"Engage, Educate, Entertain"

“Engage, Educate, Entertain”
An Edison Newsletter

Fiddling has become the favorite repertoire for Edison violinists this year- the beginners ask to play “Bile ‘Em Cabbage Down” before any of the other classical Suzuki pieces that are also required of them. The younger violinists are looking up to their goal of being on the Edison Fiddle Team one day. We have recently merged a select few very talented and motivated Kindergarteners into the Fiddle Team, and they will be apart of the group for three or four pieces, as they have shown the kind of focus and motivation that results in success for playing music. The Edison Fiddle team will be competing in a Fiddle Contest on May 5, 2007- A “Cinco De Mayo” Y-ME Breast Cancer Fundraiser at the High Ridge YMCA. The Contest will help raise money for Y-ME, with music engagement, education, and entertainment. We have named the team “Music House Fiddle for a Cure.” The contest will feature individual fiddlers, as well as teams. Family and friends are invited to “buy a vote” for their favorite contestant. There will be several performances by Fiddle Team, Kids on Jazz, as well as activities for all ages. All raised money will go towards breast cancer research, and all fiddlers will have the experience necessary to take them one step further to the Midwest Youth Fiddling competition that takes place this summer.
The Edison Fiddle team will have the opportunity for another public performance before summer: May 31, 2007, at Edison Regional Gifted Center (12:30pm for Students, and 6:30pm for Parents). Please show your support for these young talented violinists- they have practiced many hours this school year, and would love to show everyone their musical accomplishments!

May 5, 2007: Y-ME “Music House Fiddle for a Cure” Fundraiser Event.
High Ridge YMCA: 2424 W. Touhy
Drum Circle starts at 4:30pm, Closes 9:00pm
May 31, 2007: Edison Regional Gifted Center School Violin Performance
Edison Auditorium
12:30pm Student performance, 6:00pm Parent Performance
By: Allison Trumbo

"Edison Violinsts", for the Edison Newspaper

During the lunch hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Edison Regional, a student or teacher walking down the hall will most likely hear the sound of fifteen little violins, from the kindergarten room, all playing in unison. Students on their way to lunch, or coming back from lunch, will stop and stare at these groups of mostly kindergarteners, and marvel at their ability to play so many different songs, and most of the time, without any book in front of them. Some of the passerbys have said to me, “oh, I don’t have an ear for music” or, “music is not one of my strong talents.” Most of these students, however, started the program with no previous knowledge of how to translate such songs as “Twinkle-Twinkle” to the violin, but have been conditioned through consistent repetition of songs and phrases until talent is produced. Playing the violin is not a talent we are born with, it is something that is learned through repetition, very similar to the way we learn to speak. All of these beginners have at least eight pieces under their belt, not including scales, and some have taken the initiative to teach themselves tunes that they have heard outside of class.

Once the violinists graduate to a more advanced level, fiddle tunes are introduced, to encourage confidence in other forms of violin technique. By introducing fiddle to these students, certain expectations for understanding rhythm as well as the technical fingerings and bow-handling has allowed the students to advance very quickly, when the bar has been raised to such a level. The fiddlers have to come together as a team, and work together to create more than just a little “fiddle-ditty.” Music House Fiddle Team won Second Place in the Junior Division of Midwest Fiddle Competition last summer, and now the Edison Fiddle Team is working hard to prepare for the upcoming competition!

Music House offers private lessons 5 days per week, year ‘round, group lessons in the form of Fiddle Team and Jazz Band on Tuesday evenings, Orchestra and Suzuki style classes on Saturdays. Call 773.262.2051 for info or click www.musichouseinc.com for info and free reports.

By Allison Trumbo

Instruments that I Can Play

People often ask ask me how many instruments that I can play. Its time that I counted.
1. Flute(s) (my primary instrument) I own many including (1)Muramatsu concert flute (2) Gemeinhardt Piccolo (3) 19c. piccolo. (4) 19c Flute with Ivory headjoint (5) Shakuhachi traditional Japanese endblown flute.
(6) Chinese Djeri - bamboo membrane flutes in a variety of keys
2. Clarinet(s) Bb soprano and Bb Bass
3. Saxophone(s) Alto, Soprano, Tenor, C Melody
4. Percussion, drums ( my first instrument)
5. Guitar, Bass Guitar
6. Violin, upright bass
7. Piano, organ

to be continued...

Teaching Talent

I have found that male kindergarteners have more trouble learning the violin than females. A male kindergartener student of mine, who has struggled to learn "Variation A" of "Twinkle-Twinkle," but admitts to never practicing, once complained that I was "making his music bad" when I attempted to assist him in proper holding of his instrument as he played the piece. I have yet to figure out if he thinks that the way he plays is enjoyable (jaw clenching to my ear) and correct (mostly incorrect, due to lack of practice the right way). Then I realized that he is struggling because he finds it impossible to translate what he knows about the music, from having heard it so many times, straight to his own violin. When we play the game, "Name that Wrong Note!" he "buzzes in" at every wrong note, for the first 5 songs in the Suzuki book, but only knowing how to play only one of them (and not that well). He will eventually conquer his struggles the more he plays Twinkle-Twinkle and realizes that it IS easy, he CAN do it, so "Lightly Row" should come easier after this realization, and every song to follow.
When I told an older student of mine that she could pick up a few tips from her younger brother, she was offended, but I knew it was because he had been exposed to Suzuki longer than she had, with more experience in listening than playing.
-Allison Trumbo

Why do you play music?

Why do I teach music? Is it beacause I was inspired by a teacher in 6th grade? Mr. Smith was my Fine Arts teacher at Wm. P. Gray school back in '68 he was perhaps my first mentor. I wanted to be in the same club as The Beatles and all of the other rock groups from the 60's and 70's. In the 60's I played the drums, in the 70's I played the Flute and my band Director was Robert Grubbe, of Foreman H.S., Chicago. Band students either hated Grubbe or loved him. He advised me to study Flute with Janet Bergman and that was a good choice. He also advised me against studying music in College. I wonder if I had made the right choice. I have always been proud to be a musician. Some of my customers have said that their children are not in it for the music they are in it to become a better student. At the same time I developed the concept for my "USP" or unique selling proposition-"MAKING MUSIC MAKES US SMARTER"

Music House, Inc sells success and the chance to be a musician, the chance to be a genius, gifted, and special. This is the end product and creating music is the means.

Non Profit?

Will my business expand and prosper as a not-for-Profit? To do what Music House used to do in the 50's-80's this may be an important step. Music House and I must evolve and adapt to the changing world. Please comment.

Music House Chicago

I invite anyone to comment and help to create a musical class, program, request a song to learn or a similar. A needs based assesment is necessary for success for students, teachers, and administration. Our school and businessI of course will edit, censor, and control offensive language and protect students, customers, students, and children.

Links: www.musichouseinc.com