garrett's progression
about 15 months ago the thread re: our oldest, garrett, starting out in music. with the benefit of time in place, his choice of instruments was about as perfect as hope could have it. some items of note:
from 5th grade to 6th grade, there is a huge fall off in participants. about 75% fall off, so the one's who stick around are giving it a serious run. we're glad he's connecting with it and he does practice daily.
private lessons happen. we're lucky as sin to be near northwestern university and he meets 1x week with the head of the strings department for lessons. an interesting woman - would fit in well right along the rest of us (if we showered a bit more i bet she'd join).
next year looms! it becomes a bit more serious. the program is an extracurricular one and begins at 7 a.m. - daily. i suspect another fall-off will occur. for now, he's committed to doing it through 8th grade.
smartmusic - an application which provides full accompaniment, recording (for grading) as well as the music - is being used on a trial basis this year. he's getting exposure to it now - which will help when he gets to the high school level which uses it as part of the program.
still renting the viola. he's a bit clumsy and we have had to exchange 1x as a result of a bridge collapsing. and, as sizing goes he's still using a violin strung as a viola. but he's growing.
which leads me to mommio and the rest of you.
i have not forgotten a word of support you guys provided. when i queried if anyone had a music stand, several responded. thank you. the one sent to him is just flat out ideal and he uses it every day. seriously - every day. and mommio we will loop back with your contact who makes/repairs instruments. he will get to the point where its time to own his own.
as an aside, you can't believe the number of times i come across "some classical musician forgets priceless violin in cab" stories in the news...ever the moralist, i point them out to him each time they occur.
more shortly...
from 5th grade to 6th grade, there is a huge fall off in participants. about 75% fall off, so the one's who stick around are giving it a serious run. we're glad he's connecting with it and he does practice daily.
private lessons happen. we're lucky as sin to be near northwestern university and he meets 1x week with the head of the strings department for lessons. an interesting woman - would fit in well right along the rest of us (if we showered a bit more i bet she'd join).
next year looms! it becomes a bit more serious. the program is an extracurricular one and begins at 7 a.m. - daily. i suspect another fall-off will occur. for now, he's committed to doing it through 8th grade.
smartmusic - an application which provides full accompaniment, recording (for grading) as well as the music - is being used on a trial basis this year. he's getting exposure to it now - which will help when he gets to the high school level which uses it as part of the program.
still renting the viola. he's a bit clumsy and we have had to exchange 1x as a result of a bridge collapsing. and, as sizing goes he's still using a violin strung as a viola. but he's growing.
which leads me to mommio and the rest of you.
i have not forgotten a word of support you guys provided. when i queried if anyone had a music stand, several responded. thank you. the one sent to him is just flat out ideal and he uses it every day. seriously - every day. and mommio we will loop back with your contact who makes/repairs instruments. he will get to the point where its time to own his own.
as an aside, you can't believe the number of times i come across "some classical musician forgets priceless violin in cab" stories in the news...ever the moralist, i point them out to him each time they occur.
more shortly...
Comments
I'm hopeful Malcolm will do the same when the time comes, but of course it will be his decision.
Craig
I'm also hoping my little one continues her love of music as she gets older and decides to take on an instrument. My wife borrowed a keyboard from her parents and is teaching herself some basic piano via Youtube. I even found myself browsing the saxophone section on eBay. It's fun for the whole family!
Wow, that SmartMusic looks great - and rather inexpensive. I wonder if it's something you could do on your own...
Bb, I am also in the Chicago area, and at my daughter's orch program, it was all about some series of competitions or other, leading up to being included in some annual event. Possibly the Illinois Music Educators Association...going on this weekend, as it happens.
/bitter-old-man-rant
i srsly doubt garrett will move into a framework of competitions for 1/2/3 chair - he's not hard wired to go that route. besides, viola is a relatively obscure instrument and the limelight rests on the violin section. we're happy with him learning it...like swimming, we hope he can carry it with him throughout his life.
my uncle played the harp. was very good at it. ticked his instructor off when he bought a 1949 cadillac with his money rather than a harp so he gave it up. the interesting aspect is he wanted to learn to play it because he heard it was the hardest to learn...once he "got good", the challenge evaporated.
yes, he still has the 1949 cadillac.
we JUST got our first microphone! i mean a legitimate respectable one - brb
I really think any decent program should rotate everyone through all the parts, worry more about students learning about MUSIC and less about having the band sound good for the inevitable concert.
this thing is neater than sin! i'm definitely going to have fun with this.