A little Sunday morning improvisation on this cool little tune . . . Minor Swing, by Reinhardt – Enjoy!
improv by Niki LoBartolo
Minor Swing, Reinhardt
improv by Niki LoBartolo
improv by Niki LoBartolo
Mendel-loop-ssohn – creative accompaniments!
Little Violinist Plays Delightfully D!
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Stringendo Plays Piazzolla!
Stringendo plays Piazzolla’s Tango Ballet beautifully at our Spring Soiree in September, 2016.
We raised close to $2000 to build a boarding house for students who would otherwise be unable to attend the School of St Jude in Tanzania. Well done Stringendo for spreading the humanitarian message of love and kindness through music!
2016: Nicole’s Winter String Concert
2016 Winter Concert – Well done to all who participated and supported our Winter Concert. We raised $700 for refugees in crisis around the world. Thank you!!
I love Froggie Froggie Jump Jump!
To Examine or Not to Examine . . . Â
The 3 Personality traits that determine a student’s likely disposition towards sitting examinations . . .
The following article highlights 3 common personality traits and suggests which type of student may or may not benefit from sitting an exam. The different personality traits are: extraversion, neuroticism, and conscientiousness[1].
 ‘Let’s kick some goals and sit the next exam!’
Extraversion is the trait, which drives and motivates a student to pursue and capture the next extrinsic goal. Continue reading “To Examine or Not to Examine . . . Â “
3 Ways to achieve Gracefulness in String Playing
3 Ways to Achieve Gracefulness as a String Player
String Playing is all about being graceful, isn’t it? This article highlights how 3 specific techniques, which are shifting, bowing changes, and vibrato can help achieve more graceful playing when done well!
So, what is the purpose of using grace notes when shifting?
Well, Kreutzer and myself certainly believe shifting to be a point of gracefulness, hence his study No. 11 in E and my entire collection of pieces devoted entirely to the release, glide and press method of shifting in Violin Time Book 2 (and Viola Time Book 2). So your left middle finger is sitting pleasantly on the A string on a C with the B just a semitone below it. The two fingers are best friends; yet the next note in the phrase is an F marked ‘sul A with a 1st finger.’ Good gracious, so how on earth shall I reach 5th position from back here?
Continue reading “3 Ways to achieve Gracefulness in String Playing”
Why I wrote some books . . .
‘There is no instrument whose absolute mastery at a later period presupposes such meticulous care and exactitude in the initial stages of study as does the violin.’
(Leopold Auer, 1921, Violin Playing As I Teach It)
I quote Leopold Auer because it is from reading his book that I have formed one of my core beliefs that dedication and a meticulous approach to learning are required when teaching a student the foundations to becoming a great player. I teach violinists the technique required for a lifelong enjoyment of learning, rather than a survival method of teaching to simply ‘get through’ the next level.