#teaching points

New Post has been published on https://www.crownofcompassion.org/2017/03/18/learning-wait-well-living-child-god/

Learning to wait well- living as a child of God

“Learning to wait well involves learning how to put into practice the everyday-ness of living as a child of God.”- Dr. Tony Evans

“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.  Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes. wait for the LORD.”- Psalm 27:13-14 (NASB)

Dr. Tony Evans concludes Chapter 15 of Detours as he states there’s no one specific method for learning to wait well.  However, generally speaking, waiting on the Lord means you don’t go outside of God to fix your issue.  Dr. Evans compares waiting on the Lord to a farmer waiting for rain.  The author writes:

“Just as a farmer must wait for the rains and the soil to produce the growth of a seed, we must also wait for the Lord to produce within us and through us the purpose He intends.”

In contrast, Dr. Evans notes, there’s one surefire way to know you still need to perfect the art of waiting.  That indicator- when you exhibit a complaining spirit.  Tony explains:

“A person who had a complaining spirit — someone who has a pattern of whining about a situation or about God — is not waiting well.”

Complaining reveals a lack of faith, a heart seeking a solution more than the lesson on the journey to the solution.

In conclusion, delays don’t always require intervention.  Often God uses delays as teaching points or to first receive something from Him.  Therefore, we also wait in obedience.  For even though God seems silent, He’s not still.

Today’s question: What Bible verses support you in learning to wait well?  Please share.

Suzuki Practicum II

Prof. Sandy Reuning

Prelude and Berceuse: Suzuki Teaching Points

Background Information:

Shin'ichi Suzuki (鈴木) Born October 17, 1898 – January 26, 1998). He was a philosopher and violinist who founded the international Suzuki method (Talent Education) of music education. Considered an influential and controversial pedagogue, he often spoke of the ability of all children to learn things well, in the right environment.

Prelude and Berceuse:

·      **THIS PIECE IS ALL ABOUT TONE**

·      Great piece for a group class

·      Can teach without the use of music

·      Key is in G-minor.

·      For the beginning G-minor chord, Suzuki did it where he just lifted his first finger and allowed his fingers/hand to play the G and D instead of lifting the whole arm.

·      Mm 4-5, the 3rd finger slide up to the G, do not start on the previous note then slide, slide and arrive to the G.

·      Mm. 6-7, it is one up bow, save bow!

  Con expressivo (with expression):

·      For the second section, don’t use the mute, Suzuki didn’t use it.

·      This is from apparently a “carpenter’s song” from Matsumoto, Japan

·      This is an opportunity to have a beautiful sound while still being soft.

·      Be sure to just take your time throughout this part!

Suzuki Practicum II

Prof. Sandy Reuning

II: Presto From Sonata No. 11 in Major: Porpora Teaching Points

Background Information:

Nicolo (Antonio) Porpora (August 17, 1686 – March 3, 1768) was an Italian composer of Baroque operas mostly (he did write 12 violin sonatas) and teacher of voice.

Presto:

**Review the bariolage bow stroke, maybe do part of the Bach Gavotte in Book 5**

**Do the bariolage bowing on the A and D string to the motion, then the same thing on the A and E string, etc**

**Good group class piece**

·      practice two notes blocked for hearing intonation before separating them into the bariolage stroke

·      DO NOT start too fast!

·      The 3rd and 4th lines, is very hard to get, make sure you practice them slowly before adding the middle slurs, then add them and increase the speed for accuracy.

·      Before of the direction the bariolage stroke changes (from A to E, or from E to A before the trill section).

·      Last line of the first page: make sure the rhythm is correct!

o   Make sure the slurs for the runs and trills are in the same direction.

o   For intonation, practice the runs in rhythms, slowly.

·      First measure of the second page: make sure the trills are like eighth notes.

·      Second line down, “un poco sostenuto” means a little  slower for this part! Before going back to the “a tempo.”

