Total Beginner’s Class for 3-6 year olds

Starting 6 April 2024, every Saturday 930am, (I may open more slots) details as follows:

1. 4 students with a parent minimum to start a class (Max of 6 student per class)
2. Course fee is $450 for 11 classes each class 45mins long. Which works out to be about $40.90 per class.
3. Course fees include a violin for your child only and the necessary teaching tools. All you need to do is just come for the class on the first day!
4. Class conducted at my humble abode in Kovan MRT vicinity, more details when u enquire!

Enquire at theviolinplayer@me.com or contact me @ 8282 1243

Parents may opt to bring your own violin or purchase one (from me or from others). However, parents do not need to have a violin to assist your child in learning.

What will a student learn?

1. Basic posture of holding a violin
2. Holding of the bow
3. Playing, through listening

Goal: To be able to complete 1 or more variation of the Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Why you should start violin with me?

Early exposure to music helps develop strong foundation and musical sensitivity, and you can do it through learning the violin.

Parental involvement is crucial for the child, as the child will not know what to practise and how to practise. For the parent to attend the class together with the child also further enforce what will be taught in the class at home. This level of involvement can create a supportive and nurturing environment for the child’s musical development.

Student will learn to play by ear before learning to read notes. This method of teaching places a strong emphasis on ear training.

Instead of starting with technical exercises and etudes, we will learn a piece that is likely familiar to the ears. In doing so, students will develop the technique and musicality while playing something tuneful.

We will focus on tone production and musical expression. Students are encouraged to listen to recordings of professional musicians to develop a sense of phrasing, dynamics and interpretation.

Why I am different from most commercial schools.

I have had many enquiries on why anyone should learn from me and not go to a commercial school. First off, I have nothing against any music schools out there, and I’m very sure there are capable teachers in those said schools. However, if you don’t have anyone to point you to the right teachers, it makes your journey with music a less appreciated one.

I use both the Suzuki method and the traditional pedagogy methods. But my classes are not just about imparting my knowledge to a student. My classes also encompass building of character, discipline and respect.

Building of character/ behaviour, is a very broad subject and a very individual one too. I don’t have a set doctrine or guideline to it. It is very much dependant on the student that I teach individually. And I do recognise that everyone is different. There is no child that is stupid, there’s only laziness. And laziness happens because they always have things their way or parents are not firm with them. But again, this is a very broad subject.

Discipline, learning music is like becoming an athlete. You need a very strict routine daily and must stick to it regardless. Through discipline one would also learn to exercise self-control. And self-control is very very important in music.

Respect, I am an asian with asian values. This one thing that I do not allow my students to lack in. Without respect, one would be a tyranny in the society and would only think about, and for, himself/ herself.

I am a very strict teacher, and would not hesitate to confront parents if I think that a child has repeatedly make the same mistake, despite many lessons of corrections. And I will not tolerate disrespectful and ill-disciplined child in my presence. I am not an advocate of corporal punishments but I do mete out consequences. I do not find joy in scolding nor do I enjoy punishing children, but all I ask of students is to have something achieved by the next lesson, no matter how small the achievement may be.

Hence, that’s where I am different. Because learning is not just absorbing knowledge, it is also about the entire well-being of a student.

Parent’s Role in Young Musicians Life!

Brought to you by MENC: The National Association for Music Education

Whether you play an instrument yourself or can’t even whistle, these tips will help you guide your child into the wonderful world of music-making.

Choosing the right instrument

 

• Ask your child what sounds she likes and what instruments appeal to her. 
• Talk to the school band or strings teacher about your child’s interest, as well as her size and facial structure, before making a decision. Most beginning band and orchestra teachers let students hold and try out different instruments to help them make a choice. 
• Allow your child to explore. Many musicians started out on one instrument only to switch a few years later to another instrument with much greater success. Learning a musical instrument is a family affair! Your child needs your guidance and encouragement. Read on for age-specific tips on how to create a lasting relationship between your child and his instrument of choice.

 

Practice Tips for Elementary-School Kids

• Help your child set up a special place at home to play the instrument. 
• Establish a time each day to play. Some children are at their best in the morning, before school. Some parents set a time after the evening bath when the child is relaxed, but not tired. 
• Consider using the phrase “playing time” rather than “practice time.” 
• If possible, be a positive part of your child’s playing time. Sit with your child while he plays and ask, “Show me what you’re learning.” Or, consider learning to play the instrument with your child. 
• Praise your child for each step forward. 
• Never make negative remarks about how your child’s playing sounds. It takes time and effort to produce musical sounds. 
• Encourage other family members to applaud the child’s efforts. Positive attention is a great motivator. 
• Remember that there are always peaks and valleys in the learning process. You and your child should expect times of discouragement, accept them, and focus on the positive fact that she’s learning to make music. Remind her that everything worth doing takes time and effort. 
• Provide positive role models. Bring your child to hear amateur or professional musicians perform. Take your child to movies that show musicians in a positive light, such as “Music of the Heart.” 
• When seeking private lessons, find a qualified teacher you can talk to easily. Ask about the teacher’s philosophy of education, and ask to talk to some of the teacher’s current students or their parents. Make sure your child is comfortable with the teacher. 

 

Practice Tips for Middle- and High-School Kids

Help your child set up a regular time every day to practice. 

