studio marise mcneill
violin and viola
Tips from previous newsletters
Newsletter Term I 2014
“You don’t have to play the violin; most people don’t”
This makes violinists very special people with a skill that “most” other people don’t have. This skill sets our violinists apart. It adds to their character. This comment made by the American keynote speaker at the National Suzuki Conference that I attended in Rotorua in October before leaving New Zealand is so true.
It is worth remembering. Get it printed and hang it where it can be seen for when the going gets “tough.”
It is most exciting to hear all the progress and development that has been made by the students with my colleagues over the past term when I was in Europe.
My husband was based in Brussels at the Flemish University and I caught up with friends with whom I had studied at the Music Conservatorium. Friendships begun through music can last many years. It was encouraging to see children of our friends and children of my former students embarking on a musical journey.
Concerts in Brussels were ongoing – almost everyday – real treats with a wide range of musical genres.
In December, in the Netherlands, we attended Alicia’s (my eldest daughter and who some of you will remember) Erasmus University Orchestra’s concert. Music is an international language, and can bring the world together. The orchestra also performed a joint item of Christmas Carols with the local junior and youth orchestras. In Germany (where my sister and family live) there was Christmas singing around the piano – candles burning in the windows. Music can span the ages bringing families and generations closer.
This term is up to 12 weeks long so that will give us time to regroup and consolidate the last term’s work.
I know I have written about practice in many newsletters but it is useful to keep evaluating and reflecting on this important issue, (see over the page). I only get see your child once a week – the rest is over to you.Newsletter Term II 2014
Why do Parents have their children learn a musical instrument?
At a recent Suzuki workshop the inspirational American speaker Edward Kreitman surveyed parents in Wellington who had their children learn an instrument. He found the reasons parents encouraged their children to learn an instrument were for the children:
- To be able to focus and concentrate better
- To develop poise and be able to present themselves for music/speaking
- To develop a life-long love of music (Hooray!)
- To be able to break complex problems into achievable steps
- To develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
- To develop problem-solving skills/strategies and develop a healthy relationship with struggle
- To have a sense of endless opportunity
- To develop a healthy self-esteem tied to a feeling of accomplishment
- To strive for excellence
- To transcribe skills to other subjects
- To develop self-expression and their individual voice
- To develop self-confidence
- To be able to create something beautiful and to develop sensitivity to beauty
- To share positive emotional experiences with their parents through music
- To learn to manage their time effectively
- To choose a social circle and stay out of trouble in their teen years
- To become calm and centred
So, although he was aware of the above “side benefits”, he now considers these to be the primary reason for studying a musical instrument – the “side benefit” is actually playing the instrument!
But how much fun it is to simply be able to create and perform music!
Term III 2014 Studio Marise McNeill
Practice
Some students find school work and other activities easy and yet find violin playing a challenge. These students need strategies to deal with a situation of not being able to do something straight off. What a wonderful learning curve this allows, however your ongoing support is required. If at any time something is not working – stop and analyse. Encourage your child to take a smaller section – a “bite-sized”, smaller step – there may be too much to assimilate.
Thank you to parents who have established a regular routine for practice. The journey of learning a musical Instrument takes (years of) regular, committed, consistent input – preferably daily – and little by little progress is made. When in the middle of the journey it is not so easy to see the progress – but suddenly at competitions and/or examinations and/or recitals one sees it and the students are on their way. And all alongside the busy lifestyles that most violin students and their parents are involved in.
I commend parents who try their utmost to be organized. Parents who have their children arrive just a few minutes before their lesson and unpack quietly mean I can keep more to schedule. Likewise I appreciate parents who are proactive and can foresee a change of lesson time necessary due to athletics, a ballet recital, a trip to Wellington, an examination or a family event. We all have those things crop up and I can usually accommodate requests if I know in advance.
Memorisation is the goal of group classes – and mastery of the pieces is necessary to be able to perform them by memory. If one has memorised a skill it is hardwired and set in concrete ready to be drawn upon in later repertoire. Orchestra (from around 8 years on) helps with the reading of the music and all those dots and dashes on the page that makes up the world of music. Again orchestra participation develops a social environment and friendship. At high school level the schools are keen to utilize their musicians in group ensembles as these groups showcase the schools and provide cultural entertainment at prizegivings etc. Well done to you all for taking the time to invest in your child’s music. These busy years are soon over and your child will leave home equipped with skills to face the world and yes, able to play the violin!
Newsletter Term IV October 2014
Practice
You may have heard me quoting Dr Suzuki:
Only practise on the days you eat!”
With the help of some students a new catch phrase has materialised:
Eat only on the days you practise!!
I congratulate parents who juggle their own life and yet maintain a plan for regular home practise with their violin child(ren). It is not easy but it is certainly worth it. Even if the child does not continue with violin this childhood experience not only activates the motor-control areas of the brain to a high degree (research has shown that the musician’s brain is different from that of the non-musician) but encourages personal characteristics of discipline, perseverance, understanding and problem solving which will take them into adulthood.
Some of you with young students have detailed charts documenting the practise achieved, “lucky dips” (where all the set items are mixed up in a bowl and are drawn out in random order to achieve them in the practice), visual blocks/toys/beads/ticking charts/dice/stepping cards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5/towers of lego for repetition and small treats worked out for after the practice etc. These are wonderful and keep the practice time fun, easy and moving along. Better to have a short useful practise than a long unpleasant drawn out one! Documenting the daily timetable at the same time each day for all to see makes it as easy as cleaning one’s teeth! Gradually as the student gets older they will be set in a routine and their success will help build an inner motivation as they realise that to achieve they themselves have to do the hard yards. It is considered ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve mastery: basically children can believe in their ability to improve through regular training for a sustained period of time. Please continue to encourage your child(ren) to persist and persevere.
“Most people do not plan to fail, they fail to plan”
John Beckley
Performance opportunities (competitions/examinations/concerts) and attending performances of others can be short-time goals or tools which are easily focused on and attained – in a step-wise manner. Encourage your children to make the most of their life, to avoid complacency, and to commit to achieving goals in their chosen interest.