How to Help Your Child At His Lesson

• Attend lessons regularly and teach your child to be quiet and respectful if there is a lesson in progress when you arrive.  That way s/he will learn that there is something important going on!
• Please turn off your cell phones but if you absolutely need to use it, please step quietly out of the lesson room.
• When you practice at home, use the same routine and sequence of events that you observe at the lesson. Use the same language and practice the same exercises that I use.  Be creative as well.  If you find a phrase or a Game that helps in daily practice, share it with me!
• Often a child will appear forgetful at his lesson, or do poorly in exercises or pieces that s/he did well at home. Do not become alarmed or interfere too much when s/he is trying to pay attention to the teacher. S/he may not be too familiar with me. By helping too much, the closeness between teacher and student may be delayed.  Be careful with excessive enthusiasm as it may also distract from the teacher-child interaction and concentration.
• Sometimes I will invite the parent to participate so pay close attention to the lesson!
• Don't worry about your child making mistakes, because the lesson is a learning process.
• Good practice is always the cure for not-so-good lessons.  Ask me for more guidance in practicing  if you need it!
• Utilize my Worksheets and write down the important points as I present them.  Study the notes before practice times.  If you do this, your student will make steady progress and will soon be ready for the next step in his learning.
• Younger brothers and sisters are always welcome to come, to listen, and to learn.  However, if they steal away your attention from the child in the lesson, or distract the child himself, other arrangements should be made.
• Show interest in other students but avoid making comparisons between your child and others.  Each one of us is awesome!  Each one of us is unique with a personal environment specific to our needs.
• We have a very supportive family in the Godfrey Studio.  Thank you for your commitment and support at home and in the lessons!  Thank you for your desire to keep LEARNING!!

Suzuki Parent Convention

Dear Parents:

Here is just one more reminder about the very worthwhile Suzuki Parent Convention being held this Saturday April 26.  It is sponsored by our wonderful Suzuki Association of Utah.  The online registration is closed but you can arrive and pay $5 at the door.  Here is the link so that you can see the classes that will be offered:
Suzuki Parent Convention.  It will be held in Draper at the American Preparatory Academy and the directions are on this webpage.  Hope to see you there!

April Attention

Dear Parents And Students:

First of all 

to everyone who played for Federation on Saturday!!!

May I draw your attention to the printed April calendar for the Godfrey Violin and Viola Studio  The April schedule is unusual due to Easter on April 20.  Violin Group Lessons are April 12.  April 14-18 there are NO LESSONS except for a few makeup lessons.  The third week of April lessons is April 21-25.  April 28 begins the first week of May lessons.  Please let me know if you have conflicts.

Ballet West is running again.  Next week I have rehearsals every night.  This conflicts with the Monday and Tuesday lessons after 6:30pm.  Those lessons will be rolled over to April 14-15 as makeups.

The final registration deadline for the Intermountain Suzuki String Institute is tomorrow.  I do think that if you apply in April, even up to May you will be accepted.  This exceptional Institute welcomes enrollment!

Next month the Utah Youth Symphony and the Young Artists Chamber Players are holding auditions. These are two of the finest youth orchestra organizations in the state.  Both offer more than one performing ensemble.  YACP in particular offers three performing groups in order to give students at all levels the exciting and formative experience of playing in a wonderful musical group.  Go to their websites for detailed information.  I recommend orchestra membership to all of my students!! It is FUN to play in orchestra!!
You can find other performing opportunities with the Jordan Youth Symphony and the Granite Youth Symphony.

The Benefits of Lesson Trading

Life is so busy!  I know that between the many families in the Godfrey Violin and Viola Studio, collectively there are innumerable sports events and practices, school rehearsals, dance classes, gymnastics, orchestra concerts, choir concerts, and family activities.  Just last week I had eight families notify me of not being able to make an upcoming lesson.  Often it is illness or another last minute unforeseen challenge.  For a same day cancellation I do not make up the lesson.  Eight is a large number.  Usually I have maybe one or two.  This prompted me to update the contact information for parents and students in my studio on the Phone-Email list and make sure that all students and families received this file, along with my current teaching schedule.  Since I don't have a secretary or receptionist (wouldn't that be nice?)  I am hoping that when a student cannot make their lesson time they will try to trade with someone else that I teach.  I am certain that there are parents or students who would rather not "bother" with this task and just take the makeup lesson at the end of the month.  Then again many will call or email another family to try to trade times.  I know how hard each family initially works with me at the beginning of the year to obtain a time that fits well into their lives. Certainly we are all in the same boat.  To my studio families, I would suggest, since everyone occasionally has a lesson that they can't make please consider trading if you possibly can with someone who approaches you in a bind for a trade.  They may in turn be happy to help you when you have conflicts.  When you do this you are not only helping each other but you are helping me.

