Expertise • Enthusiasm • Excellence

Violinist age 9 plays “Allegretto” by Suzuki

Musical pieces usually have a clear structure somewhat like a Lego building, and when you can begin to hear that, putting them together from their parts is much easier! This one features the Three Bears, and is built in sections like this: 

A1

A2 (almost the same, but a different ending)

B (completely different)

A2 

Just as in the singalongs on Day 4 and Day 8, you can hear how the same music has (mostly) the same words. We’ve also underlined the A1 and A2 endings, so you can hear the difference between them.

[A1] In a place far away on a hot summer’s day, the three bears’ cabin stood on the edge of a wood.

[A2] In that place far away on that hot summer’s day,the three bears went away for a walk.

[B] First the big Papa Bear, then the kind Mama Bear; far away, with his chair, came the small Baby Bear…..

[A2] In a place far away on a hot summer’s day, the three bears went away for a walk.

Violist age 11 plays "Gavotte" from Orchestral Suite in D by Bach

Bach wrote four Orchestral Suites. They all have an opening piece called an Overture, followed by a collections of movements (individual pieces) based on the dance forms of the time. These suites were very popular in Bach's day, and could be considered the “easy listening” music of the mid-18th century.

This is the third movement of Bach's third suite of this type, written about 1730 and arranged here for viola. The term Gavotte for a lively dance originated in the 1690s from Provence in southern France. The Old Provençal word gavoto (mountaineer's dance) comes from gavot, a local name for an Alpine resident, which is said to mean literally "boor" or "glutton"! You can hear that this rather heavy-footed dance might well suit a country bumpkin....

Cellist age 15 plays Haydn Cello Concerto in C, first movement

Violinist age 10 plays "Marching Band" by Edwards Huws Jones

This one’s good for both marching and singing! The song has three parts, and the first and last parts are for singing along. In the middle, you can hear the band very quietly at first, as if from far away. Then they round a corner and get louder, until finally they’re right in front of you again for another rousing chorus. Grab your shakers, saucepan lids and whatever else you have to hand, and make a parade all around the house!

Mar-ching, we're mar-ching, the bugles blow, it's time to go, we're

Mar-ching, we're mar-ching, the trumpets play, we're on our way!

[Quietly] Left  two three four, left two three four, left  right, left right, left right, left right

[Louder] Left  two three four, left two three four, left  right, left right, left right, LEFT RIGHT -

Mar-ching, we're mar-ching, the bugles blow, it's time to go, we're

Mar-ching, we're mar-ching, the trumpets play, we're on our way!

Pianist age 6 plays "Cuckoo"

This easy piano piece from the Suzuki Piano Program is based on a German folk song, but we gave it English words to help students learn it.

Cuckoo, cuckoo sings from the forest.Cuckoo, cuckoo sings from the tree.

Let us be singing, let us be dancing,Cuckoo, cuckoo, springtime is here! 

  OR:

Cuckoo, Cuckoo, high in the treetops,Cuckoo, Cuckoo, sing me a song.

Sing in the morning, sing in the evening.Cuckoo, Cuckoo, I’ll sing along!

Violinist age 14 plays Theme from “Schindler’s List”

Steven Spielberg’s movie “Schindler’s List”, about the German manufacturer Oskar Schindler who saved more than 1000 Jews from the Holocaust by employing them in his factories, won 7 Oscars including Best Picture for Spielberg and Best Score (Music) for composer John Williams.

We feature its theme in homage to today’s observance of Holocaust Memorial Day, and in solidarity with victims of oppression everywhere.

Violinist age 4 plays Twinkle Variation A, Massachusetts Music

This is the first piece that the young musicians in our Suzuki Program learn. The rhythm “Massachusetts Music” is an easy one for beginners, as it uses very short bow strokes – but it’s also something that will reappear many times in much bigger pieces, including professional ones.

This little student started in our Wayland Recreation “Small Group Intro to Violin” class over the summer. Five months later, and she was ready to share her music with an audience. She gets extra brownie points for stopping to “build fingers” carefully when she moves to a new string. Skills built solidly in small steps like this will lead to ease and confidence at all levels of playing.

Violist age 16 plays “Courante” from Bach Suite #3 for Viola/Cello

A viola is more than just a “big violin”. That extra size gives it a deeper, darker sound. Bigger things vibrate more slowly - try filling a smaller glass and a bigger glass with water, and tapping them each with a fork, and you’ll hear that idea at its most basic.

The viola has the same tuning as the cello, except an octave higher (meaning the viola’s strings vibrate exactly twice as fast as a cello’s) - so they can share some of the same music, including Bach’s solo suites. “Suite” means a collection of pieces which go together, and Bach’s suites are collections of 18th century dance music. “Courante” literally means “running”, and you can hear how this piece just keeps going and going – try running around to it!

If you like the sound of the viola, it’s a great instrument to learn to play – there are never enough viola players, and you will get lots of invitations to play with others!

Violinist age 10 plays Song of the Wind

Here’s another singalong song! (For the last one, see April 9th.)

Who has seen the wind, I wonder?

No-one that I know!

No-one that I know!

When the leaves are / flut-ter-ing the /

Wind is there but/ can’t be seen –

When the leaves are / flut-ter-ing the /

Wind is there I/  know.___(Repeat)