Expanded String Music Program

An education in music is much more than a diversion for an hour. Well-organized, sustained music study gives a student intellectual and creative advantages that will last a lifetime. The study of music allows students to gain an appreciation and understanding of civilization’s greatest achievements and nurtures skills and abilities that form the basis for success in any area of a child’s education.

Ambleside will continue weekly instruction in 2009-10 with our wonderful teacher, Jessica Embach, who has been playing the violin for the past 23 years. She is currently a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin and she teaches the Suzuki method of violin at the UT String Project (which was recently voted the top string project in the nation) and at the Armstrong Community Music School associated with the Austin Lyric Opera. Jessica also plays with the Lyric Opera Orchestra and the Austin Symphony.

Ambleside School is excited to announce the continuation and expansion of the strings orchestra program for the 2009-2010 school year. Ambleside School is continuing its string orchestra program and we would like to invite all Ambleside students Kindergarten and older to consider joining our Thursday afternoon orchestra program.

In preparation for your kindergarten – third grader student’s participation, parents must attend a parent education course to discuss the philosophy and implementation of the Suzuki method.
Parent Education Dr. Laurie Scott, Professor of Music and Director of the University of Texas Butler School of Music will provide Ambleside parents with a parent education course to discuss the philosophy and implementation of the Suzuki method. The course will be held on Saturday, August 29 from 9:00-12:30 with a half hour break. The cost is $20 per family. Dr Scott has years of experience with parent education and will provide a great service.

For Parents of Kindergarten and 1st grade students:
The first two weeks of lessons in September will be without the students. Ambleside strings teacher Jessica Embach will work with the parents and the instruments giving them instruction on how
to hold, tune, and practice with their child. We will also make ‘box violins’ which we will use for the first few weeks with the students before they are allowed to play on actual instruments.

For Parents of 2nd and 3rd grade students:
The first two weeks of lessons in September will be without the students. Jessica Embach will work with parents and the instruments giving them instruction on how to hold, tune, and practice with
their child. We will begin working with the students in the third week.

Parent Role:
Lessons:
In order for your child to take lessons one parent or surrogate must be in attendance for every lesson throughout the year. Parents will be expected to take notes and participate in activities when required.

Home Practice:
It is most important that practice be consistent! Dr. Suzuki used to say “Only practice the days you eat.” This consistency will help the students become disciplined and successful. It is also your duty
to provide plenty of listening experiences to the Suzuki c.d. and other types of music. This listening will help your child learn the music and develop their ears.

Suggested Reading:
Nurtured By Love – Shinichi Suzuki
Ability Development from Age 0 – Shinichi Suzuki
Helping Parents Practice – Ed Sprunger
Teaching From the Balance Point – Ed Kreitman

Why join the orchestra? What can my child gain?

12 Important skills
1. Self-confidence. Being able to produce meaningful music instills a sense of accomplishment and confidence.
2. Coordination. Hand, eye, body posture and thought all work together when one plays an instrument.
3. Teamwork. In orchestra, you are an important part of the musical team.
4. Comprehension. Learning to perceive and derive meaning from musical sounds and symbols sharpens one’s ability to comprehend abstractions.
5. Problem-solving. Learning the basics of music teaches one to understand a problem and reach an appropriate solution.
6. Discipline. Learning all of the basics of music and applying them correctly takes perception and discipline.
7. Arts Appreciation. The word beauty, serenity, and excitement come to life with each musical experience. These feelings help you appreciate all forms of art.
8. Reasoning logically. Analyzing a musical work develops one’s inductive and deductive reasoning skills.
9. Communicating. Music offers the ability to cultivate feelings and thoughts through nonverbal means and to respond to these nonverbal thoughts in others.
10. Conceptualizing. You learn how cultures use music for personal expression.
11. Making value judgements. Learning to comprehend, consider, and evaluate in music can
help you make informed decisions and uphold value judgments in other aspects of life.
12. Using symbols. Learning to read, write and interpret musical notation strengthens one’s abilities in other symbol system interpretation.

Concert to Benefit Strings Music Program held November 14

Cellist, Karla Hamelin performed at a fundraising concert for the Ambleside string program last Fall. The Concert to Benefit Strings was followed by a reception. The event was a great success and we are thankful for Ms. Hamelin's time and beautiful performance.