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A Visit to the SYMPHONY

MUSIC at the TOWERS is a very good friend of 
                        Brampton's "ROSE ORCHESTRA "
ALL of our teachers play in it, AND they love what WE are doing !
That is why they offer us very good prices for their concerts..
Try to attend as many as you can- you'll hear some fabulous music and see what can happen when you play a VIOLA, CELLO or VIOLIN!!!
 
To attend the concert  next week, Saturday October 5, 8pm please come Tuesday with your payment in cash. $20 for each adult(much lower than regular price), and $10 for all children up to 4, in your family.
 
Here are the ROSE CONCERT dates for the whole year, all Saturdays. Put them on your calendar and try to come to as many as you can. We will need to give payment earlier next time- 2 weeks ahead.
October 5 "From Russia with Love" (pay Sept 31 class)
 
November 2 "YOUNG MASTERS" with the Youth orchestra "the Rosebuds" (Pay by Oct 22)
December 7 "JOY" (pay by  Nov 26)
January 18  "BROADWAY" (pay by Jan 7)
Feb 1.. "VALDY to VIVALDI" (pay  Jan 21)
March 29   "GYPSY VIOLIN" (pay by March 18)
May 3 "SUMMER LUVIN" (pay by Apr 22)

PRIVATE LESSONS NEXT WEEK
Check the final schedule next class

HOMEWORK for this week

LEVEL 1
BOW: ROSIN tightened hair of new bows many, MANY times so that when placed on string it makes a solid sound!
Practice bow hold-start with the bunny and keep all fingers rounded
windshield wiper-with middle two fingers curved firmly around the bow stick, rotate the bow from hair facing the floor over to hair facing the ceiling. Repeat several times
monkey crawl- tip of bow up towards ceiling, use finger tips to crawl to tip of bow and back down several times- left hand does not touch the bow
REVIEW: Instrument position- sit with back straight and both feet flat on the floor CELLO- end-pin extended, pull instrument towards you, pegs level with ear, knees grab cello, right knee touches only back bout, left knee touching both front and back bouts (tilted to the right)
VIOLIN/VIOLA- lift violin or viola, place it firmly on the shoulder. Turn head to the left and  drop weight of head onto the violin chin rest. Gently remove left hand so that the head is holding the violin/viola in place. Repeat many times, so that you are comfortable and can easily hold the instrument.
Review plucking position, with right thumb on corner of the finger board for viola/violin, and for cello half way along the fingerboard. Pull firmly on each string several times.
Review names of strings: from lowest (fattest) to highest (thinnest)
(C) G D A (E) cello and viola have a C string, Violin has E string


LEVEL 2
1.Practice reading notes in All for STRINGS book EVERY DAY so that you are good at finding and playing the notes quickly Pg. 22 # 57 and 58. Learn both A and B of # 58 so you make no mistakes!
Review Scales of D and G
Review Long Long Ago and Twinkles.
NEW SONG: Lightly Row-learn well lines 1 and 2

LIGHTLY ROW in A :NOTES
LINE 1:  E  C# C#__/ D     B  B__ / A B    C#   D / E  E  E __ /
             E0 a2 a2__/ a3 a1 a1__/A0 a1 a2 a3/ E0 E0 E0__/
        
LINE 2:  E  C#  C# C#/ D   B  B  B  / A  C#  E  E/  C# C#  C#___/
             E0 a2 a2 a2/ a3 a1 a1 a1/A0 a2 E0 E0/ a2 a2  a2___

LINE 3: B  B  B  B / B   C#  D__/C# C# C# C# /  C# D  E___/
        a1 a1 a1 a1 / a1 a2 a3__/a2  a2 a2 a2/ a2 a3 E0/
LINE /4: Repeat line 2  :  E  C#  C# C#/ D   B  B  B  / A  C#  E  E/  C# C#  C#___/
                                                E0 a2 a2 a2/ a3 a1 a1 a1/A0 a2  E0 E0   / a2 a2  a2___//


LEVEL 3

technique: SHIFTING EXERCISE WITH COMPLETE HAND FRAME MOVING AS A UNIT. Keep second finger lightly touching the string. wrist leads. two exercises
 
scales: 2 octave G and D scales with shift up to 3rd position
-D scale -violin shifts 1s finger  onto D on A string. stay there up to top and back to same not, then return to first position( c 2nd finger) on A string. viola -no shift, cello -no shift

-G scale- violin no shift, viola shifts to 1 on D on A string, stay there up to top and back, then down to c-second finger on A , cello shifts on A string after d(4 )to 1 on E
 
