Holiday Practice Tips

Making the Most Out of Your Holiday Break

Fall semester is over, recitals are finished, and school’s out for the holidays. Instead of taking a break, why not keep the momentum going? Here are some tips for practicing during the holidays.

1. Bring your instrument on vacation.  Travel doesn’t have to be a reason not to practice. With a little planning, musicians can easily practice away from home. Violins and violas can be stowed in the overhead compartments on an airplane. Cellos (especially full sized ones) will require the purchase of an additional airline ticket in order to remain in the cabin. Do not, under any circumstances, allow the airline to check your instrument. Checked instruments will almost certainly result in cracking and damage. If traveling with an instrument is causing stress, consider renting an instrument at your destination. Call local shops ahead of time to make arrangements. Most places will be happy to have your business on a short term basis. Remember to pack your music, shoulder rests, end pin holders, etc.
2. Play for relatives. Our students already have polished music prepared from our recent holiday concerts. Having another “performance” lined up will not only give them a reason to keep practicing, they will gain experience performing in a safe, loving, and nonjudgemental atmosphere. Better yet: share the sheet music ahead of time with other musicians in the family, so they can play along! The Christmas Kaleidoscope books have piano accompaniments, and the Suzuki violin volumes 1-3 have an accompaniment book for guitar as well as piano.
3. Set up a practice challenge. Have an advent calendar? Why not tie practicing to it? There are other fun daily practice charts available for download at thepracticeshoppe.com, some of which are free. Parents can decide if there is an incentive for daily practice, such as a movie night at the end of the challenge, where the child gets to pick the movie. Ice cream usually works too!
4. Send videos to your instructor. Particularly useful for older children, practice videos can be a great motivator, and a way to set short term goals while on break. This is also a way to prevent a bad habit from going unchecked for too long. I welcome any and all practice videos from my students.
5. Use the practice app. FSA uses the Practice Space App. Students can stay connected to their teachers and friends from the program, plus watch any video tutorials posted by instructors.
6. Research your composers. Want to impress your teacher in January? Learn the names of all the composers of the pieces you’re working on. A simple google search will yield interesting facts, which you can recite to your teacher. For a deeper dive, consider purchasing From Suzuki to Mozart, by Hadley Johnson. This book is specifically written for Suzuki violin students, but it’s great for viola and cello too, as the volumes have much repertoire in common. The stories bring the composers to life, and make them more relatable. (Curious about why Johann Sebastian Bach was sent to jail?). This book is a must read for all Suzuki students, parents and teachers.
7. Watch videos of famous musicians. Did you know Yo-Yo Ma has a youtube channel? Most world-class musicians have videos of their concerts. What an amazing resource! Sadly, some of our students have difficulty naming their favorite musician. As talented as our instructors are, nothing compares to hearing Hilary Hahn perform the Bruch Violin Concerto, Itzhak Perlman playing Schindler’s List, or Yo-Yo Ma performing the Bourée from the 3rd Bach Cello Suite for Mr. Rogers! (Violinists & violists can find this piece in their Suzuki book 3, and cellos in book 7!).
8. Decide on your solo recital piece. Our students will perform in our solo recital on the last Saturday in February. Students will be expected to perform a piece about a half a book back from their current working piece. Keep these songs polished during review so we have several options from which to choose.
9. Go see a concert. Check out the Nashville Symphony’s programs. A few tickets remain for Handel’s Messiah. Pictures at an Exhibition will also be a great program in January. The Nashville Philharmonic has free concerts too, on December 19th they will be at Plaza Mariachi. Many local churches also have free music programs. Check out Nate Strasser’s Christmas on December 17th at 4PM at the East Brentwood Presbyterian Church. Nate, who is the church’s music director, is also an incredible pianist, and big supporter of FSA, as his sister was a Suzuki violin student!
10. Perform as an act of service. The most memorable Christmas I had as a teenager was when I played for a soup kitchen on Christmas Day. Instead of lingering around the Christmas tree engrossed in our recently opened gifts, we threw on our festive sweaters (because it was the 90’s) and left the confines of our suburban neighborhood and ventured into the inner city, where my teacher had organized a concert at a neighborhood Methodist church. Homeless members of the community had a warm meal and were serenaded by Suzuki students playing the songs in the Christmas Kaleidoscope book. It was the first time I had ever felt that my music wasn’t all about me. What a welcomed break from older relatives sitting around the dinner table asking me invasive questions! Service performances are the best way to attach meaning to our music. Other service opportunities can include retirement homes and church services.