The Fantastic Fiddlers

Our Next Group Lesson...

2011-03-06T17:44:00.000-08:00

will be on Tuesday, March 29th from 4-5 p.m. We will be working on our new fiddle music as well as those signs and terms that make music full of expression. We will have Soldier's Joy ready to play together, and review the Devil's Dream in the key of D.

Last Group Lesson we played a game called password. We had to give a one-word clue for our team so they could guess the word we had. The words were: andante, adagio, lento, allegro, presto, allegretto, forte, piano, pizzacatto, etc. Guess what? No one knew what those words meant, at least very few. We will be reviewing these terms this month so bone up. We want a winner!

Remember, one more performance this Sunday, March 13th at Ashlie's church. We are the Fantastic Fiddlers!

FANTASTIC performances!

2011-02-18T06:35:00.000-08:00

Our group of ten performed at two church meetings last Sunday and did a Fantastic job. We have a new arrangement of two primary songs that turned out very well. We will do it again this Sunday for another church meeting. Good work, everyone!

Melissa was a soloist at the Bingham High School Concerto Night and did a Fantastic job. She played the 1st Movement of the Concerto for Violin in G Major by Haydn and was accompanied by the Bingham Symphony Orchestra. Congratulations to everyone for inspiring performances.

The Woodshed

2010-11-12T20:10:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard the expression, "Go Woodshed this piece of music"?

wood·shed (wo̵od′s̸hed′)
noun, a shed for storing firewood. To lock oneself away with a musical instrument and practice, either a particular piece or in general, until the player has improved greatly or can perfectly play the piece he has been practicing.

To practice a musical instrument. The woodshed is where you go to sharpen your axe.

Woodsheddin; is a popular term with musicians. Some people think that people in the house got tired of hearing the musical practice, so the practicer was sent to the woodshed which was a ways from the house so they didn't have to be heard by everyone else. Other people think the woodshed was a place of punishment, where one was taken for a lickin'.

We need to do a little more woodsheddin'! We have many "almosters". We need to practice with focus until we have greatly improved our ability. Work it out! Polish it up! Go to the woodshed and work until it is perfected!

Halloween Scarols!

2010-10-26T20:24:00.000-07:00

All of our music can turn from happy to scary and today it did in honor of Halloween. Everyone won prizes for beautiful ghost tones, creepy spider crawls up the bow, the spider walk on the violin, watching the pendulum move back and forth (with our elbow and fingers), and we even stirred the witches brew! Playing "hide the spider" was great fun, giving clues if you were close or far by playing forte or piano. The only time it couldn't be found was when it was in teacher's hair!

October Group Lesson

2010-09-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

Get ready for the spiders! October Group Lesson is coming up and we need to be prepared. Practice your spider crawls up the bow, spider walk with the left hand, the pendulam (swinging left elbow), Stir the witches brew, Ghost position, Harmonics (spook tones), Bell Tones (sympathetic ghosts), Spook songs (Book one songs in a minor key), and review Witches Dance. See you there. Ha ha ha ha ha

Fiddle Program

2010-09-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

In spite of the rainy weather, our fiddle program was well attended. We put up a few canopies, huddled together and played. Too bad the August weather was not as beautiful as the September weather. We played some new numbers we had learned over the summer which were enjoyed by our audience. One of our favorites was the Swallow Tail Jig. Tyrus learned a new instrument this year, the mandolin. He played a break on the mandolin in Red River Valley.

We were fortunate to have Clifford Washburn and Stacie Bailey accompany us on the guitars. Awesome!

Every group lesson we will review some of our fiddle songs so we don't forget them! We never know when we will be called upon to perform them.

Welcome Summer!

2010-07-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

In spite of all the vacations, missed lessons, illnesses, girls camps, family reunions and school projects, WE WILL HAVE OUR ANNUAL SUMMER FIDDLE PROGRAM the end of August. We are working on four new fiddle numbers this summer for our program. These are Ragtime Annie, Lonesome Fiddle Blues, Wake Up Suzie Reel, and Swallow Tail Jig. We are really enjoying learning these songs. We will play some of our old favorites as well. So reserve August 30th for our Fiddle Program.