Help him establish a routine. This may require some consultation with the teacher. A typical middle schoolers’ half-hour practice routine might include:

• Warmup — 1-3 minutes
• Play a fun, familiar piece — 3-5 minutes
• Work on a new or difficult piece — 10-15 minutes
• Work on technical requirements, such as scales or other technique builders — 5 minutes
• Play something fun to conclude the session

High school students may have more technical problems to work on, but they also have the ability to practice longer in a more concentrated way. 

• Help your child understand that playing only familiar songs will not help her improve. 
• Explain to your child that learning happens in stages. Sometimes a student will work on something for a long time with no apparent improvement, and then discover a sudden leap in ability. Other times, learning happens very quickly. The important thing to stress is that consistent practice will yield results. 
• Help your young musician set practice goals. Keeping a journal, not just a practice chart, helps track the peaks and valleys of learning a new piece or improving fundamental skills. 
• As a parent, don’t make judgments about the musical quality of your child’s practicing. Learning an instrument requires lots of squeaks, scratches, and wrong notes.

Database of Violin and Bow Makers

Have you ever wonder how much your violin is actually worth? Not those commercially made ones but those that you actually buy from a luthier or a reputable violin seller. I came across this site and I found out the worth of my violin to my very surprise! Click below to find out more.

Click Here!

I have a 1809 George Craske violin, an english maker, never knew who he was or never knew if he was famous or not. Apparently his violins are worth from US$5000 to US$40000. Not bad! Not bad at all!!

When should a child start to play the violin?

We are often asked, “What age should my child start to learn to play the violin?”.  The optimal age for children to begin learning the violin is often debated among teachers, but the answer is fairly simple.

You should start teaching your child violin as young as possible. 3 years old is very common, but children can start getting the feel of the violin even earlier. 

Very Important: 
Do not leave a young child unattended with any instrument. There are choking and sometimes sharp parts on most instruments. Use common sense as with anything your child might play with.

Why start your child on violin so early?

We encourage kids to start playing violin very early. It is widely known that young children are like sponges, but you should also know that young children have very good natural pitch for singing. This instinct should be nurtured as early as possible before it fades, as it almost always does if not nurtured.  Of course, it is not to late to start at 5 or even 7.  These 10 year old child prodigies you see playing the violin on YouTube are not exactly born with a supernatural talent for the violin. they have just been playing for 7 years, every day or so. Just think of what you might be good at if you did it every day for 7 years.  This could be your child with just a little effort.

The wonderful effects of playing the violin…

1. Good measurable physical effects on the brain and nervous system
2. Good evident effects on the soul, heart, mind, and strength.

 

Enhanced connectivity between left and right brain functioning 
carries over into other activities of living with beneficial effect 

Neuro-Physiological (Brain and nerve system) effect of learning the violinIncreased activity and strength to the right hemisphere of your brain. Increased connectivity between the two hemispheres which yields greater communication between those two parts of your brain. This should yield overall greater total function.

This can result in increased co-ordination between analytical details (left brain breaking things down into their component parts) and big-picture thinking (right brain).

Very simply, increased used of the left hand, increases the stimulation of the right brain. To use the left hand for fingering and vibrato and simultaneously use the right for bowing requires a tremendous increase in connectivity between the left and right hemispheres of your brain. Why? Because these two activities must be carried out at the same time, in perfect synchronization, co-ordinated wonderfully.

This growth occurs when the demand is put upon the body and nerve system to carry out such a complex function. In some ways the brain and nervous system have growth similar to a muscle. If you use it, it grows to accommodate the use.

A blind person reading braille through his finger tips can learn to read through one finger feel or through three finger feel. Their brain grows path ways to communicate the sensation from either one, two, or three fingers. It is thought that the three finger read is a broader path than the one finger. This same kind of increased growth of connectivity happens anytime a person increases the normal demand put on a system of their body.

Interesting phenomena:

While sitting at your desk, lift the right knee so the foot is off the floor. Then begin rotating the foot and lower leg in a clock-wise circle.

Without stopping the lower leg rotation, pick up a pencil and write the number 6.

Did you notice your leg stop and reverse direction of rotation? Most people do. This shows many things about brain connections. Maybe we can write more on it later.

Remember, anyone studying the violin will increase these brain connections. Even adults. Yes, a child can benefit in growth by a greater amount than an adult, but it has been shown that adults also have ability to grow more brain connections.

Gil Shaham does Carmen Fastasy (Sarasate) 1

Yasuki Nakamura is coming to Singapore

Yasuki Nakamura has been involved with the Suzuki Method movement for almost 60 ears. He was one of the very early Suzuki students in Tokyo learning violin from Dr. Shinichi Suzuki and Mr Hachiro Hirose and as a student he performed and demonstrated on many occasions to introduce the Suzuki Method in the early years.

The International Suzuki Association and Alfred Publiahing Company have invited Mr Yasuki Nakamura to present this first Suzuki Seminar Tour of S.E. Asia. Apart from being a professional teacher and international teacher, he is also on the Board of Directors of the International Suzuki Association. Through ISA’s regional arm, the ASA (Asian Suzuki Assoc.) and respective country’s representatives, will be able to support violin teachers with further training workshops on the Suzuki Method.

Mr Yasuki Nakamura will be conducting a seminar (The New Suzuki Violin School) in Singapore on the 24 March 2009. I have already booked my place to attend, and will not miss this for nuts!

Gil Shaham does Carmen Fantasy (Sarasate)

One of my few favourite performers. 🙂

A new way to play the violin….

Was surfing on youtube and came across the really unorthodox way of playing the violin…. strangely it sounded quite good!