5 Things I’m Loving This Week–October 9, 2015

This post was originally published on October 9, 2015 so links and resources may not be current.

A round-up of helpful violin teaching tips, tricks, and resources…just for you!
I am overwhelmed with gratitude this week. There are actually people reading this blog, which is both scary and exciting. I have loved receiving your emails and corresponding with you. I really think that violin teachers have the best job, and the best colleagues! Everyone is so willing to share their expertise and what is working for them. It’s wonderful!

In the spirit of sharing, here are five violin teaching tips, tricks, and resources that have helped me be motivated, inspired, and successful this week!1. 20+Fun Violin Games for Kids
I’m always looking for fun games to play with my students, and this resource is even categorized by skill or technique.  Fantastic!

2.  The Bulletproof Musician
A few months ago, Noa Kageyama (The Bulletproof Musician) wrote a post titled: 19 Things That Great Teachers Do: Insights from the Approaches of Three Renowned Artist-Teachers. I keep reading it again and again. Go read it. It is amazing, and each time I read it, I pick something new to focus on as a teacher. This week it is #16. Why should we play with “heavy brains?” How does it change how the music is expressed?

3. Tchaikovsky’s Valse-Scherzo.
Every time I hear this piece, I just can’t help but grin. It’s so fun. And, it is a wonderful example of the galloping bows in Hunter’s Chorus (0:50) but in an advanced piece. You can also use this video by Blake Pouliot to demonstrate someone playing fast but STILL KEEPING THEIR FINGERS OVER THE FINGERBOARD. No flying fingers, kids. Don’t do it.

4. Did you know that the Schradieck School of Violin Technics books are in the public domain? If you only want your students to work on specific exercises in this book they can download the pdf for free from IMSLP or put the pdf on a tablet (which is what I do!)

5. Metronomes. I know, so obvious right? Well, mine is missing so I’ve been using the Metronome Plus app on my iPad and that works great. Where’s my metronome, you say? I am fairly sure it is in a toy box in Milo’s room because it is such a great “cuckoo clock.” I could go find it, but I never particularly loved this metronome (too quiet) and it’s so funny when he pretends to have a cuckoo clock like Winnie the Pooh.

And for a bonus, my new favorite thing is the Plucky Violin Teacher Book Club! I’m not going to lie—I have cheated and started to read this month’s book (I’m a slow reader, don’t judge me!) and it is going to be great! Check out the book club here!

​Okay you guys, thanks for being here and thanks for being so dang plucky. It means a lot that you are reading these posts, and emailing me back. I am just tickled whenever I hear from you guys.