Amanda Kerr's Suzuki Violin and Fiddle Studio

Your role as an attentive and involved parent is very important during lessons. However, it can be too stressful for a child to hear too many instructions from both their teacher and their parent. A good routine for lessons is to observe how I direct your child, and to take note on how you can do the same at home. Often, I will even provide the opportunity for you to try being the teacher during the lesson.

When it comes to behavioral events, I will usually let the parent take the lead on how to handle the situation. Part of my job as a Suzuki teacher is to model and encourage politeness, respect, and good behavior. Most really young children won't have these skills mastered, and I do not expect them to until they are quite a bit older, so I know the best thing I can do as a teacher is to be patient and acknowledge good behavior when I see it. With that said, no one will know their child and what he or she needs better than their parent, so if you notice that something does not seem to be working, please talk to me about it (preferably not in front of the child).

Finally, please keep in mind when coming to private lessons that my studio is also my home. While I have lots of training and experience in being a teacher, I cannot be a baby-sitter and a teacher at the same time. Here are some important rules to ensure the safety of your children, my teaching space, my family, and my home:

• Students must wash their hands before each lesson. In addition to keeping me safe, this will also make your instrument last a long time!

• Children are NEVER allowed to be left unattended. In addition to being present and fully engaged during lessons, parents need to have full supervision of all of their children the entire time they are there.

• With the exception of siblings who both take lessons, siblings are best left at home. Your attention to the lesson is compromised if you are watching over another child. If you absolutely must bring siblings, they must stay in the room under the parent's supervision at all times and are never allowed to be left unattended anywhere in my home. (I have some books, blocks, and coloring activities available in the studio for this very situation.)

One of your responsibilities as a Suzuki parent is to make sure your child has the proper tools to make their learning experience fun, easy, and effective. I often like to compare buying or renting a violin to buying or renting a car: Getting a brand-new high-end car from a qualified dealership is usually pretty expensive (and I realize does not fit into everyone's budget), but comes with a lower risk of any mechanical issues. Getting a used car may be more affordable, but comes with an increased risk of having some hidden (and often expensive) problems. If you were to get a used car from an unqualified source, it would probably be in your best interest to have it looked over by a qualified mechanic before taking out on its first road-trip. With that said, please get to know your local luthier. They can look over your instrument and let you know what you need to be doing to keep it in tip-top shape for a long time.

My suggestion is to go to a couple of violin shops and try a few instruments out that are in your price-range It's important for the instrument to make a smooth, resonant sound and for it to be comfortable to play. For smaller musicians, I often suggest renting an instrument since children will often grow out of their instrument after a year or two. (Petr's Violin Shop and Alaska Music & Sound have wonderful instrument rentals. All of their violins are excellent quality and are set up professionally for students.) If you plan on ordering a violin online, try to buy (or rent) from a source that will let you try before you buy. www.swstrings.com and www.sharmusic.com are great online sources for well set up instruments and materials.

REQUIRED LEARNING MATERIALS:

• a properly set up Violin & Bow (“Twinkle Tots” will use a practice violin before graduating to a real violin.)

• Rosin

• Cleaning Cloth

• Shaped Shoulder Rest (I prefer the "Shoulder Shape" or "Poly Pad"  or "Kun" shoulder rest for my students.) 

• Notebook & Pencil (for parents to take notes during lessons)

• "Step by Step 1A: An Introduction to Successful Practice for Violin" (Book & CD) by Kerstin Wartberg (for Pre-Twinkle levels only!)

• “Suzuki Violin School” Book *international edition!* (I recommend owning the book you are in plus the next book.)

• “Suzuki Violin School” Recording *international edition!* (You can download it online, buy the CD, or purchase the book & the CD together.)

• “American Fiddle Method” Books (with the CD, DVD, or audio digital download.)

• Folder or Binder for extra sheet music

HELPFUL (BUT NOT REQUIRED) MATERIALS:

• Humidifier (either in your case or in your home. Some violin shops require you use one if you are renting.)

• Tuner (look for a free tuning app if you have a smart phone!)

• Staff Paper (print for free at www.blanksheetmusic.net)

• Metronome (listen for free at www.metronomeonline.com)

• Recording Device (either a camera, mp3 recorder, or even just a phone that will record! Please just remember that all pictures and videos are not to be shared without permission!)

• “Nurtured by Love” by Shin'ichi Suzuki

• Music Mind Games “Puppy Pack” (these are the same materials I use in group class, only slightly smaller. Perfect for at-home use!)

• Membership with the Suzuki Association of the Americas – This gets you a regular magazine in the mail as well as access to the “Parents as Partners” online blog.

While I am capable of doing small repairs such as changing a string, or fitting a bridge, I know that the luthier at your local violin shop would be able to do these things much faster and will probably do a much better job. Why would you take up your entire $40 lesson for me to change your strings, when the luthier at your local violin shop will do it for $20? It's very important to keep a good relationship with your luthier. If you ask nicely, they will often show you how to change your strings your self and tell you any other things you may need to do to keep your instrument in tip-top shape. Owning or leasing an instrument is much like owning or leasing a car. Continuous maintanance is essential, and while some repairs can be done at home, most repairs are best done by the professionals. Here are some of my favorite Violin Shops:

Petr's Violin Shop – 1408 Hyder Street, Anchorage, AK 99501 (907-276-1800)

Alaska Music & Sound – 1000 Ingra Street, Anchorage, AK 99501 (907-272-4676)

The Music Man - 4623 Old Seward Highway, Anchorage, AK 99503 (907-561-7001)

Mike's Music - 12551 Old Glenn Highway #4, Eagle River, AK 99577 (907-694-6453)

Once your registration is accepted and your lesson schedule is confirmed, you will be sent an invoice. Tuition is due one week from your first scheduled lesson and can be made via cash (in person only), check, PayPal, or Venmo.  If payment is not received within one week of the payment due date, a $10 late payment fee will be added each week after the payment due date.

FALL & SPRING SEMESTERS - Paying for the semester as a whole lets me know that you are committed to your scheduled lessons, and helps me cover my studio costs (including group class space, materials, hiring accompanists, etc...). Ideally, every student would attend every scheduled lesson in the semester, but I know that sometimes the occasional conflict or family emergency will happen. 2 group lessons and 2 private lessons are automatically deducted from the total cost of your tuition as a form of insurance for these missed lessons. Additional missed lessons will not be re-imbursed, but can be made-up if time is available.