NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES:

January, 2010

           Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a happy holiday. I am looking forward to all the upcoming events this year. After getting a new laptop as an early Christmas present, I have decided to do all my lesson plans on the computer. I have also made some changes to the practice sheets to make practicing a little easier. The input I got from some of the parents last semester was that there was more writing going on than practicing. Parents, please take a look at the new practice sheets to make sure you and your child understand how to use them and fill them out. Also keep in mind that with a new semester, comes a new schedule. Please be prepared for lots of schedule changes in the next couple weeks as everyone gets adjusted and as I add new students. If you need to change your lesson time, please let me know and I will try to get you into a time that will work for you.
                  I have not made any changes to my studio policies, however it may be a good idea to look it over (see black box at the top of this web page). We are back to our same routine in terms of group lessons. Depending on the levels of the new students, I may decide to do a shorter Pre-Twinkle group class on the second Fridays of each month. Last semester the level 1 group was pretty big and I felt that some of the younger students may have been intimidated by some of the older students.
                  I would like to point out that now is a good time to check up on a number of things with your violins. #1: Has your child out grown your instrument? The way they can tell is by putting their violin up on their shoulder and wrapping their hand around the scroll. If they can bend their elbow and still reach their fingers all the way in, than they are ready to move up to a bigger sized instrument.  There is an online list of used instruments for sale in town at http://alaskasuzuki.org/forsale.aspx
#2: Do you need to replace the horse hair on the bow? I replace my horse hair twice a year. Over time it wears out, and if your child isn’t keeping up with rosining it will wear out even faster. #3: Do you need new strings? I replace my strings about once a year. With most smaller violins you won’t need to worry about this, but if you got your instrument used, or if you’ve had your violin for over a year, it may be time to change them out. You will most definitely need to get new strings if you notice they are unraveling. A good quality brand is “Helicore” but if you don’t want to spend too much money on strings, I would recommend the brand “Dominants”. You can order them online at www.shar.com or you can also purchase them at Petr’s Violin Shop.
                  Students that have the tune “Mansion on the Hill” polished are welcome to play with us at the Anchorage Folk Festival this month. I sent an email out with a list of songs and I may hand out an extra practice list with more information in the next week or two. The Anchorage Folk Festival is held at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium and we are scheduled to play on Saturday, January 30th at 4:45pm. Everyone is required to be there an hour early. (A couple years ago we went on 45 minutes early because a few acts didn’t show up.) I would like to have a practice at the house on Friday, January 22nd at 6:30pm. If you plan on performing, please make sure you come to either your group lesson or the practice (or both). I will also be doing a workshop “Fiddle Tunes for Kids” on Saturday, January 23rd. If you would like to see a list of other acts and workshops go to www.anchoragefolkfestival.org .
                  Before I end my letter, I would like to remind everyone not to park in front of any mail boxes. It is my policy that parents come up for either the first or last five minutes of their children’s lesson so they will know what they have been working on and so I can pass on any important information. Younger students and siblings should have a parent present for the entire lesson. Siblings must stay in sight of a parent during private and group lessons. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Happy fiddling!

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