Next List of Bad Habits

Hey hey!!!!

Well the performance my students put on for the autumn festival was super fun.  I'm very pleased with their progress.  You know it's a big deal when your brother says to you he enjoyed the show and the "students are becoming pretty good."  Now for the next event...we'll probably do something for Halloween like we always do.  If anyone has any performance venues they'd like to check out, let me know.  I'm open to suggestions.

For the next list of bad habits, remember, some may seem rather obvious, but it's still worth noting.

1.)  Don't make excuses.  "I didn't have time to practice because....."   I don't care who you are.  This is my reasoning for everything when it comes to excuses: If the President of the United States has time for two kids and a wife, you have time to practice.  Or do anything else for that matter.  MAKE time!!!!!! Or "JUST DO IT" (thanks Nike!)  Everyone, including myself AND parents of students are guilty of this.  We all have to work hard on not making excuses and just making (not finding) the time to get the job done.

2.)  Don't only play the styles of music you like; broaden your horizon.  I personally don't care much for blues and jazz, so I always avoided playing stuff with that style.  However, now when people request to hear blues or jazz music, it doesn't come naturally to me and I'm not as familiar with those types of pieces.  Of course you can have your favorites, but try to play and learn a bit of everything. You'll be sure to use it somewhere, some time!    

Til Next Time

~Givi Girl

Bad Habits

Hey hey.

It's back to school time!!!! Personally, I'm relieved, because summer can be a little vexatious after awhile.     A lot of my students go on vacations and such, which cause conflicts for lesson scheduling and it all turns into one big headache.  No more of that for me!!!!!!! 
'
As far as seasons go, I love fall...especially here in Pittsburgh.  It's absolutely beautiful with all of the trees that you can see from far away on the hills.  I am especially looking forward to it since I reside in a location that is on the top of a hill in the woods. 

I'm going to name three bad habits to avoid while playing the violin.  I'll keep them coming, because there is obviously way more than three.  They'll be pretty brief:

1.) Don't dodge the 4th finger markings by playing on it with an open string instead. The 4th finger is marked there for a reason.  99% of the time I'll agree with the bowings and/or fingerings the composer suggests.  Unless you're certain that it makes more sense for you to play an open string rather than the 4th, then "don't dodge the 4ths."  






2.)  Don't place your fingers in the general ballpark, otherwise they will be the wrong note from the note you intended to play.  People say the violin is the hardest instrument since your fingers have to be precisely accurate down to the correct millimeter, otherwise it's the wrong note.  I don't think the violin is the "hardest instrument to learn," per say, but it is true that the fingers must be precise.  Especially focus on this during scales and other warm-up exercises.  Also, make sure you do not remove your tapes until you are entirely prepared to do so, otherwise you'll form very bad habits when it comes to intonation.


3.)  Don't sit with your legs crossed.  I know it might feel comfortable, but you should sit with your feet on the ground, steadily, so you are able to balance.

That's all for now.  Now, off to my second home:  Volkwein's, the music store!

Til next time
~Givi Girl 

Why Violin is the Best Instrument: Reason #3!

Musical Elements

Finally, there are countless musical elements a violin can do that no other instruments can do.  I probably won’t even be able to think of all of them, but I’ll do my best. 

There is pizzicato (plucking the strings), vibrato, harmonics (lightly pressing your finger on the string to create an extremely higher octave), false harmonics, aka "artificial harmonics," (placing one finger down while another is very lightly places to create an extremely higher octave), tremolos (moving the bow very fast-usually at the tip), spaccatos (a brush stroke with your bow), staccatos (a short “bite” sound for notes), left-hand pizzicato (instead of plucking the “normal” way, with your right hand, you’d pluck with your left), trills (playing two notes, every other note, very fast), chords, double stops, turning your bow over on the wood part and placing against the string (forgive me, I forget the appropriate name for this,) and more. 

One could argue many other instruments can perform many of these functions.  Most string instruments can, yes.  However, they cannot apply these to the other two categories mentioned above.

