Updates and News

October is Here! Where are YOU?

• Practicing on the days you eat, I hope!
• Planning to attend your group lesson October 14.  
• Book 1 and early 2:   3:15-4:00
• Book 3 and higher:    2:30-3:15
• Play for City Sidewalks at Monk's Coffeehouse, December 3, 5:30 pm. Arrive early to claim your parking place, a good vantage point for the parade, and to order your hot chocolate.  Wear Christmas clothes--fancy or funny. 

Fall 2019 Semester Begins! 

First Private Lesson begins the day after Labor Day, September 3.  SCHOOL CALENDAR HOLIDAYS THIS YEAR on PRIVATE LESSON DAYS: 

• September 2, 2019

• October 14, 2019

• November 25-29, 2019

• January 1, 2020

• March 9-13, 2020

Spring 2019 Semester Begins

 Henry and Hudson focusing on Christmas carols.

 Playing for the Sing-a -long at Bright Pointe Skilled Nursing facility. 

Love that sweater, Wade Purcell!  And you played well too!

Private lessons begin Monday, January 7, 2019.  Please email or call me if you need to adjust your lesson time.  Tuition is due.  Fees will also be due soon. When I know the total fee charges for your events I will post the fees.  You may pay in full for the semester or in monthly installments with post dated checks for the first of each month, according to your lesson length.  See the tuition page on this site.

First Group Lesson:  Monday, January 21, MLK Holiday.  4:30 pm at the studio.  This will be a review day and we will learn a few group fiddle tunes and other songs.   Everyone please come!  Games may be played also!

January 26: Concerts:  Big Country Middle School Honor Orchestra/ All Region Orchestra/Abilene Philharmonic.  Times and locations will be posted in the studio.

February 1,2  Greenville Suzuki Association workshop. https://www.greenvillesuzukistrings.org/

Holidays this semester: 
Monday, February 18: President's Day,  No private lessons.   SECOND GROUP LESSON 4:30 PM
March 11-15  SPRING BREAK
March 14-14  Teacher traveling to Israel!  (Dream of a lifetime!)
Lessons resume March 25


Recital:  TBA in April or May
End of semester May 8.

New Dates and Updates

Monday, November 5, 5:00 pm . Group Lesson--Christmas Music
   This is for everyone.  Please come to your regular private lesson this week as well.

November 19-24:  NO LESSONS (Teacher's family is in town.)

Tuesday, November 13: Auditions for Big Country Honor Orchestra (Teacher is judging)
    All students rescheduled to earlier in the day or earlier in the week

Tuesday, November 27, 5:30 pm  PLAY AT CITY SIDEWALKS.  Details to follow.

Saturday, December 1:  Matinée and evening Christmas Concerts. Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra. Call 677-6710 for tickets

December 12: Last day for private lessons this semester.

Monday, December 17: 5:00 pm Play Christmas Music at Bright Point Nursing Home, 1201 Clarks Road

Semester Calendar and Events

1. Monday, October 8 *Group Lessons . **
2. Monday, November 5, Group Lessons ^
3. Saturday, October 13 Region Auditions in Odessa
4. Saturday, October 27 Abilene Philharmonic Concert (Dia de Los Muertos with Ballet Folklorico)
5. Tuesday, November 13 Middle School Honor Orchestra auditions at Clack MS
6. November 19-23 . NO LESSONS. THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS
7. Tuesday, November 27, *City Sidewalks performance at new Philharmonic Office (old Wooten Lobby) ALL CHRISTMAS MUSIC
8. Saturday, December 1, Matineé and Evening Performances of Philharmonic Christmas Concert
9. December 12  END OF SEMESTER.

*Group Lesson for Lilian, Olivia, Sterling, Emma and Wade  at 5:00 pm

** Group Lesson for Henry, Hudson, Mary, Camila, Mary Ellis, Hallie, and Katelyn at 4:00  pm

^  all students from 4-5 pm . Christmas Practice

INFORMATION TO KEEP!  

Group Lessons:  You have paid for this.  This is part of your semester package, as are the special performances like City Sidewalks.  Group Lessons are very motivating and encouraging.  Children Learn from other Children  is one of Dr. Suzuki's founding principles.  In my experience Parents learn from other Parents!  Please come ready to listen, participate and parents, to take notes.  You are your student's best teacher and encourager.

