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Violin Info - Click this link to download entire PDF, including the Violin Contract
Thank you for your interest in the Solon Elementary Schools Fourth Grade Violin Program. We are pleased to offer this opportunity each year to our fourth grade students as a part of their general music education. Students may choose to take violin as their music class for the year, or they may remain in the general music class.
Your son or daughter has chosen to study an instrument that requires dedication and hard work. Parents, let us thank you in advance for your support throughout the year. Our success requires cooperation and dedication from everyone. The purpose of this packet is to inform violin students and parents of the program expectations and requirements. Please read and become familiar with this information.
We hope this packet will help answer many of the questions you may have. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
As your music teachers, we have made a professional and personal commitment to do everything we can to ensure the success of this program. Your signatures on the final page of this packet also indicate your commitment to and understanding of the expectations and requirements of the program. This form also helps us to track your instrument and make sure that your student is placed in the correct group for specialty area classes this year.
Please sign and return the final page, labeled as the Fourth Grade Violin Program Contract, by Friday, August 30th. Again, thank you for your interest in our program. We look forward to the possibility of working with your students as they explore and develop their skills on the violin. It is sure to be an exciting and successful year!
Mrs. Anne Newman
Parkside Elementary
349.7757 ext. 5735
Mrs. Megan Consolo
Lewis Elementary
349.7757 ext. 5432
Mrs. Jennifer Rozsa
Roxbury Elementary
349.7757 ext. 5012
VIOLIN CLASS SCHEDULE
Violin classes meet every week during your child’s music special time. Classes focus on violin instruction with general music. Students will not miss academic classes. Once a class schedule has been finalized, you will be notified of your child’s new specials rotation so you can plan accordingly for music, art, gym and library. Violin classes start the week of September 9th.
INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES
Students are required to bring their instrument to each class. No book is needed for instruction, but a music stand is recommended for home practice. Stands can be purchased from the rental dealers listed below. Students should bring a pencil, a small clean cloth, rosin and a foam shoulder pad to each class. Your rental should include rosin and a foam shoulder pad. Should they break or become lost or stolen, we do not offer replacements. You will be responsible for purchasing a replacement.
RENTAL INFORMATION
We strongly recommend renting rather than purchasing an instrument at this time. There are many advantages to renting. If your instrument is damaged, in need of repair, or when you outgrow your instrument, the dealer will take care of the repair and will often provide you with a loaner or exchange the instrument so that your child does not miss weeks of practice and lessons.
QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE CHOOSING YOUR RENTAL DEALER
Do you provide a loaner instrument if mine needs repairs?
Do you have a string repair specialist?
What is the turn around time for most repairs?
What is included in the rental fee?
Is there an additional maintenance fee?
We have contacted the following dealers and they are ready to serve you
Roger Stearns Violins – Hartville
888-642-2579
Zaret and Sons Violins – Cleveland
440-461-1411
Academy Music Company – Solon
440-248-1745
Western Reserve Music – Hudson
330-342-7317
Rettig Music, Inc. – Westlake
440-808-0900
Warren Henry Music – Chagrin Falls
440-247-0300
Central Instrument Company (CIC) – Cuyahoga Falls
800-442-6000 –OR- 330-928-6000Please remind your dealer to include rosin, a foam shoulder pad, and to label and tune your violin.
INSTRUMENTS MUST BE RENTED BY FRIDAY, AUGUST 30TH.
THEY WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE SCHOOL THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 2ND.
INSTRUMENT DELIVERY
Dealers sometimes have to order and prepare new instruments, and this may take some time. As a result, they will deliver rented instruments to the schools for you. If you already have an instrument, please take it to a dealer for a checkup and tuning, then deliver it to school the week of September 2nd so your teacher can prep it before the first class. Again, we strongly recommend renting rather than purchasing or using hand-me-down instruments. Students will bring home instruments after the first class.
PRACTICE EXPECTATIONS
Daily practice is necessary and essential to ensure our success. A new practice sheet will be sent home each week detailing what your child has learned and what they should be practicing. Please help monitor your child’s practice and initial to let us know that they are practicing. Help your child practice successfully by encouraging them to practice only what they have learned in class. Bad habits are hard to fix, so they should not try and use the bow or move ahead until they are instructed to do so. Without daily practice, it will be difficult for your child to build muscle memory and the technique needed to be successful. We cannot stress the importance of daily practice enough. Music teachers may not call home about practice sheets as they are not graded assignments, but please know that they are checked each week as a form of monitoring progress.
INSTRUMENT CARE
More information will be sent home after our first class about instrument care. Please help your child find a safe place to leave the instrument when it is not being played. A car or garage is not a safe place due to temperature changes. Small children and visitors should not play the violin. The violin should always be left standing upright in the case or resting on its back. Your music teacher will tune your child’s violin each week. Please do not try and tune the instrument on your own. If the violin becomes damaged or if a string or bridge breaks, please take it to your rental dealer immediately so they can repair or temporarily replace your instrument.
ADD AND DROP POLICIES
Students may not join the violin program after the deadlines listed in this packet. If an experienced student moves into the system and wishes to play violin, this is at the discretion of the music teacher. Students who move within district between buildings and are already enrolled in the violin program may of course continue at their new school. Students who no longer wish to participate in the violin program may elect to return to general music at the end of the second quarter in January only. Written notification must be received before Friday, December 20th to allow your music teacher time to place your child in a new specials group prior to the start of third quarter.
PERFORMANCE ATTENDANCE
These are the final results of all our hard work. Everyone should attend the full length of all performances both as a performer and audience member. More information will be sent home about winter performances by your music teacher. We have one large group performance in the spring in the Solon High School Auditorium on April 23rd at 7:00 pm. All 4th grade violin students will perform with the 5th and 6th Grade Orchestras from Orchard Middle School. You won’t want to miss this spectacular event! More specifics will be sent home closer to the date.
FOURTH GRADE VIOLIN PROGRAM PERMISSION FORM
Your signatures indicate your commitment to and understanding of the expectations and requirements of the violin program. This form also helps us to track your instrument and make sure that your student is placed in the correct group for specialty area classes this year. Please complete the following contract and return it by Friday, August 30th as confirmation that your child will participate in the Fourth Grade Violin Program this year.
Child’s Full Name ______________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Name(s) _________________________________________________________
Primary Email _________________________________________________________________
Secondary Email _______________________________________________________________
Home Phone ___________________________________________________________________
Child’s Classroom Teacher _______________________________________________________
INSTRUMENT TRACKING INFORMATION - PLEASE CHECK ONE
_____ We are renting an instrument and it will be labeled (first and last name), tuned and delivered to school the week of September 2nd.
- Name of Rental Dealer _______________________________________________
- Phone Number _____________________________________________________
_____ We have our own instrument and have made arrangements to have it checked and tuned. We will label it (first and last name) and deliver it to school the week of September 2nd.
We have read and understand the expectations and requirements of the Fourth Grade Violin Program. We understand that our success requires cooperation and dedication from everyone involved.
Student Signature ___________________________________________________ Date _______
Parent/Guardian Signature ____________________________________________ Date _______