Finally, I’d like to point out that violinists can not only play any type of music, but can be put in any situation and it would still be appropriate.  A violin can be played in an orchestra at Heinz Hall or at in a family reunion around the campfire.  A violin can be played accompanying a country singer or Celine Dion. 

Til next time

~Givi Girl 

Why the violin is the best instrument in the world: Reason #2

“Strolling Violinists”

Not only can violinists “play” any style on their instrument, but they can play it in many different ways, too.  For instance, violinists can sit and play (in a more sophisticated setting, such as an orchestra or chamber group, this would apply), they can stand up, walk around, dance…whatever they want.  Strolling violinists, (walking around while playing), is a technique that is very hot these days and in high demand.  When I do private gigs, more often lately than not, they request I walk around the venue and play.  I’ll create another column specifically looking into the art of strolling violins…but once again, can this be done with a cello?  How about a piano?  (I have seen built in pianos on bikes…but that’s just cheesy).  You technically could walk around and play a small wind instrument, but does anyone actually do that? Not really, because it isn’t natural.  You never go out to eat and have a clarinet serenade you at your table.  You can do that with a viola, but violas are bigger and annoying to hold.  Plus, no one ever prefers a violist over a violinist.  You never hear anyone say, “I really want a viola to be played at my wedding.”   It just isn’t done; it’s usually cellos, violins, or pianos if it’s a soloist situation.    Good luck getting too many jobs as a viola player other than in a large or small group setting. 

Why the violin is the best instrument in the world: Reason #1

I’m currently in the plane coming home from Costa Rica!  It was a great trip, spent with my mom, brothers, and myself. We saw lots of pretty spectacular things…crocodiles (up close and personal), volcanos, parrots, monkeys, iguanas, the Pacific Ocean, etc.  Beautiful country with genuinely friendly people who feel very strongly about preserving the environment.  They are very careful with recycling every little thing.  Us Americans need to take notes, I’d say!

Music Styles

The violin is the best instrument for a myriad of reasons.  However, I’d like to discuss today how much you can “do” with the violin.  As my student, Megan, said, “It’s a classical instrument that can be played with a modern twist.”  Well spoken, Megan.  What she means, is it’s not “unnatural” for the violin to be played in different formats.  Of course, musically speaking, people play their violins for classical, blues, jazz, pop, rock, country (fiddle)….the list goes on.  And no, you don’t need an electric violin to play rock types of music.  Those are more so for fun.  You can’t say that about many other instruments. 

Can you play fiddle music with a clarinet? No.  Can you play rock with a cello? Maybe, but I’ve never seen it done.  What type of music can you play with a harp?  The harp is quite a beautiful instrument, but certainly it is not known for playing much other than classical.  Even guitar needs to be specifically an “electric” guitar before it can play rock.  French horn…tuba….flute….the list goes on and on.  Hopefully you catch my drift. A violin can do it all!!!!!!!! And do it well!!

Rock and Roll:




Blues:





Country:




 



 Hip Hop:





 


Classical:





  Dubstep:






 


 Pop: (You're welcome, ladies.)

Til next time
~Givi Girl 

Update on some awesome GSOM'ers/recital countdown

I know, I know...it's been a long time.  Too long.  I've missed writing as much as (I hope) you've missed reading.  I do have a list of excuses, though.  Since the last time I've written:

-I moved, and just got internet finally turned on yesterday.
-I had surgery.
-My brother and I both graduated...him undergrad, me grad school.
-I had my birthday.  The big 2-6!

I have a couple more excuses, but they are personal family matters.


Either way, I'm back, and have lots to discuss!!! Also since last time we've spoken and now, a few fun events have happened!



Let me take a minute to congratulate the following students on their previous successes:

-Madi/Hannah did an awesome job performing at their school's talent show.
-Alyssa got selected out of everyone in her school to represent them in the district orchestra...which she placed 4th in her section.  This is in the entire DISTRICT.  She also has completed another year with the Pittsburgh Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. 
-As I mentioned in the previous post, Brian performed a scene in his play and it was totally awesome.  Acting and playing at the same time is no joke!
-Amelia performed four pieces for her preschool class, which was her performance debut, and she did outstanding.
-Nathan performed in his school orchestra concert.



