Here's a great way to listen to your songs. Go to the Intermediate School page, then go to Orchestra, then go to Suzuki Book. Choose your instrument and Book 1. All the songs in your book are there being performed for you. Of course, this is the finished version, but it's a great way to listen and learn!!!

April 14, 2020

Hello Cello students! I added a bunch of new songs to the bottom of this page for you. Please send me videos when you have a problem you need my help with or if you just want to share your performance. I hope you all enjoyed Easter or Passover or just seeing spring arriving! I have been working in my garden, playing with my dog, trying to find a way to record myself playing that sounds good (haven't tackled that yet- but you know our motto: We Stink But We're Getting Better!) and getting some reading done too. Send me an email to tell me how you are doing. I miss you guys!!!!

Mrs. Lowe

Here is what second year cello students should be working on over the next few weeks.

Review work :

You should continue to review all the Twinkle variations and French Folk Song:

1. Mississippi Hot Dog

2. Run Pony, Jump Pony

3. Peanut Butter Macaroni

4. Twinkle theme

Remember:

1. Position is important! Make sure you are sitting tall with both feet on the floor and without the cello resting on your shoulder. The pegs should be near your ear. You know how to do this!

2. Bow hold should be set up before you begin to play. Imagine you are pouring something from a can into your cello (like magic practice serum). Your hand will be rounded, tilted to the left (thumb side of the hand) and the back of your hand (pinkie side) will NOT be touching the bow at all except for the pad of the pinkie finger. Don't close the "back door". Check this over and over again!!!! You know how bow hands can misbehave if you don't pay attention to them. Your two middle fingers will touch the bow stick between the first and second knuckle. "Long John Silver" (your middle finger) will be touching the silver part of the frog (it's called the ferule) if you are doing this right. Remember to keep your hand soft!

3. Start each of the variations by using a downbow- bow moving towards the tip (away from you).

4. Don't forget how your bow arm needs to move. Your right elbow should be relaxed and low- think of a begging dog- and bow placed on the string near the frog. As you move towards the tip, your right elbow rises and then relaxes when you change bow direction towards the frog.

5. Spend at least 5 minutes of practice on review.

Reviewing French Folk Song:

You will find the music on the bottom of the page.

Once you have it learned- keep working until it's memorized.

Here are things to be careful of:

1. The last note of each line is a half note with a dot next to it. This means, it's a dotted half note and it's worth 3 beats.

2. The last line is probably the trickiest so work on that first and repeat, repeat, repeat...like 10 times!

3. You should spend at least 15 minutes of practice on this piece if it is a review piece. Otherwise, 5 minutes will work.

Here are two video examples of the song for you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAE2m1uj2WM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvtaJRTgxOs

And here is my own French Folk Song video (played on viola...)

New pieces:

Lightly Row

Here are a few pointers regarding Lightly Row.

1. Line 2 and line 4 are the same

2. Line 3 is the easiest (and my favorite!) line.

3. Be careful to count the half notes for a full two beats- especially the ones at the end of each line.

4. Line 1 and 2 are very similar, but not the same!

5. There are no fingers on the A string in this piece. If you see a finger number, it's on the D string.

6. You should spend at least 15 minutes of practice on this piece.