Pieces: Double Trouble- Quick tempo, careful counting
             Corelli Gavotte- learn notes and rhythms to bar 26 
NEW Handel Queen of Sheba- learn to bar 9 accurately, no stops
2 students to do AFS last page C MAJOR scale and thirds, with  f and c natural- NOT SHARP
 


 

FYI

Hello everybody:
I just realized that my phone number is not showing on the blog page, sorry about that. 
I sent everybody an email last week with all our info. in case you did not recieve one please let me know, I will add you to our group list. 
So my number is 647 382 0122, you can leave me a message if I dont respond and I will call you right back.
Just a little reminder: all students (all 3 levels) need to fill our a new enrollment form and photograph permission forms, we need to have an updated copy every year for MATT records. I  will be handing out rental agreements and any other forms you might still need as well as  recieving payments today : )
see you soon
Claudia

A BRAND NEW START

This week our beginners all received their new instruments - this is a VERY special time for our new families- 
for those who dedicate themselves,
 a future of MUSIC-MAKING and FUN lies ahead!
 LEVEL 1  Homework :
1.BOW HOLD: right hand-no bow-bunny position-wiggle all fingers
drop this grip onto the BOW FROG-all fingers slightly spread apart :
cello:  your 2 middle fingers are flat on the eye of the frog
            and others drop down to form a "square" hand position
           thumb is slightly curved on the other side of the frog
violin/viola: bunny  position on bow-near "bump" inside frog
-angle fingers so "pointy finger" touches bow between middle two joints
-middle 2 fingers fall around bow and are solid on the side of the frog  
- pinkie is on top.
-THUMB is bent inside the frog just in front of the frog "bump"
Hold tip of bow UP and wiggle fingers.
DON"T WORRY-we'll practice in class till we get it!
 2.Work on names of strings-see last week's BLOG
HOW? close this one (upper right hand of page) ,
then choose last week's posting
3. Sitting position; always on front of chair, back straight. VIOLIN on front right corner of chair 
 
LEVEL 2
 Continue to practice: D and G scales
                                   all Twinkles
                                   Long Long Ago
 
AFS Book READING:
Work on P.22: #57 and DUET:#58. #58:We will play duets next week, one on each part -please learn both upper and lower lines.
Song:Lightly Row- please be sure to learn line1.
 
LIGHTLY ROW in A :NOTES
LINE 1:  E  C# C#__/ D     B  B__ / A B    C#   D / E  E  E __ /
             E0 a2 a2__/ a3 a1 a1__/A0 a1 a2 a3/ E0 E0 E0__/
        
LINE 2:  E  C#  C# C#/ D   B  B  B  / A  C#  E  E/  C# C#  C#___/
             E0 a2 a2 a2/ a3 a1 a1 a1/A0 a2 E0 E0/ a2 a2  a2___

LINE 3: B  B  B  B / B   C#  D__/C# C# C# C# /  C# D  E___/
        a1 a1 a1 a1 / a1 a2 a3__/a2  a2 a2 a2/ a2 a3 E0/
LINE /4: Repeat line 2  :  E  C#  C# C#/ D   B  B  B  / A  C#  E  E/  C# C#  C#___/
                                                E0 a2 a2 a2/ a3 a1 a1 a1/A0 a2  E0 E0   / a2 a2  a2___//


 
 
Level 3
 Homework-
1. to be played individually, next class:
AFS last page technical exercises- #2, 4, 5 or 6 . As you practise these, name notes, and remember which ones are sharp (#5&6 -no sharps)
2. shifting exercise- HAND FRAME does not change-thumb and fingers all move up and down together, thumb stays opposite second finger. Slide lightly on 1st finger to arrive at the next note( on D- E up to F#, F# down to E, E to G, G down to E)
3. SONGS: Double Trouble- all- up to quick speed-eighths at middle of bow
                   Gavotte- first section to 35-all notes learned.
                                   play eighth notes at middle of bow

 

 

 

 

 

NEW TERM HAS BEGUN


 MUSIC at the TOWERS YEARS THREE is UNDERWAY!

WELCOME TO OUR LEVEL ONE BEGINNERS-
by next week everyone will have an  instrument in their hands!
 
 WELCOME BACK level 2 and 3 Students!
some of you may be upsizing your instrument.
We are doing the switches next week , so we can get on with making MUSIC!
PARENTS: Next week, when instruments are assigned, we will be handing out Rental Agreement forms and Claudia will be accepting your instrument rental fees.
Make sure you are storing the instrument safely. You may wish to cover the instrument with your house insurance policy - any accidental damage is your responsibility.
 