2010-05-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

Congratulations on a great recital! I think our audience really enjoyed it. We learned a lot from doing our duets and ensemble numbers. Thank you all for your hard work! Alto thanks to the Piano Gallery for use of the wonderful Recital Hall.

We are now working on our summer fiddle program. We love to fiddle! It is so good for our finger dexterity and rhythm.

Spring Recital

2010-05-15T19:40:00.001-07:00

Our Spring Recital is well underway! We have a very good variety of music prepared and are anxious to share it with our families and friends. The date is Wednesday, May 19th at 6:30 p.m. sharp. The place is The Piano Gallery that is just off 10600 South and 300 West in South Jordan. Here is Ashlie, Jordan, Tyrus and Katelyn preparing Canon in D by Pachelbel.

Congratulations Again!

2010-05-15T19:38:00.000-07:00

Melissa once again received a I rating, this time at the State Music Festival. She received a scholarship to a music camp in Park City this summer featuring Jenny Oaks Baker. Nice going, Melissa!

A Fun Home Evening!

2010-04-06T10:42:00.000-07:00

Residents of Legacy House were treated to a funfilled home evening Monday night with a program presented by.... The Fantastic Fiddlers! Many people sang along as we played some favorites of the olden days.

Double Congratulations!!!

2010-03-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

Contratulations go to Melissa. This week she participated in her high school music festival and played a solo and duet before a judge. She got 5 out of 5 in all areas and actually got the only 1+ in her orchestra. Nice going, Melissa! We are proud of you!

Songs to Review for our Legacy House Program

2010-03-18T12:39:00.000-07:00

I know we know these songs, but let's polish them up again.

Boil Them Cabbage Down
Cripple Creek
Old Joe Clark
Faded Love
Devil's Dream
Red Wing
Minuet 3 going into Little Brown Jug
Ragtime Annie
She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain
Witches Dance
I Am a Child of God

This will be a very fun program. One thing we like to remember is:
If we have a good time, our audience will have a good time.
Happy Practicing:)

We need more practicing!!

2010-03-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

As I listen to students, I am disappointed that our songs are being learned so slowly! This is directly related to the amount and kind of practice we are doing at home. Here are some suggestions:

*Have a REGULAR practice time EVERY DAY, preferably in the morning before school while minds are fresh.
*Practice is like any other responsibility around the house and should be included on your job list (chart - whatever you do at your house).
*Always take time to review. This is where we get our best skills and sense of accomplishment. Also, when we are called upon to do a program, we are ready!
*Be your own teacher at home! Don't settle for less than the teacher would. Parents - help!
*When learning new songs, work in small steps, 2 measures at a time, over and over. Or one note, two notes, a measure. Connect the small steps and rejoice in your progress.
*Do NOT practice mistakes. PRACTICE PERFECT! It takes a long time and many repetitions to re-learn something the right way after it has been learned wrong. Remember: Perfect Practice Makes Perfect.
*LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN! People who listen do not have rhythm and intonation problems.
*Do not be a clock watcher. Enjoy playing your instrument. Get a feeling of accomplishment!
*Tape your practice sessions so you can hear yourself.
***Learn to love to play your violin!!! It is a part of you and your spirit. Let it speak for you! Let it express what you are feeling and want to say. "Music is Love in Search of a Word".

Legacy House Program

2010-03-15T19:16:00.000-07:00

We have the opportunity to put on a program for the residents of Legacy House on April 5th at 6:30 p.m. We are excited to share some of our fiddle music as well as some classical music we have learned. Music bridges the generation gap and some of the songs we play were learned by people many many years ago and passed down from generation to generation. We are looking forward to sharing this music with our friends at Legacy House.

Fiddle Fair

2010-03-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

Summerhays Music has an annual Fiddle Fair where they have good prices on instruments, strings, bows, rosin,etc. This will be held at the Murray store this coming week end, March 18-20. The address is 5420 Green Street, phone 801-268-4446. 10 am - 7 pm (6 pm on Sat.)

The Fiddle Fair at the Orem store will be March 25-27 at 1006 South State, phone 801-226-1760. If you are in need of anything, this is a good time to look:)

Practice, Practice, Practice!!!

