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.
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.
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!
We surpassed our funding goal, and we're so excited to see what comes next!
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.
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:
"NO" IS NEVER THE RIGHT ANSWER WHEN YOUR TEACHER ASKS, "DID YOU PRACTICE THIS WEEK?" BUT IT'S OFTEN HARD TO PRACTICE WHEN ILL.
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!