Christmas music for most of us comes from the duet books Easiest Violin Duets for Christmas, Books 1 & 2  by Betty Barlow for the City Sidewalks Parade and other Christmas venues where we may be invited. 

Additionally, if you are reading your music and playing at a Book 2 level please order  Volume 1 and 2 of Christmas Kaleidoscope 

You can find these at  http://www.young-musicians.com/category-s/1947.htm?searching=Y&sort=7&cat=1947&show=30&page=2  

Tickets for Philharmonic Concerts:  Call 677-6710 .  The October and December concerts are likely to sell out. 

Auditions:  Mary Ellis is auditioning for Region and Camila and Katelyn are auditioning for Honor Orchestra.  Encourage them!  This requires lots of work, courage and nerves of steel. 

2017-- playing at Monk's Coffee House for City Sidewalks

What You Really Learn When You Study Music

Click Here to see this article. 

Violin Care and Maintenance via The Sound Post

Instrument Care and Maintenance by the Player

Temperature & Humidity

In most parts of North America, temperature and humidity levels vary dramatically from summer to winter. Stringed instruments are made principally of wood, which expands in the humid summer months and contracts in the winter. Expansion and contraction can cause minor inconveniences such as buzzing or open seams or major problems such as cracks. You can minimize humidity related problems by doing the following:

• Humidify your home during the dry winter months. Ideal humidity for instruments is 30-40% in most areas. Most homes require supplementary humidification from a cool mist, steam humidifier, or evaporative wick humidifier.
• Maintain a relatively constant humidity year-round. Dehumidification or A/C helps in the summer.
• Use an instrument or case humidifier when humidity drops below the normal range. These can be purchased at your violin shop.
• Do not subject your instrument to extreme temperatures. Never leave your instrument in your car.

Pegs

Stiff or slipping pegs are common problems. The three main reasons behind peg problems are:

• Seasonal humidity variations
• Improperly wound strings
• Poor peg fit

Slipping pegs are common during the winter because pegs shrink when conditions are dry. In most cases, rewinding a string in the optimal manner (see: Strings section) is all that is required. If pegs continue to slip or turn unevenly poor peg fit is likely the cause. A qualified technician can refit the pegs and solve the problem. Stiff pegs are often caused by expansion due to high humidity or a lack of peg lubricant. Lubricating the peg and/or re-positioning the peg further from the peg box wall will help.

Cleaning

Regularly wipe excess rosin dust away from the body and strings of your instrument with a dry cloth. Rosin build-up can mar some varnishes and can make strings sound poor. If a bow is over-rosined, a grainy sound will result and rosin dust will be visible. It is not necessary to rosin your bow every time you play. For more extensive cleaning on the body of your instrument, use a mild violin polish available from your stringed instrument shop.

Strings

Replace your strings regularly to ensure your instrument always plays and sounds to its full potential. Strings gradually lose their warmth and brilliance even if an instrument is not played frequently. Active players change their strings as often as every six months for optimum sound and performance. Students should generally replace the strings on their instruments yearly. When changing strings, always replace them one at a time and make sure your bridge does not begin to lean forward or backwards. Most strings have a 'break-in' period of a few days before they settle, stay in tune and sound their very best.

To wind on a new string, maintain some tension on the string at all times. Overlap the string once before you continue to wrap it around the peg. Always take care to wind the string close to the pegbox on the same side as the peg you are adjusting. A gentle fit against the wall of the pegbox will prevent most pegs from slipping and strings from unwinding.

Bridge

This carved, wooden support holds the strings at the correct height and distance from each other and transmits the sound energy from the strings to the body of the instrument. Every bridge should be precisely carved by a professional luthier and custom fit to the table of each instrument. Since the bridge is fragile and not glued or fixed to the table in any way, it is necessary to prevent impact to this sensitive area and to ensure the bridge remains straight and upright. Even with normal use and regular tuning, a bridge will gradually lean forward or back in the direction of the pegs or fine-tuners. If the bridge is left in this position it will eventually warp under string tension. A bridge that is slightly warped can be straightened at your violin shop but a severely warped bridge will need replacement. To extend the life of a bridge, regularly inspect its position and straighten it when necessary. To do this, one must grip the bridge firmly with both hands and carefully ease it back into an upright position. If you are not comfortable moving the bridge yourself, most teachers or any of our staff would be pleased to assist you.