We started our Fall Semester on September 3rd, and this school year is already off to a busy start! Each student got to start off the semester with a sweet treat, made by my mother (and I helped)!
We have some exciting things planned for this month, including a trip on the 28th to the Grand Rapids Symphony where students will be able to participate in a “Play-In” in the lobby before the concert. This concert is especially fitting for my students to see as it’s titled “For the Love of Violin”!
Each of my students is also starting out the Fall Semester with one month of reviewing their old songs. Once everyone is done with their review songs, then each student gets to pick a prize out of my prize box! A key component of the Suzuki method is reviewing a unified repertoire and playing with others, and we are able to do that in group lessons and with lesson overlaps!
I’m looking forward to all of the opportunities this semester has in store for us!
I was so thrilled for my students to have an opportunity to play music outside of the Suzuki repertoire and to do so in such a casual setting. Before now, my students had only had recitals to perform at. My goal for the next school year is to increase the number of fun performance opportunities for my students so they aren’t all high-pressure situations like a recital.
Dr. B and I played duets for about an hour, and then we had our students play 6 group songs: Twinkle Variation A, Carnival in Rio and Bow River Fiddling from Magic Carpet Violin, Cabbages and Swallowtail Jig from Wee Violin, and Old MacDonald.
We are so thankful to the Ada Village Farmers Market for hosting us and can’t wait to go back next year!
Last month, we enjoyed lovely performances from nearly every one of my students. I am so humbled by the growth my studio has shown in the past three years. At my first recital, I had 13 kids perform. I had nearly 30 perform this time!
Since we have grown so much, we had to find a new venue for our recital this year. Thank you very much to St. John’s United Church of Christ for hosting us!
We had solos, duets, a trio, and even a quartet! I am so proud of the hard work everyone put into their performances. We were accompanied once again by the skilled Noah Seim and I even tried my hand at accompanying as well! Grand Rapids area teachers should consider hiring Noah for their recitals – he is fantastic at accompanying young students.
At every recital, my students start with the first variation of Twinkle. Everyone gets to play as a group regardless of how young or old they are. One of my students’ parents got a great picture of us playing twinkle, but there were so many of us that not everyone is pictured!
This year I started including Pre-Twinklers in performances. At the start of the show, we sang the Rest Position Song and “played” Pop Goes the Weasel. Later in the program, all of my Pre-Twinklers played an open string duet with me from the books Wee Violin and Magic Carpet Violin.
Towards the end of the program, my more advanced students played some ensemble music.
And now with the recital behind us, we are well into the summer. I’m enjoying slower days and sunny weather, while also looking forward to getting back into the swing of things next year!
Our Spring recital is finished and the school year is coming to a close. It has been an intense month for all of my students and myself as we finish everything for the semester! We will be celebrating our hard work with a group lesson party during the first weekend of June and I’ve been brainstorming ways to have some extra fun with our instruments. Below are 10 ideas I’ve collected over the years from books, other teachers, and even students! They are perfect for a group lesson party of your own, or as a way to add variety into your regular group lessons.
1.) Hide the Bow
Skill Level: Twinkle and Beyond
For this game, choose one student to “seek” and take their bow. Have the seeker leave the room and hide the bow somewhere with the rest of the group. The goal is for everyone in the group to know where the bow is except for the seeker. Then, invite the seeker back and have them look for their bow. As they get closer to the bow, the rest of the students should play louder, and as they get farther from the bow, the rest should play quieter. You can have students play any note you want, choose notes of a chord, or for a challenge, have everyone play a review song.
2.) Playing Position Parade
Skill Level: Pre-Twinkle
This should be done in a space with plenty of room and very few things to bump into. Pre-Twinkle students can do this with a box violin or a real violin. Students should hold their violins in “playing position” with their left hand holding the body of the instrument (As they would to play open strings as a complete beginner). You can serve as the leader, or have a more advanced student lead the parade around the room or whatever space you are in while the students are in playing position. At the discretion of the leader, stop the parade and go to rest position by announcing “rest position!” periodically. Students should be reminded to pay attention to who is in front of them so there are no crashes.
