Congratulations to Anna Victoria for her Suzuki Violin Book 3 Graduation. Anna Victoria is a very dedicated violin student and we’re so proud of her. Congratulations to her mother, Patricia, for helping her with daily home practice. Here she is smiling with her book certificate. Way to go, Anna Victoria!
Congratulations to Alejandro for his Book 3 Graduation!
Congratulations to Alejandro for his Violin Book 3 Graduation. Alejandro is a very dedicated violin student and we’re so proud of him. Congratulations to his mom, as well for helping him with daily home practice. Here he is smiling with his book certificate. Way to go, Alejandro!
Alexa’s Twinkler’s Chart was a blast!
Congratulations to Alexa, who was so excited to complete her first “Twinkler’s Chart” with stickers this week during violin practice. She promised to practice her Twinkle variations and theme every day and she delivered! Mom said she was so excited that she wanted to practice multiple times per day and compete her chart. Way to go, Alexa!
Should You Be Practicing Right Now?
Local Music School Prepares Your Child for the Best Possible Life
Few human abilities inspire as much awe, fascination and joy as the talent to play beautiful and contemplative music, and it seems that one only need to visit YouTube to witness dozens of very young children playing the violin with jaw-dropping finesse.
But is that kind of musical ability strictly a natural gift, or can your child also develop the skills to play that well?
Violin instructor Rigo Murillo of Love Nurtured Music believes that musical talent can be developed as young as three years old through listening, imitation and repetition, and has designed a successful curriculum based on this idea.
“We assume that every child can develop abilities to play the violin,” says Murillo.
Based on a concept developed by Shinichi Suzuki, a Japanese violin teacher who taught violin to infants in Matsumoto in 1946, Murillo proves that children can develop their musical abilities beyond what most parents think is possible through group classes and daily direction — similar to how students memorize multiplication charts or the periodic table.
But for parents who aren’t too concerned with their child becoming the next Yo-Yo Ma, is there another compelling reason to enroll your child in musical studies so early?
A recent report by the Scientific American suggests that you should if you want your child to have the best advantage in life, as playing music makes us significantly smarter, and the earlier the better.
According to a recent Scientific American article, neuroscientists found a direct correlation between music learning and increased learning ability, leading to improved memory and concentration throughout one’s life, boosting the ability to multitask, work in disruptive environments and learn other languages.
The researchers found that disciplined “instrument training from an early age can help the brain to process sounds better, making it easier to stay focused when absorbing other subjects, from literature to tensor calculus.”
This information comes at a pivotal time when students are competing more than ever to get into the best colleges and graduate programs, and recent graduates vie for limited jobs, while many schools continue to cut music and arts programs to save money.
A recent report shows that, for example, the number of students enrolled in music programs in California dropped by 50% from 1999 to 2004.
Perhaps that’s why the Lake Higlands-based music establishment has lately flooded with young students’ parents wanting to try the all-inclusive musical approach.
Nolan Clark, parent of one young violinist says, “under Rigo’s guidance I’ve watched my daughter progress tremendously, and we look forward to a continued partnership with Rigo in the future.”
Through dedicated weekly one-on-one violin lessons, regular group sessions and performances, Murillo is determined to give students and their parents the best possible future and carry the remarkable gift of music with them for the rest of their lives.
As a requisite for children to be admitted in the program, Murillo simply asks parents to always be present during the program’s activities so they can conduct effective home practice sessions, and to play a prearranged musical recording playlist at home.
To find out how to give your child the gift of music, call Love Nurtured Music at 214-269-8545, or visit www.LoveNurturedMusic.org.
Learn How To Give Your Child The Gift Of Music
FiddleBlast! Fiddle Workshop and Performance Details
I’m excited to have all our young violinists learn and play more Fiddle and non-classical repertoire!
I have posted MUSIC, VIDEO & AUDIO PRACTICE RESOURCES here (below).
