A Few Notes

The Worst Part of My Job

avagcash@gmail.com (Ava Cash) — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 18:02:50 GMT

Think of this post as a diary entry, a cathartic rant to help cope with what is undoubtedly the worst part of being a music teacher.

When I first started teaching, what I hated most was the paperwork. Taxes are not fun, even when you make very little money. Then, it was the scheduling; trying to reconcile more than one schedule felt impossible, especially when things never seemed to stay consistent for more than a week at a time. Then, of course, retention- keeping students is so difficult, and it always hurts when they leave. Admittedly, some more than others. Not to say that finding students in the first place isn't a herculean task, which it definitely is. And then, I started running a studio, with other teachers. More paperwork, for the non profit, for payroll, for budgeting, for the board. More schedules, less time. More students, but also more loss.

But all of that pales to the real worst part of my job: being the bad guy.

When you're a kid, you're given fairy tales, where there is objectively a good guy, and a bad guy. When you start learning history in school, it's almost always framed as the good guys versus the bad guys. We learn from such a young age that morality and ethics can be coded as black and white, and that though there are shades of grey in between, at the end of the day, you can decide whether or not someone or something is good with a little objective thinking.

When you learn music, in the Suzuki method, there's this thing called the Suzuki triangle, or the parent-teacher triangle, that encourages parents to actively participate in their child's musical education, both in the lesson, and at home. When you're training, they tell you that this will help the child advance even when someone of the three is slacking off, that having multiple sources of encouragement is powerful, that it creates a bond between parent and child that is hard to describe. All of these things are true, but they're leaving something out.

I like to say that I grew up with the Suzuki method, but the truth is, my teacher growing up didn't understand the Suzuki triangle the same way that I do as a teacher. She was always the teacher, the beacon of good. In lessons, I tried my best, because I wanted her to think I was a good student. The reality of it was that I was not a good student, a fact which I have admitted many times over since becoming a teacher. At home, with my mother (the designated Suzuki parent), I never wanted to practice. I wanted to quit, I wanted to leave, I threw tantrums, I cried. My mother, it seemed, was the bad guy, forcing me to practice when I didn't want to.

As an aside, now that I am an adult, I am incredibly grateful for my mother's stubborn refusal to let me stop practicing. Violin was so important to my growth as a human being, and if she had let me slack off or quit, I might not have made it to adulthood.

But my mom was not the bad guy. Yet, to little me, she was; but she shouldn't have been.

That burden should have fallen on the shoulders of my teacher.

The first time I realized that I had to be the bad guy was very early on in my teaching, within the first few lessons with my very first student. She told me that her mom was mean and made her practice for way too long at home, and her mother argued that she only wanted fifteen minutes of work. My first instinct was to say that fifteen was too much, and that she needed to go easier on her daughter for now: but, I then remembered similar conversations from my childhood. Conversations where I felt vindicated that the good guy had taken my side, which only worsened the arguments at home.

So, I sat up a little straighter, and frowned at the student for the very first time. I can't remember my exact words, but it was something along the lines of, "I'm disappointed that your mother is only asking for half the time that you spend in a lesson. I'd hate to think that you're only putting in half as much work at home as you do here." The mother was shocked I'd speak to a 3 year old like that, and responded that she thought that less time at home was needed to accomplish what needed to be done. I frowned, but 'relented', giving the okay for them to practice *just* fifteen minutes.

Every time there was a disagreement, I made myself the bad guy. As a result, the student respected me, and begrudgingly did what I asked, while her mom got to remain the good guy. I took the fights that could have happened, and made sure that the mother had someone to blame- me.

This is what I needed as a kid. It's what my mother needed. Someone to be the bad guy that was outside of the home equation, that both of us could blame, so that my mother could 'side with me', and I could follow instructions without fighting with my mother. You see, there were two levels to the disagreement: my disagreement as a student with the instruction, and the actual fight. By eliminating the fight, and placing that blame on an authority figure, the only thing that remains is the disagreement with the instruction, which is far easier to come to terms with when your frustration is echoed by the good guy, your parent.

When I was in middle school, I failed an audition, publicly. It was humiliating, but it was a lesson I needed to learn; that I was falling behind, and needed to work harder. However, my teacher placed the blame firmly on me, telling me it was solely my fault that I failed. As a result, I quit taking lessons with her, and my mother found a new teacher.

The new teacher then insulted me, telling me that I was terrible, I had so much work to do. He was immensely critical, and did not let up. He never yelled or insulted my character or anything like that, but he was always harsh, always expecting more. A year passed, and I ended up winning the same competition I had previously failed- second place, that is. And he did not congratulate me, instead, he told me that I clearly could do better, and had more work to do. With this teacher, I had to prove myself. Practicing was still difficult, but I no longer wanted to quit. I wanted to do better, I wanted to be good enough that he would actually tell me I was good enough. He made himself the bad guy, and as a result, home life got easier, and lessons got more rewarding. In grad school, I had a similar teacher, one who was immensely critical. Similarly, she inspired me to be better, as she made herself the 'bad guy', not taking the blame for anything, but making sure that my frustrations were directed to her, not to myself and my instrument.

These teachers were not afraid to test their students, and be the bad guy. As a result, they have lost a number of students, and many of these dropouts do not speak fondly of them, some openly insulting them. But those students who have stayed with them have reaped the benefits of having a teacher who is not afraid to be the bad guy. Some parents are just looking for a teacher to tell their child how wonderful they are; and these kids will, most of the time, never really become anything great, because they don't have a teacher that's willing to lose them in order to really teach them, and they don't have a parent that's willing to be critical or take any criticism on their behalf. Such is the state of things.

I resolved to be one of the teachers that isn't afraid to be the bad guy. And it is, by far, the worst part of my job.

A few examples:

A few months ago, before a recital, I had a rehearsal with all of my students. Two students had just returned from vacation, and very clearly not practiced. It's very difficult to get your kid to practice when there are more fun things to do, so I made myself the bad guy, and called them out on it during the rehearsal. I expected the mothers to thank me for taking the hit myself, rather than making her admonish him at home. Instead, I received a very angry email from one of them, asking me 'how dare you humiliate him like that!'. The other subtly gave me a thank you card with a tip in it, for making it easier for her to blame me for him having to practice, rather than him blaming her. This is the difference between a parent that wants to save face and always look good, but will inevitably come out looking like the bad guy to their child, and one that is willing to accept criticism, and let the teacher be the bad guy. To absolutely no one's surprise, the former is still my student and excelling at every pass, and the latter quit.

The other day, I found out that one of my students was slacking off in their studies, not just with me, but at school. Their parent didn't know what to do, so I told them to let me be the bad guy. As a result, I had one of the hardest lessons I've ever had. I was incredibly strict and critical, to the point where the student almost cried, but the parent did not have to be the bad guy. Instead, they got to tell the student how proud they were, and insist that they could do well. When they left, both were either crying, or about to cry- and neither of them saw me go to bed four hours early, emotionally exhausted, and hating my job.

So, to my fellow teachers: Be the bad guy. You will lose students, but the ones you keep will excel, and their parents will be grateful that they don't have to be the bad guy. If you want to be a teacher, you have to be willing to be the bad guy. There are no exceptions. Sure, there will be plenty of time when you're not the bad guy- the majority of the time, you're not the bad guy. But those few times when it's needed, you have to suck it up.

To the parents: If the teacher is critical, accept it. Accept the criticism with grace and help comfort your child if they feel small, but don't go behind their back and admonish the teacher for teaching them. Our job is not just to teach music, but to teach them how to be a good student. It's a lifelong lesson, and your child doesn't need you standing in the way of their education. They need you on their side: let the teacher be the bad guy, and use it to your advantage, to help encourage your kid to advance.

To the students: There is nothing I can say to change who you are, so take what I give you and do what you will, but remember this: I only ever act as the bad guy because, although it is the worst part of my job, it is one of the most important parts of my job.

Savannah Cash

Announcement Regarding the Location of our Studio

avagcash@gmail.com (Ava Cash) — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 01:09:33 GMT

Holy Trinity Anglican church is losing their facility. unfortunately, this means that when they do, we will have to move as well. Here's the plan.

To the Teachers, Students, and Families of the Music Academy of the Two Rivers-

The SC Courts ruled in favor of the Episcopalian church in a decision that will lead to the loss of a number of Anglican churches. The congregations are safe and whole, they merely must find a new physical location. Unfortunately, this means that the Music Academy of the Two Rivers will soon have to leave our home at Holy Trinity Anglican Church.

We cannot follow Holy Trinity to their new temporary location. However, we have our own temporary location until we can find a new permanent home. The plan is to stay in West Ashley for our main temporary location, and hopefully for our eventual permanent location. We are currently looking for land to build on, and applying to grants to fund such a project. This will take time.

The temporary main location for the studio will be the garage attached to my home, which is located in the Charlestowne Estates neighborhood. It is less than 4 miles from the old location at Holy Trinity, clocking in at less than 10 minutes away (I used to bike to work, and it took ~15 minutes). 5-10 minutes from North Charleston, 10-15 minutes away from both Downtown and James Island, 15-25 minutes from Mt. Pleasant, and 30 minutes away from both Summerville and John's Island, your journey should only differ by a maximum of 10 minutes more or less. The address will be provided to students and their families individually, and we will have a pizza party to 'christen' the new office space on a date TBA. This is where most lessons will take place, including all violin and viola lessons, as well as all group classes. Just as with the space at Holy Trinity, the office will be open for all to drop in to observe each others' lessons, or for guided practice sessions, between the hours of 3 PM and 8 PM every weekday.

Some of our teachers are students at the College of Charleston. These teachers may elect to see their students for lessons downtown, at the College of Charleston, if that is more convenient for the student's family; this is up to the individual discretion of each teacher.

Nothing much will change other than our location. The quality of your child's musical education will only go up. The biggest change will be that our expenses will temporarily go down, so we can spend more of our efforts on building three things: an endowment fund, our resources for all of our students, and a fund to build a new location for the studio. As a bonus, since our expenses will temporarily go down, we can delay increasing our rates for a little while, despite inflation!

So here's an FAQ for you, to address any concerns you may have:

How far will I have to travel now? The new temporary location is located 10 minutes away from Holy Trinity, so the maximum time difference in your drive will be 10 minutes. However, it is more likely to be less than that. If you are a piano, cello, or vocal student, you may be able to take lessons downtown, if that is more convenient for you.