3.) The Posture Game
Skill Level: Pre-Twinkle
This game is a HUGE hit at my group lessons, and my Pre-Twinkle class plays it every time we meet. One student stands and holds their violin and their bow with the worst posture they can imagine and plays a few notes for the class to hear. Then, the class works together by suggesting ways to fix the poor violin and bow holds. Students should raise their hands and wait to be called on so that corrections can be made one at a time. Once each correction has been made, the student demonstrating the poor-posture-turned-perfect can then play the same notes again to demonstrate what a difference good technique can make. A few tips from someone who has led the game a few times: Instruct all students that violins must be facing up and both feet should remain on the ground!
4.) Simon Says
Skill Level: Twinkle and Beyond
Choose a leader to play either open strings, scale patterns, or arpeggios so that the rest of the group can repeat after them. They key is that just like regular Simon Says, there should be a signal to the students of when to repeat and when not to. I do this by tapping my index finger or pinky on the bow before playing. Students who repeat what I play if I haven’t tapped a finger on my bow hand are “out” and sit down until the game is finished. Beginning students should stick to open strings, and you can add scales or arpeggios for more advanced students. The rhythm should be kept simple unless you elect to play everything on the same note.
5.) Name that Tune
Skill Level: Pre-Twinkle and Beyond
This game is relatively simple: play a piece from the Suzuki Repertoire and see who can name the piece first. This does wonders at encouraging students to do their daily listening! You might “sweeten” the deal by rewarding a piece of candy to each winner.
6.) Create Your Own Twinkle
Skill Level: Twinkle and Beyond
There are 5 variations of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star published in Suzuki Violin Book 1. By the time a student reaches the end of the Twinkles, they likely can play each of them fairly fluidly by just hearing the brief 2 bar introduction. Take turns creating new variations by blending the rhythms, playing the rhythms backwards, or using completely different rhythms. Students can lead the rest of the group in their new variation by playing the two bar introduction in their chosen rhythm.
7.) Create Variations of other Review Songs
Skill Level: Lightly Row and Beyond
Take the title of a review song for the group and add a spin to it. For example, Song of the Wind can be turned into Song of the Breeze and played slowly, or Song of the Hurricane and played quickly! Lightly Row can become Strongly Row with big, goofy bow strokes, and Allegro can become Adagio by playing it very slowly.
8.) Memory Games
Skill Level: Twinkle and Beyond
Challenge your students’ memory by removing one note from their review songs. For example, when playing through Lightly Row, tell the class that the note E is not allowed! Instead of playing E when it occurs in the song, students should treat it as a rest.
If you have your students use a shoulder rest, you can also have them release their left hands when they play open strings. This highlights which students are holding their instruments with their hands instead of balancing them between their shoulders and chins. I recommend only doing this with students 7 years old or older and being extremely clear that they should not let go of their instruments if they feel it is at risk of falling.
9.) Egg Shaker Passing
Skill Level: Pre-Twinkle and Beyond
This idea comes from the Stone Passing Game from Ghana where students sing together and tap a stone on the ground. If you are working with a space that has carpet like I am, you may find that egg shakers are a little more fun to do this with! You can teach your students Obwisana or have them sing music from the Suzuki repertoire while keeping the beat with their shakers. I have even had more advanced students play a piece they know very well while the rest of the group passes egg shakers.
You can create your own egg shakers by putting dry rice into a plastic Easter egg and super gluing it shut or using tape to seal it shut. Just be careful that no one is tapping the DIY shakers too violently, or they might break open and you will have a bunch of rice in your carpet!
10.) Soundpainting
Skill Level: Pre-Twinkle and Beyond
Soundpainting is the multidisciplinary live composing sign language created by Walter Thompson. I learned about the technique while I was in the New Music Ensemble at GVSU, where Dr. Ryan would often use it to start rehearsals. Soundpainting a fun, creative activity that musicians of all skill levels can enjoy. By teaching the group just a few gestures, leaders can get their creative juices flowing and create beautiful soundscapes or in-your-face musical chaos!
What games do you like to play with your group classes? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!
We’re gearing up for another summer of beautiful music! Join us in Grandville near the library or in Downtown Ada for fiddle tunes, classical duets, and more!
Whether you are a new teacher trying to build your studio, or an established teacher looking to add a few students to your schedule, these tips are sure to help you increase your student base!
