Director Stanny Shiu and Teachers played four mini-concerts Monday for Old Town Academy students: to introduce them to the violin, viola, and cello. Two of their current students joined them for the demonstration and over 50 OTA children in grades K-8 expressed interest in joining the MASD classes to “Learn with the best!”
“They learn how to be really good at something,” Mr. Headley said. “We believe that then translates into everything else.”
In an era of dwindling attention to the arts in public schools, Voice is now in its seventh year. Mr. Headley founded the school after learning that music and movement might improve language acquisition, he said, a concept he came across while he was studying at a principal training program called New Leaders. Voice started with kindergarten and has added one new grade each year; it expects to reach its full complement of kindergarten through eighth grade in the fall.
Today, the school has just shy of 600 students spread between two buildings in Long Island City; one of them used to be a Catholic school. Bells from St. Rita’s Roman Catholic Church, right next door, chime throughout the day. Seventy percent of the students qualified for free lunch last year, according to city data. Like other New York charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately run, it admits students through a lottery. No one auditions.
Academically, students at Voice did significantly better than the city average on New York State math exams last year, with 70 percent of its students passing, compared with 39 percent citywide. Their English performance was less impressive, but with 39 percent passing, it still beat the citywide average of 30 percent.
Four Criteria for Deciding if and which shoulder rest you should use.
via ▶ Stance & Violin Position: Should I Use a Shoulder Rest? – YouTube.
Plan your “Virtuous Moments” (3 minutes timed focus) every day.
If you play for fun
If you want to be a professional
These are minimums – The actual time depends on you. This is NET (NO EXCUSES TOLERATED) practice time…. Getting a drink, answering the phone, etc. does not count.
More on how to do Virtuous Practice: Continue reading
via ▶ Sassmannshaus on Practice, How and Why – YouTube.
*Sample Virtuous Moments- Violin- Basics Home Practice Tracker
Sassmannshaus Virtuous Moments Violin Basics_BLANK Practice Sheet
How to Learn a new Song on the Violin: Layer by Layer (step by step):
ALWAYS one LAYER at a TIME
High up on the neck, you must use your arm to create vibrato
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