Where will performances (book recitals, semiannual studio recitals, etc) take place? This is the cool thing. Instead of all performances being at the sanctuary of the church, we will now have the flexibility to perform wherever you want! You can elect for a small recital at a private space such as your home or even mine (I have a large room with a beautiful piano and great acoustics that I use myself, as well as an open garden in my backyard that is perfect for outdoor engagements), or for larger events, we will rent out a variety of different locations; churches, theatres, amphitheatres, and maybe even some more creative locations. We are in touch with various locales to figure out their potential for future performances!

Will the rates for lessons change? No. Previously, we were planning an increase to lesson costs due to inflation, but we will be able to lessen our expenses due to this move, and that will delay any increase to costs for the time being.

What about things like group classes, masterclasses, observing other kids' lessons, and guided practice sessions? All of these elements of our studio will remain in effect. Group classes and Masterclasses will occur at the office, and you can drop in at any time between the hours of 3 PM and 8 PM to observe other students' lessons, or to have your own free guided practice session.

How do I get in? Every students' family and every teacher will be given a code to the lock on the door to the garage (if it's not already unlocked), which will be usable between the hours of 3 PM and 8 PM every weekday, during office hours. You can come in and out freely during this time, for your lesson, to observe others, or for drop in guided practice sessions.

Where do I park? My driveway has enough space for 4 cars, and you can also park in front of the house, along the street. In the case of group classes if there is overflow parking, I will discuss with the neighbors to find the space for everyone as needed. Worst case scenario, there are two different parking lots less than a block away with plenty of space for anybody to park. I encourage everybody to consider coming to lessons on your bikes, though- as this is in a residential neighborhood it's very safe, and you can store your bike in the garage during your lesson!

Is this permanent? How long will this last? This is not planned to be permanent. We are looking to find a new permanent placement soon. This may last a year or longer, but it will not be forever.

Can I change my lesson time/day? Yes! You can always change your lesson time/day. Studio hours are M-F, 3-8PM; if you are taking lessons downtown, you may be able to schedule a time outside of those hours.

Does the temporary location have heating and air conditioning? Yes.

When is the studio going to move to the new location? That is totally dependent on when Holy Trinity has to leave. Currently, the projected date is October 1, but this is subject to change. You will be given at least a week's notice before the move! On the day we officially start lessons at the new location, we will have a pizza party.

How is the move going to happen? We are gradually moving everything, one box at a time. The piano will be the last thing to make the journey. If you would like to volunteer to help with the move, we would greatly appreciate it! Currently our biggest concern is getting the funds to move the piano, as that can be pricey, so if you can't help move boxes and books, please consider donating a few dollars to help us move the piano.

What's going to happen to Holy Trinity? They are also moving to a temporary location, and I am 100% sure they will have a new permanent home soon enough. They are incredibly strong, and wonderful people.

Finally, I'd like to extend my gratitude towards Holy Trinity's staff and congregation for being our home for the last year. Y'all have been amazing, especially David Dubay, for being the most welcoming, magnanimous Christian I've ever met, and Gaye Dupre, a wonderful musician with a wonderful heart. I hope we'll get the chance to work with you all again in the future.

Sincerely,

Savannah Cash

BINGO with the STUDIO!

avagcash@gmail.com (Ava Cash) — Tue, 31 May 2022 04:09:15 GMT

A game to encourage practice and participation through the summer months

This summer, June through August, we're playing BINGO with our students! All students of MATR are encouraged to participate; everyone will get their own BINGO board on the wall of the studio. Each box of the square contains something you or your child can do this summer, from attending group classes, to remembering to bring a pencil to each lesson, to painting a picture to hang up on the studio wall.

For each row or column you fill out, the student will receive a $5 gift card to Michael's, Barnes & Noble, Joann, Shar Music, or Music & Arts. If you manage to complete the whole board, you'll get a $50 gift card, and a free lesson!

BINGO begins this Wednesday, June 1, 2022, and ends on September 1, 2022. If you have any questions, ask away!

Attend the Bowhold Masterclass: This group class will be on June 18 at 1 PM.
Maintain a Practice Journal for 30 Days: All students will be provided a practice journal if they don't already keep one, and the 30 days don't need to be consecutive, they just need to be during the summertime!
Set a Goal and Accomplish It: This is something we do every day, in our practice. Just articulate the goal to your teacher in a lesson, then demonstrate that you've accomplished it the following week.
Attend the Chamber Music Masterclass: This group class will be on July 16 at 1 PM.
Listen to the Music Everyday: This is something you should be doing anyways, to keep the music in your ears!
Draw/Paint a Picture for the Studio Wall: Exactly what it sounds like. Make sure you sign your work!
Attend the American Music Masterclass: This group class will be on July 2 at 1 PM
Attend 12 lessons During the Summer: It's easy to slack off during the summer, and not come to lessons- but music is a physical and mental workout, so you have to maintain it throughout the year!
Bring Your Pencil to Every Lesson: You should be doing this anyways.
Play a Performance: If you're playing in the studio recital on Thursday, congrats, you'll have this square filled automatically! If not, speak with your teacher about finding another performance opportunity this summer.
Refer a Friend to the Studio: Simply tell a friend about the studio, and if they take a lesson at the studio, not only is their first lesson free AND you get to fill this square, you ALSO get a free lesson out of it!
Tag the Studio in a Post on Social Media: We're on both Facebook and Instagram (@musicofthetworivers). Simply make a post about your child's studies, and be sure to tag us!
Practice Every Day: This is in the free square slot because obviously you should be practicing every day- even if you only have a moment to run through everything!
Master a New Scale: Ask your teacher about this one, and practice your scales every day; when you've mastered one, you'll know, and so will your teacher!
Attend the Book 1 Masterclass: This group class will be on July 30 at 1 PM.
Attend a Concert: ANY KIND of concert, as long as there's music, it counts! Just be sure to bring us the program, and snap a selfie at the event!
Memorize a Piece: You should be memorizing all of your pieces anyways, so this one should be easy.
Attend the Twinkle Masterclass: This group class will be on June 4 at 1 PM.
Follow the Studio on Facebook and/or Instagram: This is easy! Just follow us, and show it off at your next lesson. (This is really for moms and dads!)
Record Your Lesson and Watch it at Home: Take your phone or other recording device and record a lesson and watch the recording at home, and see if it helps in your practice.
Attend the Performance Anxiety Masterclass: This group class will be on August 27 at 1 PM.
Attend a Drop In Practice Session: The studio is open 3-8 PM on weekdays. Drop in when you're free, and practice with me! Remember, you can do this at any time, at no extra cost to you. If someone's having a lesson at the time you drop in, you can observe their lesson instead!
Write a Song: You can write it down or just keep it in your head, but play a song that you wrote at your next lesson.
Attend the Book 2 Masterclass: This group class will be on August 13 at 1 PM.
Name Your Violin: I think this is self explanatory.

And that's it! Please note that every row and column contains at least 1 group class, so you will have to attend at least one in order to complete enough to earn a reward. Have a great summer!

- Savannah

Group Class Schedule Summer 2022

avagcash@gmail.com (Ava Cash) — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:09:52 GMT

This summer, we are offering group classes every other week until school resumes. As a bonus, all students whose teachers are members of the suzuki association (ISA or SAA) are welcome to attend the classes, free of charge!

All MATR students are encouraged to attend every group class, as they are free for all of our students. Additionally, just for the summer, any folks visiting Charleston who have kiddos who study with a Suzuki teacher can attend our classes FOR FREE! All you have to do is show up and share your teacher's name, and our doors are wide open for you. This is to encourage all students to continue practicing, even when going on vacation during the summertime. We also offer a one time $10 discount on lessons to visiting students- $52 $42 for an hour, or $32 $22 for a half hour. This offer lasts until the beginning of September!

June 4 - Twinkle and how to practice (with) it + How to Practice as a Suzuki Parent

All levels of all instruments can come and study the first song we all learn, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Using this simple melody transcribed by W. A. Mozart, we can practice anything! Any technique in the left or right hands can be studied using Twinkle as a base, no matter how simple or complicated. We will play through all of the variations and Twinkle Theme, and discuss the creation of a beautiful tone. We will then go through the entirety of book one on the violin, viola, and cello, and discuss how to practice every single teaching point in the book using Twinkle!

Additionally, a special guest (my mother) will come and speak to our parents about how to practice as a Suzuki parent. She practiced with me and my two sisters for 15 years each, from ages 2 to 17, so clearly she knows a little about it! Come armed with any questions you have. How do you get your child motivated? What's a good way to save on lesson and instrument costs? How do I convince my kid to play in front of their relatives? How do things change as my child grows up? What would she have done differently if she could do it again? You've got the questions, she's got the answers!

June 18 - The Bowhold Masterclass

For this class, we will study the proper bowhold for strings players. Pianists and vocalists are welcome to attend! We will discuss the individual roles of each finger, and talk about the differences in bowholds between different instruments. We will play several games challenging the bowhold, and we'll take a look at some fun bowing techniques- who knows, we may even touch on flying up bow staccato!

July 2 - American Music: Practice in Sight Reading and Ear Training

In celebration of the Fourth of July, we will take a look at several classic American songs. We will use them to practice sight reading and ear training. We'll study works from the greats, Copland, Gershwin, etc. along with some All American classics such as Ashokan Farewell, America the Beautiful, and of course, our national anthem.

July 16 - Chamber Music at All Levels

Whether you've just started playing or you've just graduated Curtis, you should always work on your ability to play in a chamber group setting. After all, music is so much greater than just one person, and it's beautiful to work with others! We'll learn some duet parts for the songs in book one, and for our more advanced students, we will sight read some more difficult chamber music, and work together as a team to learn!

July 30 - Masterclass: Book 1

All students are invited to watch a masterclass, where our Book 1 Suzuki students will each get a few minutes to play their current piece for a surprise guest teacher, and receive a mini-lesson from them. One of the greatest things in the world is learning from one's peers, so come watch your friends and see what you can learn!

August 13 - Masterclass : Book 2+

All students are invited to watch a masterclass where our Book 2 and beyond students will get to work with another guest teacher! Observation of others' lessons is key to becoming a well rounded musician, so come watch them play!

August 27 - Performance Anxiety and Preparedness

We'll have a guest come and speak about how to prepare for auditions and performances, especially concerning stage fright. This is an important thing to talk about, and to prepare for, no matter what instrument you play, or how advanced you are. The conversation of anxiety is one that we need to have, and we will make it fun!

We have plenty of fun events aside from the group classes planned for the summertime, so keep an eye out for upcoming announcements!

The Dollar a Day Scholarship

avagcash@gmail.com (Ava Cash) — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 03:12:28 GMT

We surpassed our funding goal, and we're so excited to see what comes next!