2010-03-12T06:59:00.000-08:00

The way you play is directly linked to how and how much you practice! If you practice mistakes, you will play mistakes. If you practice perfect just two measures at a time, you will play perfectly. We have some performances coming up so we need to improve our practice sessions to perfect our numbers. Regular practice is essential. Suzuki said, "You only have to practice on the days you eat."

Always play a review song that you already know how how to play. This boosts confidence and improves playing skills. Play scales. This teaches finger patterns. Fiddle! This gets our fingers moving. Remember, we are the Fantastic Fiddlers!

A Fun Website

2010-02-25T18:10:00.000-08:00

I came across a very fun and educational website that teaches musical concepts through games and quizzes. I encourage all music students to do these quizzes. Print off your scoresheet and bring to teacher for extra credit. These are a GREAT learning tool! Just go to www.musictechteacher.com/musicquizzes.htm

And We Have A Winner!

2010-02-25T08:48:00.000-08:00

Actually, we had three winners of our Count the Beats! Contest. Ashlie, Tyrus, and Braxten all counted 49 1/2 beats, which was correct. Very tricky. At Group Lesson we again worked on our counting and understanding of rhythm. We also went around the world with note flash cards and KATELYN remains the champion!

We also played holding our bows upside down to help improve our bow hold and tone. Yes, you CAN DO THIS AT HOME! Please do!

Count the Beats!

2010-02-15T13:31:00.000-08:00

We have one more week to count the beats on the poster to win a prize. Winners will be announced at Group Lesson on February 24th. If you have a guess, write it on a paper and give it to teacher. You will find out at Group Lesson if you are right or not.

Keep working on the 21-day Vibrato Challenge. So far, onlyAshlie has completed the 21 days without a miss!

Spring Recital Set

2010-02-15T13:25:00.000-08:00

The date for our Spring Recital has been set. It will be Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at the Piano Gallery just off 10600 South and 300 West. Many of our students are learning new songs for this recital so it should be very entertaining with some new and different songs. Put this date on your calendar and be sure to invite whomever you would like to hear you play! Time will be 6:30 P.M. sharp. (The store closes at 7:30.)

Listen, Listen, Listen

2010-02-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

I would like to encourage everyone to listen a LOT to their Suzuki CD's and other good classical and fiddle music. Listening to our songs makes our progress go much faster. Students do not have problems with the rhythm, intonation, tone, and memorization when they listen on a regular basis.

Two kinds of listening are Passive Listening and Active Listening.
Passive Listening is hearing what is in our environment. We do not consciously respond to it, but it streams into our subconscious. Your child masters the skills of passive learning very early in life. Even when you think he is sleeping or doing another activity his ears are taking in information in the passive mode. Putting on music when your child is doing homework or sleeping will store it in the subconscious brain for later retrieval.

Active Listening involves a more concentrated effort. Listening actively helps us correct mistakes, figure out how to play a difficult section, and pay particular attention to how we want the finished piece to sound. Active Listening causes a conscious awareness of the music that creates a response in the body. We may want to tap our toes, fingers, clap, or dance. Watching the music while listening connects our visual and auditory senses. A child who listens learns to read music easier than those who do not listen. Let's get listening!!

Rhythm

2010-02-01T20:59:00.000-08:00

We had a fun group lesson focusing on rhythm. We did some math problems, substituting notes values for numbers. We played the game "Rhythm", keeping the beat while calling out names. Play this one at home!
Contratulations to Ashlie for passing off Suzuki Book 2. She played the Minuet by Boccerini for our group. Several of our students are very close to finishing Book 2.
We are working towards a Sprng Recital. We play together as a group quite often, so it will be exciting to hear each student play a solo. Some have requested playing duets so we will work hard to get ready for our recital. The date will be announced soon.
Welcome to our new student and friend, Jordan.

Music Has Power to Train the Brain

2010-01-15T06:18:00.000-08:00

"That's the view of brain and music specialist Frank R. Wilson, M.D., a California neurologist. Amazed by his daughter's progress on the piano, he wondered how she learned so swiftly to coordinate hands, ears, eyes, brain.
His research showed that skill in playing an instrument results from effective use of the cerebellum, the part of the brain that directs muscle control and coordination. When music meets the brain, there's a two-way transaction that somehow benefits both motor skills and mental faculties. What's more, emotions are stimulated too.
Back when your mother told you to practice, practice, practice, she was thinking mostly of social graces. Now you have a more persuasive argument-- you can talk about brain power when you encourage your son or daughter to master the piano, violin, guitar, flute, or drums."