I don't want you to miss your lesson.  It slows the flow of what we are working on when you skip a lesson.  This is manifest when we have the "Off" week at the end of the month after the group lesson, although I consciously try to send home enough material so that each student will practice well for two weeks.  I may not be able to give up non-scheduled teaching time for a makeup.  When you have a conflict I realize that you may look at the schedule and not see even one lesson time that you can make, even if a trade were possible.  In that case the end of the month makeup is usually available or I might be able to fit you in someplace during the week that works for both of us.  The Godfrey Violin and Viola Studio has more students than it did six months ago and so my non-scheduled time is less than it was.

I am so blessed to teach the special young people that come into my life.  I want to give each of them the best that I am capable of.  I know that working together in the Godfrey Violin and Viola Studio we are giving children a powerful musical legacy. Each developing talent brings me much joy and satisfaction.  Thank you for your many kindnesses to me and for your consideration of the makeup policies, just another detail in the excellent process that we are engaged in.     

Violin Olympics

Violin Group Lessons on February 22 were a lot of fun.  In the Twinkle Group we earned gold medals for best bow hold (Olivia A) best bow game (Mason) best Twinkle variation (Olivia G) best Fiddle song (Ethan) best Lightly Row (Sabrina) and even more Twinkle events!  We played "London Bridge is Falling Down" and Chantelle got the gold medal for getting under the bridge the most times without getting caught!!

In the Book 1-2 group we had a great time playing the Olympic Theme by ear and even the first phrase of our national anthem,. The Star Spangled Banner.  We practiced some pieces from Book 1 such as "O Come Little Children", "May Song:" and "Long Long Ago".  We reviewed our Song Words to Book 1 pieces and we played a lot of Book 2 such as "Musette" and "Hunters Chorus".  Everyone earned a gold medal for an excellent violin technique such as keeping the bow on the highway, good dynamics "piano" and "forte" with crescendos, or good Giddy Up bows on Hunters Chorus.

Miss Ruth earns a gold medal for good teaching early on a Saturday morning!

In the Book 3-5 Group we played The Star Spangled Banner in a beautiful duet version.  We also sight read national anthems from the countries which received many medals at the 2014 Winter Olympics such as Canada, Austria, Germany and Russia.

Some of our music from Advanced Group and Books 3-5

In the Advanced Group we got a lot accomplished on well known work called Canon by Johann Pachelbel, a German composer from the Baroque era or pre-1700's.  We studied and marked the fingerings and bowings.  We noticed that the three violin parts are exactly the same except for a few bars of music at the end.  Each part enters exactly two measures behind the one before it.  The Advanced Ensemble will give a wonderful performance of this piece on the Spring Recital.

Erik, Victoria, Shalese and Whitney at the Advanced Ensemble

  