Yesterday's Silent Auction saw over $3,000 in funds raised in support of our scholarship program. We are incredibly thankful to all of our donors and attendees for supporting our mission, and helping make music more accessible and affordable to the children of Charleston!

Those who attended the auction have already heard the big news- we are starting a NEW program: the "Dollar a Day" program.

TL;DR: You can receive the benefits of being a member of the studio starting at just $32 a month- about a dollar a day! There is no application or vetting process, literally anyone can take advantage. Read on to find out how this works.

The biggest hindrance towards any scholarship is, of course, the application process. Other financial aid scholarships require invasive measures, requiring sensitive documents as proof of income (such as your paystubs or proof of Medicaid), comparing that to the average in Charleston. Unfortunately, this approach is severely limiting; some families with a higher income may have more expenses, and have less to spend, but they would be turned down from a financial scholarship on these bases. Some of these programs ask you to disclose your circumstances, but that can invoke negative feelings, when you're forced to explain why your circumstances warrant scholarship. Everyone's circumstances are different, and everyone's circumstances are valid, and trying to see the specifics of everyone's households is just too invasive.

So, we've decided to make this scholarship program something ANYBODY can be a part of, regardless of their circumstances. No strings attached, no extra hidden costs or fees, none of that. Just a pure and simple, affordable option for music education, for ALL families! All you have to do is call, text, or email, and sign up for your first lesson. Here's how it works:

All students at MATR receive the following benefits of membership (worth about $2,000 a month):

Drop-in guided practice sessions with our teachers during office hours
Observation of other students' lessons
Participation in studio wide group classes
Recitals, Concerts, and other private and public performance opportunities
Free use of instruments and materials owned by MATR
Free audition prep and coaching
Scholarships towards our summer camps (up to 100%!)
Coaching for college prep
And more to come!

We recommend that students attend weekly lessons to start, which costs $32/$52 a week, or around $128/$208 a month. If that price tag is too high, families can now elect to take fewer lessons; perhaps every other week, just once a month, or merely on an 'as needed' basis. That's the beauty here- you can tailor your child's education to your financial and other needs, no questions asked! As long as your child attends one lesson each month (so $32 a month, about $1 a day), they can reap the full benefits listed above.

Now, our scholarship program isn't just about creating these free programs that can be used by all of our students (not just the Dollar a Day students, but everybody!); we have an additional offer of merit scholarships to any students who go above and beyond. Regardless of your financial position or any other adversity you and your family face, and regardless of your child's skills in music, you can qualify for a merit scholarship! The minimum requirements for a merit scholarship are:

Attending the studio consistently for 12 months
Attending lessons consistently for 12 months (Note- if you come in once a month, that is still considered consistent! Just be sure to reschedule any cancelled lessons asap!)
Attend at least 10 out of 12 monthly group classes
Drop in for 2-3 guided practice sessions every week
Keep a 'practice journal', and consistently follow the teacher's guidance

None of these qualifications are about the skill of your child; they are about the amount of effort you and your child put into their music education. If you put in this amount of effort, or go above and beyond, the studio will consider you for a merit scholarship! With this in mind, our Dollar a Day students can put in the work to earn a merit scholarship, so that they may transition to weekly lessons.

So, to summarize, our new program:

Offers full benefits to every student!
Is available for every instrument we offer (violin, viola, cello, piano, and bass, currently)!
Allows you to cater your child's education to your individual needs!
Gives you the opportunity to qualify for merit scholarships based on effort!
Has NO APPLICATION PROCESS- you can just sign up today!

I'm so excited to see this change in the studio, making music education accessible and affordable to all. Here's to the future, and to our wonderful students, teachers, and everyone who supports our mission- bringing happiness and achievement to the lives of children, through music! So give us a call today (843 298 3606) to schedule your child's first lesson.

All my love,

Savannah Cash, Executive Director

Silent Auction 2022

avagcash@gmail.com (Ava Cash) — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 06:22:36 GMT

The offerings for our first silent auction fundraiser

ROTI ROLLS will be at the event, offering up their delicious food for all of our attendees!

KENDRA SCOTT JEWELRY will have a booth, offering jewelry for your sweetheart just in time for V-Day!

SILENT AUCTION

MT PLEASANT MASSAGE THERAPY - One hour massage

CHARLESTON CHIROPRACTIC ASSOCIATES - Three chiropractic sessions

THE WOODHOUSE DAY SPA - Gift certificate

STACY YIP FITNESS - Three one month unlimited personal trainer sessions

MUSIC ACADEMY OF THE TWO RIVERS - One month of violin, cello, and piano lessons

ROBERT IVEY BALLET - Five Mommy and Me or Adult ballet classes

COMPOST NOW - Three months of at your door composting service

COASTAL EXPEDITIONS - Two passes to a Bulls Island Ferry Tour

GIBBES MUSEUM OF ART - Family annual pass

DOCK STREET THEATRE AND CHARLESTON STAGE*

BUXTON BOOKS*

LEIA POWELL STAINED GLASS*

NICOLA KINNEAR - Signed copy of “A Little Bit Brave” picture book

MARTHA ROGERS - Print of Charleston’s own one man band

GWYNNS*

EMILY FRENCH*

IDA ROSE JEWELRY*

BRONCO - Gift certificate

TIGER LILY FLORIST - Gift certificate

STONO MARKET AND TOMATO SHED - Gift Certificate

THREE LITTLE BIRDS - Gift Certificate

BAKER'S BAR - Gift Certificate

STARBUCKS - Gift basket with coffee, mugs, and thermoses

CAYWOOD & RANDAZZO BAKERY*

LIVE AUCTION

NORTE HUNTERS - Dove hunting trip in Argentina

BLACK RIVER OUTFITTERS - Dove hunting trip in Argentina

SANDERS FINE PORTRAITS - Custom portrait of you and your family

JONATHAN GREEN - Signed print by the premiere Charleston Gullah artist

Being Double Jointed on the Violin

avagcash@gmail.com (Ava Cash) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 04:50:33 GMT

MY OWN STORY, and some advice to others who suffer from hypermobility

I did not realize that I was double jointed (otherwise known as 'hypermobility') until it began to adversely affect my violin playing in a noticeable- and legitimately painful- manner. It was my last year in college. To be specific, every time I curved or straightened my pinkies, they would "pop", and cause immense pain, and inflammation, that made my hands feel like they were on fire.

By then, it seemed to be too late for me to fix habits in my playing that were causing me pain, so I looked for external means of stopping the pain. I ended up wearing these little splints on my pinkies, called 'Oval 8's' (pictured below), as an occupational therapist concluded that I was suffering from trigger finger in my pinkies. This configuration forced my pinkies to remain straight, effectively forcing me to learn to play without pinkies. Unfortunately, this kept my pinkies in a perpetual state of hyperextension, which was incredibly painful, and therefore quite pointless.. As my other six fingers began to pick up the slack, I started developing the same pain in my joints on those fingers, and the therapist declared that I must have trigger finger in every single finger on both hands.

I searched for a physical solution to this supposed 'trigger finger' issue. I let doctors jam needles into the base of each finger and inject steroids to reduce the inflammation, only to find that that caused even more pain. At a certain point, I considered surgery. After a while, everything I did on the violin was painful, and I had to stop playing. I have never been so depressed in my life as the time that I could not make music.

Eventually, a doctor determined that it was merely the fact that I was double jointed that was causing these issues. They gave me a new set of splints (pictured at the top of this article)- which cost nearly as much as my car!- similar to the swan neck splint of oval 8's, but specifically shaped to fit my fingers. These splints prevented my fingers from hyperextending as double jointed fingers are want to do. Suddenly, the pain was gone. I could play the violin, thanks to these splints, however, it was at a heavy cost- they also limited my mobility. Wearing bulky silver rings on every single finger surrounding every single knuckle causes a lot of frustration, when you're trying to play anything requiring finesse on the instrument.

I sought out a teacher who could help me relearn the violin now that I knew my physical limitations. I am incredibly lucky to have found a teacher who decided not only to do that, but to go one step further, and help me learn to play without the splints. This has taken time, and I'm still working on it.

I would like to share what I have learned, regarding how to play the violin while double jointed, and how to teach the violin to double jointed students. However, when I began to write what I know, I realized it was far too much to fit into a single article. Therefore, I will spread out the various technical components of violin instruction regarding hypermobility over the course of several posts, over a long period of time. I hope to take everything I can, and condense it into one document, for those who want it.

For now, I will give the single biggest piece of advice that I can give: even when your fingers are not in active use, their shape and placement matters. In other words, a hyperextended finger off of the string is just as detrimental as one placed on the string, if not more. Similarly, if the pinky comes off of the bow, and hyperextends, when it lands, it will still be hyperextended. This is not only bad form, but it can be unintentionally painful as well.

Being aware of all of your joints 100% of the time is very mentally- and physically- taxing. Therefore, it is prudent to take frequent breaks in practice. In the beginning, a 2-1 split works quite well; for every 2 minutes spent practicing, the student should take 1 minute of breaks. I.e., 20 on, 10 off; 10 on, 5 off; 30 on, 15 off; etc. The correct amount of active time will depend on the attention span and focus of the student, as well as their physical stamina.

When I first started relearning how to play with awareness, I had great focus, but hardly any stamina. 10 minutes was my maximum for active playing time- and that's okay! After doing this for two years now, I can go for 4+ hours with relative ease. It just takes patience, and the right guidance.

Let me know at teachmetoplay@aviol.in if you have any particular requests concerning aspects of playing the violin while double jointed. Do you want a discussion of vibrato? Spiccato, and other bouncing articulations? Do you want to know a bit more about how the larger joints- shoulders, hips, etc- have to be managed in double jointed students? I'm more than happy to go into detail on any of these subjects, and anything else you can think of! I may not have all of the answers, but I can at least point you in the right direction to find the answers.

Here's hoping I can help.

Savannah

Day One: The Gibbes Art Museum

avagcash@gmail.com (Ava Cash) — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 01:04:45 GMT

On the reopening of a fixture of our city, the gibbes museum of art.

When I was little, the Gibbes museum had this miniatures exhibit. It was, and still is, my favorite thing I had ever seen in any museum, ever. Everything was tiny, like the entire exhibit was the excavation of the lilliputian society, a race of teeny little people who were hiding away in the shadows in the corners of the room, ready to jump back into their homes when we weren't looking. I loved this exhibit so much, I ended up having my picture taken in it, and it was shown on the Post and Courier:

The top of the page boasted a much catchier headline, concerning a murder-suicide, but my parents kept this cute picture of me all this time.