Have a neat, organized website
Cost: $-$$$
Having an organized and professional looking website is, in my opinion, the best way to show potential students that you’re a legitimate business that provides high-quality lessons.
When preparing your website, I recommend keeping things simple – too many bright colors can be harsh on the eyes. Include information about your teaching style, availability, location, a concise bio, and your rates. Yes, I said rates! There are conflicting opinions on including this on your website – some people believe that having students reach out and get to know you before hearing your rates will make them more likely to spend the money on lessons. However, when I didn’t have my rates on my website, I found that I was spending a lot of time responding to inquiries about my rates, just to not hear back. As service-providers, our time is money, and I believe in eliminating this step for myself.
In addition to having an organized website, creating blog posts (like this one!) can also help boost your SEO to help attract more potential students.
As far as costs go, I just paid my 2024 bill for website hosting through Blue Host, and it was $21.99 for the domain and $15.00 for domain privacy & protection. You can also pay someone to create your website for you, but this will be much more expensive. If you do have the money for a web designer, I had a great experience working with NB Media Solutions when I worked for a larger music studio.
Bonus tip! You can purchase Google Workspace through Blue Host for $6.00 a month and get a custom email address. An email address with your website can look more professional than an email ending in “gmail.com”.
Network with other teachers in your area
Cost: $
Other private lessons teachers in your area are not your competition, they are your support system! At the start of 2024, I made a goal to search for other Suzuki violin teachers in the area. My search, sadly, didn’t amount to many teachers, but I did meet a couple of great violinists who I was able to develop a great working relationship and also friendship with!
By simply saying “Hi ___________, I am a violin teacher. I found you through ______________, and I’d love to connect!” You can open the door to a great relationship. You can brainstorm teaching solutions, host joint recitals, host large group lessons together, and even collaborate on special performances for your students. You’ll also be able to share leads with each other – if you have a potential student looking for a specific lessons time that you don’t have, you can refer them to another teacher, and that teacher is likely to return the favor!
The cost of this is only as much as a cup of coffee at your favorite coffee shop!
Build a presence on social media
Cost: Free – $$
I have gotten quite a few leads from Facebook by having a business account that people can follow and send messages to. By posting a couple times a month, parents are able to see what your studio is like and what activities you provide for your students. You can post about what availability you have, what your students are working on in group lessons, or practice challenges you might have for your studio.
When I first started my studio, I paid for ads through Facebook. They were really helpful when I got started, but be warned: you’ll be sorting through a lot of messages that aren’t very serious, or worse, some outright offensive messages! You can spend a little or a lot – Facebook has a lot of customization options for ads!
Paying for ads on Facebook is something I recommend for new teachers only. When you’re first starting out, you likely don’t have a large network available to you and Facebook can help you grow that. For teachers with a more established studio, I find that sorting through the spam messages is just not worth it anymore. Asking parents and friends to share your posts can be just as helpful!
Contact school teachers and music shops
Cost: Free
Okay, so you’ve probably already contacted your local school teachers, but if you haven’t, do so ASAP! School music teachers often keep a list of private lessons teachers on file for parents who ask them about it. Don’t forget to reach out to local homeschool organizations as well! This is a free resource that you really should take advantage of.
Something you might not have already thought of is contacting music shops. In my area, I have a nice working relationship with one of the local music shops that rents out instruments. Be sure to include information about where you are located and what age group you teach when you reach out to them.
Bonus tip! You can also reach out to local arts centers in your area! Small towns often have arts centers where they have summer camps and performances for kids. In my area, one of those places actually kept flyers for me for a while to give to potential students.
Perform at local farmers markets
Cost: Free, and you’ll also probably be paid!
If you have a local farmers market in your area, reach out to their Market Master to see if they’d allow you to come play music a few times in the summer. Putting together a nice looking sign and having cards available helps to get your name out to parents, and you can schedule the performance for a time you wouldn’t be teaching. And, usually it’s fine to put your case out to collect tips as well! Just be sure to ask the Market Master if they allow busking. I’ve gotten leads for students and gigs by playing fiddle music at my local farmers markets.
How have you grown your studio? I would love to hear your own tips in the comments!
