All About Violin Classes and Teachers

[metz]

fristrom:

My 4.5 yrs old daughter has been with a private teacher for about 6 months: not suzuki method, but using suzuki book. She is almost at the end of suzuki book 1 (Etude) and learnt grade 1 scale + arpeggio.


What I like to know is whether this progress is \"normal\". She has recently been introduced to sight reading but as she can't really read notes, I found it quite stressful.

Hi fristrom,

I went through your stage too, wondering what the normal progress is. After 2 years, I realised it all depends on what your objectives are.

For Suzuki Book 1, a child may take about a year (plus or minus a few months) to complete the entire book, depending on the teachers. Some teachers may use the book as beginner material while others may expect more than just playing out the notes (especially the last few songs) from their students.

The speed in completing the book is not important. What's more important are areas such as posture, bowing techniques (is she able to bow straight while playing? Or does her bow move like a wiper? scratchy bowing, bouncing etc), intonation, fingerings, pitch and so forth.

For young kids, hearing is important in the beginning, less so as they progress. So, it's important that you train your daughter to sight read well.

[fristrom]

Hi chamonix,


Thanks for your reply. Guess I was not clear when I asked the question.

My daughter is now at the stage that if there are fingerings with the notes, she can play through without much problem. But if you ask her to name the notes, she can’t tell C from E.

Sight reading is a frustrating experience when you can’t read the notes and my concern is whether her teacher is going too fast. I am still tossing between trusting the teacher’s experience or my gut feeling.

regards,
fristrom

[doristan77]

hi, anyone has contact for a violin teacher who is patient & good with children?


I’m fine with going to the teacher’s house if its around town or bishan/toa payoh area, or it will be better that the teacher can come to my place in town area…

[Starrenee]

Hi. Can anyone recommend a good violin teacher who can come to house to do 1 to 1? My gal is 6yo. I live at the east near Parkway. Pls pm me. Thanks in advance.

[sylpha]

Starrenee:

Hi. Can anyone recommend a good violin teacher who can come to house to do 1 to 1? My gal is 6yo. I live at the east near Parkway. Pls pm me. Thanks in advance.

Heya

Can call Synwin (Head Office) and ask for a recommendation. I got my teacher from there. Currently, learning from 2 teachers and trying to inspire my 16mth gal

[Starrenee]

Wow! your gal is only 16 mths and she can hold a violin?

[phankao]

Starrenee:

Wow! your gal is only 16 mths and she can hold a violin?

She only says she wants to inspire her 16mo.

My 22month-old can hold a box violin though. Very real too. haha.

[HyperKiasu]

Dear fellow parents,


My son will attend violin courses. Can any parents advise how to choose violin? any recommended brand? and price range?


thanks in advance

[mum05]

HyperKiasu:

Dear fellow parents,


My son will attend violin courses. Can any parents advise how to choose violin? any recommended brand? and price range?


thanks in advance

How old is your son? Actually, you should ask his teacher for recommendation. Let him/her know your budget. Unless for a full size, it is usual for the teachers to suggest a basic one for young beginners 'cos 1st of all, we/they're not sure how long will the kid be interested in learning the instrument, 2ndly, they'd need to change the size of the violin very fast - say, within a year til they hit the full size. So unless u have the means, they'd usually ask you to get a relatively cheap one to start with.

[fristrom]

HyperKiasu:

Dear fellow parents,


My son will attend violin courses. Can any parents advise how to choose violin? any recommended brand? and price range?


thanks in advance

My daughter started violin at a music school middle last year and we bought a violin from the school for about $120. I didn't realise something is not right until I heard the sound of the violin from her classmate. Late last year, we switched to a private teacher and he pointed out that the violin's bridge was not of the correct shape: the side close to the G-string was too high so that it was difficult to press the string properly.

Anyway, as my daughter outgrow the old violin, we bought a new one for her birthday. We paid the teacher about $300 and he chose it for her. According to the teacher, each violin sound different even for the same price. My daughter is outgrowing her violin so looks like we will have to get her a new one for her birthday this year.