The miniatures exhibit has not existed in the Gibbes museum in years, almost two decades- but to me, that did not make the place any less magical. I loved attending art classes and camps there as a kid, winning a few competitions here and there, and returning to look at the art from time to time, to just revel in the beauty that has been so carefully curated by those fellows. When I came home from college, one of the first things I did was return to the Gibbes, trying to find inspiration in the paintings. I realized nothing that day, except that I really, really love art, and routine.

The Gibbes has been closed since March. I didn't think twice about it, as the world has been crumbling down around all of us, apocalypse after apocalypse casually occurring every other week. The pandemic looms over our heads still, but after so many months, the city of Charleston is finally opening up again.

As a violinist, all of my work has been cancelled. The majority of my income is gone. I'm okay, but I know a lot of people aren't. It's hard to prepare for the complete cancellation of your livelihood- so the opening of the Gibbes signifies not just a reopening of a museum, but a restart for all of the artists in Charleston who, like me, have been itching to share their art with the world again.

My boyfriend had never been to the Gibbes Museum, so he tagged along with me. We both wore our masks, stayed 6 feet away from everybody around us, and used hand sanitizer as frequently as suggested.

As it stands, the Museum requires all who enter to wear masks. This is not an unreasonable request, even if it were not for the pandemic. The Gibbes collection holds tens of thousands of works (Disclaimer: I do not know the exact number), only a fraction of which are on display, without barriers blocking the public. The vast majority of those works are locked away under secure, temperature and humidity controlled environments, for a reason; interacting with a painting, even with just your breath, ages it. There's a reason restorers wear masks, and it isn't fashion.

A plexi-glass barrier guards the helpful lady at the front desk, who is happy to explain the new state of the art (ha) at the museum. Today, even though the museum had been closed to the public for months, very few people actually came to the reopening; thus, their request that all patrons stay 6 feet apart did not seem relevant. While I was there, I only (briefly) saw two other people, both too engrossed in their own appreciation of the art to notice or come anywhere near me. I've never seen the Gibbes so empty. It is quite an interesting experience, seemingly having a museum all to yourself. And your date.

The museum guides you through a particular route, to keep the viewers flowing in the same direction, to better prevent collisions. This is helpful, but a little frustrating, given the looping nature of a few of the galleries. In apology, the museum offers plenty of hand sanitizer bottles readily available on nearly every bench in the place. On the one hand, this is a reminder of cleanliness; on the other, it is a suggestion not to sit down, and potentially spread your germs on the bench. Clever, but not insulting. Additionally, the hand sanitizer smells quite lovely.

The permanent collection is, as ever, a reminder of the beauty of Charleston, and its history, despite its faults. We saw some of the first bloodshed of the Revolutionary war. We were on the wrong side of the Confederate war. We have had our failures, we have had our victories, and we have had our terrors. We don't deny our past- we display the remnants of shameful times, things other cities with similar histories have destroyed, fully admitting our fault, and expressing the importance of remembering our history. Multiple art pieces dedicate themselves towards more recent tragedies, such as the events at the Emanuel AME Church, in 2015. As always, these historical pieces evoke a sense of belonging in our city, a sense of heartbreak for those wronged, and an understanding that our holy city can find the beauty in resolution, through art.

Sometimes, history isn't something you learn from. Sometimes, it's just a reflection of the present, a mirror that shows you something you already see, something you already know.

The placard beneath this painting begins, "Dr. John Moultrie complemented his medical practice by scientific study of Charleston's 1745 yellow fever epidemic."

My boyfriend is a physician himself, working directly with COVID-19 patients. I don't even know if he recognized how strange it was, seeing him, a doctor in the present dealing with an epidemic, staring into the eyes of a doctor from the past, also dealing with an epidemic, centuries ago. Yes, the guy looking at the painting is a Chinese guy who wears hipster glasses and owns an iPhone and loves his brother, and the guy in the painting is an elderly British man who lost a war and in doing so, betrayed his brother. It is still striking that two men in such similar situations could stand in the same room together, despite one being long dead.

That's the feeling you get at the Gibbes, now. All of these people, brought to us from the past, their lives may have been vastly different from ours, but really, they were the same as us. People of Charleston who, when it comes down to it, lived. Preserved on these historic walls are stories, glimpses into what was, what is, and what is to be, the truth of our city: We are here, and we are awesome. It is remarkable, and it is beautiful. It's the feeling of being a part of something greater than yourself- being a part of history, knowing that we are not alone in time.

Or at least, that's the feeling I get. My ever brilliant boyfriend (an MD, a doctor who saves lives, mind you) saw the table beneath the painting of his predecessor, and eloquently asked, "Hey, how much does this table cost?"

A painting that struck me as particularly telling of the current times is this one pictured above, one which I remember, but have never before understood. Bombardment of Fort Sumter depicts the battle of Fort Sumter, but from a distance. It shows us a few people standing at the edge of the harbor. Some are actively observing the battle, others chat amongst each other, some still are facing entirely the wrong direction, and a few more seem completely uninterested. In the past, I've thought, your world might be ending! People are trying to destroy your city, and you're going to just sit there, doing nothing? Is it worse to watch or to act like nothing is happening?

Now I get it.

Sure, we can't stand on the edge of the harbor to observe the effects of this virus on our city; instead, we have our sofas in front of our televisions, or our toilet seats as we browse the news on our phones, or our desk chairs as we scroll endlessly through memes on social media. Just like these people, we observe, and we choose how. Personally, I relate to those two women gossiping on the left. Watching directly only makes me worry more, and feel worse, while ignoring it completely feels even more wrong, like I'm invalidating the suffering of my people. Instead, I choose to stay just so in the know that I understand the current state of things, but not so in the know that I can quote statistics and cry about things that I can't change.

A virus outbreak is a far cry from a war, sure. But in remembering Fort Sumter, I remember the oddity that was the number of deaths as a result of the attack: zero. Meanwhile, this virus has affected nearly 600, at the time of this blog post, with 12 confirmed deaths. But just the same as that battle, where the mere civilians could do nothing, so many of us don't think we can do anything. This time, though, people are dying, and we feel powerless.

That is, you feel powerless, until you realize that this painting is not at all from the perspective of the people on the harbor. It is from further back, perhaps from a balcony of one of the houses facing the water. This painting shows the point of view of the artist, as he drew the battle, as it happened. The artist chose to focus not on the ships, the soldiers, and the fighting; instead, he focused his eye on the people below. The people who, in his eye, deserved to be preserved, who really mattered. He knew that history would focus on the battle, but he decided, during said battle, to focus on the people.

Standing there, looking at that painting, looking at this meta observation of the effects and non effects of tragedy on our lives... it's a weird thing to do. It's even weirder to realize that his contribution to the historical record has survived, despite recording that life goes on, rather than recording the actual battle.

And life goes on, and you move on to the next painting.

A private collection I personally haven't seen before, depicting numerous scenes of British men hunting on horses, with their dogs, wearing red jackets, top hats, and white, billowy pants, specifically from the late 19th century, sits in the first gallery you see upon entry. Very few paintings in this collection deviate from this very, very specific theme, one of which is a depiction of three dogs, smiling up at you, not pictured here. The painting pictured above, though, felt very appropriate to share: A Day in June.

Sitting in a big room, surrounded by painstaking efforts by people long dead to preserve scenes they thought deserved preservation, efforts that paid off by the mere fact of their presence right now, it should feel overwhelming. Shouldn't it? It should feel like you have the eyes of so many hard working artists staring at you, judging you as you judge them, reading your mind, to know if you understand their art. It doesn't, though. It doesn't feel overwhelming in that crushing sense, in the slightest.

In art museums, of nearly any kind, I feel small. I feel cramped, like I'm surrounded by those artists, by their subjects, by everyone whose lives have been remotely touched by that painting. I feel like the entire room is stuffed with life, even if everybody whose faces adorn those canvasses has been dead longer than living memory. It's not a feeling of claustrophobia, more a feel of comfort, like the warmth of a family gathering in a slightly too small dining room, in a house that you've lived in forever.

A Day in June shows us just that, a day in June. The mid-afternoon light shines on some horses and cattle, as they graze and lounge about, most finding comfort in the shade. This particular lazy day in June was a day in the June of 1860, a little over a century and a half ago. That sun still shines, though, and the grass outside is still green, and this painting still gives whoever sees it a little moment of relief.

We parked in the garage on Queen. On our walk back to the car, I became distinctly aware of the quiet of the roads; the only sounds I could really hear were construction vehicles, and police. It was not quiet, in the literal sense of the word, but the usual laughter and music and voices of the streets downtown were gone. We turned the corner, onto Queen, and every single building we passed bore boarded up windows and doors. Some purposefully held their doors open in defiance, duct tape alone holding in place their fragile bones, while others posted apologetic signs, regretfully informing passers by of their temporary closure.

The city was just starting to open up again, and we have hit a setback. Or rather, that setback hit us. It hit us hard.

Did you know that from nearly every window, every corner of every block, in our little peninsula, you can see a church's steeple?

You don't need to believe in God to understand the importance of these monuments to faith: they are a testament to our will, to the fact that Charleston is strong, and we'll push through anything thrown our way. Despite the coronavirus, despite the economy's dip, despite the loss of jobs, despite the closures, despite the riots, despite the looters, despite the desperation, despite the fear, despite everything, we will keep going. Looking through the installation piece, Betwixt and Between, one can see a church steeple peeking out from beyond the courtyard. It's not a part of the piece, but it's a part of the scene. It's just that reminder, that Charleston has faith in God, but more importantly, faith in ourselves.

That, truly, is the purpose of art. To inspire: and for me, visiting the Gibbes after so long without it, I was inspired to have faith. I tell my students all the time that inspiration is fickle. It cannot be relied upon, as your sole motivator. One must develop a healthy work ethic, in order to truly advance and improve as a musician, as a person. And that still holds true- but one must also recognize the importance of inspiration.

As I stated near the beginning of this article, the arts community has been shut down, for quite a while. Art museums have been closed, sure, but concerts were also cancelled, plays were shut down, and our voices were silenced, except on the internet, a limited media. In a time where your work ethic is driven solely by you, not by a concert, not an audition, not a rehearsal, not even a real live lesson, inspiration comes in handy. Our work ethic needs a fuel, and most of that time, the fuel is our accomplishments, and our goals for the future. Right now, lacking both, we must be driven by something else.