·      A Tempo:

o   Practice these separate bows first before slurring these string crossings. Then practice them blocked, before putting them SLOWLY slurred.

·      The third line down, make sure to practice the changes in bariolage bowings from the E to the A string to the opposite.

·      The last line:

o   The first measure of the second line, notice there are double stops on the open A, make sure to make these sound out.

o   Sostenuto means slow down!

o   Slow down the ending, as it is rit.

Suzuki Practicum II

Prof. Sandy Reuning

Polish Dance: Severn Teaching Points

Background Information:

Edmund Severn (December 10, 1862 - May 14, 1942) was an American composer and violinist born in England and settled in Hartford, CT.

Allegro con spirito (Fast with spirit):

·      Start the first eighth note at the tip so you can end up at the frog for the 16th to the half note. Also, so you can have a good, opening sound!

·      In m. 5, it says “L.H.” which I’m assuming means keep the left hand steady and do these short strokes in the middle and a little bit off the string.

·      In m. 9, left hand pizzicato, pluck with the meaty part of the pinky.

·      In m. 10, make sure in the 16th note descending passage is accurate to lead back into the main theme.

o   Also make sure the G is natural, and not sharp!

·      In m. 19, make sure the rolled chord is held for the full value, and make sure the bow is retaken for the accented octave D’s in the next measure.

·      In mm. 22-26, make sure these notes on the G-string are in tune, PRACTICE SLOWLY!

o   Watch the rhythm as well, it’s slower.

·      In mm. 34-38, it says “poco rubato” which means to slow down a little bit before going into the expressivo part in m. 39.

·      In the expressivo, it’s mp, but make sure you use the whole bow to have a good expressive sound!

·      In m. 52, the B# from the previous measure goes back to a B natural for the double stops.

·      In mm. 59-60, use a lot of bow for the harmonics to come out.

·      In mm. 69-72, it can be a bit tricky in in the intonation as it is different from the beginning, just watch and practice slowly if necessary.

Poco meno mosso, doloroso (Sweetly, little slower)

·      NEW KEY of G MINOR!

·      Make sure this is all on the G string!

·      Start this a lot slower than the previous section, it’s a new section.

·      Watch the slurs, it can be awkward at first.

·      In m. 86, watch the triplet rhythm on beat 2.

·      Watch the phrasing, with the “hairpin” dynamics…utilize them!

·      In. m. 98, it’s stringendo, meaning, speed it up a little bit, have it move ahead.

o   Also, watch the 8th rest in this measure.

Allegro con fuoco (fast with furry)

·      NEW KEY of G MAJOR!

·      Try to not roll the chords too much like a 4-chord.

·      Add weight to the tip when doing the up bow

·      Perhaps start moreso in the middle to upper half of the bow rather than at the tip to get the best sound.

·      WATCH INTONATION THROUGHOUT THIS PART

·      In mm. 123-129, pluck the left hand pizzicato with the meaty part of the pinky and make sure it’s curved.

o   Have the bow ready to “gently slam” it down on the open A and D.

o   You are sort of alternating the direction of your two hands when changing between the pizz and the arco…explain this to student.

·      In m. 130, there is NO rest at the end of the measure, it is varied from the beginning of the allegro con fuoco.

·      In. m 148, watch the rhythm, it’s 2 quarter notes!

·      In mm. 157-162, practice the intonation without the D-drone. Before this, stop on all the P4, P5, P8, and Unisons to test intonation.

o   Watch for the flats!

Tempo I (con molto fuoco e stringendo)

·      In mm. 235-242, go a little faster, start soft, and grow!

·      In m. 237, watch for the D#.

·      In m. 243, go nuts!

·      In. mm 247-249, do these rolling D’s smoothly as possible, big sound with smooth up and down bows, start soft, and grow.

·      Second to last measure, practice that artificial harmonic, it’s not easy!