We will play our Fiddle, Broadway, Movie, and Pop repertoire:
Twinkle Variations and Theme (Yes, we will play them, too) —
Twinkle Rock — Practice Music MP3 Below —
Boil’em Cabbage Down – Easy (Murillo) — Download Sheet Music — Practice Video Below —
Boil’em Cabbage Down – Advanced — Download Sheet Music — Practice Video Below —
Cripple Creek – Easy (Fiddle Philharmonic) — Download Sheet Music — Practice Video Below —
Cripple Creek – Intermediate (Fiddle Club) — Download Sheet Music —
Cotton Eyed Joe – Advanced — Download Sheet Music — Practice Video Below —
Red Wing (Fiddle Club) — Download Sheet Music —
The Frost Is All Over (Fiddle Club) — Download Sheet Music —
Liza Jane/Bubble Gum Polka (Riley) — Download Sheet Music —
The Little Pickle/Highlander’s Jig (Scottish Tunes) — Download Sheet Music — Practice Music MP3 Below —
The Irish Washerwoman (Scottish Tunes) — Download Sheet Music —
Cattle Call — Download Sheet Music —
Cuckoo’s Nest — Download Sheet Music —
Millionaire’s Hoedown — Download Sheet Music —
Star Wars — Download Sheet Music — Goofy Video Below —
Tomorrow (Annie) — Download Sheet Music —
Fiddler On The Roof (Broadway) — Download Sheet Music —
If your child can go, he/she can participate by playing whichever tunes are mastered. I will be working with the students on this repertoire over these weeks.
Twinkle Rock (Audio)
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Click here to download Twinkle Rock MP3
Boil’em Cabbage Down Practice Music Soundtrack
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Click here to download Boil’em Cabbage Down FiddleBlast! Music Soundtrack MP3
Boil’em Cabbage Down (Easy) Tutorial and Practice Video:
Cripple Creek (Easy) Practice Video:
Cotton-Eyed Joe Music MP3
Click Here to Download Music MP3
Cotton-Eyed Joe Practice Video:
Little Pickle/Highlander’s Jig Music MP3 (SLOWER)
Click Here to Download Music MP3
Boil’em Cabbage Down ADVANCED Practice Video (SLOW)
Star Wars Goofy Video by Mr. Rigo:
Way to go, practice champions!
Congratulations to Anna Victoria Lavelle and Alondra Flores for completing their 100 days of practice in a row chart this week!!
They have made tremendous improvements due to their increased practice discipline.
They were awarded their well-deserved Love Nurtured Music “Practice Champion T-shirts.”
If you want your free T-shirt, complete the 100-Day Challenge Chart here.
Community Suzuki Workshop Recital: Violin Students
Congratulations!
Congratulations to everybody who came to our workshop! Frances, Alondra, Ailyn, and Alejandro did a great job performing in the recital. Next time, we will be glad to have others who are prepared perform, as well. Well done!
Extensive Musical Training Affects Brain Structure And Function
Musical training shapes brain anatomy and affects function, says a new study presented this week in San Diego, California at Neuroscience 2013, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health. The new findings show that training before age 7 has bigger impact on brain anatomy; improvisation can rewire brain.
The new research shows how brain regions communicate during the creation of music and find that extensive musical training affects the structure and function of different brain regions and even how the brain interprets and integrates sensory information.
These insights suggest potential new roles for musical training including fostering plasticity in the brain, an alternative tool in education, and treating a range of learning disabilities.
The new findings say that:
- Long-term high level musical training has a broader impact than previously thought. Researchers found that musicians have an enhanced ability to integrate sensory information from hearing, touch, and sight.
- The age at which musical training begins affects brain anatomy as an adult; beginning training before the age of seven has the greatest impact.
- Brain circuits involved in musical improvisation are shaped by systematic training, leading to less reliance on working memory and more extensive connectivity within the brain.
Some of the brain changes that occur with musical training reflect the automation of task (much as one would recite a multiplication table) and the acquisition of highly specific sensorimotor and cognitive skills required for various aspects of musical expertise.
“Playing a musical instrument is a multisensory and motor experience that creates emotions and motions — from finger tapping to dancing — and engages pleasure and reward systems in the brain. It has the potential to change brain function and structure when done over a long period of time,” said press conference moderator Gottfried Schlaug, MD, PhD, of Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “As today’s findings show, intense musical training generates new processes within the brain, at different stages of life, and with a range of impacts on creativity, cognition, and learning.”
-Presented at the Neuroscience 2013 annual meeting.
A Patriotic Salute: God Bless America by Rigo Murillo
A warm salute to all who serve in the armed forces.
Thanks for defending our home, sweet home!
Enjoy this song:
God Bless America performed by Rigo Murillo, Violin:
Download this song here:
Listen to Rigo Murillo Play “God Bless America”