Nanny Music #32 – What do you do

Tags

Classical music, Compact Disc, Fiddle, Lia, Music, Music education, Teacher, Violin

After the kids won the talent show, someone approach to me and asked who is their teacher. He assumed I will say the names well-known locally. Well, one of their teacher, Calvin Dyck, teaches Lia classical music is a famous musician who owned a doctor degree. But that’s not the reason I chose him for the lessons. He has a very powerful colorful style and uses a fun method to teach. And he loves fiddle music. I was amazed by the detail and expression he brought into music and surely he made a big change to the kids performance. I understands why others always want to know who is the kids’ teacher, most parents want the best for their children and if they can get the same teacher as my kids, they will give their children a jump-start.

My children might be lucky to have different teacher to help them through different stages. Their second classical teacher force them to read music instead of copy him. He also took out the tape on their violin from the previous teacher to train them get in tone by ears and it really open another chapter. Their third teacher speed up their path by introduce fun pieces. And their last teacher is like a martial art master bring them into power and style which are not on the paper. When they were 8 and 9, fiddle master Calvin Vollrath took them in his own class in the fiddle camp, a pioneer step no one else dare to do. he gave them a chance to learn in professional level at very young age.

Yes those good teachers make significant changes. Buy when my son start to teach as charity, Dr Dyck told him, he can’t just teach anyone, but only the one who want to learn. I found out later it is true. But not just about the kid but also the parents. Kai has a couple brilliant students who learn fast. We helped them get a donated violin and drove Kai to their place to teach for free. We suggested them to join the local fiddle club to get in camp free. When all sounded good, their parents kept cancelling lessons because they are busy and they never show up in the camp or club. Why they were asking help and not cooperate with the teacher?

I also heard a friend said her son got MVP but she can’t let him be in the baseball game that summer because they HAVE TO go to their share-time cabin for vacation. What? Anything special happened to my kids maybe the only chance to make a change to their life, what are those parents thinking?

It bothers me when I see kids stand like statures in a fiddle group while others perform because they only know a few songs. The first time my children join the local fiddle club they are just beginners in playing violin. I didn’t let them sit there to watch other’s play. I told them picking up their little violins and follow others’ fingers. in a half year they are winning in contest, getting paid gigs and even recorded with the club in the CD. Do you dare to let your kids try?

To find a good teacher is important but more important is your input for your children. When you complain your kids don’t practice enough, please play some music to let them fall in love with it. When you envy with other kids play better, maybe work with the music teacher a little close, not just drop the kids off for lessons and take off. My daughter heard a Beethoven piece played in the movie, she said it’s so beautiful, I want to play it. So I searched all night on-line to find the sheet music. Do you ever do that? When you kids want to play something harder than the level they are learning, do you encourage them or say you can’t do it? Do you ever let your kids holding a pretend violin to mimic the musician? Do you play music for your kids since they still in the womb? So don’t blame the kids or teacher, check how much did you do.

 

Nanny Music #28 – the shiny eyes

Tags

Benjamin Zander, Classical music, Compact Disc, Fiddle, Lia, Suzuki method, Teacher, Zander

English: Benjamin Zander (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

After Kai and Lia did the speech for Tedxkids, I realize how a person’s perspective view can inspire others. And then Lia’s violin teacher talked me about a video from Tedx Talk video by Ben Zander, a conductor. He talked about how classical music can light up people’s heart and when you see the shiny eyes you know you make someone love classical music. The shiny eyes, yes, I have seen it in my children’s eyes when they heard a beautiful piece and eager to learn to play it. Should all music learning students have the same sparkle in their eyes? Why some of them quit learning before they can enjoy it? Mr Zander said when the kids start to learn they impulse on every note, and by the time they impulse between phrases, they can play pretty good. This is what exactly I tried to show my children when they start to learn instruments. I never asked them practice for certain a mount of time. I asked them to listen and feel the music when they play, once they got the part they try to manage, they are done practicing that day. When they feel the music the notes become fluent like running water. Even just 5 minutes, it will be better than mechanically practice for hours. And why some teacher think the kids only can play the songs or pieces they learned? Let them try, mimic other musicians, music plays from their hearts not their fingers. When Kai and Lia started, their school teacher brought more than 40 kids to the local fiddle cub. Kai and Lia were the only kids can stay and play with the adults in the fiddle club, They join the club gigs and recording after a few month of learning. What happened with the other kids who start to learn fiddle earlier and better than them in that time? Well, they were not been told to try. When they heard a song they don’t know yet, they just sit there and soon get bored and restless. Eventually their eyes are muted to the music. Like sitting in the coffee shop and not hear the background music. I can guarantee you won’t see any shiny eyes. Music learning could be like an experiment, keep trying and get sparkles on the process. I don’t think more than half of the songs Kai and Lia performs are taught by their teachers. They heard them from concerts, CDs even from their friends, their repertoire from the teachers are just the sprinkles on the ice cream. Mr Zander said everyone can love classical music. I am thinking of what Dr Suzuki who create the Suzuki method said, everyone can learn to play music, if you make their eyes shine.