Suzuki Practicum II

Prof. Sandy Reuning

Csardas: Monti Teaching Points

  Background information:

Vittorio Monti (January 6, 1868 – June 20, 1922) was an Italian composer, violinist, and conductor. Csardas is his only famous gypsy piece written around 1904.

  Largo (slow):

·      WATCH the rhythm in the entire beginning!

·      Practice the shift up the high A on the G string in the first measure

·      Working on producing a very rich G-string sound

·      At m. 5, make sure the 16th notes are short, but connected in one bow-stroke; take time before beginning the theme again

·      At the double bar measure, makes sure the D, and C# is an eighth note rhythm, and not a 16th note rhythm.

·      Beginning at m. 10, with the triplet rhythm, really watch to make sure you come in on the second beat. Don’t slow the rhythm down, practice this measure over and over again to make sure the rhythm is right.

·      At m. 11, make sure the A to the G#, then back to the A is a 16th note rhythm and NOT the eighth note rhythm like it was earlier.

·      At m. 12, the same applies to this triplet rhythm.

·      At m. 14, make sure the fermata on the B is held, before doing the sextuplets.

·      At m. 16, make sure these grace notes with the 16th notes is faster to finally arrive at the A.

·      At m. 17 (the last measure of this section), start softer then end the measure louder as to “pierce” someone at the very end; vibrate the D, don’t vibrate the C# and make it a fermata, then finally with a loud D with vibrato to end the section.

·      **Don’t forget to repeat!**

Allegro Vivo (faster with vigor):

·      Start faster, but don’t start too fast…it’s easier to start slower than speed up rather than start fast then slow down.

·      For the sautille:

o   Practice on just the A string to get the idea of how it’s done.

o   Then practice it with the A and E string to get the idea of the sound.

o   Use flat hair.

o   Make sure there is a little pressure on the 1st finger of the bow hand to get good contact.

o   Make sure you’re lower in the bow, below the middle, but not too far to the frog.

o   Loose arm, and fingers while doing this.

o   The hair does not actually leave the string, make sure to emphasize this.

o   At the PP, make sure to start PP then slowly crescendo.

o   The second to last measure of the section, make sure the D to C# rhythm is correct.

o   **Don’t forget to repeat!**

Molto Meno (less movement, less fast):

·      **NEW KEY CHANGE (D MAJOR)**

·      Starts SLOWER than the other sections

·      Practice separate notes for the double stops so the fingers learn where the notes are.

·      For the “grazioso” measure, to reach the E harmonic with the second finger up to the A string, make sure you slowly creep up to it. DON’T RUSH up to the harmonic as you need to go back to the E string for the 4th finger harmonic.

·      Make sure you hold out all the half-note measure for their full value.

·      Molto rallentando at toward the end.

Meno, Quasi Lento (quite a bit slower):

·      **All artificial harmonics**

·      practice the ENTIRE section with the first finger ONLY to make sure the note are in tune before adding the false 4th finger.

·      While doing artificial harmonics, make sure the first finger is down FIRM, while the 4th finger on top is only lightly touching the string simultaneously.

·      The bow factors into the sound of these:

o   Make sure the bow is being played close to the bridge.

o   Make sure the bow speed is faster to get the sound.

o   Make sure you’re in the upper half of the bow.

·      While doing the last measure going to the G string, make sure to keep a good contact with the bow as it is a lower swing.

·      End with eighth note rhythm at the second to last measure of the section.

·      **Watch bowings**

Allegro Vivace (faster):

·      **Watch the key change**

·      Same sautille bowing as above.

·      Start slower then build up tempo again.

Allegretto (slow down):

·      **Watch the key change back to D Major**

·      Make sure the B’s are natural for the new key…different than the beginning!

·      Start this much slower than the previous sections. It’s very deceiving from the beginning.

·      Same sautille bowings as previous sections.

·      In the “strentato” measure, makes sure you delay before moving on to the “a tempo” last section.

Molto Piu Vivo (much faster):

·      This last section is where you pick up the tempo!

·      Start soft, then end with a “bang!”