Busking Competition!

UPDATE (6/4/12): The “Morris Minors” made it into the Grand Final of the Musical Youth Busking Competition! Please go support them on Sunday, April 15 at 10am, Forest Lake Shopping Centre (Cnr Grand & Forrest Lake Blvd.) All finalists in the competition be judged by a panel of 3 judges together with public voting using a box provided at the site.  Winners will be announced at 2pm on April 15.

My three students, Agnes, Cecilia and Philomena Morris, entered a Musical Youth Busking Competition that was sponsored by Forest Lake Shopping Centre. They were one of 39 entries, and they performed Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in A Minor, 1st Movement. The Morris girls had a really positive response from judges and audience members alike. The applicants who get the highest judges score (50%) plus the most “likes” on their Facebook competition site (50%) will be chosen to play in the grand final on Sunday, April 15th. Please “vote” for these talented young girls by clicking on this link and clicking the “like” icon!  Voting closes on Tuesday, March 27th!

The Morris family just moved here to Australia from South Africa. Seven of the eight children all took Suzuki violin lessons in South Africa, which has made their transition into my Suzuki studio pretty smooth. The three eldest kids, Philomena (13), Agnes (12), and Cecilia (10), who entered the busking competition, are all now finishing Suzuki Book 4. They are all very dedicated at practising regularly, playing together, and helping each other learn the violin.

I hope you enjoy this impromptu video I took of them playing Vivaldi at my house during their violin lesson. Congratulations on entering the competition, girls, and good luck in making it into the grand final!

Student Successes: Sophia Beh

I am very proud to highlight my fabulous student, Sophia Beh as she has had a year of great musical success. Her most recent accomplishment is successfully auditioning into the Queensland Youth Symphony Orchestra! Sophia, at age 10, will be one of the youngest members of the QYO3 orchestra (I read in the audition materials that the age range for QYO3 is 12 – 19 years old). Furthermore, she was placed in the first violin section, 5th chair! The audition process entailed playing one major and one melodic minor scales in three octaves, playing a prepared piece, and playing several sight-reading excerpts that applicants received before the audition. There are two panelists (comprised of teachers and Queensland Symphony Orchestra members) who judge applicants on the following criteria: intonation, rhythm, dynamics, tone production, musical style and attention to directions of the music, staccato & sautille bowings. That is one tall order to fill for a young musician! Congratulations, Sophia!

Sophia started the violin at age 5. She has attended several different Suzuki workshops throughout the years, and last year she was selected to play in the prestigious Twilight Concert at Brisbane Suzuki Winter School, which highlighted the most polished players at the workshop. Sophia’s first ensemble experience was participating in Suzuki group classes shortly after she started learning the violin, and she continues to attend my group classes. Sophia was first exposed to playing in an orchestra last year when she joined the Western Suburbs String Orchestra. Having grown and thrived throughout that experience, she was inspired to audition for the Queensland Youth Orchestra, which starts its 2012 season at the beginning of the school year.

Sophia is truly a multi-talented kid. She started piano at age seven and has made astonishing progress. Just last year she passed her AMEB Grade 4 piano exam. Besides music, Sophia enjoys cooking, reading, playing with her friends, and playing soccer. She likes attending Pine Community School, where she just completed Grade 5.

At my end of year concert this past December, Sophia gave a brilliant performance of La Folia by Corelli (who happens to be one of her favourite composers). I hope you enjoy this video of her beautiful playing!

Student Successes: Tashi Quinn

Tashi Quinn is one of my rockin’ viola students. She is admired by many for her excellent work ethic, her creative ingenuity, her work as a humanitarian activist, and of course for her brilliant viola playing. Tashi is a 15 year-old student at Bray Park State High School who recently finished Grade 10. Besides playing viola, she spends her time playing the piano and playing netball.

Tashi has influenced many of my students directly as she was the first in my studio to start busking (street performing). I was inspired by her busking stories and successes, not to mention the progress in her playing, and passed her stories along to other students who now are regular buskers. Tashi takes busking to a different level, however. She views it as her regular job, adhering to a general schedule and busking two to three times every week. She saved enough money to singlehandedly purchase herself a gorgeous new 15.5-inch viola, a bow, and a cool high-tech carbon fiber case earlier this year. She thought of the (very expensive) purchase as an investment in her business, and it is already really paying off!

