This was fabulous fun. I was in a room with some really lovely people and spent the days talking and going to different events. I was happy to showcase the Workshop Books, Posters and Sticker charts and will definitely consider the next AUSTA event.
Sharing my room was The Sydney String Centre (Libby and Doug Glanville), Simmers Violins, Ruth and Tony Bonetti
3 July - 6 July 2015
It's a great pleasure to teach and early this year a lovely 84 year old approached me regarding learning the cello. In his youth he had learnt the violin, but thought that learning the cello might suit him better in regard to comfort and ease of playing. I presumed that he had musical knowledge and wanted to progress quickly. I recommended LW Cello Workshop Book 2. The tapes were placed on his cello and the stickers for his left thumb and for Low and High Markers on his bow. Starting on the 2nd book enabled Robert to have the knowledge and skills faster than in Book 1. He already had skills from many years ago and just needed to change the shapes...
D was first and then A. So much covered already in terms of note knowledge, bowing style, etc. Students engaged with real strength and knowledge developing in both hands. Good hand shapes, good posture, good sound. All four instruments still in the one class and then where to for SingleStringLearning. The idea of all instruments learning together was still a given, so....., Violins and double basses would be on the E string and Cellos and Violas would be on the C string. The material would still be the same but on different strings. More reinforcement of bowing style and minor and major patterns. Something new in terms of musical terms on each page but allowing the hands to become strong and not stressed...
SO I had my idea that all string instruments could learn together - a single string at a time. Students were given photocopies. Students put the photocopies in their display books. Little first note reading open string pieces using 4 beat, 2 beat, 1 beat and 1/2 beat notes. I liked the idea of trying to get students to understand which part of the bow to use, so Low and High Markers were placed on all bows. Then lovely minor and major pieces, Sad and Happy Peter, Mouldy and Fresh Buns and Mary lost and found her lamb. Little pieces to develop strength and accuracy, while concentrating on keeping the bow straight and using the required dynamics. All the note and dynamic information on each page...
I have often been asked why? Why write tutor books for all four strings instruments. Probably the easiest way to answer this question is to talk about the how it all came about. A few years ago I was asked to teach a year 7 cello class half way through the year for a few weeks. The students had been learning from the Joggers book. They weren't that engaged and didn't know a lot and their playing wasn't that strong. I introduced some Suzuki rhythms and the Twinkles and the class changed. They seemed to be more aware and their playing was stronger. The following year I was asked to teach the year 7 cello class on a regular basis. It was...
