new violin teacher after doing grade 1 in the summer term ................

[mel38]

I am looking for a bit of advice really , My daughter 8 yr 4 has been playing the violin for a year , she took her grade 1 in July and passed with a merit. We have just changed schools and of course this comes with a new teacher , here is the problem DD is a bit of a perfectionist and if it doesnt work out after a couple of trys gets a little emotional (not all the time but when tired), she then goes away works really hard untill she gets it ! this really boosts her confidence when she finally works it out. But her new teacher thinks its because she doesnt know things because when she goes into meltdown its hard to get through to her !!! I know it will take a while for the new teacher to suss her out but she had reccommended going backwards, she is currently working from fiddletime runners and she wants her to go onto the abrsm violin star 1 which DD is saying is to easy ........This all happened yesterday and i have been asked to buy this book and DD really doesnt want me too , i dont know what to do is all this normal practise with a new teacher ? My opinion is she should give her a couple of weeks to get back into the swing of things and then re-address it or go through this new book along side runners , i think if we take her back she will lose confidence , she thinks the teacher is saying she is not capable !!

Thankyou and sorry for the ramble !!
x

[ImNotaCelebrity]

First of all, I think you need to talk to the teacher and explain your dd's temperament so she knows how to handle her. Lessons are too expensive and too infrequent to waste time waiting for the teacher to 'suss her out'.

The violin star series is new and I haven't seen them yet, other than online info from abrsm about them. There are 3 books and the first one really is for beginners. The 2nd one has a piece in the grade 1 syllabus, so I presume this would be more suited to your daughter. (Perhaps you could just buy the 2nd one and say that you presumed she wrote down the wrong number?!)

Of course, there could be a good reason for her wanting your dd to try some simpler pieces: sight reading practice, rhythm work, bowing exercises, working on tuning, for example - all these are far easier to sort out when the music is very easily accessible, rather than having to be taken away and worked at. But you won't know if you don't ask, will you?!

[pigsinmud]

Agree with ImNotaCelebrity. Dh teaches brass. Sometimes when he takes on a pupil from someone else, he takes them back a step to correct breathing, embouchure etc.. He explains to the pupil why they are using "easier" pieces, but frequently gets a message from the parent complaining the pieces are too easy! They are perfectly happy once he has explained the reasons to them - children never seem to pass on the "why" bit of the explanation! Also, he might use easier pieces alongside some tougher pieces.

My ds2 is doing grade 5 violin and he sometimes picks up his grade 3 pieces. It actually gives him more confidence when he realises how well he can play them, when once they would have seemed tricky! Ds2 sounds very similar to your dd - he is a perfectionist and expects to play a piece perfectly every time.

Do you have an email address for the teacher? Dh gives his out to all parents and is happy to discuss progress, worries etc.. via email. Not so keen on the 10pm phone calls!