21-Day Vibrato Challenge

2010-01-13T13:48:00.000-08:00

Many of you are starting the basics of vibrato study. In order to vibrato, we need to develop the muscles of the left hand that allow us to have a beautiful controlled vibrato. I have given exercises at lessons to do this, but here is the key: You must do vibrato exercises every day without missing a day to benefit from the exercises. So we are having a 21-day vibrato challenge starting this week. You must do a vibrato exercise (some can be done without the violin) EVERY DAY for 21 days. If you miss a day, you must start over the 21-day challenge. Have fun with your vibrato and don't forget the tic tacs!

BOW EXERCISES

2010-01-08T19:13:00.000-08:00

Here are a few bow exercises to work on this month. Choose one each day. They only take a few seconds to do.
20 Tic Tocs
20 Tip Circles
Stir a cake
Rocking chair on the bridge
Silent arpeggio on the Kreisler Highway
20 Thumb Bites
Finger sets: Lift pointer and pinkie off the bow alternately
4 Bow Circles on each string
Submarine Bow (under the violin)
Windsheild Wipers (use the fingers, not the hand)
Put a coin on your bow hand and flip it into your case behind you when you go up bow
Do "Up Like a Rocket" with a lifesaver on the tip of your bow
Elevator Bow (raise the bow up from the floor, keeping the tip and frog straight)

Happy Bowing! Keep Balanced!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-06T11:32:00.000-08:00

As we start a new year I am excited to get moving again in our Suzuki Books. Many of you are about ready to finish Book 2. Let's set that for our New Year's Goal for January.
Thanks you all for your excellent performing in December. I hope many of you were able to perform for family and church events. It makes people happy when they hear you share your talents.
We are again (still) working on our one-minute flash cards. So many of you are so very close! Keep working until they are automatic. If you have to stop and count lines and spaces, you don't know them well enough.
Group Lesson for Januray will be on Wednesday, January 27th at 4 p.m. We will be welcoming a new student, Jordan and look forward to him playing music with us!

Christmas Songs

2009-11-05T12:36:00.000-08:00

Please practice the Christmas songs we are doing for the River Ridge Stake Christmas Fireside on November 29th. The songs are: Angels We Have Heard On High, The Infant King, Away in a Manger. Practice with big, round, beautiful flowing tone so we fill the whole church with our music. Remember: The way we practice is the way we play.

Rehearsal: Wednesday, November 26, Group Lesson
Saturday, November 28, 9:30 a.m. at the church
Performance: Sunday, November 29th 5:00; Please be there by 4:40 to tune

Practice Perfect!

2009-11-05T12:29:00.000-08:00

As long as we spending the time to practice, let's not spend our time practicing mistakes. Always practice the way you want your finished song to sound, using the correct position to make the best tone. We call this Perfect Practice.
A reminder: Some of you have not yet completed a 10-Minute Practice Card. Others have completed several. You need to practice at least 10 minutes at a time and should practice at least three 10-minute sessions in a day.

CONGRATULATIONS TO HAYDEN!!!

2009-10-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

Hayden has completed his Suzuki Book One and performed all the songs in Book One at a recital for his family. He did an excellent job and will be starting Book Two next week.

Congratulations Hayden for a job well done!

New Stuff!

2009-10-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

Group Lesson this month will be on Wednesday, October 28th at 4 p.m. As is our tradition, we will be working on "Spooky Stuff" such as spider crawls, ghost tones, the pendulam swing, left hand spider walk, tic tocs, and more! These things all relate to GOOD POSITION! Good position helps us sound better and play better. It has been said that it takes 21 days to change a habit. Therefore, constant effort is required to change some of our poor position habits.
Be sure to keep the thumb bent at all times doing the spider crawl on the bow and take small steps!