I can’t believe it’s already June! It seems crazy to me that this summer is already upon us, and with that our farmers market fiddle duets are also just around the corner! Come out and support local farmers while listening to us play a bunch of new music, including a brand new hour of violin and viola duets!
What a year it’s been! I’m so thankful for all of the opportunities I’ve had this past year and it makes me feel very fortunate to look back on what I’ve been able to do. When we are caught up in the grind and just getting by day to day, it can be hard to remember how much we have accomplished. I encourage everyone to do a yearly reflection and give yourself some credit for your hard work too!
Below are just 5 (of many!!) highlights from this past year.
I performed at 26 wedding ceremonies.
I originally started the year with a limit of 24 weddings. After the whirlwind that was 2021, I felt that I needed to limit the amount of weddings I was doing for my own sanity and for the quality of my performances. I ended up adding on 2 more, but am proud of myself for sticking so close to the original number I gave myself! A lot of planning goes into each wedding, so limiting them ensures that I am consistently providing my best work.
I started the year with 15 students and ended it with 27.
This is especially crazy, because my goal was 20! I am finally at a point where I don’t need to rely on gigs to supplement my teaching income. The constant plugging myself and posting on wedding sites appear to be in my rearview mirror- and hopefully I can keep it that way!
I recorded an album!
Albeit small (only about 30 minutes of music), my string quartet worked very hard and hired a sound engineer (Chris Avison at McBride Studio) to record music for my parents’ 30th wedding anniversary. They have exclusive access to the full album, but you can listen to clips on my About Page.
I Completed Book 2 Training.
It seems so long ago that it wasn’t even part of this year, but in February of this year I completed my Book 2 training with Jenna Potts. It was a very thorough class and I learned so much about teaching and Dr. Suzuki’s philosophy. I’m really looking forward to continuing my education in the Suzuki Program!
I held my first studio recital!
Words cannot express just how much pride I felt when I watched my students, aged 5-adult perform songs that they had worked so hard to prepare. My heart was bursting to see even my most nervous students perform so well. Each student put in so much work and the reward was a beautiful performance.
I’m looking forward to using these experiences to help me grow in 2023!
The Boho-Chic style is known for its earthy tones, natural textures, eclectic combinations, and a Beauty-in-the-Natural-Chaos vibe. If I could use three words to describe this style, I’d take them right from the Beatles: “Let it Be”. With a style so easily detectable to the eye, you wouldn’t think it’d be so tough to nail down what the specific “sound” this style would have, but it’s actually pretty broad! When I sat down and really thought about it and started reading about this style and how it could relate to music, I found that I was drawn to songs with more of a walking-tempo, a simple melody, and an acoustic-feel rather than electronic or pop. The 5 songs I have listed below are what I think would be a lovely addition to your Boho-Chic wedding, all of which are on my repertoire list!
Love Someone – Lukas Graham
Perfect for some prelude music before the ceremony!
Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
This would be a great song for parents, grandparents, and the wedding party to Process to.
Speechless – Dan + Say
I have done this for Bridal Processions and I think it’s just the perfect song for it!
Better Together – Jack Johnson
This classic would be the perfect song to recess to.
I had my first ever student recital. We started the event off with a group rendition of Twinkle Variation A, then 13 of my students gave beautiful performances. All of them played so well, and it’s so impressive to think that about half of them couldn’t even play the violin this time last year!
My grandma played the piano for 13 of the 14 who performed (one played solo). She also was great! I am so thankful to her for sharing her skill with us and helping make the day special. She committed lots of time to rehearsing, as each of my students got to rehearse with her in a lesson, at a dress rehearsal, and at my June group lesson.
Thank you also to Davin with Sound Check at Lowell United Methodist Church for allowing us to use this space. It was the perfect size for us!!
Buddy & Bean Flower Farm put together a beautiful arrangement to honor my grandma, and I really recommend her work !
I can’t forget my mom, who made cookies and fruit kebabs for everyone!!
And lastly thank you to my students and their families!!! I am so proud of everyone who performed and I am so happy with how far you all have come. Happy Summer!!
She committed lots of time to rehearsing, as each of my students got to rehearse with her in a lesson, at a dress rehearsal, and at my June group lesson. 
!
