Teaching the Violin and Viola: Creating a Healthy Foundation from Coursera

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Syllabus

Beginning Stages

Welcome to Teaching the Violin and Viola: Creating a Healthy Foundation! We will begin by covering leading philosophies and pedagogical theories about teaching children the violin and viola. The beginning stages will cover the child’s setup, posture and first left hand techniques.

Bow Arm and Hand

To introduce the use of the right hand, we start by creating a “pinky house” for the child’s bow. We delve further into the violin setup and positioning through various creative exercises.

Putting It All Together

Now we get to put it all together by slowly incorporating the different movements of the right and left hand through four different pieces.

Pieces in the Key of A Major

After good setup and posture have been established, we start teaching the fundamentals through elementary pieces in the key of A Major. We also get to learn our first scale!

Playing with the Whole Bow

To transition to using the full bow, we introduce the “adult “ bow hold and a series of exercises to extend the bow stroke. Pieces include Long, Long Ago, O Come, Little Children, and Butterfly, Flutterby.

Pieces in the Key of D Major

We can now introduce the key of D Major. Students learn the D major scale along with pieces such as Bach Musette and Hushabye Lullaby.

Pieces in the Key of G Major

When we progress to the G Major scale and arpeggio, we start adding etudes and more advanced technical concepts. Pieces covered include Minuet and Happy Farmer.

Note Reading, Vibrato, and the Group Class

To teach note reading, we will cover the best-practice teaching techniques for note reading and vibrato. We will also explore group teaching, group games, and group dynamics.

Favorite Exercises for the Older Student

Now that our students are getting more advanced, we can begin to cover our favorite exercises for the older student. Exercises include "Poof Bow" and the "Invisible Violin."

The Master Class

In our final segment, we will learn from top pedagogues Mimi Zweig and Roland and Almita Vamos in a master class setting.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Introduces students to foundational violin and viola teaching techniques, preparing them to become effective educators

Provides a comprehensive curriculum for teaching violin and viola, covering various techniques and repertoire

Guided by experienced instructor Stacia Spencer, a respected figure in the field of string pedagogy

Offers practical demonstrations and hands-on exercises to enhance teaching skills

Engages participants in discussions and reflections to foster a collaborative learning experience

Includes a field trip to a violin shop for a practical understanding of instrument selection

Reviews summary

Highly-rated course for teaching violin and viola

Learners say that this well received course offers engaging approaches to teaching violin and viola. Knowledgeable professors share valuable techniques and insights for creating a healthy foundation for students. The course is highly recommended for both new and experienced teachers who wish to improve their craft.

Course content is well organized and engaging.

"This was a fantastic course."

"The Teaches is really clear, focused and assertive."

"I found really amazing the explanations of the main teacher and also the masterclass at the very end of the course."

Professors are knowledgeable and professional.

"Excellent course, with highly professional professors."

"I learned a lot. Thank you!"

"This course has helped me so much with teaching my students better."

Course provides practical techniques for teaching.

"Very helpful approaches to teach children and older students, thank you!"

"I highly recommand this course! I finished my masters 4 years ago and im teaching for almost 10 years and this course helped me discover some new techniques and approaches to violin teaching."

Some technical issues with submission sharing and peer grading.

"Sometimes the submission-shareable links do not work."

"Also, sometimes peers give a bad grade without explanation."

Course lacks sufficient content focused on viola.

"Would have been nice with more viola."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Teaching the Violin and Viola: Creating a Healthy Foundation with these activities:

Review the basics of music theory

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This will help you strengthen your foundational knowledge and improve your understanding of the material covered in this course.

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Review your notes from previous music theory courses or lessons.
Take practice tests or quizzes to assess your understanding.
Watch online videos or tutorials on music theory basics.

Review a book

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This text will provide you with foundational knowledge on playing strings that will help you as you start your journey in this course.

View The Twelve Lesson Course in a New Approach to... on Amazon

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Read a chapter or two to familiarize yourself with the general principles and ideas presented in the text
Make notes and highlight sections that you find particularly helpful or relevant

Read a book

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This book is an invaluable resource for string teachers at all levels, providing practical tips, lesson plans, and activities.

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Read through a chapter of the book to gain an overview of the author's approach to teaching strings.
Select a lesson plan or activity from the book to use in your own teaching.