**I got to witness all of these concerts, and I'm very pleased with my students' improvements this year.  I don't want to give too much away, so I decided to hold off on pictures and such since the recital is coming up.***

So the annual "recital" is coming up on May 31st. It's amazing the different reactions among my students.  They range all the way from beyond ecstatic to beyond nervous.  I'm going to get into more detail soon about preparing for a recital...let's start a recital countdown, actually. 

RECITAL COUNTDOWN!!!

TIP 1:   KNOW YOUR MUSIC INSIDE AND OUT.

I know what you're thinking: "Thank you, Captain Obvious."  Just here me out....I need to mention this point because, from past experience, I've made the mistake of believing I was prepared for a performance when I really was not.

You must be able to play your piece perfectly, with literally no issues whatsoever, a comfortable amount of time before you perform.  You SHOULD NOT wait until a week before to start buckling down on the practicing.  Basically, by the time you get up on stage, your performance piece should be so simple for you to play that you would be able to play it without music.

Often, you know you are not prepared to perform when the situation goes like this:

-Student plays the piece semi-perfectly at home.
-Student plays the piece with a few more errors at the lesson.

You need to strive for PERFECT at home AND in lesson...if you can't play it perfectly in front of your teacher, you won't be able to play it perfectly in front of 100 strangers.  It should be second-hand nature, and you need to be fully-prepared if you want to do a good job.   

The performance is out of your comfort zone...automatically, your nerves might kick in, there may be distractions, the temperature might not be what you're exact used to playing in...etc.   All of these factors contribute to making performing a bit more challenging...so THE LAST THING you want to worry about it how to play your piece.  The piece should be the easy part!!!!!!!!!!!!!

COUNTDOWN TO THE RECITAL: 15 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!  

Til next time,
Givi Girl

Violinist Brian-event story

You know how your mind wants to be motivated, but your body is saying "It's not gonna happen, so give it up already."  Well, I definitely am facing that dilemma at the moment.  I got a little bit of homework and chores accomplished, but not nearly as much as I should.  I swear, four pets is easily equivalent to at least one newborn child.  Between the much needed attention/affection, the food, the toys,  the cleaning up after them, the brushing, the walking, the bathing, the doctor visits...the list goes on.  Makes me think I should start a pet blog.  No....not gonna happen.  If I begin ONE MORE PROJECT I will....ugh, never mind...I just don't have that kind of time right now.  I know what you're thinking:  "Thank you Captain Obvious for pointing out to us that pets actually require responsibility."  I know, I know....and I WOULDN'T TRADE ANY OF THEM FOR ANY LESS RESPONSIBILITY.  I do love them.  It just gets hard to keep up sometimes and I'm venting.  Don't like that? Don't read.  ;)  Guess I'm in that kind of mood today.  

Regardless, my point is, the reason I think I'm feeling draggy today is because I was out late, and like the loaded responsibility of taking care of four pets, that too, was worth it!  What I was doing is precisely what my blog topic for today is: 


I experienced a real treat last night watching my student, Brian, performed as an actor in the play titled "Dorothy in Oz," directed by James Michael Shoberg.  Yes, there was a violin involved, but I don't want to say any more than that because it's a surprise that I sure don't want to spoil incase you decide to go!

Here's a pic of Brian at a rehearsal.

Again, I won't give away too much, because there are still three shows left next weekend (I THINK.  Could be more.  I'll have to double check.)  But, in short, it was a hilarious, "twisted" version of The Wizard of Oz.  No, it was not the musical Wicked...it was totally different.  At first I wasn't sure what to expect, because although I frequently attend musicals and the symphony, "plays" (dialogue shows only) are not the type of shows I'm used to.  I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least. 

I'd highly recommend it to anyone who needs a good night out filled with laughter, great acting talent, and a different but fun type of experience.  Tickets are only $15.00.  

