Givens, Shirley - Adventures in Violinland, Book 4A: "Climbing the Great Mount Major" - Arioso Press Publication

Renowned pedagogue Shirley Givens' series for beginning violinists is widely respected for its clear, child-friendly format, and its sensible progression through techniques. There are lots of pictures, fun and familiar songs, and even pages for coloring! Ms.Givens uses a "Movable Do" system to teach pitch relationships and good intonation. Recommended for very young children. Book 4A, Climbing the Great Mount Major, is the beginning of a scale game continuing through all 6 Green Books. In the course of the game, the student will learn the structure of the Major and Relative minor (melodic & harmonic) scales. Playing in 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions with agility exercises and etudes, the left hand prepares for actual shifting between positions. Special features of Book 4A are vibrato duets, tone control exercises, bow strokes (legato, staccato, portato, martelé), conducting in 5/8 and 3/8 time, continuation of pitch training with singing, and solfege hand signals. The technique of playing 3- and 4- string chords (both pizzicato and arco) also helps the student hear the underlying harmonies. This book includes 8 duets, 6 piano accompaniments, music by Clementi, Gounod, Telemann, Cherubini, Tchaikovsky, Gilbert & Sullivan, Schumann, Daquin, and various fiddle tune jigs and hornpipes. "Young children love the violin! It is small and huggable – and it makes sounds! How to nurture this initial enthusiasm for the instrument and to transform it into a deeper love of music is the object of my books." "Don't be misled by the seeming simplicity of the material! The books are written from a child's point of view while incorporating the most exacting standards of modern violin technique. But there are other important features of the books that contribute to their uniqueness: *The young student is encouraged to participate actively in his own learning by developing his own imagination. *There is discovery and improvisation. No imitation or copying from CDs. *Training the child's own pitch awareness from the start assures early in-tune playing. *Note reading and harmonic awareness from the beginning cultivate musical literacy for a lifetime. *A wonderful rhythmic foundation is established through body movement" - Shirley Givens