Student Resources
Greetings students! While lessons are being offered online I wanted to add a page to my website that's exclusively for you. On this page you'll find pdfs to exercises I've written, links to great articles or other musical content, helpful youtube videos and just about anything I can think of that will help your virtual instruction!
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Mindfulness
When we practice, it's important that our minds are focused, calm, and open to noticing small details about how we sound and feel. Cultivating awareness can be difficult if we feel distracted or anxious, which is common during quarantine times. Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, accepting and acknowledging our feelings and thoughts, making it easier to let them go. Enjoy this introductory video that I made for the American Festival for the Arts earlier this year!
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Framing Exercise
This is one of my favorite exercises I learned while studying at the University of North Texas. It focuses on building strength, flexibility and control in the left hand frame. The left hand frame consists of the knuckles in the palm for all left fingers except the thumb.
No metronome? No tuner?
One thing that makes great music is playing in tune and with good rhythm. That's where a metronome (with a tuner and drone function) comes in handy. I recommend students purchase a metronome/tuner. As a short term solution, here are some links to a free tuner and free metronome online:
Metronomes/tuners recommended for purchase
Get the most bang for your buck on a metronome that also has a tuner and drone function. I prefer the KORG brand as they seem to stand the test of time, and the occasional drop on the ground!
KORG TM-60 available from amazon
KORG TM-60 available from sharmusic
Book Basics
For beginners, I typically recommend the Essential Elements book 1 for violin or viola. This book covers the basics of music theory, how to read music and fundamental right and left hand technique.
Essential Elements Book 1 for violin
Essential Elements Book 1 for viola
We also use a scale book called Essentials for Strings. This book includes one, two and three octave scales making it a great resource for students of any age and level.
Essentials for Strings for violin
Essentials for Strings for viola