Some of the actors at rehearsal, including Brian.

Before you all start planning your family outing, I hate to burst your bubble, but it is NOT a "family-friendly" show.  It's an event you need to leave your 18 and under (or in my conservative viewpoint, 21-and under,) child at home.  Plan a hot date night, a ladies night out, or just wing it and go by yourself. Maybe you'll meet someone.  

Good job, Brian!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

Til next time,

~Givi Girl 

Dissecting quotes

Hello hello!

So this blog post was written half at 2 am, and I'm finishing it up now.  I taught in WV yesterday, then around 4, decided to take a much needed nap. Well, that nap lasted 8 hours.  I woke up for a couple hours and figured I'd make the best of the time...and what better way to do that then writing a blog entry.  I have a quote app on my phone, so each day I check out a new quote.  I save the ones that are my favorites.  Here are a few...every once in awhile I'll add more "dissecting quotes" entries.  

Which quote is your favorite?










"Motivation is what gets you started.  Habit is what keeps you going."
                                                           ~Jim Ryun

It's easy to say "I want to play violin!!!!!"  But the true violinists are the ones who are capable of turning the practicing into a consistent habit.  








"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
                                                            ~Lao Tzu

Learning an instrument is a bunch of baby steps, one step at a time.  You must be patient and consistent.  Before you know it, you'll have a "thousand baby steps" under your belt, and what was difficult before will become easy.  Just keep going forward!!!!! It won't always be easy, but don't give up.
















"Don't let fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it.  The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use."
                                                ~Earl Nightingale
Don't let the fear of a difficult exercise, "scary performance," difficult piece, etc. stop you.  If you are presented a situation from your teacher, obviously they feel it is not above what you're capable of. As Nightingale says, "that time will pass anyways."  Imagine what a better feeling it would be to look back on that time and have one more achievement under your belt rather than another "I can't do that" statement!! YES YOU CAN!





"Self-trust is the first secret of success."
                                        ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
It might sound cliche, but unless it's something that's ridiculously and patently beyond your aptitude, (like climbing Mt. Everest in an hour,) you can do it.  This is similar to what I just previously said:  your instructor won't give you something you can't do.  TRUST yourself.  Be on your own team.  

















"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."
                                         ~Aesop
Please check out "Be nice to your teacher' blog post.  


















"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."
                                          ~Wayne Gretzky
I really respect my adult students who sign up for violin lessons.  They had the desire to take violin most of their lives, and now, they are going for it!!!! And doing it!!!! It's easy to say "I wish I could play."  Instead of wishing, do it.  I'll expand more on this soon.  (*New blog post idea just came to mind! Stay tuned!)














That's all for now, folks!


Til next time
~Givi Girl

Maintaining the Condition of your Violin (or cello, or viola, etc.)

It's finalllyyyyy starting to show some signs of spring around here!! I'm so over winter...I think everyone is.  Not to be a Debbie downer (sorry to my good friend Debbie...I know you hate when I use that expression!!) but I really dislike the January-March time of year.  It's just so depressing and boring...and COLD!  I don't mind the snow when it's Christmas time...but after that it's just repetitive and annoying.  I do like having four seasons, and I realize it makes us all appreciate the warmer weather that much more...but enough is enough!!!!!!!!!!

I just got back from the orthodontist.  In case you didn't know by now, I have braces.  #Nerd #Braceface #WhydidntIdothislongago.  I know I know....I'm 25!! I honestly only had two teeth in the front that annoyed me.  They weren't bad enough to get braces, but I decided instead of being semi-annoyed every time I looked in the mirror, I should just suck it up and get them.  I paid an extra $500 to get the clear braces since apparently Invisalign (or however you spell it) wouldn't work for my teeth.  

