5th Grade: How to Practice

Regular, quality practice is the key to success.

1. Set up a safe, quiet place that will be your regular practice spot.
2. Be sure that you have tuned your instrument with your teacher.
3. Violin:  Play walking up the ladder starting on G, D, A.  Play it 4 times on each with crescendo, descrescendo.  Is your tone gorgeous?
4. Cello:  start on C, then G the D.4.  Check your posture and your bow hold.Now:  we have the “Cycle of Life:”  Warm up, review, new song.  Warm up with scales and your “easy” songs.  Review and polish your next songs, work on your new song. Warm up with Lightly Row, Go Tell Aunt Rhody, Song of the Wind and all songs from the Suzuki Book.  Play all of the songs as warm ups checking that your tone is gorgeous, your bow is parallel to the bridge, your posture is posture-perfect and you are relaxed and chill.  Check that you are using beautiful phrasing.
5. You should play every song every day as a warm up.
6. You should memorize every song that you play.
7. Play your new song carefully and slowly.
8. Listen to violin and orchestra music.
9. Listen to the CD of the Suzuki Repertoire.
10. Go to an orchestra concert with your family.
11. Plan to practice every day.