A reminder: We will play a Christmas Medley at the River Ridge Stake Christmas Fireside on Sunday, November 29th at 5 p.m. There will be a rehearsal on Saturday, the day before at 9 a.m. So far our medley will consist of Angels We Have Heard On High, The Infant King, and Away in a Manger.

Please remember to mark your 10 minute practice cards. We can accomplish anything if we do it in small increments!

We had a fun evening of fiddling...

2009-09-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of you who worked so hard to get the fiddle numbers learned! It was a fun evening. We had nearly 50 people in attendance. We are going to keep going on our fiddling numbers all year long and will be learning more tunes each month. Fiddle music is fun, rhythmical, and very entertaining. We also learn a lot of good violin playing skills from fiddling, such as string crossing, finger dexterity, and bow control. Keep on fiddling....

PERCEPTION

2009-08-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later: the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk..

6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes: A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.1 hour:He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.... How many other things are we missing?

Congratulations!

2009-08-22T13:20:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Angelica and Ashlie who each completed her first practice card. They each got to choose a prize from the prize box. Good Work Girls!!!

It should only take 3 weeks to complete the card. Otherwise, something is very wrong.....(:
Either you are not practicing enough or you are not marking your card.

Fun Concerts to Attend

2009-08-18T07:34:00.000-07:00

There are two upcoming Concerts in the Park I think you might enjoy going to. They are free of charge and very fun to attend. They are at the Brigham Young Historical Park, located on the southeast corner of State Street and Second Avenue. The first one is on Friday, August 21st and is a group called Shilaylee. This is a blend of Celtic, Bluegrass, Early American and EnglishTunes. The next one is on Friday, August 28th and is a wonderful group called Fire on the Mountain. They play folk, bluegrass and do comedy. Start time is 7:30 p.m for both. There are some chairs, but you might want to bring a blanket to sit on the lawn.

Fantastic Fiddlers Annual Fiddle Program

2009-08-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

Our annual fiddle program is still scheduled for Monday, August 31st at 6:30 PM. Many of our students have been gone over the summer, so we will need to work very hard to brush up on our fiddle numbers. We will have 13 numbers on our program. Now is the time in invite anyone you would like, especially Grandparents so that they keep this evening open. We will be celebrating the songs that make up America!

A beautiful poem

2009-08-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

This poem was in my sister's funeral program:

"An old friend, my violin, Still lies within it's case,
And at times I take it out To play and reminisce.
The joy of life it brought to me As I picked up that precious bow,
And o'er the strings did play the songs, That were the best to know.
My problems seemed to dwindle, My thoughts went high above,
When the music flowed so gently, In tender tonelike love.
There's nothing else can take it's place, The music of this world,
To bring that special joy of life, To unloose and to unfurl.

Thank you!

2009-07-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

Our performance last Sunday of America the Beautiful was suberb! Teacher had many compliments on this unique rendition. Several people have asked about our Fiddle Program we do at the end of summer. We are scheduled for August 31st, a Monday evening at 6:30. Many students have been out of town this summer and missed lessons, so we need to keep working hard on our fiddle numbers, especially the new ones. We will put our program together at our July Group Lesson the last Wednesday of the month. Happy practicing. Don't forget to mark your 10-Minute Practice Cards.

10 Minute Practice Cards

2009-07-03T16:12:00.000-07:00

Teacher has some cards made up for 10 minute practice sessions. For every 10 minutes you practice you mark off a 10 minute square. When your card is all filled up, you get a prize! The card must be signed by a parent when it is filled up. (There are 48 squares on the card so that totals 480 minutes of practice.) For example, if you practice 30 minutes a day, six days in a week, that is a total of 180 minutes for the week. By the end of the month you should have WELL over the 480 minutes. You may only mark the card if you practiced a minimum of 10 minutes at a time, not 5 here and 5 there. If you practice for 20 minutes at a time, mark off two squares. Good luck, and happy practicing! The more you practice, the faster you learn your songs.

10 Minute Practice Sessions

2009-07-02T09:29:00.001-07:00

We are trying a new way to practice this summer. So many of you are busy, going on vacations, etc. so this is what we will do. I would like you to practice one song, such as a fiddle song (Devil's Dream is a good one!) for 10 minutes in a row. Then take a break and do whatever you need to do. Then do another 10 minute practice session working on a different song. Do this three or four times during the day until you have all your songs worked on. I think we will see some great results!! Repitition is the key to success!