Well...aside from the snow, another thing I'm over are my braces!!!!!!!!!! My orthodontist is awesome; him and I have both lived in Buffalo, so we always have a ton of stuff to talk about in that regard.  The only thing I don't understand is why he asks me questions when my mouth is open and he's fixing stuff.  These aren't even "yes" or "no" questions.  Today, he was like, "What street in Buffalo did you live on?"  I tried my hardest to answer, but I know he had absolutely no idea what I responded.  "adklfjaslkfjaslfkj" is probably along the lines of what my response sounded like. Did you ever ask someone a question even though you really didn't care what the answer was? Don't lie, we all have.  Well, I'm pretty sure that's what he was doing to me...since he never asked again after my mouth was more available to give him the answer again. Haha.  

Here's a picture of me where you can see my braces if you look closely.

And yes......Otis is a happy and healthy puppy who just can't give enough kisses in a day.   He is certainly full of life and has so much love to give.  Him and the cats are best friends...except for Max.  Max tolerates him, and sometimes even gives in to his stubbornness and plays a bit with Otis, but I think it's going in the right direction.  Before, Max wouldn't even sleep with me if Otis was on the bed, or even in the room.  Now, they don't exactly cuddle with me...but he tolerates it.    Max was the baby of the family and he LOVESSSS attention.  Then Otis came around and is the new "baby" and is also a big attention craver.  He's a dog; of course he is.  But I try my very best to remind Max that I don't love him any less and he'll always be my Maxy, and no one will ever replace him!  Like I said, Max is coming around.  Rome wasn't built in a day, and Max won't make a complete 180 over night...but gradual progress is being made, and that's what's important.  Just like violin playing ;) 

Maxy and me.  Man he's gotten big since then!

I'll keep you guys updated on Otis.  

I've said this before and I'll say it again: it's always super simple for me to come up with blog articles.  There are sooooo many aspects of playing an instrument, and I see them first-hand every day with my students.  I love my students dearly, but some of them don't understand their violin is fragile!!!! It stresses me out just thinking about the things I've seen them do right in front of me.  Sigh...I better just begin, otherwise I'll need to go out for a drink and it's too early in the day  for that plus I don't think my students or their parents would appreciate that too much.  Well...maybe my students would, since I'll be less apt to be on their cases during the lessons.  (No pun intended with the "on their cases"....since I'm going to be talking about violin care today.)  Let's get started:  


Maintaining the condition of your violin (or viola, or cello, etc.): 


Wipe down the strings with a cloth after each time you're done playing.  That will eliminate any rosin residue from building up on your strings/instrument.  




Between practice sessions, make sure the instrument is covered with at least a thick cloth of some sort. Usually cases come with one.  This will forestall any dirt and dust from coming into contact.

Make sure it's out of reach of anybody who is not you!  Your violin is not a toy, and younger siblings (especially) might not always realize that, or care!  People who do not know how to handle the instrument, especially young children, can likely damage it easily. 

If you don't know how to tune, stay away from the pegs.  I've seen numerous times students (or their parents) trying to be ambitious and tune...and then their string breaks.  If you (whether you are a student or a parent) want to learn, you must learn the proper way how to tune from your teacher.

Rosin your bow before playing every time.  However, be careful not to over-rosin.  If your strings become too white and dusty, then you have too much rosin.  Rosin is like vitamins: too much of a good thing will not be good.  

Speaking of rosin, the darker the rosin, the better.  

Keep your violin away from hot or cold temperatures.  If the humidity is high, this can be especially harmful to the instrument.  Instrument humidifiers are available at the store.  I have one and I recommend purchasing one; they aren't expensive. 
What a violin humidifier looks like

Changing the strnigs

Change your strings every 6-12 months. In my opinion, it's better to couch up the cash and pay for the better quality strings.  They sound better and last longer.  I prefer dominants.  

Re-hair your bow every 6-18 months, depending on the amount you play.  You'll be able to tell when it's time to do this; your bow hair will become thinner and probably a little bit dirty.  
DO NOT use store cleaning products, such as Windex or wood cleaners, to clean your instrument.  THIS WILL PERMANENTLY damage your instrument.  They sell cleaning products at the music store, so use those.  I recommend Hill or Supersensitive brands.  





