Personal management:   

• Find a way to organize your playing and written homework sheets.
• Punch holes and use a notebook.
• Find a bag to keep all papers in.
• Get a folder to keep papers nearby.
• Tape assignments in the front of your String Builder book.
• Let me know any ideas you may come up with for organizing!
• Find a quiet place where you will be undisturbed while you practice.

Personal Attitude:

Be persistent with your bow hold! Make sure you tell yourself that this is doable, I can hold this bow in a relaxed way. Do it over and over. Study the photos in your Survival Guide. Keep trying. Look at your hand in the mirror. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!

Technical How-Tos:

Posture: Violin and Viola placement

• Instrument on shoulder
• Jawbone on chin rest head turned to the left side
• Instrument parallel to the floor
• Straight back, strong feet, relaxed arms

Bow hold:

Use your Survival Guide to check out and match the beautiful, relaxed bow holds…hold the bow perfectly and release as many times as you are old each day. So far, in general, this is our greatest area of opportunity to learn. Do bow exercises as many times as you are old:

• mixing cookies
• rocket
• windshield wiper
• elevator up

Musical:

• Play pages 3 through 5 in String Builder pizzicato. Count out loud. Feel the beat.
• Play the extra sheet I gave you last week, with more quarter notes and rests.
• Memorize ABCDEFG and GFEDCBA. ( the first you know, the second you may know, too. The alphabet backwards!)

++++++Bring a cloth to wipe you instrument for sure by Monday, Oct 7.++++++

Thank you for being my student!
Mrs. El