For many, we are driven by a sense of community, as we come together to support one another in this difficult time. For others still, we are driven by spite, refusing to let the current state of the world get in the way of our passions. But for some, I don't know how many, we need a spark of inspiration, a little reminder of the beauty of our art.

Go visit the Gibbes. They're being very conscious of themselves, and they could use your support. And I'm sure a little bit of beauty might help us all through these times.

http://www.gibbesmuseum.org/become-a-member/

Announcement: Reopening the Studio

Wed, 06 May 2020 01:14:51 GMT

Our mission is to bring happiness, peace, and achievement to the lives of the children of charleston.

The Music Academy of the Two Rivers plans to reopen on June 1, 2020. Lessons should resume at that time, barring further announcements. We also plan to offer a new scholarship upon reopening, details below.

At MATR, our mission is to bring happiness, peace, and achievement to the lives of the children of Charleston, through music. At this time, due to the influence of COVID-19 on all of our lives, we recognize that more than ever, people- especially children, who may not understand the full scope of the virus’s consequences- are in need of these things. Normally, our scholarship program is limited to applications from good samaritans who are aware of children in need; however, given the coronavirus, we are offering a special scholarship to which anyone can apply.

This scholarship will give up to 10 children three full months (June, July, and August 2020) of free violin lessons, and instrument rentals. Any child under the age of 8 whose life was affected by the coronavirus is eligible to apply. The application asks for the child’s information, the parent’s information, and a 500-1,000 word statement detailing how the coronavirus has affected the child and their family’s lives. The deadline for application is May 22, 2020, at midnight.

If your family suffered a loss, or even just the heavy emotional turmoil of a loved one in the hospital; if a member of your family is an essential worker or healthcare worker, who has been distanced from the rest of the family due to their job; if your family’s provider has lost their job, severely impacting your child’s quality of life; if your child themself was diagnosed with the virus; or if the virus has impacted your child and your family’s life in any other way, please apply. There are no strings attached; after these three months are over, there are no further obligations to the studio, and the child can drop out at any time with no penalties during the duration of the scholarship. We just want to help however we can, while we all heal.

If you are interested in applying, the application is located here (CLICK HERE).

With love,

Savannah Cash

UPDATE: 5/6

I thought I'd add in an FAQ, to address some of the questions that I've received. If you have any questions, please contact us through Facebook, email, or just give us a call.

If only 10 people (or fewer) apply, will all of them get the scholarship?

No. We will only grant the scholarship to those that we select from the applicants, and our limit is 10.

How many lessons and instruments does this scholarship give?

The scholarship will allow for unlimited lessons throughout June, July, and August 2020. Each student will begin with 30 minute lessons, once a week; if the teacher deems that the student can move faster, we will switch to 1 hour lessons, once a week. If the teacher deems that the student can move even faster, we can add in additional lessons as needed. As for instruments, the student will be given a violin their size when they advance to the actual instrument; the student and parent will still be responsible for the safety and care of the instrument.

What is the monetary value of the scholarship?

If the student does the minimum and sticks with 30 minute lessons once a week, the monetary value is approximately $400. If the student works hard, and the teacher moves them to hour long lessons twice a week or more, the value is approximately $1,400+. Essentially, this is an opportunity to really take advantage!

Can I still apply if my child is already taking lessons with another teacher?

We have a strict policy against poaching students from other studios. However, if you are already taking lessons with another teacher, we will take your child strictly in a tutoring position, maintaining an open line of communication with your primary teacher, so as not to overstep boundaries.

What if we're not planning on continuing lessons after the scholarship ends?

That's fine. There are no strings attached here- if you decide after 3 months not to continue, then you can quit. If you decide after 3 months to keep going, then we'd be happy to have you! It's up to you. This scholarship is an opportunity to bring your child happiness, peace, and achievement. It's meant to be for the benefit of the child; if it's not for you, that's fine, but we encourage you to continue if your child derives any of these benefits from music.

How are you going to keep lessons safe while COVID-19 is still going on?

All students and their parents will be encouraged, but not required, to wear masks. Only one parent/guardian is allowed to attend with the student, no siblings will be allowed to attend, unfortunately. Before and after each lesson, students and parents will be required to wash their hands. The teacher will guide the parent to assist the student, so there will be no physical contact. Any other reasonable accommodations requested will be considered.

What's the catch?

There is no catch. If you get the scholarship, you get 3 months of lessons, with no strings attached. If you want to quit at any time, you can. If you get to the end and decide to continue somewhere else, we'd be happy to give you a recommendation. If you decide at the end that you'd like to keep taking lessons with us, we'll happily welcome you in the studio.

Can current students apply? And what about past students?

Yes to all.

Will the scholarship cover travel expenses?

No. The scholarship will only cover the cost of lessons, and the instrument loaned from the studio. The parent and child will be responsible for their own travel, and any other non-lesson or instrument costs. That being said, there is no restriction geographically for this scholarship; as long as you are willing to travel the distance, you are eligible to apply.

If I miss a lesson under the scholarship, can I get a makeup lesson?

As long as the scholarship term has not ended (August 31, 2020), and 48 hours notice is given before the cancelled lesson, the teacher will find a time to make up the lesson. If the scholarship term has ended, or adequate notice is not given, the lesson will not be made up.

I have a vacation (or some other commitment) planned during the scholarship term, can I get it extended into September, or shifted into the school year?

The scholarship term will remain fixed, June/July/August. This scholarship is meant to last the summer term, so that your child has more time to dedicate towards learning a new skill- it is much easier to start the violin outside of the school year, than during the school year.

Practicing When You Are Sick

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 16:54:48 GMT

"NO" is never the right answer when your teacher asks, "Did you practice this week?" But it's often hard to practice when ill.

When we're sick, we're excused from school, from work, from responsibilities. We eat Popsicles, soup, and jello, and we drink tea and ginger ale. Life sucks for a little while, but we're given a little time to heal, to let our bodies recover from illness.

Unless you're a musician.

It's an age old adage that "You should only practice on the days that you breathe." As an asthmatic, I thought this was an excellent reason to excuse myself from practicing the violin on strenuous days, but alas, even asthma doesn't preclude you from the responsibility of your musical studies. No matter how sick I was, my teacher (and to an even greater extent, my mother) would not allow me to get away with refusing to practice. Even if I was at death's door, I still had to do my scales and etudes.

You hear a certain phrase a lot when you're sick; "At the very least." My mother would say, "At the very least, just play through your concerto," or "At the very least, practice your scales." Sickness, according to my memories, seemed to be a time for compromise. The problem was, with these compromises, it seemed pointless- if I didn't practice the full amount I normally might, I would backslide anyways. So, what was the point of these half-hearted efforts to do "The Very Least"?

The problem with "The Very Least" is in its very nature- that you are doing the least you can do. Or rather, it seems as though you are doing the least you can do. In reality, however, "The Very Least" often seems like far too much effort. Exhaustion overwhelms you as soon as you even think about doing "The Very Least", contrary to the verbiage. On the one hand, you know that you are doing very minimal work- if you can even call it work- and on the other hand, you know that it is a lot of effort. There's no winning here. No matter what, you feel as though you are a failure.

Unfortunately, taking time off from practice has massive and very visible drawbacks. Heifetz once said, "If I don't practice one day, I know it; two days, the critics know it; three days, the public knows it." This could be rethought for the average student as, "If I don't practice one day, I know it; two days, my mother knows it; three days, my teacher knows it."

The all important question remains; How do you practice the violin when you're sick?

Ask yourself, how do you practice the violin when you're not sick? Look at what you do when you are in tip-top shape, 100% healthy. Do you have a routine, and a general style of practice, a set method that you follow? Or are you just kind of doing... whatever? The ways you practice when you are healthy determine your standards to which you compare yourself when ill. Personally, I start with a rousing bout of scales and arpeggios, then I move on to whatever etudes I am struggling through at the moment, focusing on whatever technical issues I am amending, and finally, I set goals for my current repertoire works, and strive to meet those goals before I finish for the day. I write down my progress daily, in a journal (that I would very much like to set on fire, as it causes a lot of frustration to chart my plateaus, but I will not, because it is an incredibly useful tool).

My style of practice when healthy is very goal oriented, focusing on understanding technical aspects of the piece, and really applying them in a methodical manner. When I'm sick, I cannot accomplish these goals- it's far too much energy to expend at once.

Right now, I have the flu. If you've ever had the flu before, you know how horrible it feels. Your entire body aches, your head feels like it's filled with lead, all the way up your nose, and your lungs are suddenly that of a coal miner. Needless to say, setting a technical goal with a concerto- currently, for me, the Bruch concerto's third movement- is not realistically achievable.

So instead, I've been practicing to supplement my usual studies. I've played my scales and arpeggios each day- slowly, so as not to overdo it, and to really hone in on my intonation- and I've then put the violin down, and focused on score study. My concerto has an immense orchestral part, but I'm focusing my attention on the violin. I've spent my downtime listening to recording after recording of this concerto, one of the most beautiful ever written, noting the little nuances each artist painstakingly demonstrates in their take on a classic.

Essentially, while I'm sick, I'm working on analyzing the music itself, the techniques I need to better develop, and the musicality that will go into it once I've learned the technical stuff. It might not seem productive in the same sense as my usual practice, but this study will help guide me in my practice once I've recovered, allowing me to temporarily advance in this piece at a much faster pace.

You do not need to practice when you're sick the same way that you practice when you're healthy. It doesn't make sense to even try. Instead, take a moment to think about how you normally practice, and the ways that you can better prepare yourself to practice once you've recovered, while you're under the weather.

Are you the sort that wanders aimlessly, playing through old repertoire and hoping for the best? Then spend this time setting goals for yourself, writing up lists of pieces you'd like to learn, and pieces you'd like to improve, and how. Pick something new and easy, and start playing with it, to help inspire yourself to advance once you're better.

Are you the sort that has to get everything precisely perfect? Take this time to listen to recordings of your current piece, recordings of you playing your current piece- and then try to play your current piece, and record it. Analyze these recordings, and consider, where are you weakest? Where are you still strongest? Develop a plan to improve upon your weaknesses. Start working on it.

Are you the kind of person who never practices their scales? Guess what? You need to practice your scales, and you can do that when you're sick. It's completely and mindlessly simple, while being quite difficult to do perfectly. Really focus that intonation, and do nothing else- you'll still see improvement once you're better.

Do you always rush through things when you practice? Take this time to do what you normally do, just go slowly, very slowly, and take lots of breaks so that you do not get overwhelmed.

Do you always linger and hesitate in your practice? Try to go through your usual practice with more confidence, getting it over with as efficiently as you can, so that you don't overwhelm yourself with too much work.