We have our previously learned fiddle music to review and some new ones to learn. The more you practice, the faster you learn your pieces. Our fiddle music is very very fun to play and teaches us some good violin playing skills at the same time. August 31st is the day for our Fiddle Fest. Invite your friends, neighbors, and relatives.

June Group Lesson

2009-06-16T07:17:00.001-07:00

This month's Group Lesson is on Wednesday, June 24th at 4 p.m. We will be going over our violin arrangement of "America the Beautiful" to perform on June 28th and July 12th. Also we will also work on our new fiddle song, the Irish Washerwoman Medley. Summer is the time to review all the fiddle tunes we know.

Summer Fun

2009-06-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

We will be preparing this summer for our Fiddle Program scheduled for August 31st. Any student who would like to practice hard can learn extra songs and play a solo or duet. We are sure our audience will be happily entertained.

We have two performances scheduled for America the Beautiful. The first is June 28 at 10 a.m. for the Legacy Sacrament Meeting. The second is July 12 at 10:50 for the Parkway 8th Ward (2700 W 9850 So). What better way to celebrate America than in music!

Congratulations on a great Spring Recital!

2009-06-02T18:07:00.000-07:00

Our Spring Recital was superb! Enjoyed by all who attended. (That would be your parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, and an aunt and uncle and maybe some cousins.) We play quite a bit as a group so it was a very good opportunity to hear each student play a solo. We will now be working on our fiddling for our end of summer program and America the Beautiful which we will play in July.

Yea! Memorial Day is over!

2009-05-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

It is time for our Spring Recital on Monday, June 1st. Please invite friends, family grandma/pa, parents, siblings, cousins. Well, anyone you can think of who would like to be entertained by our fantastic students. Please remember to use your Book 2+ skills on your Book 1 review songs.

I encourage all of our students to participate in their school talent shows. Be prepared to play for your family reunions and church functions this summer. Ty, Brak and Tia invited their cousins Ashlie and Katelyn to participate in their school talent show. (hint: you might get a sneak preview at the recital.)

Group lesson is this Wednesday, May 27th at 4:00 p.m. Be prepared to perform your recital songs with/for the group. We will also review America the Beautiful, which we will play in Angelica's ward on July 12th.

In the summer we prepare for our fidding program we do in the fall. We would be happy to perform for any other functions during the summer that may come up. Just call teacher. Our fall fiddling program for the fantastic fiddlers is scheduled for Monday, August 31st.

Spring Recital

2009-05-17T06:31:00.000-07:00

Our Spring recital will be held on Monday, July 1st at the Sandy Library at 6:30 p.m in the Large Meeting Room. The Sandy Library is located at 10100 South Petunia Way. Directions: Go East on 10600 South to 1300 East. Turn North (left) and go to Buttercup Drive (10075 S.) Turn right on Buttercup and you will see the library on the right.

Our recital will consist of a few group numbers and a solo number presented by each student. It will not be a very long recital, so please invite your family, friends, Grandmas and Grandpas, and anyone else who would love to hear you perform. Thank you to all of you who kept practicing while teacher was sick! Because of that we will have a great recital!

Congratulations!

2009-05-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Ty. He earned his First Degree Black Belt in Karate this past Saturday. His mom, Laura, earned her Second Degree Black Belt. It was a lot of work. Congratulations to them.

Thank you for everyone's understanding when teacher was sick. We have missed some lessons so need to practice even harder to be ready for our Spring Recital. Remember to work on May Song, Perpetual Motion, Minuet 2 (all from Book 1) and Witches Dance for Group Numbers. Each person will also have a solo to play.

Fiddle Contest

2009-04-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

This would be fun to watch!

