Piano Violin And Pre-School Music Lessons

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Go through the practice 'flow chart' (see practice handout #15) and encourage your child to review what went well and what needs more practice. Help him/her outline the plan for the next session!

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Encourage your child to have a 'practice plan' (see practice handout #14). Let him/her plan it and give praise when you sign it off!

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK When your child stumbles repeatedly over a difficult passage/technique..... 'trying harder' often makes things worse! So try this: Stop practising. With your child, go away from the practice area and take a deep breath. Check your child's shoulders stay level. On the inhale, picture the colour blue. On the exhale, picture the colour red. Then go back to the practice area, and have another go.

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Provide your presence. This has to do with being around when your child is practising (although not necessarily in their 'space'). It is giving him/her enough attention for them to know what they are doing matters. Send in comments from time to time, such as 'that's sounding great!' or 'keep going!' or 'I enjoyed that!' Enjoy!

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Listening to recordings of the music to be studied helps on its own! Play the music while your child is reading, in the car, during homework, while preparing dinner, or tidying a bedroom. Play it with the music on the stand and just follow along!

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Provide your child with a dice and play the 'sixes and sevens' game with them - see Practice handout #12). This will further encourage repetitive practice and is fun!

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK This is where great practice happens: see if your child can assess what is specifically needed to be practiced with a piece before making a plan for the strategy to use that day - encourage this by providing a special notebook for them to use! (See practice tip #11 in your child's file.)

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK See if your child can keep up a 'repertoire' of pieces they have studied. Repetition of the pieces digs a 'rut' in their memory. To dig the rut deeper, see if they can play them from memory!

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Space out practice sessions over the day if possible. E.g. 'Drive-by' and stop and practice before dinner, and then 'drive by' again after dinner. 🥘

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Make sure your child is varying what they practice as much as possible. Each practice session does need a warmup, (perhaps some scales or an exercise, if assigned) but the order of 'play' after that should change each time!

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Encourage excellent music appreciation by arranging to take your child to a concert. And / or have a wide variety of music playing around the home.

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Revisit your child's 'timetable' (Practice Tip #2 in their folder) and update if necessary. Encourage regular practice through this 'timetable'. 3 or 4 great practices a week is better than trying to cram in 6 or 7 at times when too tired through doing other activities.

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Have a wonderful Christmas playing Christmas songs and carols! 🎄🎄

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK If practising is dwindling after the recital (or just through tiredness and Christmas excitement!) try saying 'Let's just get out the violin / open the piano and say Hi. It misses you.' 😃

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Use the Christmas practice sheets to check off the number of practices left until Christmas! 😁

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Reward the playing. Keep tallies on a chart, use stickers and the occasional treat. Reward the fact the practice session happened, even if it didn't go well 😊

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Having a metronome (beat counter) is often very helpful to musicians in order to keep even speed. If you have a smartphone there are many free apps for this - or if you have a digital piano you may have one inbuilt on the piano. Help your child to learn how to work them and encourage playing with them on!

PRACTICE TIP OF THE WEEK Encourage playing from memory. Try to get your child to memorise anything from one bar to one phrase each time they practice! (Pianists may do one hand alone if necessary.)