Every individual is different. Just remember- while you're sick, your body needs a chance to heal, and that is the most important thing. Take that to heart, and use it, to develop your unique practice plan; just as your body is going to get better, so is your practice, and by extension, your music.

Mommy and Me Learn Violin

Sun, 29 Sep 2019 20:59:18 GMT

Do you want your child to start the violin, but you're not sure where to start? This is the chance to find out if violin is for you- no strings attached!

WHO? This class is for parents and children up to 6 years old. Neither the kids nor parents need any prior musical experience- and you definitely don't need to bring an instrument! All materials will be provided by the instructor, Miss Cash, a violinist studying at the College of Charleston's in their Artist Certificate post graduate program, and the violin teacher of the Music Academy of the Two Rivers.

WHAT? These classes will be 30 minutes to an hour, depending on attendance. Every class will be unique, and all classes will be drop in friendly. You can attend as many or as few as you'd like, at any point! The point of the classes is to teach the little ones everything they need to know before starting to play the violin in formal lessons. They'll learn how to hold the instrument, both the violin and the bow, they'll learn basic rhythms, form, and composition, among other essential skills. Look at this class as an optional prerequisite to taking private lessons- a headstart if your child wants to learn to play!

WHEN? Starting November 2, these classes will occur every Saturday, at 1 PM! If a class is cancelled, this will be announced through the library, and on our Facebook page.

WHERE? The West Ashley Public Library, located in South Windermere. The address is 45 Windermere Blvd, and you can find it at the back of the shopping center. I highly recommend grabbing lunch at the Three Little Birds first, before you head to class- it's nearly right next door!

WHY? Miss Cash, the teacher, is trying to open up the studio to younger students whose parents may be hesitant to start formal lessons. This is an opportunity for parents and children to "audition" the violin, to see if it is right for them. If it isn't, no harm done, no money lost- and if it is, any students who want to start formal lessons with Miss Cash can do so with a special discount!

How to choose a violin teacher

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 14:48:54 GMT

Looking to start the violin? Need a new teacher after years with another? Here's a guide to help you out.

For whatever reason, you are looking for a new violin teacher for your child. This is going to be an exciting but infuriating process- on one hand, seeing all of the options out there is awesome, but it can also be overwhelming, and frustrating, when you don't know exactly what you're looking for. Whether you're completely new to the instrument, or you've spent years studying with someone you don't feel is helping you achieve as much as you could anymore, please consider these points before going to study with a new teacher.

First, a note to those of you looking for a new teacher because you are dissatisfied with your old teacher: Talk to your current teacher first. Tell them what is wrong, and that you feel as though you need a new teacher, and explain why. Your teacher wants whatever is in your best interest. They will either work with you to get past these difficulties, or they will agree, and help you in the search to find a new teacher. Really, your current teacher is the absolute best resource there is when it comes to finding a new teacher.

The Student

Now, let's consider the most important factor- your child.

How old are they? If your child is about to go into the fifth grade, they may be eligible to start playing in the strings program at their school. If they are older, then they will need a private teacher to catch up to their peers. If your child is very young, then they need a teacher who is not only experienced with young children, but who teaches a method geared towards kids their age. As children grow older, the pool of viable teachers opens up- but at the same time, the child's preferences narrow down the field. It will take meeting (and vetting) the teachers you decide to try out to really determine their chemistry with your child- and remember, this is very, very important. Your child cannot learn very well if they don't like their teacher, but they will thrive under the tutelage of someone they love.
If they're not new, how long have they played, and with who? As mentioned above, if your child has already played the violin for any amount of time, ask their current teacher for recommendations for new teachers.
Do any of their friends play? If your child has friends who play the violin, ask their parents who their teachers are, and what they think of them. Ask if you and your child can observe a lesson one day.
Are they a member of any orchestras, or other groups of musicians? If your child plays in any chamber groups, ask the organizers of said groups (conductors, coaches, etc) if they have any recommendations, or if they themselves teach.
What sort of teachers does your kid like, at school, and what sort of teachers do they hate? Talk to your child about their academic teachers, to gauge how your child likes to learn.
What's their attitude towards the instrument? Are they the one who requested to learn the instrument? If so, why? What are their goals? Make sure that their goals align with their teacher's, to ensure your child's success and satisfaction. Or, are you the one spearheading this ambition? If so, you might want to consider looking at a method that puts a heavier responsibility on the parent.

These questions, and any others you can think of concerning your child, are vital to consider. Remember, there is no 'best' teacher out there- every child has individual needs, and different teachers address those needs differently. We must first consider the child, before considering the teacher.

The Parent

We also have to consider the second most important factor- you. That's right- you are more vital to this than you might have thought. There are three items to consider, concerning you: How much time, how much effort, and how much money you are able to put into your child's musical education.

Concerning time:
- How is your child going to go to lessons? Will you just drop them off, and pick them up afterwards, or are you going to go in and take notes, maybe recording each lesson for later review? And what about other obligations- do you want to take the time to drive them to and from rehearsals, competitions, and auditions, or would you rather they find transportation through their studio?
- What about practice at home? Is your child going to practice by themselves, or are you going to observe them, to help keep them on track, or actively participate to guide them as best you can?
- In other words, how much time are you able to dedicate? Are you able to spend as much time as necessary, or are you only able to do as much as is required? Be realistic, not idealistic: No one will judge you for not being the 'perfect' musical parent- remember, Mozart often hated his dad!

Concerning effort:
- Do you have the energy after a long day of work to help your child practice?
- How far are you willing to drive to take your child to lessons, or are you looking for a teacher that can come to your house?
- Are you looking forward to actively participating in lessons to help your child learn faster, or do you want them to figure it out by themselves, building a sense of independence?
- In other words, what is your ideal involvement in their musical education- do you want to really delve into it, or do you want your child to be the driving force? Both are acceptable, it's just a question of the balance you want to find.

Concerning money:
- Up front- How much can you go ahead and pay today, to start your child's musical education? If you end up buying an instrument, this is an important question to consider. If you plan to rent, it's only slightly less important, as you might also need to purchase music, a stand, and other such supplies that will be a one time purchase.
- Monthly- How much can you pay per month for your child's musical education? This is where you need to consider how much you're willing to spend on lessons (which generally range from $80-$600/month), and how much you're willing to spend on violin rentals, if you plan to rent (which can be anywhere from $20-$100/month, depending on your region). This will be a continual investment, that will go up in time, both with the cost of living, and with the advancement of your child's progress.
- Occasional expenses- How much are you willing to spend on opportunities that come up randomly? If your child is invited to attend a summer camp, or a prestigious musical institute, how much are you willing to pay? If your child auditions for a competition, how much can you afford in entrance fees? And what about transportation, to conventions and the like? And what if your child wants to attend a concert? These will be expenses that come up from time to time, and it's up to you to decide how you want to address them.

The Method
There are many different methods of violin study out there, and each method is tailored to suit a specific kind of child and parent. Consider your answers to the questions above, and consider how well you might fit each of these methods:

Suzuki
- Pros
- Cons
  - There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding Suzuki, specifically stating that the method creates 'robotic' children who don't actually understand music; this is not the case, as individuality is encouraged, but it nevertheless is a widely believed falsehood, so your child may have prejudices against them by non-Suzuki peers.
  - Suzuki teachers focus on technique more than repertoire, which means that your child might not 'move as fast' or learn as many songs as non-Suzuki peers, despite having the same technical skills.
  - Your child will not learn to read music at the same time as their non-Suzuki peers, so in the beginning, their sight reading skills will not be up to the standard.
  - Extra repertoire outside of the method is encouraged by the Suzuki method, but is usually only available through outside resources, such as chamber groups, orchestras, and individual studies.
  - The parent must spend a lot of time and effort working with the child, actively participating in every single lesson, and guiding their child's practice at home every single day. Your input and participation is required- there is no negotiation on this front. It's rewarding to develop that bond with your child, but it is a lot of work.
- How do I find a Suzuki teacher? Visit https://suzukiassociation.org/find-a-suzuki-teacher/ , the official website for the Suzuki teachers in America, to find an accredited institution in your area. Do not Google "Suzuki teacher"- a fair number of people claim to be Suzuki teachers, when they just use the music- the music is inconsequential, it is HOW the teacher teaches that matters: actual Suzuki teachers go through training in order to receive an official certification, and they must renew it annually. Always ask any potential candidates when they last went to renew their training, and where.

Kodaly
- Pros
  - The method was developed by Zoltan Kodaly, a well respected Hungarian violinist and composer, with a doctorate in music.
  - The sequence of skills introduced is built on the psychological and physical capabilities of a child based on their age and individual circumstances.
  - Singing is used to introduce many musical concepts, which is easy for kids who are already vocal.
  - Notation and reading music is not introduced until after a concept is fully realized by the child.
  - To learn rhythms, children get to dance, and run, and march, etc- moving around to physically feel the rhythms, often while singing.
  - The repertoire introduced contains some standard repertoire necessary for any classical musician.
  - Students learn to play, but they also learn to compose, writing their own music, and understanding music theory.
- Cons
  - Rhythms are assigned syllabic values, which can be difficult for a child to keep track of, versus other methods which introduce rhythms through words that match (Suzuki) or simply numbers and sounds (Traditional).
  - Children who are shy, who do not want to sing with others, or who don't feel comfortable dancing around, will not be able to do the majority of the basic elements that require them to let go of these inhibitions.
  - Kodaly uses movable-do solfege to teach pitch, which means that though the child will develop an excellent sense of relative pitch, they will not have a trained sense of absolute pitch, which is necessary in more advanced or more modern works.
  - The parent takes on a passive role, so you would not be actively involved in your child's musical education, putting all of the work on your child; they would be entirely responsible for practicing.
  - The method was not developed intentionally- Kodaly did not set out to develop a method of instruction, so it is not backed by research into what makes for a great musical education.
  - The repertoire is heavily biased towards Hungarian folk music.
How do I find a Kodaly teacher? Visit https://www.oake.org/chapters-and-divisions/ , the official website for the Kodaly teachers in America, to find an accredited institution in your area.

Galamian/Auer
- Pros
- Cons
- How do I find a Galamian teacher? Contact your local symphony/university, and ask if they have any Galamian trained pedagogues on staff. Then, ask for their history, and verify it as best you can, to ensure that they were indeed trained by Galamian, or secondarily by someone else who was trained by Galamian.