 

HOMEWORK this week:

Level 1: Beginners
right hand: Bunny wiggle fingers-all are bent and flexible
Music Alphabet ABCDEFGA
Memorize names of strings
Lowest (fattest)to highest(thinnest)
 C G D A E (five notes apart)


Level 2: Check hand and instrument positions
Scale of D and G
Twinkle Rhythms
Review:  Long Long Ago
               Beethoven Ninth

Level 3: Scales D and G
            Review: O Canada
NEW: "DoubleTrouble" counting!
Correlli: Gavotte -first section

 

THANKS TO  new student, WAHAAJ ZAFAR
        for the photos!
 

WATCH THE PAPERS!

Thanks so much for coming Saturday- you played well despite the less than helpful conditions! VERY NOISY!
but, to be expected in a CARNIVAL atmosphere! People seemed to be really enjoying the event!
Just think of it like playing a Wedding Reception- it HAPPENS!

We had a Guardian Photographer there, so watch the paper this week-you are about to be famous!

Also SNAP paper has asked for photos- I am working on it, but don't have any of my own of the Towers event.If you have a few good ones and want to send them to me , I'll forward them to SNAP.
I do have lots for SUPERSTORE, thanks to our new student, the younger Mr Balaaj! and will be sending some of them to Ian Mahy. .

 
REGISTRATION IS TOMORROW
SEE YOU ALL THEN

START: TUESDAY Sept 10th

Level 3 arrive 3:45 START 4pm Bring stand, folder, all music and AFS
Level 2 arrive 4:45 START 5pm Bring stand, Folder and AFS book
Level 1 BEGINNERS: arrive 5:45 START 6 pm to 6:45:
                      Beginners'ACTIVITIES: Assigning instruments
                                                               Measuring for instrument size
                                                               Care of the Instrument
 
LEVEL 3 
Our Level 3 students are about to become REAL musicians, playing
Real Music written by the great Masters for the Pro's and by recent Popular Composers. You have no idea what can be in store when you follow through over the long term!
MUSIC is for YOUR WHOLE LIFE!!!

GOOD NEWS FOR MATT!!
As of today, we have a new Admin Assistant who is going to be WONDERFUL !
Mrs. Claudia Perdomo will be there to handle all paperwork. She will receive payments, applications,  keep inventories of books and intstruments and handle countless other Administrative tasks.
Thanks to Ontario Trillium Foundation for sponsoring this position!

 This news means MATT Director and Class Teacher,
Andrea Currie Jefferson, is now able to focus on
preparing Music, Lesson schedule and Concerts.
More to come on that:
Private lessons will start in October.
  

CLASSES START Tuesday Sept 10th SATURDAY"S CONCERT SCHEDULE

(For Class start info. and times, please see below)

NEW INFO RE: SATURDAY LUNCH:GOOD NEWS!
Brampton Towers has donated a ticket for a drink and a hamburger or hotdog, for each child who plays the concert.
 
After the Superstore Concert we will return to the Towers to eat lunch,
then set up at 12:30 to play.

Don't forget to review the music before Saturday!

 THIS SATURDAY: THREE CONCERTS
9:50 to 11a.m. All students attend rehearsal
Wear MATT t-shirt and colorful pants/skirt
Please Bring Music Stand
 .
11a.m. load instruments into van and walk to Superstore
11:30 Superstore- Concert #1
Program order:
O Canada- Level 3
 Twinkles
Sound of Music
Yesterday- Duet
Blue Danube
Pachelbel Canon
Baroque Fanfare- duet
Haymaker Hoedown
Jazzy Blues
Beethoven 9th

12 noon .-load instruments into van for return to Towers
-meet at Towers outdoor BBQ area
(short lunch break for students-please bring something for lunch-Check blog Fri for further info.)

12:30 CONCERT Set-up OUTSIDE at TOWERS
12:45 CONCERT #2- stay in place(sit on ground)
1:15 Ontario Trillium Foundation Presentation to MATT
1:30 CONCERT #3

THE END of a BUSY DAY!
Thank you to all!

REGISTRATION AND CLASSES
START:TUESDAY Sept 10th

Level 3 arrive 3:45 START 4pm Bring stand, folder, all music and AFS
Level 2 arrive 4:45 START 5pm Bring stand, Folder and AFS book
Level 1 BEGINNERS: arrive 5:45 START 6 pm to 6:45:
                      Beginners'ACTIVITIES: Assigning instruments
                                                               Measuring for instrument size
                                                               Care of the Instrument