Journal of the American Viola Society Volume 4 No. 1, Spring 1988
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:.. Chaj)ter of THE INTERNATioNAL VIO~A SOCIETY Association for the Pro motion ofViolaPerforrnance and Research :' Vol. 4 No, 1 .- -. 3 Teaching: Questioning, Imagery and Exploration KathrynPlummer ' 7 Writing for the Viola "·· Alan' Shulman ' .' II ' The Story of Viol~ World .Robert Mandell" (5 William Magers Rosemary Glyde " . ... .", ~ <. ..... .; ~ . The Journal of th e American V iola Society is a public ati on of th at organi zatio n. and is produced at Br igh am You ng U nive rsi ty. w 1985, ISSN 0898-5987. The Jou rn al welcom es letters and art icles fr om its read ers. Editorial off ice : BYU M usic , Ha rr is Fine Arts Ce nte r, Pro vo , UT 84602, (80 1) 378-3083 Editor: David Dalt on Assi stant Ed itor: David Day Advertising off ice : Ha rold K lalZ, 1024 Maple Ave nue , Evanst on , IL 60202, (3 1: ) 869 2972. Dead lin es ar e March J, Ju ne I , and October 1 fo r th e th ree ann ua l issues. Inquir ies can be made to Mr. K latz. Co py and art work sho uld be se nt to th e ed ito r ial office . R ates: $75 full pa ge , 560 two- thi rd s pa ge , 540 half page , 533 o ne- third page , $25 o ne fo urth page. Fo r c lassified s: 510 for 30 wor ds in cl uding ad d ress; $20 for 3 1 to 60 wor d s. Payment to "Arner ica n V iola Soc ie ty" c/o Rose ma ry Gl yde , tr easurer , P.O . Bo x 558 R t. 22, G olden's Br id ge , N Y 10526 . OFFICERS David Dalton President Brigham Young University Provo, Utah 84602 (801) 378-3083 Louis Kievman Vice-President 1343 Amalfi Dr. Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 Harold Klatz Secretary 1024 Maple Ave. Evanston, IL 60202 Rosemary Clyde Treasurer PO. Box 558, Rt. 22 Colden's Bridge, NY 10526 Maurice W Riley Past President 512 Roosevelt Blvd. Ypsilanti, MI 48197 ---I EXECUTIVE BOARD ---~ ----=====; Paul Doktor Milton Katims Donald McInnes Robert Oppelt Joseph de Pasquale Dwight Pounds Thomas Tatton Marcus Thompson Francis Tursi Karen Tuttle Ann Woodward COORDINATOR WITH CANADIAN VIOLA SOCIETY A. Baird Knechtel r : FOUNDER ii Myron Rosenblum illL--------------·--------- ---- ----- ------- HONORARY PRESIDENT William Primrose (deceased) ~w Chapter of the Internationale Viola-Gesellsc~aft ~ Cf/~ eJdlL'-) MEMBERSHIP ENROLLMENT FORM The AVS is an association for the promotion of viola performance and research. Our personal and financial support is appreciated. As a member, each year you will receive three AVS Journals and The Viola, yearbook of the International Viola Society. You will also receive the satisfaction of knowing that you are a member of a collegial group which is contributing to the furtherance of our instrument and its literature. Please enroll me/my group as a member of AVS for one year. Begin my subscription to AVS Journal containing the Membership Directory, and an annual copy of The Viola. My check for one year's dues, made payable to the American Viola Society, is enclosed as indicated below: Renewal Membership () $20 New Membership () $20 Student Membership () $10 ()I wish to contribute to The William Primrose Memorial Scholarship Fund in the amount of $ , ()I wish to make an additional tax-deductible contribution to the AVS Endowment in the amount of $ _ TOTAL _ Please indicate appropriate membership category below. ( )Individual Please send AVS your biographical material, ( )Amateur photographs (clearly labelled), brochures, ( )Educational Organization concert programs, posters, press releases, ( )Music Business clippings and other related material on a ( )Library regular basis for our resource files and ( )Other possible publications. We serve as a clearing house for many viola related requests. Name Address City State Zip Telephone () Check if this is a new address (If you are a student, in which school are you enrolled? Please list permanent address above rather than school address.) Send To: Rosemary Glyde, Treasurer P.O. Box 558, Rt. 22 Golden's Bridge, NY 10526 3 TEACHING: QUESTIONING, Socratic method can be successful with IMAGERY AND EXPLORATION all ages. In the case of a ten year old violist whose first lesson showed signs by of very poor concentration, I asked a series of questions beginning with, KATHRYN PLUMMER "Where do you practice and what is the atmosphere?" (As I suspected, it was As a teacher, I am not trying to amid the chaos of the typical American produce more Primroses. I am looking family with siblings frequently inter for progress; period. One student's rupting and noise from the television or progress may take him to Carnegie Hall radio inescapably interfering). "When do and another's may create an enthusiastic you practice?" (It was usually later in and intelligent' concert goer. Both are the evening after he was already tired great rewards for the teacher as I see from homework and a long day). "Do it. your parents keep a critical ear to the door expecting only 'concert-ready' In some respects I am a rather sounds?" (His affirmative reply conventional teacher. I use old and indicated concern that he was not tried methods, such as Flesch, Sevcik, pleasing his parents and thus not Schradieck, and Kreutzer. My teaching completely focusing on his practice). repertoire includes most of the standard "How long do you practice and how works, but in tailoring my teaching to many breaks do you take?" (His breaks meet my students' specific needs, I try often exceeded his actual practice to be as creative and imaginative as time!). After these and a few other possible. A teacher has to be willing to leading questions, he smiled at me run the gamut of ideas from the tested sheepishly and then together we drew to the unorthodox. I feel there are few up some guidelines on practicing. I feel truly boring students, only bored it is crucial to involve the student in teachers who have given up searching the process of finding solutions. for that magical word or idea that a particular student needs. In the teacher's Self Criticism behalf, the student must, of course, be I frequently ask my students where receptive and eager to learn. If those they think their strengths and weak ingredients are not inherent or cannot nesses lie, both generally and specifica be awakened, then that student won't fit lly relating to the particular piece they in my class. are playing. Often their responses show an exaggerated concern over relatively It is impossible for me to encapsulate minor problems while failing to focus my teaching methods in a short space, on the major ones. Moreover, they but one aspect I want to address is the don't recognize and appreciate their use of the Socratic approach in teaching. strongest points. Their own assessment Teachers have basically two options: helps me understand and evaluate them telling students what needs to be much more effectively and gives me improved in their playing or questioning direction on how best to proceed. Some them in a manner that will reveal to students have no idea how to recognize them a clear understanding of a truth. I their those, a gentle mimic can quickly feel that if you can lead a student to a demonstrate the problem. Sometimes I revelation, it makes a much greater play a game of role reversal. I imitate impact and opens the way to faster the student as accurately and fairly as progress. In essence you are teaching possible and have the student teach me! the student to think for himself. 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