'Traditional' - French, Russian, German, Italian, etc.
- Pros
  - There are a lot of teachers out there to choose from! Most teachers that do not teach one specific method can be called 'traditional'. There are a variety of methods within the broad classification of 'traditional', mainly stemming from different countries around the world, so you have plenty of options.
  - Students are taught to read music from the very beginning, so they build that skill from the start.
  - The main focus is on building a solid repertoire, so your child will have a robust sense of music that will only grow greater as they continue to play.
  - The traditional method focuses on creating an awesome soloist, fostering a sense of independence, and confidence in their music.
  - A lot of camps, institutes, etc. out there are designed with traditional students in mind, so your child will have lots of options for their summer studies.
- Cons
  - It can be hard to gauge the effectiveness of a traditional teacher, so you must do a lot of research to find a good one, mainly through judging their students. Remember- a great musician is not necessarily a great teacher!
  - As students start by learning to read music, they can have a hard time learning by ear, or even hearing music correctly, becoming far too reliant on the page- which can introduce a lot of difficulties when it comes time for them to play in chamber groups and orchestras, or to improvise or write their own music, such as for a cadenza.
  - With a greater focus on repertoire than technique, it can be difficult to move forward through pieces, as the student will have to learn all new technique in a new piece while learning that new piece of music- which can be very, very frustrating. Every new piece can feel like a daunting undertaking, rather than merely something new, as your child will learn technique as they go, rather than establishing an understanding of such things before they show up in their songs.
  - The traditional method encourages solo performance, but most violinists perform in chamber groups, and orchestras- which requires a very different attitude towards music. It can be confusing (and sometimes maddening) to spend all of your time studying to play solos, only to find yourself sitting at the back of a section full of 40 other people playing the exact same thing.
- How do I find a traditional teacher? Throw a rock and you'll hit one. Pretty much every teacher out there that doesn't advertise as part of a specific method can be classified as a 'traditional' teacher. You'll have to do a little research to find one that's specifically suited to your child's needs, and your goals!

Public School System
- Pros
  - It's free!
  - Your child will receive a grade for doing something fun! And if it doesn't work out, they won't be punished- they can just not sign up for the following year, and you didn't miss out on anything.
  - Automatically, your child will have a group of friends in the other kids their age who decided (or whose parents decided) to go into the strings program. This group dynamic can really help develop a wonderful sense of teamwork, very early on- and at the very least, your child has some new friends!
  - As it is just a class, a public strings program is very low pressure. Your child can decide at any time if they want to study more seriously, and seek out a private teacher.
  - You as the parent are not required to do anything, except show up to their recitals and concerts at school, and applaud when they perform.
- Cons
  - Your child has to start at the beginning of the program. If they are already too old, then this might not be an option. If they're too young, they will have to wait before they can join.
  - Without private lessons, your child might struggle with a lot of technique that cannot easily be covered in a group setting. The lack of individual attention from a teacher can make it very difficult to advance.
  - The student's advancement relies entirely on their efforts, both in school, and outside of school. If they do not want to practice at home, they will not advance. They must remember that practicing is just like other homework, in this instance- they have to do it at home, every day, even when they don't want to. It can be very easy for students to justify not practicing, as it is not as concrete as other homework.
  - As you cannot observe their lessons and classes in school, it might be difficult for you to help your child practice. You will not be able to work with them as closely as you would with private lessons.
- How do I find a public school strings program? You'll have to do a little research online to determine which schools in your district offer a strings program, and how it works. Contact your local school district for information.

O'Connor

Pros

The method was created by Mark O'Connor, who is a well known and admired fiddler from the USA, who was classically trained by conservatory graduate Stephane Grappelli.
The method is very closely based on the Suzuki method of instruction, which has seen great success through the years*.
The leading teacher of the method, Pamela Wiley, has 40 years of experience as a successful music instructor, albeit in the Suzuki method.
The method focuses on fiddle music, which many see as particularly fun.
All teachers in the method are trained by the creator of the method himself.

Cons

The method's creator, Mark O'Connor, has had some questionable circumstances surrounding his personal life.
Additionally, O'Connor has taken many opportunities to publicly degrade and shame other methods of violin instruction, particularly the Suzuki method, by stating falsehoods and accusing these instructors of immoral behaviors.
*O'Connor's method has yet to produce any successful students. This is partially attributed to the short time that it has existed.
The majority of the method is comprised of songs written by O'Connor, of which he retains the rights. Therefore, your child will not have any real repertoire for future efforts on the violin, nor will they be able to perform the repertoire they know.
O'Connor's method does not introduce any variety of styles. All other methods of violin instruction include music from time periods expanding several centuries, featuring genres from around the world: O'Connor's focuses on American fiddling, specifically his own compositions.
Individuality is not encouraged through the O'Connor method- rather, it seems to feature the creator himself. This is seen by searching for songs from the method on YouTube and other similar places; groups of children get to accompany O'Connor in these videos, rather than being featured themselves. Every other violin method focuses on developing both a soloist, and a chamber musician, by encouraging solos, and group work both. This does not seem to be the case with O'Connor.
The teacher training course lasts 10 hours, versus 10+ weeks for full certification in the Suzuki method, and 4 to 10 years of training at university/conservatory for a more traditional method.

How do I find an O'Connor teacher? Visit http://www.oconnormethod.com/Teacher-Registry.html , where there is a full list of accredited teachers.

Perhaps one of these methods jumped out at you as the answer- perhaps a few seem like they could work- or perhaps you're still completely lost. Regardless, I hope that at least a few of your questions have been answered, and that the path to finding a violin teacher seems a little clearer. If you have any questions, please comment either here, or on the studio facebook page, or shoot me an email at teachmetoplay@aviol.in.

Good luck!

Lessons Learned from Fantastical Fiction

avagcash@gmail.com (Ava Cash) — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 05:32:24 GMT

A personal account of the two biggest influences on my work as a teacher, Harry Potter, and Lemony Snicket. Spoilers abound.

It's quite easy to recognize influential teachers. Those wonderful people in your childhood and early adulthood who guided your academic career with a gentle but firm hand, who weren't afraid to give you a shove when necessary and were just as ready to pull you back, whose words stick in your head for years to come... True, sometimes you don't recognize them for a while, but in retrospect, they're almost always easily identifiable.

I've been lucky enough to have a great number of wonderful teachers over the years. From the amazing violin teacher who introduced me to the wonders of contact point through the torturous Kreutzer #2 (which still haunts my nightmares), to the hilarious students who have shown me the elaborate intricacies of a child's mind, I can name a number of people who have greatly influenced the way I teach, and even more, the way I see the world. But, there are two influences I cannot overlook, two great works of fiction by two authors whose works shaped my childhood.

The first, J.K. Rowling. I'm certain that nearly every person around my age is all too familiar with the Harry Potter series. I have met very few who aren't, however, I have yet to meet a person who hasn't enjoyed them once introduced. Anyhow, Harry Potter was probably the most permeable influence on my nature as a human being, as the series was released and developed throughout my childhood. I can remember the release of every book following Harry Potter and t he Chamber of Secrets - I distinctly remember sobbing at the premiere of the very last movie.

Every person I've met who has read Harry Potter, and every person I've met who has not yet read Harry Potter who I then annoy into reading Harry Potter, has chosen a favorite character. Everyone has that one character they identify with the most, or whom they admire, or whatever else. Luna Lovegood, the weird kid that is honestly amazing and cool, Neville Longbottom, the loser that decided that even though fate didn't choose him he could choose himself, even Albus Dumbledore, who has a very dynamic and compelling personality that makes you forget that he was a complete jerk. I've heard far more obscure names mentioned as favorites, and it amazes me that people can become so passionately obsessed with characters given less than three lines in one scene. I'm sure that I have heard every named character in the series claimed as a favorite, but, I have yet to hear someone call Harry Potter their favorite, though, despite the boy being the titular character of the series.

It's not that Harry Potter is an amazing person. By all objective accounts, he is, quite frankly, an idiot. The boy is such an unreliable narrator that his story is the perfect breeding ground for all sorts of fanfiction, but that's another conversation altogether. No, I love Harry for one very simple reason- he's the reason I realized I love teaching.

In the book Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix , Harry and co. found Dumbledore's Army, a group of students working to fight against the horror that is Dolores Umbridge, a classic example of a terrible teacher, but again, that's another conversation altogether. To fight The Man™, though, the students must learn the proper mechanisms of defense magic. Now, for Harry, a boy who has been fighting since a few months after his birth, this was not an issue, but for his more privileged peers, it quickly became apparent that their minimal training in the defense against the dark arts was not at all comprehensive. So, Harry took it upon himself to teach them what he knew.

Anyone who has read the series knows that it is at this point- not when he has his first kiss later on in the novel- that Harry is happiest. In the entire series, in all seven books, I cannot find a single moment where Harry is happier than he is when teaching his fellow students at Hogwarts basic defense spells. There are so many levels of happiness to these moments. There is a shallow happiness that comes along with any immediately satisfactory thing, but a deeper happiness that comes from imparting knowledge upon one's students. It's just like any other gift, but knowing that it will be used- and seeing the moment, that recognizable, beautiful thing, where the student suddenly gets it- makes it so much more real, so much more vivid, and so much more incredible. I could go on for ages.

In the epilogue, we see a Harry who did not read his own story, who did not recognize the impact he could have. He thought that he was the boy who lived so that he could risk his life to protect others- he did not realize that he was the boy who lived so that he could tell his story and teach what he knew to protect others. He never liked fighting, he never liked the aftermath. After seeing Sirius die as a result of his taking action, one would think he would have learned that was not how he should act, who he should be. Being an Auror was not the path he was meant to take. He was meant to be a teacher. There's more than one way to protect the ones you love.

I recognized that passion for teaching in myself, fortunately, and I chose to take that path. I've said, a lot, that I don't care what I teach so long as I am teaching- there is nothing I genuinely love more than teaching. I do not believe I would have ever developed that passion, let alone recognized it, without the work of J.K. Rowling. Partially because of the brilliant way she wrote the protagonist allowing me to empathize in every way with a boy who was in most ways nothing like me, partially because of my utter disappointment in the epilogue.

The second influence I'll mention today is Lemony Snicket, aka Daniel Handler, the author of A Series of Unfortunate Events. I've read the story countless times, but, only two really count- the first time I read it, as a child, and the last time I read it, as an adult.

As a kid, when you're reading ASOUE , you revel in it. It's a confirmation of everything you feel about the world. You know that your brain is legitimate and functional and perfectly fine, and yet, adults treat you like a child- a word which here means someone of diminutive intellect, not necessarily of diminutive age- even when they are far less legitimate and functional and perfectly fine. You are constantly frustrated, and the series confirms that what you are experiencing is indeed real and legitimate and nothing is functional and nothing is ever going to be fine. Yes, it's disappointing, but it's wonderful at the same time, in ways that only children can understand.