I featured Tashi and her brother, Mitchell on this blogpost about a year ago that outlines their ventures into electronic string music, their original compositions, and their effort to use their music to raise money for the victims of the 2010 Pakistan and Queensland floods. The brother/sister duo have raised and donated thousands of dollars to flood relief through their CD sales (they donated 100% of the profits) and busking together. In recognition of their humanitarian efforts, Tashi and Mitchell were honoured guests at the Save the Children Foundation’s White Flame Award ceremony on October 27th, 2011. They played their music for an audience of approximately 80 people at Brisbane’s Parliament House. The White Flame Award is given annually in recognition of the dedication and achievements made by a Queensland citizen in serving the needs and rights of children. Elaine Franks was the recipient of this year’s award.

I am so proud of Tashi for her most recent accomplishment. She just took her viola Grade 4 AMEB practical exam, which tests students in the following areas: technical work, studies and pieces, aural tests, sight reading, and general musical knowledge. Her results are now back and Tashi received an A (honours) on her exam! Congratulations, Tashi! I must note that Tashi also took her Grade 5 piano exam in October and also received an A on that exam. What amazing effort and performance!

Tashi and her family are currently visiting Nepal. The Quinns go on an international excursion every few years, and they have visited Pakistan four times before, hence Tashi and Mitchell’s personal interest in helping the flood victims in Pakistan. Tashi is writing an online travel blog where you can read about her interesting travel adventures here. Enjoy!

Feel free to view a few of Tashi and Mitchell’s excellent YouTube videos!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgHVoPmKHvs

http://www.youtube.com/user/pdtmz?blend=4&ob=5

A Parent Refresher

The first group class of the year proved to be very valuable for students, who got to play together for the first time since the long holiday, and especially for the parents, who all participated in a discussion/parent forum. Everyone, myself included, went away feeling energized and inspired for the year to come.

First, we all discussed the fundamental principles of the Suzuki Method, which are listed and briefly explained on the “Suzuki Philosophy” tab on this website. The following are the hallmarks of the method, which Dr. Suzuki fashioned after a child’s acquisition of her mother tongue.

• Every Child Can Learn
• Parental Involvement
• Early Start
• Listening to an Aural Model
• Positive, Nurturing Environment
• Learning to Speak (Play the Instrument) before Learning to Read
• Repetition
• Reviewing and Maintaining a Repertoire
• Group Learning

As parental involvement is a cornerstone of the Suzuki Method, I spoke about a few important roles and responsibilities that parents have.  The following points are things that have been on my mind lately:

• The success of a child with an instrument is ultimately the parent’s responsibility. It is the parent’s involvement, dedication, and attitude that will directly influence the child’s success.
• Learning an instrument is a discipline, the same as maths, reading, or any other subject. No parent would ever allow their child to “opt-out” of maths in school. Music, just like any other discipline, requires commitment and dedication.
• Violin (or viola) can be a regular part of family life. Dr Suzuki once wisely said, “Only practise on the days that you eat.” Children learn to do daily tasks that they may not particularly enjoy – brushing their teeth, washing their hands, etc. Practising the violin can become a habit that is a regular part of daily life.
• Taking notes at each lesson is an essential role of each parent as the at-home tutor. Taking notes helps parents remember important details of the lesson, which enables them to be more effective at helping their children practise at home.
• Every parent and child experience rough patches on their musical journey. We must remember that, just like the weather, we have good and bad violin days. During a rainy stint (like we had this past December & January), it would be ridiculous to think that we will never see the sun again. We can get through these times by using our creativity, getting ideas from the teacher and other Suzuki parents, and remembering our commitment to the violin.
• You will get out of it what you put into it. This is the bottom line for the violin journey.

