Pedagogy
Our approach to violin study is based on the pedagogy of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki (1898-1998) who has transformed the world of music education through his understanding of how musical abilities are acquired. Dr. Suzuki’s approach to the study of an instrument is based on his studies of the factors involved in a child’s development of language. When Dr. Suzuki realized how beautifully all children learn to speak their native language he understood how the same principles could be applied to music education. He has shown how all children can develop musical ability if we work to create the same environment for music that we automatically provide for language. The most important factor in his approach is that the students must be in an environment where music (the classical literature) is heard and enjoyed.
We set goals with each student based on a variety of factors including start age, skill, and desire.
Each level is completed by learning the following repertoire.
Level 1
| Twinkle – Variation A |
| Twinkle – Variation B |
| Twinkle – Variation C |
| Twinkle – Variation D |
| Twinkle – Theme |
| Boil ’em Cabbage Down |
| Shortnin’ Bread |
| Cripple Creek |
| Lightly Row |
| Song of the Wind |
| Camptown Races |
| Go Tell Aunt Rhody |
| O Come, Little Children |
| Angelina Baker |
| May Song |
| Buffalo Gals |
| Long, Long Ago |
| Allegro |
| Cindy |
| Perpetual Motion |
| Crawdad Song |
Level 2
| Allegretto |
| Old Joe Clark |
| Andantino |
| Soldier’s Joy |
| Arran Boat Song |
| Etude |
| Minuet No. 1 |
| Merrily We Roll Along |
| Lavender’s Blue |
| Lightly Row |
| French Folk Tune |
| Au Clair De La Lune |
| Rocking |
| Little Donkey |
| Where, Oh Where, Has My Little Dog Gone |
| If You’re Happy And You Know It |
| Reading 1-10 |
| Reading 11-20 |
| Reading 21-30 |
| Reading 31-40 |
Level 3
| Minuet No. 3 |
| Bonaparte’s Retreat |
| Country Waltz |
| Minuet No. 2 |
| Red Haired Boy |
| Girl I Left Behind Me |
| The Happy Farmer |
| Southwind |
| Hickory Dickory Dock |
| Daisy |
| Sailor’s Hornpipe |
| Cradle Song |
| Soldiers’ March |
| My Grandfather’s Clock |
| Greensleeves |
| Reading 41-50 |
| Reading Bk.2 – #1-25 |
| Magic I and II |
| Magic III and IV |
| Magic V, VI, and VII |
Level 4
| Chorus from “Judas Maccabaeus” | |||
| Musette | |||
| Hunters’ Chorus | |||
| Red Wing | |||
| Long, Long, Ago | |||
| Waltz | |||
| Cairo | |||
| Gavotte by Gossec | |||
| Bourrée | |||
| Tunes you Know, Bk. 2 – top part | p.5 | p.10 | p.15 |
| I Can Read Music, Bk. 2 | 33 | 40 | 50 |
| Fiddle Magic | VII | IX | X |
Level 5
| Turkey in the Straw | |||
| The Two Grenadiers | |||
| Grandfather’s Clock | |||
| Theme from “Witches’ Dance” | |||
| Wise Old Friend | |||
| Gavotte from “Mignon” | |||
| Stinky’s Blues | |||
| Gavotte – Lully | |||
| Tunes You Know, Bk. 1 – bottom part | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| I Can Read Music | 57 | 67 | 75 |
| Fiddle Magic | XI | XII | XIII |
Level 6
| Minuet – Beethoven | |||
| Minuet – Boccherini | |||
| Gavotte – Martini | |||
| Minuet – J.S. Bach | |||
| Gavotte in G minor | |||
| Humoresque | |||
| I Can Read Music, Bk. 2 | 83 | 90 | 100 |
| Tunes You Know, Bk. 2 – bottom part | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| Fiddle Magic | XIV #6 | XIV #12 | XV |
Level 7
Level 7 students’ technique will begin to take off. They will master:
- All three-octave major and minor scales and triads
- Sevcik bowing
- Vibrato
- Whistler – Introducing the Positions – Bk. 1
And will complete the following repertoire:
| Bach-Gounod | Ave Maria |
| Kreisler | Tempo di Minuetto |
| Mlynarski | Mazurka |
