your bow hand. Richard Ward offers a nice summary of the various types of violin bows and what to look for when upgrading your bow.
Students with a bit of experience will really notice the improved sound of an upgraded bow. A new bow, if one is not ready for a new fiddle, would be a great way to start off the new school year. Again, you can try any of the local violin shops mentioned in previous posts (Brobst or Potters), or Shar offers trial periods on bows as well.
That's right...school days are right around the corner. It's time for violin students across the area to return from their practicing sabbaticals and crack open their cases again. This is a busy time of year for music teachers and music stores such as Alexandria Music Company, Foxes Music and Brobst Violin Shop, as families flock to rent instruments and sign up for lessons. If you or your child are planning on learning an instrument this fall, I highly recommend signing up for some private lessons. (And not just because I'm a music teacher!) Individual lessons offer a source of motivation, inspiration, and challenge, particularly for students who are just starting out on their musical journey. Contact me for more information!
I recently graduated with my Masters of Education in School Counseling! (Counseling is my other love, aside from teaching and playing violin. )
It's that time of year again! Many of my students are preparing pieces for the annual Solo & Ensemble Festival. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Solo & Ensemble is a chance for students participating in their school music programs to perform (you guessed it!) solo or ensemble pieces for a judge. The students receive a rating as well as specific comments on strengths and areas for growth. It's a wonderful opportunity for students to perform -- it encourages extra practice and is always a learning experience! As a student growing up in the Northern Virginia area, I always enjoyed getting a group of my friends together to perform a duet or larger ensemble piece. It was a fun way to connect with my friends and classmates!
Throughout my teaching career, I've taught many adult students who are just picking up the violin for the first time. It can certainly be a challenge to learn an instrument as an adult -- but with regular practice and lots of patience, I believe anyone can do it. Easier said than done, right? I've had the unique opportunity to put myself in my students' shoes for the past month. I received a banjo for Christmas, and what an adventure it's been to practice and begin learning to play! I've always loved the sound, and thought it seemed like a fun addition to the bowed strings. Plus, my attempt at the guitar at age 10 never really took flight, so I wanted another crack at it.
I've been facing many of those challenges that everyone must face as a beginner: learning to properly hold the instrument, producing a good sound on just the open strings, and finally, learning to chord.
I have to say - maybe I'm biased, but starting out on the banjo has to be a bit easier than the violin (hello, frets!!!). But, I'm still experiencing the frustration of practicing the simplest things over and over again until muscle memory takes over. Despite the little difficulties, it's been an absolutely rewarding experience. I'm noticing improvements (albeit small ones) day by day, and there's such a sense of excitement when I notice my own progress!
As a teacher, it's been wonderful to observe my own learning process -- it gives me a nice sense of perspective and reminds me that we never, ever stop learning. Up next, Foggy Mountain Breakdown. ;)
Recently, I was deeply saddened to learn that music world lost a great man. My longtime violin teacher and mentor, Mr. Edwin Johonnott, passed away in October. He was a former first violinist with the National Symphony Orchestra, a violin professor at George Mason University and a former violin professor at the University of Mary Washington. He was an equally accomplished teacher and performer, as well as an amazing mentor and a wonderful person. I was fortunate to have studied with Mr. J. throughout high school and during my undergraduate years at Mary Washington. One of the things I really enjoyed about him as a teacher was that he truly knew when to push his students and when to hold back. He was kind and patient, but expected a great deal from his students, which can be a tough line to walk from a teachers' perspective. He knew when to make a joke with a student, and when to be serious. He advocated for his students to make sure they were receiving the best possible learning experiences. In short, I try to model many of my own teaching practices after the experiences I gained in my lessons with him. Mr. J touched many lives, and I know this loss was felt across the music world.
I apologize for my lack of posts lately. Grad school and wedding planning have taken up the better part of my time this fall, but I am ready to share more of my thoughts with the world! Giddyup!
As the kids begin to head back to school this week and next week, they also may be expressing an interest in taking part in their school strings program. In turn, parents will be visiting their local music stores or attempting to find instruments online to purchase. So, perhaps you're thinking of heading to Ebay or the like to get a nice deal on an instrument for you or your child. ($25.00 or $50.00 violin, anyone?) A word of caution! There are plenty of "violins" available online which should hardly be referred to as such. These instruments may be poorly constructed or could be damaged (cracked, etc.).
One issue with many of this online-purchased instruments is that the pegs are usually poorly fitted in the peg holes and can easily take 15 minutes to tune. And then they go out of tune again 5 minutes later. You can imagine how much I get done in a 30 minute violin lesson when half the time is spent just tuning the instrument! And, you or your child will be unlikely to learn to play in tune properly if the instrument itself won't stay in tune!
Second, the overall sound of these instruments can be quite poor. It can be difficult for beginners to produce a good tone on even a good instrument, so you can imagine the challenges of a cheap violin! You'll be more likely to want to stick out those tough few months of string playing if you're playing on a quality instrument.
I'm definitely not suggested that parents rush out and spend a bundle on a violin or viola. However, I recommend sticking to reputable brick-and-mortar music stores or the outstanding online music store, sharmusic.com. Many music stores offer rent-to-own options for student instruments, where you can trade the violins in for new sizes as your child grows. Take care when looking for instruments online and know that in many cases (unfortunately) you're likely to get what you pay for.
Since the school year will be starting up again, I wanted to offer a bit of information regarding how school programs and private lessons can go hand-in-hand. School-offered strings classes are a GREAT opportunity for kids to try out a new instrument and experience the performing arts! The school districts in the Northern Virginia area have particularly good strings programs. The school string teachers around here are excellent and enthusiastic about music and education.
However, it's helpful for students to have private lessons along with their school classes. As a private string teacher, one-on-one instruction gives me the chance to focus on each student as an individual. I can pinpoint specific areas (such as the bow-hold, vibrato, or shifting) where a student may need help and provide them with exercises or advice to improve. In addition, many students may struggle with learning new music in a group setting and benefit from some one-on-one time going over the music in their lesson.
School programs provide a great starting-off point for students interested in learning a string instrument. Adding private lessons to your child's musical instruction can provide the boost they need to excel, and offer an outlet to work on challenging music and improve his or her technique.
Since so many of my students are school-age children, I'd like to spend a little time on the teacher-student-parent relationship in music lessons. Particularly for elementary and middle school students, the parent plays a crucial role in helping their child to learn an instrument. As a teacher, I need the parent to be interested and somewhat involved in what the child is learning. After all, I only see the student for 30 minutes or an hour per week. It actually helps if the parent can squeeze in a bit of time to sit in the room with the child at home during a practice session and listen to the student, even if you have little or no musical training yourself! Students tend to work a little harder if they know someone is listening.
In addition to spending some time listening in on the practice sessions, it's also very helpful for parents to remind and encourage their children to practice. Unfortunately, not many kids will voluntarily skip over to their instrument cases after completing their homework in the evenings. They might need a gentle push to practice (more on this in a later post). This is where an encouraging parent can be a real gold-mine in terms of a student's progress.
So, parents, you are a key player in helping your child succeed on their instrument. Support, encourage, ask questions. Do whatever you can to let your child know that you're interested in their progress, and you're listening!
Alexandria, VA