Each parent who attended the forum had an opportunity to share some personal tips and strategies that have worked for them as a Suzuki parent. Here are some highlights:

• Attend workshops as often as possible. Several parents voiced that Suzuki workshops have been one of the most important parts of their violin journeys as they are inspiring, motivating, rewarding, and idea-stimulating.
• Keep up lessons and practise during the holidays. Keeping up lessons and a practise routine promotes progress rather than decline with the violin. Not doing so can often make things worse when your child starts up again. Sometimes children feel like they have digressed and their confidence can wane after a long period without playing. Skype lessons may be another option for keeping up the routine when away on holiday.
• Practise at the same time every day, preferably in the mornings when children are fresh. Children thrive on routine. Making practise an integral part of the child’s daily routine will make it easier for everyone.
• Watch YouTube videos of Suzuki kids and professional violinists. Children raise awareness by analyzing why they think a performance is good or bad, and they then start becoming more aware of their own habits and playing. Great performances are also very motivating and inspiring.
• Play games during practise to make it fun! Be creative. Engage the child’s imagination – make up a story, create an imaginary scenario, use fantasy! The sky is the limit with this category. Let loose and have fun!
• Set rules, such as no TV until after violin practise. Find out what the child’s currency is and use it as a motivator to practise.
• Try using the “other half” to step in and help out when a sticky situation arises. Diverting the child’s attention to her other parent can sometimes do the trick in dissipating a negative attitude or environment.
• Make video and/or audio recordings. This is a tremendous learning and motivational tool for ALL musicians. In the recording process, musicians are self-motivated to raise their awareness of their own playing, and to give their best possible effort.
• Encourage children who are old enough to take stock in their own playing. Doing exercises such as having your child write down what they like about playing the violin can often encourage them to commit to and take more ownership of their violin playing.

I’m sure we could all write a lengthy book of tips and strategies based on our collective experience. I hope that the highlights from the beginning of the year parent forum will give you new ideas to invigorate you and your child for the new year. Thanks to everyone who contributed!

Parents who have smiling faces have children who have smiling faces.

-Dr. Shinichi Suzuki

Recap: End of Year Concert 2010

The End of Year Concert was a huge success! The Suzuki violin students of Dunaway String Studio performed at the Oxford Park Retirement Village for residents, friends, and family. Although some of my students were not able to attend, we had a full program of solo and group performances from kids ranging from age three to fourteen. One of the highlights of the afternoon for several students was playing two seasonal ensemble pieces that we learned especially for the occasion: Jingle Bells and Themes from The Nutcracker.

I am especially proud of the hard work, persistence, and enthusiasm that each student put in throughout the year. The ultimate reward for all that dedication is the ability to share the gift of music with others. As I glanced back at the audience throughout the concert, I saw faces filled with joy. What a special gift it was for the kids to give the residents of the retirement home, who, as I was told, don’t often have the opportunity to see young children. THANK YOU to every student and parent for contributing to this special concert!

I hope you enjoy these performance clips from the concert!

The students featured in the above video take Suzuki violin lessons in Brisbane at Dunaway Violin Studio.

Holiday String Camp!

On Monday, December 13, I am launching a Holiday String Camp that is open to all stringed instruments! From 9am – 5pm we will be having fun learning Christmas carols, fiddle tunes, playing musical games, and making music-themed crafts at the camp. This is an excellent chance for students to be inspired, motivated, and to have something fresh to play during the school holidays.

Parents may sit in on the camp, or drop kids off and take the day off (it could be a good opportunity for holiday shopping!). The camp will conclude with a concert for parents, friends, and family from 5-5:30pm.

For more information and to register, please visit my Workshops page.

End of Year Concert!

The students of Dunaway String Studio will be presenting an End of Year Concert on Sunday, November 28 at 2:00pm. This charitable concert will be held in the St. Joseph’s Villa Monastery at the Oxford Park Retirement Community for the residents of the retirement home as well as the community. Students will give individual performances, and the Suzuki Group Classes will perform some nice holiday music as well as a few of the Suzuki pieces we all love.

Please come and celebrate the many achievements these young talented kids have made this year at the stunning St. Joseph’s Villa Monastary, which is central to the retirement home. Please enter through far right front doors. Everyone is invited – friends, family, and fellow musicians – so please forward the invitation.

