March Group Lesson

This month we focused on some of the new rhythms we are finding in our songs. We used these new rhythms to make up some new variations to "Twinkle". We found that "counting is as easy as pie". Each rhythm was a different kind of pie that will help us play the rhythm correctly. We also learned a new time signature that The Irish Washerwoman is in - 6/8. We played a Bingo game (that we call MUSIC) to help us learn the new values of the notes when the eighth note gets one beat.

Bringing Music to Life #5

Making music is good for the social life.
Does this one really need an explanation? No matter what your age there are a variety of musical activities to help you get started. Join a group in your age category. If you are not a musician already, you may feel a little embarrassed to get started. But the next time you're at a party and people start picking up instruments, you'll feel embarrassed not to. And remember, there are many things around the house that can become musical instruments (the people in the olden days did just that), not to mention clapping your own hands or using your singing voice. Just find someone to make music with, even i f it is your own family!

Bringing Music to Life #4

Making music is good for the soul.
Everyone knows that music is beautiful. And beauty helps your peace of mind. But did you know tht benefits of music on well-being have been scientifically measured? For example, older people who make music show reduced levels of anxiety, depression and loneliness. Among younger people, those who make music together are less likely to use drugs or get in other kinds of trouble.

Bringing music to life #3

Making music is good for your body.
Did you know that making music is a proven stress reducer? And stress on the body has been linked to the performance of the immune system. Studies show that people who make music have had higher levels of melatonin, a revitalized natural production of Human Growth Hormone-even an increase in the immune system's natural "cancer-killer" cells.

Bringing Music to Life #2

Making music is good for the brain.
Over the last decade, a series of new scientific studies has demonstrated a link between active music making - not just passive listening, but actually taking part -and increased brainpower. Young kids who make music show improved spatial-temporal reasining, which is the foundation of later success in math and science. And they actually get better grades than kids who don't take music.

Bringing music to life...discovering what it has to offer

Why is making music important? Each day you can read a reason. Today is: Making music is fun!
"There's nothing new about this assertion; people have known it since before recorded history. Making music brings people together, breaks down barriers and almost always leads to a good time. Playing really well can make you feel like you're on top of the world. And even if you're not brimming with talent, doing your best and even messing up occasionally is a lot more engaging than staring at the TV."

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I hope you all got "The Irish Washerwoman" learned for St. Patrick's day. How quickly you learn a song depends on how much you practice it. This is a really fun one to play and we will play it together at our next group lesson.

Braxten finally got his cast on his broken left leg. He is getting pretty good at getting around on his crutches. He has even been able to get back to school. It is pretty slow going though. We wish him continued improvement.

Happiness

Many people hurry to get to the top of a mountain and miss all of the lovely sights and smells along the way. So it is with our music. Sometimes we frantically learn new pieces and forget to sit back and enjoy all of the beautiful pieces we already know. Reviewing old pieces is important to our "making music" process. We better add the feeling that goes with the music to a piece we already know. Remember, happiness is a journey, not a destination! Let's enjoy the journey!

Listen! Listen! Listen!

If you would like to progress faster in your Suzuki books, listen, listen, listen to your CD's of the music in the book you are working on. You should listen twice as much as you practice. You should be practicing from 30 to 60 minutes a day. The more you practice, the faster you progress.
Listening is the magic ingredient that helps us improve our tone, our bowing, our rhythm, our notes, our intonation. It gives us confidence about what we are playing. It gives us a solid foundation. "In music, our confidence comes from listening to music, repeatedly, to the point of internalization. Listening until we can remember is not enough. We must listen until we can't forget!"
We must listen to a good example, our CD's. Another important aspect of listening is listening to our parents and teachers. Last but not least, listen to yourself.
Let's try listening this month and see how much we can accomplish!

March is here!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day this month, we are learning "The Irish Washerwoman". Along with the Irish Washerwoman, we will learn "Gary Owen" and "Pop! Goes the Weasel". There are many versions of how "Pop! Goes the Weasel" came about, but I like this one. I recently stopped by Cove Fort on my way to St. George and they actually had a weasel. No, not the animal, but a tool that was used for winding the yarn they made into skeins. After the yarn went around 30 times, that was a skein and the weasel "popped" up, indicating it was done.
We will learn a new fiddle song every month so we will be ready for our Fiddle Program at the end of summer. We are also working toward a solo recital in late spring. Remember: Suzuki said "only practice on the days you eat!"

Uh-Oh!

One of our group members, Braxten, had a mishap last Saturday. He was sledding and broke both bones in his left leg just above the ankle. He had to have surgery this morning to get the bones straighnened so they can heal correctly as they shifted quite badly during the accident. Next week he will get a cast on. We all wish Braxten a very speedy recovery. Unfortunately, it was a pretty bad break. Get well soon, Braxten!