Graduation Concert Information

2014 SAU VIOLIN GRADUATION revised

Tuesday, February 4^th 2014 7:00pm

Juan Diego Catholic High School 300 E. 11800 S. Draper, UT 84020

• WEAR WHITE LONG-SLEEVED DRESS SHIRT/BLOUSE, BLACK PANTS/SKIRT, BLACK SOCKS/TIGHTS & BLACK SHOES. TEACHERS WEAR BLACK PLEASE.
• DON’T FORGET TO PACK YOUR SHOULDER REST & VIOLIN/BOW.
• ARRIVE BETWEEN 6:30-6:45.  THIS GIVES YOU ENOUGH TIME TO FIND PARKING, WALK, FIND SEATS, GET PROGRAMS, & TUNE SO WE CAN END ON TIME!  SNOW STORMS ALWAYS SEEM TO HIT THE NIGHT OF GRADUATION!
• IF YOUR STUDENT IS GRADUATING FROM BOOKS 6, 7, 8, OR 10, PLEASE ARRIVE AT 6:00 FOR A MANDATORY REHEARSAL WITH THEIR GROUP & PIANIST.  PLEASE LEAVE YOUR CASES IN THE CHOIR ROOM NEXT TO THE HALL. THERE WILL BE ASSIGNED SEATING IN THE AUDITORIUM FOR THESE GROUPS. FIRST GROUP WITH ALL STUDENTS & LEADER WILL BEGIN.
• MOZART CONCERTO IN A MAJOR – WITH NO CADENZA GRADUATES ARE TO ATTEND A MANDATORY REHEARSAL AT SUZANNE BARRACLOUGH – 1902 S. 600 E. TUESDAY, JAN. 28^TH AT 6PM  ACCOMPANIST WILL ATTEND.
• ENTER THE PROPERTY AT 12300 S. & 300 E.  PARK IN THE B & C LOTS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO 300 EAST ENTRANCE.
• ONCE YOU'VE ARRIVED, GO DIRECTLY INTO THE AUDITORIUM AND SIT ANYWHERE YOU'D LIKE
• QUICKLY GET VIOLINS/BOWS OUT OF THEIR CASES, THEN, LEAVING CASES WITH YOUR SEATS, AT 6:30 PM. THE TEACHERS WILL BE IN FRONT OF THE STAGE TO HELP TUNE.  AFTER BEING TUNED, DON'T FORGET A PROGRAM AND RETURN TO YOUR SEATS KEEPING VIOLINS EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
• ONCE WE HAVE MOST OF THE VIOLINS TUNED, WE WILL WELCOME EVERYONE AND ASK FOR THE BOOK 9 & 10 GRADUATES TO RETURN TO THE HALLWAY TO BE LINED UP TO GO ON STAGE. 
• PLEASE DEMONSTRATE YOUR BEST CONCERT ETIQUETTE!! CELL PHONES ARE TERRIBLY DISRUPTING AND TAKE ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE STUDENTS-PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE OF THOSE AROUND YOU.

·         REMEMBER TWINKLES WILL PLAY VARIATIONS A, B, C, D, E, THEME, & BETWEEN EACH VARIATION THE PIANO WILL PLAY 2 MEASURES OF INTRODUCTION. WE WILL PLAY TWINKLES TWO TIMES.  WE WILL DIVIDE THE GROUP IN TWO.  THE FIRST GROUP WILL PLAY AND THE SECOND GROUP WILL BE THE FINALE.

• MAKE SURE YOUR STUDENTS REMEMBER TO BOW WITH THE GROUP AFTER THEIR PERFORMANCE!
• ALL REPEATS WILL BE TAKEN IN ALL THE PIECES, EXCEPT THE VERACINI SONATA (BK 8) WILL HAVE NO REPEATS!
• IF YOU HAVE A STUDENT WHO'S GRADUATING MULTIPLE LEVELS, REMIND THEM TO STAY ON STAGE AFTER THEIR FIRST LEVEL WHILE THE NEW LEVEL OF STUDENTS ARRIVES.
• STUDENTS WILL SIT WITH THEIR FAMILIES UNTIL THEIR GRADUATION PIECE IS ANNOUNCED TO EXIT TO THE HALL AND LINE UP.   AFTER PERFORMING, STUDENTS WILL RETURN TO SIT WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
• WE START ON TIME.  THIS CONCERT IS PLANNED TO BE CLOSE TO 1 HR 15 MIN.  PLEASE SUPPORT ALL GRADUATING LEVELS AND STAY UNTIL THE END OF THE CONCERT!  IF YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT STAY, QUIETLY LEAVE BETWEEN PIECES.
• TEACHERS WILL BE ON STAGE AFTER TWINKLE PERFORMANCE TO HAND OUT CERTIFICATES.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, RELAX AND ENJOY A WONDERFUL EVENING!!!!

Wonderful Opportunity

Group Lessons are extremely important!

Here are some great reasons for coming to Violin Group this Saturday January 25:

• Socialize with other students in the studio. Make new friends!
• Learn to play in tune and in rhythm with other violinists.
• Learn to follow the leader in a group.
• Learn music theory.  
• Get better at major and minor scales and arpeggios.
• Practice notereading and sightreading.
• Review pieces.  Get ready for the Graduation Concert February 4th at Juan Diego High School!
• Perfect violin techniques such as special bowings, shifting and vibrato.
• Practice ear training.  
• Prepare for ensemble concerts and solo performances.
• Learn to be supportive of others.
• Learn to play with confidence in front of others.
• Learn to be respectful and cooperative.
• Get motivated by watching and listening to other students.
• Play games and have fun!
• Eat treats!

Miss Ruth loves teaching Group Lessons and loves it when everyone comes!  See you Saturday morning!