Just a reminder to everyone that next week will be our last week of lessons before March break, and then we will have one week off before we resume lessons again!

Jaron – nice work playing G Major 2 octaves for the first time today!
– Recommended practice time: 15 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: G, D, and A Major scales (1 octave, doing our usual posture and bow hold check each time before playing), G Major scale (2 octaves, just going up the scale – watch out for whether your hand position is 2-3 or 1-2), and Andantino (prepare for final play-through next week and make sure to hold out half notes for full two beats).

Olivia – great job sight-reading Spring today!
– Recommended practice time: 30 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: review 2-octave Major and minor scales (try to memorise fingering patterns for each scale, and focus on E Major and shift to fourth position, and B-flat Major with low first finger), Go the Distance (focus on last 2 lines and shifts to third and fifth position), and Spring (first page and first violin part, play through slowly and get familiar with the notes).

Amaia – good work on keeping up your posture and bow hold!
– Reminder: whenever you have time, make sure to get your violin tuned at a shop!
– Recommended practice time: 15 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: G, D, and A Major scales (doing our usual posture and bow hold check each time before playing), and Long Long Ago (watch out for long short-short rhythms and make sure to hold out half notes for full two beats).

Isabella – welcome to ABC! It was so nice to meet you today!
– Reminder: if you can, please purchase a shoulder rest and Suzuki Violin Book 1
– Recommended practice time: 15 min/day, 5 days/week (more so once we start playing more with the violin)
– Practice: review parts of violin and bow, and feel free to experiment with the sounds of the violin by plucking and bowing!

Grace – good luck with the essay and hope you get some sleep!
– Recommended practice time: 30 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: 2-octave Major and minor scales (with focus on E and F Major shifts to fourth and fifth position, and try not to mix up harmonic and melodic minor scales), and Musette (make sure not to put too much weight on the bow so that the sound comes out less scratchy, and work on keeping those slurs smooth) .

Hendry – congratulations on finishing Witches Dance!
– Recommended practice time: 30 min/day, 5 days/week
– Practice: C, D, E-flat, F, and G Major scales (2 octaves, doing our usual posture and bow hold check each time before playing, especially watching out for intonation in F and G Major), D minor scale (2 octaves for all now: natural, harmonic, melodic), Gavotte (play through first five lines slowly and get familiar with the notes), and Catharsis (play through second half with consistent tempo to prepare for playing together).

Thank you, stay safe, and happy playing!