Last week I shared a few of the principles I use to structure my Pre-Twinkle group classes. 

We do weeks of classes at the beginning of the school year before any of the students start to bring their real violins, or even their cardboard violins, to the group lessons.

Here are 20 games I have in my back pocket to use with students who don’t have their instrument.

Not only are these games fun, but they disguise repetition of violin fundamentals and musicianship.

Big Movement

1. Walk to the music
   • Walk around the room while the pianist and/or teacher play a Book 1 piece.
   • Variations
     1. forwards for one phrase, backwards for the next
     2. Different moves for different dynamics
     3. Different moves for different extended techniques
     4. Freeze like a statue when I stop playing
2. Stretches
   • Stretch like animals: owl, kangaroo, turtle, cobra, giraffe, penguin
   • Correlate music sounds with the stretch. Play as students move. Direct the stretch by playing the sound
3. Higher and lower music, sing up a scale on parts of the body. Then you can relate this to a piece.
4. Musical instructions “stand up” (octave) “please pick up your violin” (up scale) “bows up, please” (up fifth)

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I’m starting my fourth year of teaching the pre-twinkle group class at Ithaca Suzuki Music Education (ISME). 

I love this class! I don’t take it for granted that I am setting up the foundational experience for group class for violinists in our school.

Before I jump in with the details, I should share the context for how students start in our program.

Enrollment

We enroll new students in September and January. Our enrollment process includes three Suzuki Parent Education Sessions with the Co-Directors, two non-instrument specific classes called “Sparklers,” and a series of observations (some in person, some on video).

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