The Utah Old Time Fiddlers and Country Music Association holds its annual May Day Festival Fiddle Contest & Variety Show. Families can attend the Fiddle Jam Friday evening, the fiddle contest during the day on Saturday, and the Fiddler Variety Show Saturday evening. Players of all ages are welcome to enter the fiddle contest; a small entry fee is charged and cash prizes are awarded to the top three winners in each age division. Contest registration begins at 8am Saturday morning.801.968.3974http://www.wheelerfarm.comOngoing Daily 5/8/09 - 5/9/09; check with location for exceptions.Ages: All AgesTime: Fri 5pm-12pm; Sat Contest 9am-3pm, Variety Show 7 pmCost: Jam & Contest free; Variety Show Adults $4, Seniors $3, Children $2
Wheeler Historic Farm6351 S 900 E Salt Lake City, UT 84121

Here's what we have scheduled....

2009-04-13T05:35:00.000-07:00

Here are a few dates to look forward to if you want to hear our "fiddlers" perform. Monday, June 1st will be our Solo and Ensemble Recital at the Sandy Library. (We have an alternate date of Friday, May 29th at the River Ridge Stake Center if the June 1st date doesn't work out.) After our recital, we will begin working on our fiddle music with our "Fiddle Fest" scheduled for Monday, August 31st. Sunday, July 12 we will play our arrangement of "America the Beautiful" in Angelica's Sacrament Meeting. We will have to do a little "tweaking" to perform it without the children's choir. In the fall, we will begin working on our Christmas Program and will do performances at Care Centers. We love to play for people and enjoy seeing their happy responses to our music. Everyone is invited to all our performances!

Do you have insurance on your violin?

2009-04-09T13:05:00.000-07:00

there is a company called Music Agency, Inc. our of Arlington, TX that will insure your violin for as little as $25 a year, depending on the value of your instrument. "Policyholder claims are processed daily for instruments that have been knocked off their stands, stepped on, sat on, stolen from bus stops, cars, and band rooms, even chewed up by the family dog!" If you are interested in this insurance, go to Info@musicagencyinc.com Phone 800-557-0135

Upcoming Events

2009-04-03T03:55:00.000-07:00

This is what we have planned in the near future:
*We are having a solo/ensemble recital either Monday, June 1st or Friday, May 29th, depending on when I can arrange a room. Each student will play a solo and we will do a few group pieces.
*Ty, Brack and Tia are trying out for their school talent show the first part of May and invite the Fantastic Fiddlers to join them in performing a fiddle number. If accepted, they will play in the talent show the end of May.... exact dates to be announced later.
*The 2nd Sunday in July, we have been invited to play our arrangement of "America the Beautiful" at Angelica's sacrament meeting. We will need to make a few changes to perform it w/o the singers.
*We will have our annual "Fiddle Fest" either the last week of August of first week of September (before it gets too cold) in the back yard. Invite all your friends, relatives, etc. We are learning new fiddle numbers as well as new arrangements of the songs we already know. It is always good to be prepared. You never know when a performing opportunity will come up!

March Group Lesson

2009-03-26T08:47:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-03-17T07:43:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-10T09:24:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-03-09T08:50:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-03-04T14:57:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-03-03T17:48:00.000-08:00

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!

Monthly Group Lesson

2009-02-25T20:00:00.000-08:00

Today we had our monthly group lesson. We enjoyed playing together some of the songs from our Suzuki Violin Books 1 and 2, working to make the songs more musical and expressive. We also learned some new "trick fiddling" that we will use in our next fiddling performance. We figured out how to tell what key we are playing in. Remember: FAT CATS GO DOWN ALLEYS EATING BUGS (Take the last sharp, go up 1/2 step)

Heros Among Us

2009-02-11T07:49:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, February 10, 2009 we participated in the South Jordan pageant, "Heros Among Us", marking the 150 year anniversary for South Jordan, Utah. All 7 South Jordan elementary schools participated in the program, which told of the history of South Jordan and its early settlers. We were asked to play our violins with the Elk Meadows School's 6th grade choir under the direction of Mrs. Laura Packard. Our assigned song was "America the Beautiful". We didn't have a good arrangement to play, so our teacher made one up. It turned out very well and if the audience's applause was any indication, we think they liked our performance with the choir. One lady stopped teacher on the way out of the auditorium and said, "Those kids are fabulous".

Why We Play

2009-02-09T20:43:00.001-08:00

Music isn't just learning notes and playing them. It is learning notes to play the music of your soul. ....Katie Greenwood