REGISTRATION: All students must be registered on-line using the link https://secure.hrce.ca/hra/
Please follow the instructions to register by clicking on Halifax Regional Arts WEST Registration 2021-2022. The shaded grey box at the bottom left-hand side of the page.
Information gathered in the registration will be used for communication home.
Violin Course Materials
All students will need:
a violin outfit (violin, bow, case, rosin) or Cello Outfit (cello, bow, rosin, case and floor-stopper)
Method Book: Essential Elements Violin Book 1 ISBN 978-0-634-03817-4
two pencils
cleaning cloth ( clean odd socks usually make good cleaners)
a binder of some sort to collect additional music sheets that can be organized
Warm-up
Get the proper posture. Stand straight with equal weight on both feet and shift the left foot slightly forward. Keep the neck straight and bring the violin to your shoulder to rest and bring your should gently up to allow the chin rest of the violin to meet the jaw with the chin-rest of the violin. Remember that the violin is not held-up by the hand but the shoulder rest and chin rest.
Open Strings 4-3-2-1 Play each string with a full straight bow 4 times, three times...
D Major Scale Start on the D string and play each note of the scale once with a long bow ( whole notes), then 4 shorter bows (quarter notes) and then finish with eight short bows (eigth notes) at the tip of the bow. (fingering for violin: D0 ,D1, D2 D3, A0, A1, A2, A3, A3, A2, A1, A0, D3, D2, D1, D0)
E Minor Scale Violins start with first finger pattern on the D string and second finger pattern on the A string
Try other scales starting on other strings
This year is different. I am sure this is no surprise to you. Our program delivery has changed and we are offering a string program in the safest way we can. In September there are usually evening meetings to introduce the string program and inform parents/guardians about how to enrol a child, how to access an instrument and general expectations. This letter will have to do for this year as gatherings are not possible and the schools are not accessible after 6 pm. Please read the following carefully and I apologize for the dryness of the delivery in bullet points.
Your child has the opportunity to join the Halifax Regional Arts (West) -(HRA) String Program. This Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) program is offered starting in grade 4 and is offered through to graduation in grade 12. This is an elective class in elementary school and if students continue their instrument, can become an arts credit that is counted toward high school graduation.
• There will be one 30 minute class per week during school time
• Students will need to keep their masks on for the entire class
• String students will leave their class to go to a music room for string instrument instruction
• Students will not be combined with other cohorts
• Classes will be small giving a small student to teacher ratio
• Students are expected to practice at home and bring their required materials to string class
• Instruments are to be brought to school on the lesson day and brought home again the same day. Students are NOT to leave the instrument in the school on days other than lesson days.
• Students must commit to staying in the string classes for the full school year
• Method books will be offered for free this year (another first for our department)
• ALL STUDENTS MUST BE REGISTERED using this link.
https://secure.hrce.ca/hra/wizard.aspx
• All communications from the string teacher will be created from the registration information.
Some string instruments in the HRA instrument bank are available for free while supplies last. This is a new policy this year for the HRCE and we will do our best to supply students with instruments. Please be patient with our department as we work out how this will be implemented. String staff will be delivering instruments to students at their schools as parents/
guardians are not able to enter the school where our offices are.