How to Practice

Your practice session should always start with scales, then move on to the bowing and thinking exercise, followed by etudes. This is the same approach you should take during the school year with each practice session before working on your orchestra music. Close attention should be paid to all the performance skills: proper posture/stance, correct bow hold, bow arm/bow use, left arm, left hand, intonation, tone quality, rhythm/counting ability, musicality, and note reading.

Racing through these practice materials will not benefit you. You must focus and be very aware of the sound you are producing. Conscious playing is what we are striving for!

Print out a practice log to keep track of your practice time outside of class. Meet the minimum requirement, and get a treat at the end of the month.

Helpful materials for all students of the FYO

Beginner’s Guide to Orchestra: violin/viola

Beginner’s Guide to Orchestra: cello

Beginner’s Guide to Orchestra: double bass

Rubric for evaluation skills

“How to practice” printable sheet

Printable Practice Chart

Summer Practice Music

Please click here and enter the password provided in the summer practice email.

Materials by Instrument

Violin (Bow Hold Review) (Fingering Charts) (Left hand/arm Review)

D Major scale (Groups B, C and D)

G Major scale (Groups C and D)

C Major scale (Groups C and D)

F Major scale (Group D)

Open strings: quarter notes and rests (Beginners and Group B)

Second finger bowing and thinking

Third finger bowing and thinking

Fourth finger bowing and thinking (Group C and D)

Bowing Techniques (Overture Orchestra) added October 2017

First Semester Warm-Ups (Overture Orchestra) added October 2017

Three Key Etude 1 (Groups C and D)

Four Key Etude 1A (Group Beginner, B, C and D)

Four Key Etude 2 (Group B, C and D)

Four Key Etude 3 (Group B, C, and D)

Four Key Etude 4 (Group B, C and D)

Four Key Etude 5 (Group B, C and D)

Four Key Etude 6 (Group B, C and D)

Four Key Etude 7 (Group C and D)

Four Key Etude 8 – D (Group C and D)

Four Key Etude 8 – G (Group C and D)

Four Key Etude 8 – C (Group C and D)

Wohlfahrt Etude 1 (Group C and D)

Wohlfahrt Etude 5 (Group C and D)

Wohlfahrt Etude 6 (Group C and D)

Wohlfahrt Etude 9 (Group C and D)

Wohlfahrt Etude 10 (Group C and D)

Viola (Bow Hold Review) (Fingering Charts) (Left hand/arm Review)

D Major scale (Groups B, C and D)

G Major scale (Groups C and D)

C Major scale (Groups C and D)

F Major scale (Group D)

Open strings: quarter notes and rests (Beginners and Group B)

Second finger bowing and thinking (Beginners)

Third finger bowing and thinking (Beginners)

Fourth finger bowing and thinking (Group C and D)

Bowing Techniques (Overture Orchestra) added October 2017

First Semester Warm-Ups (Overture Orchestra) added October 2017

Three Key Etude 1 (Groups C and D)

Four Key Etude 1A (Group Beginner, B, C and D)

Four Key Etude 2 (Group C and D)

Four Key Etude 3 (Group B, C and D)

Four Key Etude 4 (Group B, C and D)

Four Key Etude 5(Group B, C and D)

Four Key Etude 6 (Group B, C and D)

Four Key Etude 7 (Group C and D)

Four Key Etude 8 – D (Group C and D)

Four Key Etude 8 – G (Group C and D)

Four Key Etude 8 – C (Group C and D)

Wohlfahrt Etude 1 (Group C and D)

Wohlfahrt Etude 3 (Group C and D)

Wohlfahrt Etude 5 (Group C and D)

Wohlfahrt Etude 6 (Group C and D)

Wohlfahrt Etude 9 (Group C and D)

Wohlfahrt Etude 10 (Group C and D)

Cello (Fingering Charts)

D Major scale (Groups B, C and D)

G Major scale (Groups C and D)

C Major scale (Groups C and D)

F Major scale (Group D)

Open strings: quarter notes and rests (Beginners and Group B)

Bowing and thinking (Groups B, C and D)

Bowing Techniques (Overture Orchestra) added October 2017

First Semester Warm-Ups (Overture Orchestra) added October 2017

Four Key Etude 1A (Group Beginner, B, C and D)

Four Key Etude 2 (Group B, C, and D)

String Bass (Fingering Charts)

D Major scale (Groups B, C, and D)

G Major scale (Groups C and D)

C Major scale (Groups C and D)

F Major scale (Group D)

Open strings: quarter notes and rests (Beginners and Group B)

Bowing and thinking (Groups B, C, and D)

Bowing Techniques (Overture Orchestra) added October 2017

First Semester Warm-Ups (Overture Orchestra) added October 2017

Four Key Etude 1A (Group Beginner, B, C and D)