 

 

Nanny Music #26 – learn to be a leader

Tags

Arts, conductor, Fiddle, Jam session, Kai, leader, Lia, Music, practice fiddle club, Sight reading, Stringed, Teacher, teaching leader, Violin

Kai joined one of the fiddle club practice without Lia, the club president asked him to lead some tunes. Count in, arrange the pick up, show other member how to play when they are not familiar with the arrangement. Even play harmony for most of the tunes. And there is a moment let my heart skipped a little. She asked Kai to record a tune so others can take it home and learn. The song is not very hard but Kai never heard it before, all he have is the sheet music he get a few minutes before the request. He played perfectly with vibrato just by sight-reading right after the request, the recording is once through. And when he plays harmony by request he make it up on spot too. Hmm, the only other fiddlers who done it before are either teachers or being play like mature player for a long time. Kai is only 14. And no, he is not genius, he learned how to do it from jam session in the fiddle camp, his fiddle buddies.

Sometime, experience come from trying, like Kai learned composition from the camp workshop, and figure things out when he have brain storm jamming with friends., even just doodling around. And you will never know when or where any request will pop out. Like in the club, he need to be a teacher, leader and conductor or composer. I am happy he took the challenge with an ease and enjoyed it too. The main hing is that he is ready, and all the effort worth it.

Nanny music #24 – Sacrifice a little earlier, gain a lot later

Tags

Art, Cello, Classical music, competition, Fiddle, Karate, Lia, Music, Saskatchewan, winning

 

.Playing 4 instruments ( violin, cello, piano trumpet), clogging, karate, it sounds a lot to a kid. But Lia seems manage well. She won first in every fiddle contests from BC to Saskatchewan; got 100% on every tests in school, even got a lead role in her school biannual play. and a music award from jazz band. She is working on getting her brown and black belt in Karate. And she is still have to do some chore in the house.

All these achievements come with a price, she can’t go play with friends as much as she wanted to. Even occasionally she got to hangout with friends and even a sleep over, she know she have to practice every day as a commitment for her future. and the time management skill she got from her busy life is priceless too. She don’t have a “tiger mom” asked her to skip all school activity and family chore to concentrate on main school subjects. She don’t have strict musician parents only allowed classical music or one specific instrument. But all her learning somehow help each instruments and sports. Such as her strength on her fingers from cello playing and symphony practice helped her playing twin fiddle with her brother and winning fiddle contests; the karate discipline taught her working hard in school; and the dance lessons give her the feel of the beat for music.

Is it too much for her age, maybe. But Chinese said “bitter first, sweet later”, ” bear what others won’t, and you’ll gain what others can’t” simply it just “if one won’t work hard when one still young, one will be pathetic when one is old.” The sacrifice of her free time now is already paying off and her future will be limitless if she don’t give up trying.

 

Nanny Music #21-Just Do It

Tags

camp, chance, classical, donation, Fiddle, Music, vibrato, Violin

Lia enjoys to play violin

Here is what Lia’s new classical violin teacher comment on her playing when she’s 12. Lia has a beautiful vibrato. Many would give their right arm for such vibrato. No one knows actually she learn how to do vibrato in a little workshop at fiddle camp the summer when she turn 6. Back then, her classical teacher refused to teach little kids vibrato, even other kids in same level already try it out. One of the violin teacher told me, it will take years to develop the skill. I believes what Mr Suzuki said, everyone can learn music and it’s never too young to start. So when I saw the worksop on the list of the program I encourage her to join. All I hope is she could grasp a slim concept of the technique.There was a lady walked toward me excitedly after the workshop and told me in disbelieve, “She got it. She is only 6 and she got it.” Over these years, her technique developed nicely. And her new teachers were willing to help her to polish it at younger age. But without that specific workshop, she won’t have the chance to learn it early and has the longer time to polish. So When you have the chance grab it

P. S. Please help us. http://www.gofundme.com/9meds our violins have cracks but they are not worth to fix. Please help us get a couple better violins. Spread the words to get sponsors for us

Nanny Music # 19 – Believe in yourself

Tags

Arts, Fiddle, grand master competition, Lia, Music, National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest, Stringed, Violin

There are times judges in the contest don’t like Kai and Lia music style, or give other young fiddler more points because of her smile. But when they join the contest that has best fiddlers from the whole country and best judges who are in the hall of fame. you know it’s the real test. This summer they went through one of this kind of fiddle contest. Kai was the youngest in his category and there are some fiddlers in the same group who are almost winning every contest and were invited to compete in Canadian Grand Master Fiddle Competition. We were not keeping any extra hope or giving up, just wish him do his best. After a year of practice and analyzed the songs, there is not much they can do in a couple of nights except listen to the original recording one more time and double check every equipments. The result, both Kai and Lia won first in all categories they joined.
Despite how good they played, we found that because they were not nervous and able to perform at their best. They were not over pride of themselves, nor intimidated by the other fiddlers. And there you go, they proved what they really can do. Never take one lost too serious is the key to get them going. And always review after contests give them content to improve. Nothing is impossible.

