Third Position as a Home Position Alternative: A Survey of Views and Approaches of Violin/Viola Instructors

Although violin/viola pedagogues who use the third position as the home position in beginning-level teaching have reported positive experiences, school curricula and most pedagogues’ repertoires remain limited to method books that use the first position. The reasons for this preference have not been adequately addressed in string pedagogy and music education research. This study therefore aimed to examine the opinions of violin/viola trainers on the use of the third position as home position through a survey. A questionnaire sent to various music associations, schools, and violin/viola educators internationally yielded a sampling of 160. The results showed that 73.1% of the participants hold the opinion that the third position is not widely used in beginning-level training, and 63.5% think that method books that employ the technique are insufficient. However, 53.1% of the participants believe that using the third position as the home position may have benefits; 61.1% think that the left hand takes the ideal shape in the third position; and 68.3% think that a wider availability of method books would increase the number of trainers who use the technique to teach. The study found that further research of the technique is necessary, especially for educators who are interested in using it.

Flow Pedagogy for Strings Education

Chapter 4 addresses practical approaches of teaching and learning for string instruments to facilitate learners' flow experience throughout the learning activities. Contemporary string pedagogy is heavily reliant on traditional methods. In this chapter, the author proposes an alternative idea for teaching the basics of string playing (e.g., violin) by providing musical and teaching examples, environment, and episodes. The practice is constructed based upon observable flow experience of strings learners derived from the author's pedagogical practice both in the U.S. and in Japan. This chapter describes appropriate strings learning activities, content, and repertoire for children from ages 0 to 12 and can be easily adapted to suit older learners.

A New Vision for Implementing Strings in P-12 Schools

Chapter 5 shares practical teaching examples of flow theory-based string pedagogy for young and special needs children in P-12 schools. The chapter puts a special emphasis on implementing strings in general music classes instead of designing strings program. The author strives to reflect the knowledge obtained from the research based on Csikszentmihalyi's flow theory and of its application to facilitate children's flow experience when children encounter the strings for the first time. The author focuses on children's flow experience with the understanding of the developmental trend and depicts them in the context of strings learning. This chapter is filled with the actual lesson structures that are useful in P-12 schools.

Initial Movement and Continuity in Vibrato among High School and University String Players

The purpose of the present study was to investigate aspects of vibrato performance among high school and university string players. The main questions were to determine whether students consistently initiate vibrato in an upward or downward direction and whether players vibrate continuously when performing slurs. Forty high school and university violin and cello students played exercises that included tones performed with and without vibrato. We measured direction and magnitude of change when initiating vibrato, pitch levels of vibrated and nonvibrated tones, and duration of nonvibrato when performing slurs. Results showed that these high school and university players did not reveal consistent initial vibrato movements in either direction or magnitude. Performers vibrated both above and below conceived pitch, rather than only upward or only downward. All performers stopped vibrating during the transition between slurred notes. Mean duration of nonvibrato portions of university students (0.42 second) was slightly less than that of high school students (0.50 second). Implications of these results for string pedagogy are discussed. March 28, 2005 June 7, 2005

Bridging the divide: embedding voice-leading analysis in string pedagogy and performance

Experience as a music lecturer in higher/further education and as an instrumental teacher suggests that instrumental pedagogy – focused on strings – and music analysis could usefully be brought closer together to enhance performance. The benefits of linkage include stimulating intellectual enquiry and creative interpretation, as well as honing improvisatory skills; voice-leading analysis, particularly, may even aid technical issues of pitching, fingering, shifting and bowing. This article details an experimental curriculum, entitled ‘Voice-leading for Strings’, which combines voice-leading principles with approaches to string teaching developed from Nelson, Rolland and Suzuki, supplemented by Kodály's hand-signs. Findings from informal trials at Lancaster University (1995–7), which also adapted material for other melody instruments and keyboard, strongly support this perceived symbiotic relationship.

In Conjunction with the Texas Music Educators Association Convention February 8-11 Hilton Palacio Del Rio • San Antonio, Texas

ASTA is pleased to present a most extensive array of string pedagogy sessions. Teachers will want to be on hand from the beginning reception Wednesday evening through the final concert Saturday night. Concerts and rehearsals will be ongoing throughout the convention and are not listed in the abbreviated schedule. A registration fee of $35 must be paid: a special line at the general registration area will accommodate ASTA members. TMEA membership is required only for Texas residents. Cutoff for purchase of Awards Luncheon tickets is Thursday noon. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at registration or at the ASTA information table in the ASTA sessions room (Salon Del Rey). Note this is a very brief time to secure tickets. For further luncheon information, contact Mrs. Jan Garverick, (512) 655-8362.