When you're all grown up, and technology has changed, and now Netflix is coming out with a series based on the books you read as a child, it feels kind of weird to reread the books. I've seen them through the lens of a child's bright eyes, so revisiting that story through the lens of an adult's worsening vision was more than a little strange.

Children are little people who just aren't very good at articulating their emotions. That's it. There is literally nothing else differentiating children from adults, and yet, far too many adults don't realize this, even though they knew this when they were kids. It's a fact a lot of people forget, unless something pointed it out to them in a particularly poignant and memorable manner, such as in the wonderfully terrible novels by Lemony Snicket. We see in each of the protagonists elements of intelligence that are often ignored in children. In Sunny particularly, we see the ease with which adults dismiss children, due to a lack of understanding. It may not be realistic to fly off on a self sustaining hot air mobile home, but the incidental treatment of the children by adults is, unfortunately, very realistic.

Seeing this outlined in novel form before my eyes as an adult made me realize that the way that I see the world, particularly the way that I see children, was shaped very effectively by ASOUE. In lessons, I can't help but empathize with a kid. When they say 'No', it doesn't always mean 'No', sometimes it means 'I'm very tired and I want to go home and watch cartoons', or 'I'm not really sure what you're asking me to do just now, could you please repeat that?', or even 'I want to be in control of the situation now, it feels like you're dominating the conversation and I don't think you're listening to me and that is somewhat demeaning'. Sometimes, it means something totally unexpected, from 'I have to pee but I've forgotten where the restroom is' to 'Your breath smells terrible and I desperately urge you to have a mint'. It takes a little time to figure out what kids are saying sometimes, so it helps to ask, 'Why?'

Talking to kids is exactly like talking to any other person. Teaching kids is exactly like teaching any other person. It just takes a little more time. It's not like they're speaking a foreign language- it's just that they haven't quite learned the intricacies of that language, or the intricacies of their own minds as human beings for that matter. It takes a fair amount of time to figure out how to navigate that massive labyrinth, and it's a teacher's job to help their students find the right path.

It's also a teacher's job to, well, teach. And it's impossible to teach in an environment that does not feel safe, because it is impossible to learn in an environment that does not feel safe. This is yet another lesson learned from Lemony Snicket's writings (and, at a certain point, the Harry Potter series- after all, it does take place in a school). Trust is essential, and how can a child trust someone who does not understand them?

Lemony Snicket made me personally realize, from a very, very young age, that the world isn't fair, especially towards children. Part of my job as a teacher is to make sure that is never the case in lessons.

I may be romanticizing things a bit here, but it is important to me to fully explain the impact these works had on my development as a child, as a person, and as a teacher. Daniel Handler and J.K. Rowling, Lemony Snicket and Harry Potter, they shaped the way I see the world. They shaped the way I see my students, and the way I teach. They gave me an appreciation for teaching, and an appreciation for the minds of children, that has only grown as I've gained years in age and experience.

I encourage anyone who reads this to reread their childhood favorites, to find those things that influenced the paths they chose in life. It has been an illuminating experience for me to realize the true significance of these stories in my life. Harry Potter may be the protagonist of an optimistic work of magic, and Lemony Snicket may be the pseudonym of a man who wrote a dismal work of pessimism, but they taught me lessons for which I will forever be grateful, far more than can be articulated here. I don't think it's likely that either author will ever read this treatise on the impact of their works on my career, this ode to one very particular aspect of their respective series, but I felt I should say thanks anyhow.

An Introduction to the Suzuki Method

avagcash@gmail.com (Ava Cash) — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 02:24:51 GMT

There have been thousands of methods of teaching throughout history, why should one settle on this one?

Ask yourself, when did you learn to speak your native tongue? When did your neighbor? Your best friend? That stranger you met last week on the train? The answer is generally the same- we learn to speak the language as children. No one gives us instruction on the words, the construction of sentences, the forming of thoughts, we just know. It's fairly obvious how we intuit such things, given every infant's propensity towards observation. Our parents, our siblings, and others surround us with language, and we absorb that which they say. It is the exposure to the language that opens our minds, and allows us to learn to speak, and take the first steps towards communicating effectively.

The Suzuki Method is built upon similar principles. Listening to music is an incredibly important facet of the method, as exposure to music creates that similar familiarity. This is referred to as the 'mother tongue' method. It is for this reason that the Suzuki method is unlike every other method of music instruction, as it is based on such simple principles as these, which are naturally built into human development.
__________________

There is a foundation in the method, often referred to as the Suzuki Triangle. At each vertex, we have a player in the game- the student, the teacher, and the parent. Each must participate equally to ensure success.

The student must pay attention in lessons, and follow the instruction of the teacher as closely as possible. They must practice often and efficiently, and find motivation for their music. It is their responsibility to take charge of their music, to make goals, and to find a direction for their career.

The teacher must provide instruction, which consists of several components. They must isolate and address problem areas, while at the same time identifying and enhancing the student's strengths. They must follow the method dutifully, while personalizing pedagogy for the individual student's needs.

Finally, the parent must record the lesson, and note which specific aspects of performance their child must practice. They must assist in and guide the student's practice according to the direction of the student, which sometimes requires the translation of the teacher's intentions to the individual language of the child.

The inclusion of the parent in the method is incredibly important, as a responsible parent gives the teacher an additional voice to communicate their instruction, while acting as an anchor for the student. Sometimes, the parent acts as a translator, rephrasing the teacher's intentions into words and actions their child can understand- this is especially prevalent with small children, at the beginning of their violin career. Really, the parent has the most difficult job, as they are the glue holding their child's musical escapades together, and the force pushing and pulling them along the path to greatness.

The child sees the parent in an interesting light- in most cases, the parent is just as clueless as the child. They are both in a new environment, and they are both learning. The child sees their parent as a fellow student, and at the same time, as a bonus teacher, one who will be there every step of the way, where the teacher in the traditional method cannot. This perception of the parent often establishes a specific and strong mutual respect- the child learns to understand the trials of the parent, and their efforts, while the parent must recognize their child's endeavors, their failures and successes, as they watch every single moment of their child's musical journey.
__________________

The Suzuki method is formatted in such a way that the student only learns one new concept at a time. Attending a lesson once a week should not bombard a student with a thousand ideas to attempt to remember over the course of the next seven days- instead, they should be allowed to focus on a specific idea. This does not mean that every lesson is an hour of dull, repetitive nonsense, rather, each lesson introduces a key technique or idea, and utilizes it in a variety of ways, applying it to their music every which way, to solidify their foundation.

Indeed, the Suzuki method's books follow this train of thought. Each piece of the repertoire introduces one new aspect of technique. In the beginning, this is as simple as bringing in 'skips' rather than 'steps', or playing on the D string for the first time. As the repertoire becomes more advanced, we get into such things as new keys, shifting to new positions, etc. In the later books, new styles of playing are brought into focus, each new piece introducing a key element of professional repertoire, ending with a full Mozart concerto, the first real foray into standard professional repertoire.
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By no means is the Suzuki method objectively any better than any other- claiming such would be akin to the claim that red velvet is the best flavor of cake. Yes, many people might agree, but it relies on the baker to prove it through their skill. Similarly, the responsibility of teaching most effectively lies on the teacher.

The Suzuki Association of America requires that instructors receive training for the repertoire in each book. This training involves observation of and instruction from highly experienced teacher trainers, and discussion with similarly experienced fellow teacher trainees. Needless to say, a teacher must be fully immersed in the environment of a Suzuki institute, experiencing every aspect of it through the eyes of a teacher, a child, and even a parent, before they can claim to be a licensed Suzuki teacher. We return time and time again, to reinforce and expand our knowledge of the Suzuki method.

Suzuki himself learned just as much from his contemporaries as he did from his formal instructors. There is a reason why the Galamian and Suzuki methods both place so much emphasis on form and technique, rather than repertoire; the men were contemporaries, who admired each others' work, despite their vastly differing backgrounds and interpretations of aspects of violin instruction. That's a discussion for another time, though. Suzuki was constantly evolving, constantly changing his opinions, methods, and techniques, to better suit his students, up until the very end. The founder of the method recognized an ever present need for individual attention and change, a concept foreign to the majority of other methods, which have stagnated since their initial conception however many centuries ago.

I cannot claim that the Suzuki method is objectively or subjectively speaking the best of all methods of musical instruction. I can say with confidence that it is the only method which is founded on the principles of one's natural learning process, the dynamic between parent and child, and the knowledge that even the greatest teacher can still learn from their fellows. No other method requires constant study throughout one's entire career.

A Few Notes

The Worst Part of My Job

Think of this post as a diary entry, a cathartic rant to help cope with what is undoubtedly the worst part of being a music teacher.

Announcement Regarding the Location of our Studio

Holy Trinity Anglican church is losing their facility. unfortunately, this means that when they do, we will have to move as well. Here's the plan.

BINGO with the STUDIO!

A game to encourage practice and participation through the summer months

Group Class Schedule Summer 2022

This summer, we are offering group classes every other week until school resumes. As a bonus, all students whose teachers are members of the suzuki association (ISA or SAA) are welcome to attend the classes, free of charge!

The Dollar a Day Scholarship

We surpassed our funding goal, and we're so excited to see what comes next!

Silent Auction 2022

The offerings for our first silent auction fundraiser ﻿

Being Double Jointed on the Violin

MY OWN STORY, and some advice to others who suffer from hypermobility

Day One: The Gibbes Art Museum

On the reopening of a fixture of our city, the gibbes museum of art.

Announcement: Reopening the Studio

Our mission is to bring happiness, peace, and achievement to the lives of the children of charleston.

Practicing When You Are Sick

"NO" is never the right answer when your teacher asks, "Did you practice this week?" But it's often hard to practice when ill.

Mommy and Me Learn Violin

Do you want your child to start the violin, but you're not sure where to start? This is the chance to find out if violin is for you- no strings attached!

How to choose a violin teacher

Looking to start the violin? Need a new teacher after years with another? Here's a guide to help you out.

Lessons Learned from Fantastical Fiction

A personal account of the two biggest influences on my work as a teacher, Harry Potter, and Lemony Snicket. Spoilers abound.

An Introduction to the Suzuki Method

There have been thousands of methods of teaching throughout history, why should one settle on this one?

The offerings for our first silent auction fundraiser