Four other activities

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Start a practice journal

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This will help you track your progress, identify areas for improvement, and stay motivated.

Browse courses on Violin

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Get a notebook or journal specifically for your violin practice.
Write down your practice goals for each session.
Record your practice time, what you worked on, and any challenges or successes you encountered.

Connect with a peer and practice together

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Learning with a peer can help improve motivation and accountability.

Browse courses on Violin

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Find a friend or classmate who is also learning violin.
Schedule regular practice sessions where you can play together and provide feedback.
Take turns teaching each other new techniques or pieces.

Record yourself playing and share with the class

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This will allow you and your classmates to share progress and get feedback for improvement.

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Record yourself playing a piece or exercise.
Upload the recording to a platform like YouTube or Vimeo.
Share the link with your classmates and ask for feedback.

Contribute to an open source music project

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This is a great way to get involved in the music community and learn from others.

Browse courses on Music

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Find an open source music project that you are interested in.
Join the project's community and start contributing.
Share your knowledge and skills with others.

Career center

Learners who complete Teaching the Violin and Viola: Creating a Healthy Foundation will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Private Music Instructor

A Private Music Instructor teaches music lessons to individuals or small groups. This course may be useful to you if you want to focus on teaching violin and viola privately, as it provides detailed lessons and demonstrations for teaching these instruments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Private Music Instructor

Viola Player

A Viola Player plays the viola professionally. This course may be useful to you if you want to develop your viola skills or learn more about the instrument, as it provides detailed lessons and demonstrations by experienced viola players.

See salaries and explore the career path for Viola Player

Music Teacher

A Music Teacher teaches techniques to aspiring musicians who wish to learn how to play a musical instrument or sing. This course may be useful to you if you are interested in teaching violin and viola, as it provides a foundation in the pedagogical approaches and techniques used to teach these instruments.

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Music Professor

A Music Professor teaches music-related courses at a college or university. If you want to teach violin and viola at an academic institution, this course may be useful to you as it offers foundational knowledge in pedagogical approaches, techniques, and philosophies for teaching these instruments.

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Violinist

A Violinist plays the violin professionally. This course may be useful to you if you want to develop your violin skills or learn more about the instrument, as it provides detailed lessons and demonstrations by experienced violinists.

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School Music Teacher

A School Music Teacher teaches music-related subjects in a school setting. If you want to teach violin and viola at a primary or secondary school, this course may be useful to you as it offers a comprehensive overview of teaching methods and techniques for these instruments.

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Musician

A Musician plays a musical instrument or sings as a profession. This course may be helpful to you if you are interested in using your violin or viola skills in a professional setting, as it provides insights into teaching techniques and philosophies that you can apply to your own practice.

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Music Director

A Music Director leads, conducts, and oversees musical groups such as orchestras, bands, and choirs. While this course focuses on teaching violin and viola, it may be useful to you if you are interested in leading string ensembles or orchestras.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Director

Orchestra Director

An Orchestra Director leads, conducts, and oversees an orchestra. If you are interested in leading an orchestra that includes string instruments, taking this course may be helpful because it provides insight into the techniques and philosophies used to teach violin and viola.

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Music Critic

A Music Critic reviews and evaluates musical performances, recordings, and compositions. This course may be useful to you if you are interested in developing your critical listening skills and learning about the techniques used to teach violin and viola.

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Instrument Maker

An Instrument Maker crafts and repairs musical instruments. This course may be useful to you if you are interested in learning more about the construction and maintenance of string instruments such as the violin and viola.

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Music Arranger

A Music Arranger adapts and modifies existing musical pieces for different instruments or ensembles. This course may be useful to you if you want to learn about the techniques and principles of arranging music for string instruments.

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Music Composer

A Music Composer creates original musical pieces. While this course focuses on teaching violin and viola, it may be useful to you if you are interested in composing music for string instruments.

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Music Therapist

A Music Therapist uses music to improve the physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being of individuals. While this course focuses on teaching violin and viola, it may be useful to you if you are interested in using music therapy to help people with disabilities or injuries.

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Acoustical Engineer

An Acoustical Engineer designs and builds systems and structures to control sound. This course may be useful to you if you are interested in the acoustics of musical instruments, such as the violin and viola.

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