September 2023 Newsletter

September-2023-AASI-Newsletter

Smoothing the Beginning of Practice Time Shannon Jansma

Every parent who has embarked on the journey of nurturing their child’s musical talents has undoubtedly encountered a few bumps along the way. Especially as schedules get busier and time comes at more of a premium, it’s important to optimize practice time! Here are three common stumbling blocks that you might encounter at the beginning of a practice, and some tips for overcoming them.

Moving from One Activity to Another or “Changing Gears” – When your child pleads for “just five more minutes” before practice, it’s usually a sign that they’re struggling to shift their attention from their current activity to playing their instrument. While setting timers can be helpful, incorporating transitional phrases and activities can be even more effective. For younger children, try using phrases like “bye bye (whatever we were just doing), hello (instrument).” For an older kid, try taking some deep breaths and talking through the steps of beginning to practice. Say something like “it’s time to (clear up/turn off what you were doing) and start unpacking your instrument”! These simple words can set behavioral expectations in a positive way, so your child knows what to do to be successful. Additionally, consider engaging in transitional activities such as listening to a piece of music (Suzuki or otherwise) and clapping to the beat, dancing, doing jumping jacks, running up and down stairs, practicing yoga, or enjoying breathing exercises together. These activities help bridge the gap and make the transition smoother.

Resistance to Practice – Another common complaint you might encounter is when your child adamantly declares they don’t want to practice. Don’t push and don’t give in, try a more collaborative approach. Ask your child what would make them more willing to practice. While they might not have a clear answer, suggesting ideas can spark their interest. You can inquire, “Would a new practice game or activity make practicing more fun?” Alternatively, introduce joyful and silly elements into the practice routine, such as experimenting with different practice times during the day, playing fun games during the more repetitive parts of practice, borrowing an exciting book from the library about their instrument to read before practice, or reminiscing by playing a silly song from the early stages of their musical journey.

Feeling “Too Tired” – Sometimes, children claim to be too tired to practice, even when they have energy for other activities. This could be a sign of feeling overwhelmed. In such cases, it’s essential to create a calming environment and bond before practice. Cuddling with your child, wrapping up in a cozy blanket, or engaging in gentle breathing activities can help them unwind and feel more at ease. These pre-practice bonding moments not only relax your child but also reinforce the positive connection between you and their musical journey. Once your child is calm, talk through a plan for the practice so they know what to expect. This can help keep the rest of the practice calm.

Navigating the challenges that arise during your child’s practice time can be both rewarding and fulfilling. Hopefully addressing these common struggles with these new techniques proves successful for your family. Remember that patience, creativity, and understanding are key elements in fostering a love for music that will last a lifetime. Happy Practicing!

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Cultural Heritage Spotlight

Please join the AASI in celebrating the diverse and fascinating heritage of classical music.

Please come together for a slightly early celebration of Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month! Running September 15-October 15, this month celebrates the important cultural contributions of Hispanic and Latinx Americans! Here is a great article about performers of this descent. You can also hear a playlist of modern and historical classical music by Latinx composers here.

Happy listening!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ann Arbor Suzuki Institute Faculty, Sharing Both Joy and Talent!

Violin: Kathy Almquist, Judy Blank, Graham Emberton, Kevin Horne, Shannon Jansma, Deborah Stanton, Anna Weller, Wendy Zohar

Viola: Kathy Almquist, Wendy Zohar

Cello: Alice Greminger

Bass: Derek Weller

Guitar: Terry Farmer, Vera Flaig, MaryLou Roberts

For more information on the Suzuki Method, visit: www.suzukiassociation.org

May 2023 Newsletter

May-2023-AASI-Newsletter Download

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The commitment of the Ann Arbor Suzuki Institute is to the most fundamental principles of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, that talent is not inborn, but can be developed. We believe that every child can learn, and we are free from all discrimination. We are a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization which endeavors to educate parents and children in the Suzuki philosophy, using music to enrich their lives and the community. In this way, we help create a better world.
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On the Importance of Being a Good Audience Member

Shannon Jansma
As the school year wraps up and final performances abound, it’s a great time to check in with
your child about how to be a good audience member. Although all our AASI kids are generally
great at following the audience “rules”, and you are probably aware of all the reasons why it is
good for your child to perform in front of an audience, we don’t talk much about what your child
gains from being a part of the audience! Here are five reasons why it is good to attend live
performances with your child.
1. Live performances are a good chance to practice listening skills. Guide your child to listen for
specific phrasing gestures or articulations. For example, “Let’s listen and see if there is a forte
section in this next song!” or “Can you hear any choppy notes?”. My favorite listening game is
“find the twinkle” – for each of the twinkle rhythms you hear in later repertoire, you get a point!
You can also guide older students to listen to guess which key the piece is in, what hand
position it uses, or try to follow one part of the piano accompaniment instead of the melody.
2. Learning to listen quietly with your body is an important skill. This ties into mindfulness – how
can I be aware of my body and let it be still without feeling constrained? It helps kids calm
themselves and pay better attention to the outside world. The first step is keeping voices quiet
or silent. Some people need physical “jobs” to free their mind up for listening, like tapping
fingers or folding paper. Slightly more experienced audience members can also think about
keeping bodies quiet to avoid drawing attention.
3. It expands your child’s ear! They might be hearing pieces they’ll learn eventually, they might
be hearing old songs and remembering how they worked so hard to get them down, they might
be hearing something totally new – but each type of listening has benefits. When children only
hear music on one type of instrument, it limits their ear to the tone and range of music that’s

available. If we give children’s ears a broad sample of the music available, we allow them many
more chances to grow and flourish!
4. Children learn from each other! When your child listens to the recordings, they are hearing
one adult’s version of each piece. This is useful, but it is also beneficial for students to hear the
repertoire with childlike expression, and see the piece accomplished using a child’s build. It
makes the music more accessible to young students, and gives them ideas they might
incorporate into their own playing.
5. Watching live performances motivates your child to practice and progress! When students
see other children performing advanced pieces, they have something to look forward to as they
grow as players. It demonstrates how their focus and hard work can pay off!
As children strive to become better listeners and audience members, they will learn better focus.
Although your child may not be the perfect audience member, it is an important skill to build and
grow with practice. Happy listening!
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Cultural Heritage Spotlights