What: A charitable violin & viola concert
Who: Students of Dunaway String Studio
When: Saturday, November 28 from 2:00 – 3:00pm (followed by afternoon tea)
Where: St. Joseph’s Villa Monastery, 46 Church Road, Mitchelton
Map: http://bit.ly/f7kl8z

Floodlight Pakistan!

As a Brisbane violin teacher, there is nothing that I love more than seeing local kids using their skills and talents for good in this world. I was of course thrilled to hear about a project that Mitchell Quinn, 13 year old cellist, conceived and embarked on several weeks ago. I first met Mitchell when his family invited my family over to their place for a barbecue. I had been giving viola lessons to his older sister, Tashi, who collaborated with Mitchell on the album, for a few months before I learned that they were both interested in and experimenting with electronic mediums on their instruments. I’ve had some experience with pick-ups and amps from my days of playing in a band in Seattle, and at that time I was quite fixated on getting a looping pedal to experiment with myself (which Cameron later gave me for my birthday!) Tashi told me during one lesson that both she and Mitchell just bought looping pedals, and that they were making music together. If you’re not familiar with what a looping pedal is, or how it works, read this Wikipedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_loop or watch this YouTube video of Mitchell playing at Woodford Folk Festival in the Chai Room. The barbecue was really just an excuse for us all to get together, play around with our electronic “toys”, and for Mitchell and Tashi to play some of the music they had been composing for me. I was really blown away at their creativity and the innovative ways that they were using their instruments and voices and combining them with their effects and looping pedals. They ROCKED!

Throughout the evening, the Quinns shared photos, stories and memorabilia with us about their travels in Pakistan. They first went when Mitchell was only 11 months old, and it was such an amazing cultural experience that they made an aim to return whenever they could. They subsequently went back in 2001, 2005, and 2008 to travel, hike, and visit friends that they had developed over the years. When Mitchell heard reports of the devastating floods in July of this year, he wanted to do whatever he could to help out. He then came up with the idea of creating an album that tells the story of the floods through his music, and donating 100% of the profit from sales of the CD to the Pakistan relief effort. Now, after countless hours of composing, practising, recording, building a website, and working on a myriad of other details, Mitchell’s dream is now a reality. The Floodlight Pakistan CD just came out and is now available for purchase!

Mitchell was featured on the ABC’s 612 AM Breakfast with Spencer Howson this morning, and he will be featured live in the studio on 4BC 1116AM this Friday, November 25 at 8:30 AM. Tune in!

Do yourself a favour and buy Mitchell’s brilliant new CD, and meanwhile contribute to the Pakistan relief effort. It’s a win-win. You can purchase it in physical or digital format on the Floodlight Pakistan website or you can purchase it from me at your next lesson (or at group class).

Please help spread the word!

Winter Solstice Concert!

The Winter Solstice Concert, held on June 27, 2010, was a very special day for Dunaway String Studio. Those who attended got to see all of the students’ brilliant performances, as well as celebrate all their hard work and accomplishments. The Old Bishopsbourne building was such an elegant, old world-style setting (thanks to the  School of Philosophy, Brisbane, for allowing us to use it!)

I hope you enjoy these performance snippets!

Group Class at Dunaway String Studio (Violin Lessons, Brisbane)

Group classes are an integral part of the Suzuki Method, and are a highlight of my students’ learning experience. In addition to a weekly private lesson, my students participate in a weekly group lesson. In each class we play the Suzuki literature together, do technique exercises and games, music theory games, and individual solos.

Here are some of the highlights of group classes:

• Valuable ensemble experience – a common repertoire enables students to play together
• Positive reinforcement of concepts and techniques learned in private lessons
• Motivation to practise review pieces and maintain an active repertoire
• Exposure of frequently playing in front of others, which cultivates comfortable and confident performing
• Social community – students feel support and motivation from their musical peers and Suzuki community
• Parents support each other, share ideas, and collaborate together, providing fabric for a musical community
• Fun for everyone! Simply stated, group classes are one of the most fun parts of students’ learning experience!

Enjoy the video, and please leave comments and let me know what you think!