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Way to go, Emily, Practice Champion!
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!
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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.
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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!
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Suggested Repertoire for Suzuki Violin School Volumes 6,7 and 8
This is the Suzuki Association of the Americas suggested supplementary list for violin students. This list does NOT impede any teacher from using their personal favorites, nor a teacher trainer from presenting a more comprehensive list for each book or distributing their own list. This list is meant as a guideline.
Volume 6:
Elgar Salut d’Amor/Faure Apres un Reve
Kreisler Rondino/Song of India/Tempo di Minuetto
Dancla Air Varie Op. 89/Dvorak Sonatina/Schubert Sonatine
Bach Concerto for Two Violins 2nd mvt. (both parts in score)
Potstock Souvenir de Sarasate/Severn Polish Dance
Bartok Duets Book 1/Kabalevsky Album Pieces/Persichetti Masques
Volume 7:
Bach-Gounod Ave Maria/Faure Berceuse/Massenet Meditation from Thais
Kreisler Gluck Melodie/Schoen Rosmarin/Sicilienne & Rigaudon
Accolay Concerto/Haydn G Major Concerto 1st mvt./Nardini Concerto/Mozart Sonata E minor K304
Monti Czardas/Schubert L’Abeille/Wieniawski Obertass Mazurka
Bartok Sonatina/Gardner From the Cane Break/Shostakovich Duets
Volume 8:
Paradis Sicilienne/Svendsen Romance/ Tchaikovsky Canzonetta/Wieniawsky Romance (Con. No. 2)
Kreisler Praeludium & Allegro/Syncopation/Variations on a Theme by Corelli
DeBeriot Concerto No.9/Scene de Ballet/Mozart G Major Concerto/Viotti Concerto No.23/Beethoven “Spring” Sonata 1st mvt./Mozart Sonata in G Major K301
Bach Concerto for Two Violins 3rd mvt. (both parts in score)
Brahms Hungarian Dances/Novacek Perpetual Motion/Ten Have Allegro Brilliante/Wieniawski Legende
Bartok Roumanian Folk Dances/Bolling Suite for Violin and Jazz Piano—Romance & Gavotte/Copland Hoedown
Solo Violin Recommendations:
Telemann Fantasy No. 1, 7 and 10
Bach G Minor Sonata, Presto/D Minor Partita, Allamanda/E Major Partita, Bourree & Gigue
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How to Get Your Child Started in Suzuki Music Lessons
If you are already aware of all the academic benefits that Suzuki violin lessons will bring to your child’s life and know how the Suzuki Method works, congratulations! You are one of the many happy parents who experience the joy of nurturing your child’s efforts and wants him/her to succeed in music, academics, social life, and beyond. Here is how to get started:
- Observe: Come to see for yourself how the Suzuki Method works, meet the teacher
- Enroll: Get all info you need to enroll including tuition, lesson availability, and teacher schedules, register for parent orientation classes
- Schedule Lesson Time: Talk to your Suzuki teacher to schedule an individual lesson time for your child and group class placement
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Academic Benefits of Suzuki Violin Lessons
Besides learning how to play the violin beautifully, by enrolling your child in the Suzuki violin program, your child will also learn with ease to sharpen some valuable life and academic skills. Some of them are:
- Increased concentration and focus
- Self-esteem and confidence leaps
- Feeling comfortable in front of an audience
- Self-discipline
- The stepwise process toward mastery
- Problem-solving skills
- Life-long, positive friendships
- How to read and interpret music notation and theory
- Determination to try difficult things
- Working with others in one on one and group settings
- Sharpen auditory and possibly visual memorization skills
- Dealing with mistakes effectively
- Find the joy that comes through making music
- Learn in a supportive environment
- Much more!
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General Advise On Choosing a Violin – Sources of Violins in the Dallas/Plano/Richardson Area
By Rigo Murillo
General Advise On Choosing a Violin:
Young students’ sizes should be determined by the individual teacher. If you are shopping for a violin for a Suzuki student, my personal recommendation is to ALWAYS check with your teacher before you head out shopping for an instrument. Make sure the dealer will let you take it to the teacher for approval as conditional to continue your commitment to rent or buy. Show the violin to your child’s teacher to check on size and playability. Since violin makers don’t have a “standard” set of fractional sizes, there can be a 1/8 violin that is the same size, or even smaller than a 1/10 of another maker. You want your child to have the most ease of playing and a pleasant learning experience.
For the older student, the best option is to take time visiting the shops personally and try several instruments. The shop owners know it’s a crucial decision for the student and parent to get a good fit. They will let you try several models and price ranges, and usually explain the instrument’s origin, construction, and possible usability. The violins should be easy to play, have a well-round sound (they have different character), pleasant to the ear.
It may take more than one visit to a shop to come up with a satisfactory decision. Though all these shops carry good quality instruments, it will take some shopping around to get the best fit for the student.
Rigo Murillo, Suzuki Strings Specialist
Here is a list of the local violin/string shops in the Dallas/Plano/Richardson area that I personally know to have good quality instruments:
The Luthier Shop
2201 Moseley Road
Cross Roads, TX 76227-8017
(940) 365-2309
SELL: YES (~$400 – $11,00)
RENT: YES ($30-40/Mo.)
This is the place I have been going for the last 9 years to have work on my violins. Stephen Cundall is a master violin maker and also works on repairs. He carries very good, professional-line instruments at reasonable prices. Highly honest and great reputation. Rentals are also available.
Rury Violin Shop
1251 S. Sherman St., Suite 105
Richardson, TX 75081
(469) 330-9998
SELL: YES (~$300 – $11,00)
RENT: NO
Jay Rury has been serving the Dallas are for quite some time. They have provided service and instruments for our school’s student families and many of the Dallas Symphony musicians. They now carry an array of good instruments in a wide price range. Very friendly and punctual work.
Kelin Violin Shop
3321 Premier Drive; Suite B
Plano, TX 75023
(972) 881-1765
SELL: YES (~$300 – $11,00)
RENT: YES (~$28-35/Mo.)
I have have known Kelin Zhang, the owner and violin maker of the shop for quite some time. He makes high-end violins and has a variety of student instruments as well. Several of my young students rent or own instruments from this shop. Kelin usually has all small-size instruments in stock all the time. They have a renting program, as well.
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Starting Early Boosts the Brain
If you started music lessons in grade one, or played the recorder in kindergarten, thank your parents and teachers. Those lessons you dreaded — or loved — helped develop your brain. The younger you started music lessons, the stronger the connections in your brain.
A study published last month in the Journal of Neuroscience suggests that musical training before the age of seven has a significant effect on the development of the brain, showing that those who began early had stronger connections between motor regions — the parts of the brain that help you plan and carry out movements… READ MORE
Schedule an observation and see for yourself
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