| Seitz | Concerto No. 5, 3rd Mvt. |
| Veracini | Gigue |
| Vivaldi | Concerto in A minor – all |
| Vivaldi | Concerto in G minor – all |
Optional repertoire:
| Bohm | Perpetual Mobile (BB3) |
| Dancla | 5th Air Vatie (BB3) |
| Folk Song | Two Guitars (Album) |
| Massenet | Elegie (Album) |
| Mondonville | Tambourin (Gingold) |
| Moszowski | Spanish Dance (Album) |
| Rebel | The Bells (Gingold) |
| Senaille | Allegro Spiritoso |
| Martinu | Sonatina |
| Telemann | Six Partitas |
Level 8
| Concerto in A minor, 1st Mvt. – Vivaldi |
| Concerto No. 5, 3rd Mvt. – Seitz |
| Concerto in A minor, 3rd Mvt. – Vivaldi |
| Concerto in A minor, 2nd Mvt. – Vivaldi |
| Mazurka – Mlynarski |
| Ave Maria – Bach-Gounod |
| Concerto in G minor, 1st Mvt. – Vivaldi |
| Tempo di Minuetto – Kreisler |
| Concerto in G minor, 2nd Mvt. – Vivaldi |
| Gigue – Veracini |
| Concerto in G minor, 3rd Mvt. – Vivaldi |
Level 9
Level 9 Students Will Complete the Following Repertoire:
| Sonata in F major, 1st Mvt. – Handel |
| Sonata in F major, 2nd Mvt. – Handel |
| Introduction and Polonaise – Bohm |
| Sonata in G minor, 1st Mvt. – Eccles |
| Sonata in G minor, 2nd Mvt. – Eccles |
| Concertino – Jardanyi |
| Sonata in F major, 3rd Mvt. – Handel |
| Sonata in F major, 4th Mvt. – Handel |
| Polish Dance – Severn |
| Sonata in G minor, 3rd Mvt. – Eccles |
| Sonata in G minor, 4th Mvt. – Eccles |
| Souvenir de Sarasate – Potstock |
Optional Repertoire:
| Allegro – Schubert (Gingold) |
| Allegro – Fiocco (Suzuki 6) |
| La Folia – Corelli (Suzuki 6) |
| Melodie – Kreisler-Gluck (Barbara Barber 4) |
| Rondino – Kreisler (Barbara Barber 4) |
| Sicilienne – Paradis |
| The Rain – Bohm |
Level 10
Students Will Complete the Following Repertoire:
| Handel – Sonata in D or A major |
| Martinu – Rhythmic Etudes 1&2 |
| Martinu – 5 Madrigal Stanzas |
| Massenet – Meditation from “Thais”(BB5) |
| Pugnani – Largo Espressivo (S8) |
| Ten Have – Allegro Brillante |
| Veracini – Sonata (S8) |
| Vivaldi – Sonatas |
| Weber – Waltz (BB5) |
Level 11
Students Will Complete the Following Repertoire:
| Accolay – Concerto |
| Bach – Allegro (S8) |
| Berio – Concerto No. 9, 1st Mvt. |
| Brahms – Hungarian Dance #2 |
| Dvorak – Sonatina |
| Haydn – Concerto in G major |
| Kelar-Bela – The Son of the Puszta (36 Pieces) |
| Kreisler – Sicilienne and Rigaudon (BB5) |
| Lloyd – Three Pieces |
| Marais – Five Old French Dances |
| Martinu – Rhythmic Etudes 3&4 |
| Tartini – Fugue (BB5) |
| Viotti – Concerto 23 (BB5) |
| Vivaldi – Sonatas |
Level 12
Students Will Complete the Following Repertoire:
| Bach – Concerto in A minor |
| Berio – Scene de Ballet |
| Kabelevsky – Concerto |
| Kreisler – Schol Rosmarin |
| Kreisler -Liebesleid |
| Kreisler – La Gitana |
| Kreisler – Liebesfreud |
| Mozart – Concerto in G major |
| Rachmaninoff- Vocalise |
| Stevens – Sonatina No. 3 |
| Wieniawski – Obertass |
Music Major Repertoire
10th Grade
Bach : Sonates
Bach : Concerto in E major
Bartok : Rumanian Folk Dances
Bruch : Concerto in G minor
Debussy : La Fille Aux Cheveax De Lin
Debussy : Golliwogs Cakewalk
Hubay : Hejre Kati
Kreisler : Praeludium und Allegro
Kreisler-Mozart : Rondo
Kroll : Banjo and Fiddle
LeClair : Sonata in D major
Martinu : Rhythmic Etudes
Mozart : Concerto in D major
Ries : Perpetuum Mobile
Schubert : The Bee
Vitali : Chaconne
11th Grade
Bach : Sonates
Hindemith : Sonate in E
Kreisler : Tambourin Chinois
Mendelssohn : Concerto
Mozart : Concerto in A major
Novacek : Perpetual Motion
12th Grade
Bach : Sonates
Barber : Concerto
Bartok : First Rhapsody
Bloch : Baal-Shem Suite
Prokofieff : 5 Melodies
Saint-Saens : Concerto
Stravinsky : Suite Italienne