Nanny Music #18 – different approach

Tags

Cello, Fiddle, Russia, Violin

Changing the kids violin teacher again because Lia really want to play violin in the orchestra but not just cello, and we think they need a little boost by the recitals, camp, exam and the bigger environment with their peers. Since their first violin teacher retired, this is the third time we are looking for a violin teacher. According to the teacher to be, they are well-trained, so we are not looking for a “better”‘ teacher. Besides, Lia is with the same cello teacher since the beginning. So why?

The second violin teacher they have is from Russia, he is a nice and experienced teacher with super playing skill. During the years with him, Kai and Lia got very solid foundation but lost interest and slow down the progress because of his strict training style a few years later. He hates fiddlers and think the bad posture some fiddlers have would ruin the kids. We found a local teacher later on who is younger and won’t mind Kai and Lia play fiddle. She get along with the kids and bring them to advanced level, but Kai and Lia lost chance to participate in the recitals because she don’t have many students.  Their learning slow down again because lack of stimulation. And Kai is even thinking of quitting. So here we go again.  In different phrase of learning we found they need different approach, either bring more interest or need more polish on detail or just a little push with recital or competition. A good teacher is not exactly the one with the best reputation but the one fit their learning phrase in the moment. Lia is lucky to have a cello teacher willing and able to bend his teaching to grow with her. All the encouragement when she is younger and long-term personalized planning really pay off. All their violin teachers also help them a step a time in different way. Change or not is not the main point but to keep them going to reach the top need both parents and teachers work together and find what the students really need.

Nanny Music #16- double blast

Tags

Art, Arts, Au pair, Cello, Childcare, Daniel Lapp, Family, Fiddle, Lia, Music, Nanny, Stringed, Violin

Image via Wikipedia

Lia‘s teacher email us an exciting email said, “Lia is really starting to blossom on the cello! She looks like a little pro, which means she is starting to sound like a little pro.” And there is a famous fiddler Daniel Lapp comment on her score sheet in a fiddle contest with one word, ‘Wow!’ Sometime people think she should concentrate learning one instrument, but why? If she can handle both violin and cello and do both in the pro level, why not continue both. quit anyone will be a lost for her. There is time we need to be forced to make choice but do you really want to if you don’t need to?

Even violin and cello are quite different in playing method, the two instruments have some similarities. And Lia is not just manage the differences well, she is also able to take advantage from each instrument to make both sound better. While playing cello make her fingers stronger to play on violin, the lilt style she got from fiddling make her cello playing really stand out. So have double skills isn’t a bad thing, is it?

Nanny Music #14- An Everyday Thing

Tags

Arts, Bowed Strings, Canada, Fiddle, Lia, Music, Nanny, Stringed

Here is what they do before bed. While try to learn a song from Calvin Vollrath (Olympic composer, Canadian fiddle master) video, arguing who got the right notes and who plays the right style, and Kai added:” I am so see Jane jams this with us.” The other day when i asked Kai to practice violin, he replied, ” I want to play Calvin’s tunes.” There is many other days, you would hear Kai or Lia called from the room they practice very excitedly, ” Hear this, I made a new song.” Wherever they saw an instrument they want to try it, no matter it’s in the store or at the green room or even in front of the festival crowd. You will hear Lia plays some classical pieces randomly when she is taking a break between the performance sets, you will see Kai banging on a guitar from friend’s house, or watch them singing in harmony during a car ride even they never get training of it. So how to keep them going? It’s an everyday thing, would be my answer.

Nanny Music #12 – musicians and fans

Tags

Arts, Arts and Entertainment, Bands and Artists, bluegrass, celtic, country, Festival, Fiddle, Jackson Five, Lia, Michael Jackson, Music, Musical ensemble, Musician, Vancouver

Image via Wikipedia

Happy to know there are some people come to the festivals every year at certain time to just see Fiddlin’ Frenzy perform and others bought their second CD simply because they like the first one. These royal fans witness their growing and improving. Once they heard the band plays, they start loving their music and offer endless support.

On the other hand, We are also thrilled the Vancouver Celtic Festival and other venues listed Kai and Lia as musicians not family band. This recognition of their music achievement also show on the newspapers. I never understand why there is such category as family band, does it mean a lower standard of their skills? Musician is musician, if your performance is good enough to stand on the big stage, you are musicians. I remember after Michael Jackson passed away, some talk show bring out a history about him when he still with the Jackson Five, he create songs and insist do everything professionally. Even he was the youngest one in the band, he is definitely a leader. Family or not, it’s the music that matters. Kai and Lia don’t have parents back them up, from create songs, making the set list and the choreography for the shows they do them all by themselves, they deserve to be call musicians.