In the interest of inclusivity and representation, please join the AASI in celebrating the diverse
and fascinating heritage of classical music.
We’re celebrating both AAPI and Jewish heritage months this May! Classical music has been
hugely influenced by the contributions of composers and performers of Asian and Jewish
descent.
You can learn about some notable classical composers of Asian/Pacific Island heritage on this
website, and hear a variety of classical music composed by Asian people on this Spotify playlist.
You can read up on and listen to influential Jewish classical composers here, and here’s the
playlist of many wonderful pieces by Jewish composers.
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Ann Arbor Suzuki Institute Faculty, Sharing Both Joy and Talent!
Violin: Kathy Almquist, Judy Blank, Kevin Horne, Shannon Jansma, Lauren Pulcipher, Deborah Stanton,
Anna Weller, Wendy Zohar
Viola: Kathy Almquist, Wendy Zohar
Cello: Alice Greminger, Elizabeth Marsh
Bass: Derek Weller
Guitar: Terry Farmer, Vera Flaig, MaryLou Roberts
For more information on the Suzuki Method, visit: www.suzukiassociation.org

November 2021 Newsletter

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The commitment of the Ann Arbor Suzuki Institute is to the most fundamental principles of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, that
talent is not inborn, but can be developed. We believe that every child can learn, and we are free from all
discrimination. We are a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization which endeavors to educate parents and children in the
Suzuki philosophy, using music to enrich their lives and the community. In this way, we help create a better world.
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Helping your Fast Learner Shannon Jansma
Oftentimes our articles talk about supporting a struggling student, but what about when your
child is flying through pieces and super excited to practice and perform? If your child fits that
description then this article is for you.
Fast learners will often have a lot of success early in their playing career, but will need a strong
foundation and a good grasp of the basics for when their natural aptitude and motivation wears
off. It’s important to model the learning process for these kids, even if they can learn things
quickly with minimal effort. Eventually, they’ll hit a point where they will need to know how to
grind through something until they can do it, and it’ll be a frustrating experience. If they have a
deep understanding of their technique and how to learn, they’ll have an easier time.
Watch their posture and technique carefully! It can be easy to miss a little mistake in finger
angle or a playing posture that’s become slightly droopy. Because your child is learning so many
things so quickly, you have more to remember to help them succeed! Be sure to focus on their
set up, since this is what will give them the strong foundation needed to keep rising to new
heights. When a student is on the same piece for a month or more, we have a little more time to
make adjustments before they become so advanced that they hit a wall, technique-wise. For a
fast learner, it’s entirely possible to end up at the end of Book 1 unable to accomplish the
advanced articulations due to a small issue in their bow hand or plucking technique. Diligently
track their posture so that they will continue to experience success and ease while playing.
Be sure to keep reviewing! When your child is learning so many new pieces, it can be easy to
get caught up in the energy and focus on only the newest assignments, but each piece has a
purpose and many important lessons to teach. If your child complains, remind them that they
still walk every day despite learning it years ago – we want review to feel the same way, totally
natural and balanced.
Playing slowly and in a detail-oriented way are hugely important skills, and the fast learner tends
to struggle with these things. Because they are able to process so much information at once,
they don’t start out needing to break things down. However, if they don’t learn how to take apart
a tricky section to work out a problem, then when they become advanced enough that this is
necessary, they’ll be extra frustrated and bogged down. You can practice the art of practicing
with your child by having them play a practice spot even when they can already do it well – the
purpose is to demonstrate the method of learning, so you can practice it with something you
already know!
The last and most important thing is to show pride and admiration of your child’s skills as they
develop, rather than their innate ability to develop these skills. It still takes a fast learner time
and effort to accomplish these things, and that deserves recognition! Praising your child’s work
and accomplishments rather than their “talent” is proven to give them a healthier mindset about
learning, and it will help them continue to value their skills when the going gets more difficult
Happy practicing!
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Ann Arbor Suzuki Institute Practice Challenge
As our 21 days of practicing for peace draws to a close, remember to work with your teacher to
get a really great photograph of your child’s best playing position for our website! Congrats to all
participants on a job well done.
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Violin/Viola Halloween Play-In
All AASI violin and viola students and faculty are invited to the 2021 Halloween Play In
When: October 26th! Arrival time is 5pm, and the concert begins at 5:30.
Where: Westminster Church, 1500 Scio Church Rd, Ann Arbor.
Please come masked and in costume! There will be room to socially distance around the
sanctuary, or if you’d prefer to participate virtually you can do that here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6205655442
We’ll be passing out candy and stickers on your way out the door!
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Ann Arbor Suzuki Institute Faculty, Sharing Both Joy and Talent!
Violin: Kathy Almquist, Elizabeth Bakalyar Friedman, Kevin Horne, Shannon Jansma, Lauren Pulcipher, Deborah
Stanton, Chase Ward, Anna Weller, Wendy Zohar
Viola: Kathy Almquist, Wendy Zohar
Cello: Alice Greminger, Joseph Jansma, Elizabeth Marsh
Bass: Derek Weller
Guitar: Terry Farmer, Vera Flaig, MaryLou Roberts

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