Assignment for 2/13:

Please be prepared to play anything in your book up to #21 WHILE COUNTING OUT LOUD or SAYING NOTE NAMES. 😁 Also, prepare the canons, but you only need to be able to count out loud, not say note names.

Here are the links to the videos for the canons:

3. For Health and Strength

4. It Is Light

Well, I apparently haven’t been very good about posting assignments!! Here is the latest:

We are done with the Essential Elements. You can still use it for extra practice, if you like.

We have begun working in the De’ak Etude Book.

So far we have worked through scales in C (2 octave), G (1 octave), D (2 octaves), A (1 octave) F (1 octave), Bb (1 octave), and Eb (1 octave)

We have covered extensions, both backwards (to Bb, Eb and Ab on the A, D and G strings, respectively) and forwards (to C# with 2nd finger and D# with 4th finger on the A string and corresponding notes on the lower strings.)

We have covered shifting to second position on the A and D strings

We have played some of the duets (Apples and Pears, Salt and Pepper, plus some of the Canons and Rounds.) Here is a link to more of the Canons. I will let you know which ones you should prepare for each class. I recommend you buy the book if you enjoy these.

I passed out some Etudes to work on bowing. They have some of my notes on there. Please print and bring to class, prepared to the best of your ability.

Here are some pieces to help you work on shifting. In each one of them, you only play in first position or the new position (second, half, etc.) Here are the best practice steps for learning these.
1. Clap rhythm while counting all beats out loud
2. “Air bow” the rhythm while counting out loud
3.  Identify where the shifts happen and circle that fingering to remind you to shift
4. Play, after checking the key signature, accidentals, etc.

On all assignments,

• Posture: foot position and straight back, front of chair (unless I told you otherwise) endpin height, cello tilt and twist need to be consistent.
• Bow hand and left hand positions, flexible thumbs!
• On bow hand: tap fingers, wiggle thumb and wiggle string sideways with the bow to check weight and contact point. Bow angle, contact point, and speed for tone.
• On left arm, thumb behind second finger, soft palm, fingers curved and on tips, angle of fingers, straight wrist, elbow angle appropriate for the string level so fingertips are centered above the string you’re playing.

Assignment for May 1:
Have the scales listed above prepared.
From the Canons Book: #21, #24, #27. Watch out for extensions, slurs and hooked bows.
From Etudes: #9 and #10. Watch the key signature and your bow speed.
From Position Pieces: p.11 Lament, p.15 Ballad and C Song.