For over fifteen years now, I have been a part of Musik Innovations Summer Chamber Music Camp as a string coach. Students from the schools around the area get together in small ensembles according to their level, and form string quartets, quintets, sextets and even octets. After a week of being coached by instructors from our school of music (in between music games, water balloon fights and a pizza party), kids give a concert on a Saturday afternoon, performing pieces that they had only one week to work on. The number of participating kids is not as large as it used to be, but the spirit of music is still in those who attend and we love them for that! Here are some photos from this year’s camp.

Even after teaching for such a long time, I still try to think of ways on how to improve my teaching techniques, my approach to students of different levels and to their future potentials. I know what I wish for students during my lessons, I have a clear game plan for each one of them in my head, but I have never been able to sum it up in a few words… until now. Here is someone else’s sentence on it, but it surely fits how I feel and what I try to aim for as a teacher.

…” The students and I share a common goal, which is the development of their potential to the fullest extent. I am for a cordial but intense and purposeful teaching atmosphere…”

Arik Braude, Strad Magazine, February 2010

I have been a private violin and viola instructor since 1996.  Every time I get a beginner student I have a discussion with a parent, explaining that violin or viola are probably some of the hardest instruments to learn. It will take time, work, and patience from both, student and parents.  I emphasize that point especially to those whose children already play another instrument, especially piano. Piano is much easier to conquer in the early stages than violin or viola, and I don’t want parents to assume that it is the same with string instruments.  Even though I am very confident in my viewpoint on that, once in a while I would feel that some parents did not trust me on that, assuming that I purposely make learning violin or viola look harder than it actually is.  In the long run they see for themselves that it does take more effort than some other instruments, especially piano.  Don’t get me wrong – I am  not prejudiced against piano ( I spent ten years in my childhood with my hands on eighty eight black and white keys in addition to violin), I am simply stating that violin, viola (and cello) are more challenging.

After all these years I finally found something for those who might have mistrusted me at first.  This comes from the March issue of the Strad Magazine, very popular in the world of musicians, professionals and amateurs alike.  This is an excerpt from an article by Norman Lebrecht, cultural commentator.  I think he said it the best, which is why I put it here. I hope this will make it easier to understand what we deal with as string players, and to all of you, especially my students : realize how hard it is what you do on the instrument, I am proud of you for choosing such a challenging instrument,  and have patience with it – rewards are on the way!

Playing a string instrument IS a highly intricate skill, requiring a lot of time, patience and consistency. I believe that regardless of age, a student has to put at the minimum half an hour a day of practicing time. Understand that that half an hour will cover the basic skills needed to maneuver around the instrument. The half an hour guideline is BARE minimum! Most of my students are NOT future professional musicians, and yet – that is what I ask of them. Kids ages 4-9 should still put in half an hour a day, possibly splitting it up in three ten-minute sessions: one before breakfast, one right after school, and one before or after dinner. The consistency is imperative, even in short sessions, very similar to dog training! ( you  are more than welcome to meet Schubert, my well-trained, and yet nutty chocolate labrador retriever!) Again – every day, even it is a short session is better than missing three, four days and then doing one day of practicing for two hours. 

I came upon this site by accident http://www.dsokids.com
It is a lot of fun and educational at the same time. Upon opening, click on “students”, category for kids which takes you to a music room full of furniture. Once you there – start exploring! Click on piano – learn about different instruments, click on a green chair – gives you ideas on practicing, click on the computer – play different games. The site is part of Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and I think they came up with a great idea on how to introduce kids to music!

Here is a really good web site for music students:http://www.musictheory.net

It is very easy to use even for kids as young as five or six. It offers a lot of tools to drill notes, key signatures, scales, chords and more… I use it a lot with my students who are computer savvy and enjoy it. They can test themselves on a given skill and are given a score at the end; it seems like having a goal of getting a high score gives them an incentive to learn that skill and beat the previous score, so it becomes a game. Check it out!

This has been my biggest observation as a teacher:

..One of the hardest things about teaching is to teach one HOW to practice.. “Go home and practice!”. You hear that a lot, but HOW to practice is not something that is taught to a child.