Violin Program Igniting our students’ academic and musical success

1. Violin Program Igniting our students’ academic and musical success

2. Evening of Strings Evening of Strings video clip

3. Igniting our students’ academic and musical success…

4. What is the violin program? • Unique research-based music learning approach • Integrates proven approaches to music learning  • Exceptional musical foundation while developing critical and creative thinkers • Central role in our students’ academic and musical growth • Connected with academic growth in many domains  • Combines singing, ear training, and musical thinking with violin study • Fosters individual development and a lifelong love of music • Core curriculum at Meritas schools

5. “Children grow into the intellectual life around them.” – Lev Vygotsky and musical

6. Why this Addition? • Enhance students’ academic performance • fine motor skills • auditory discrimination • language comprehension, verbal ability, vocabulary • nonverbal reasoning skills • promotes attention, working memory and self-regulation • Foster broad dispositions and skills • critical and creative thinking • experimentation • collaboration and empathy • Develop musical skills and techniques • Provide for self-expression and self-discovery

7. “Nothing without Joy” – Loris Malaguzzi

8. What are our core practices? • Joyful, instrumental music learning • Musical thinking: audiation/ ear-training • Music literacy • Individualized instruction, critical thinking, problem solving, small group work, etc… Rock Candy Mountain video

9. Students say... • “When I come to school in the morning I can’t wait to play the violin.” • Sydney Spinder, 3rd grade • “Violin class is a special class because you get to learn songs, sing the songs and play them on the violin!” • Alexis Friedman, 3rd grade • “When you learn how to read notes on the violin you can play almost anything! It’s like learning to speak Chinese.” • Victoria Grimaldi, 3rd grade • “If you have a bad day in school violin class helps make you feel better.” • Sebastiano Rabbini, 3rd grade • “Practicing the violin every day has helped my posture, sound and listening. Playing the violin has also helped me get better at playing songs on other instruments. ” • Sarah Fetterman, 2nd grade

10. Q&A