Loosen your bow after EVERY time you play.  If you don't , the bow will become crooked and eventually useless!

Avoid touching the horse hair of your bow unless you are checking the bow pressure.  The oils from your skin can be damaging to the bow.  

Do not hold your violin by the strings, place it on the case by the scroll, throw the case down when putting it on the floor, tap your bow on anything, use it as a sword to hit your younger brother with, or anything else along those lines. I'VE SEEN IT ALL-TRUST ME!!! It makes me crazy!!! 

Alright...I have to start teaching here.  I love my teaching schedule today!!! Erin...Hannah...Dailyn...Megan...I think that's it today.  They are all so POSITIVE and SWEET.  I love starting my week off with them. 


Til next time
~Givi Girl 

Hannah and I (mentioned above) on a field trip at the symphony

THE LAST TIP, TIP #10, OF "Easing your nerves before a recital."

Well it's been a fun ride with our "easing your nerves before a performance" week.  Quick recap:

1.  "You're already doing more than what the audience is doing....you're going up on stage." 
2.  Eat honey
3.  Be prepared.  The more you know your music, the less you have to worry about.
4.  Perform more often. The more you perform, the more you'll get used to it.
5.  Stop with the "what-if's!
6.  Visualize yourself doing well.
7.  View those nerves as "adrenaline."  In fact, replace it with that word.
8.  Realize that the majority of the audience likely won't even know if you make a mistake
9.  Breathe before the performance, during the performance, and after!!!
10.  HAVE FUN!

We often forget the reason we signed up to learn an instrument in the first place: for pleasure!  Of course there are times of challenge during your musical journey, but overall, the experience should be pleasurable. 

Let's check out the definitions for both "performance" and "recital." (Source: www.dictionary.com)

per·for·mance

/pərˈfɔrməns/ Show Spelled [per-fawr-muhns] 

noun

1.

a musical, dramatic, or other entertainment presented before an audience.

re·cit·al

/rɪˈsaɪtl/ [ri-sahyt-l]  

noun

1.

a musical entertainment given usually by a single performer or by a performer and one or more accompanists.

Both of these definitions are obviously very similar, and both have the word "entertainment" in them.  

en·ter·tain·ment

/ˌɛntərˈteɪnmənt/ Show Spelled [en-ter-teyn-muhnt] 

noun

1.

the act of entertaining; agreeable occupation for the mind; diversion; amusement: Solving the daily crossword puzzle is an entertainment for many.

If I really had no life I could break down the word "amusement" from entertainment, then break down that definition, and eventually...I just know....it will lead to the word "fun."  Even the Pittsburgh Symphony has really loosened up and made their performance more entertaining and "fun." .  They obviously have the same, amazing talent, but now, the conductor incorporates a few jokes, dresses up in costumes sometimes (while conducting,) etc.  These are just ways for them to eliminate so much "stiffness" in the room and I think it's an excellent move on their end. 

Just go and have fun.  Playing for people is a big portion of what anyone's musical journey is all about.  Save the stress for practicing at home.  Once you made it on stage, by the point, you obviously know your stuff.  So, play and have fun with it!!!!!!!!!!

Til Next Time
~Givi Girl

(My student Nathan and me)

Easing your nerves-tip #9

Hey everyone!!

Let's cut right down to business today:  Easing your tips before a recital, tip #9 (out of 10):  BREATHE.  Breathe before the performance, during the performance, and after!!!! 

I'm guilty of this:  while I'm playing, I realize after awhile that I actually "forget" to breathe.  It makes me so uptight which ultimately comes out in my playing. 

While you're waiting your turn to go up, breathe in slowly through your nose and out through your mouth.  If your heart's racing, this will slow it down.  Inhallleeeeee.....Exhaaaalllleee!!!  






Remember what I always say: you must be as relaxed as possible while playing.  This means at home while practicing and during performance pieces.  The more your body is tense, the more your playing will sound that exact same way: "tense."





















Til next time
~Givi Girl