Fun Fact About Joseph Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn was a prolific and influential Austrian composer (1732-1809).

Franz Joseph Haydn began his musical study at age 8, when he was hired to sing in the choir at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. He learned to play violin and keyboard while working at the Cathedral. After he left the choir, he supported himself by teaching and playing violin, while continuing studying to play the instruments.

Haydn soon became an assistant to composer Nicola Porpora in exchange for lessons, and in 1761 he was named Kapellmeister, or "court musician," at the palace of the influential and wealthy Esterházy family, a position that would financially support him for nearly 30 years. Isolated at the remote palace from other composers and musical trends, he was, as he wrote it, "forced to become original."

Haydn wrote 106 symphonies throughout his life, but the birth of the "Farewell Symphony" had a tale with the twist, as it was told by Haydn in old age to his biographers. 

Haydn and the court orchestra had been residing and performing at the Prince Nikolaus Esterházy's favorite summer palace in rural Hungary longer than expected, and musicians wished to return to their families. However, the Prince planned many future parties for the musicians to entertain. Desiring to return home, the musicians appealed to Haydn for help. The diplomatic Haydn put his request into the music of the "Farewell Symphony". During the final movement each musician stops playing, snuffs out the candle on his book stand, and leaves in turn, so that at the end, there are just two violinists left.

The Prince understood the message and let the musicians return home.

8 Fun Violin Practice Games for Kids

Violin is not an easy instrument to learn, especially 

for a young child. This is partly because your child won’t be actually playing music right away and  would need to practice the pre-violin skills first, such as holding the bow correctly and producing the right sound playing a single note. All the pre-violin skills might feel boring for your preschooler who wants to play his or her first song.

How can you encourage your child to practice repetition and keep it fun?

1. Keep the practicing sessions short, or up to 5 minutes long.

2.  Try the following 8 ideas to make the practice time fun and motivating:

Silly Cards. Make silly cards showing different physical activities, such as sticking out tongue, standing on one foot, closing eyes, opening mouth wide, closing one eye, wiggling bottom, doing fishy month, playing pizzicato, making rabbit face, singing the piece, etc.

Have your child draw a new silly card for each repetition. For example, if your child plays the Twinkle song and draws “sticking out the tongue,” he or she should play twinkle with tongue out the whole time.

For a silly bonus repetition ask your child to try to do all of the things at the same time.

Matryoshka. This Russian doll comes in handy

 in teaching to practice repetition. Every time the child plays a repetition, open one doll. When he or she gets to the second last doll, have a treat in it, instead of the tiny doll.

Violin Tour. Take your youngster “on tour”, playing an exercise one time in each room of the house, on the balcony, outdoors, etc.

Drinking cups. Place small cups turned upside down on the table and hide a treat in one of them. Let your student lift one of the cups for each successful repetition.

Toy audience. Let your child play one of the Twinkle rhythms for each of his or her favorite stuffed animals. Each of the animals would “thank” your child after the performance and “ask” to play the Twinkle-Variation again and again.

Abacus. Flick a bead for each repetition until the child plays it 10 times. It’s so simple and the kids love it.

Simon Says. In this popular game, you can take turns with your child to be “Simon”. For example, when you play A on the violin, your child should sit down, stand up when you play E, jump up when you play F#, etc. Then, your child plays a note and you do the correct movements.

Prevent the Fall. Place a small stuffed animal on the violin hold, just to the left of the G string. Ask your child to play the homework exercise 5 times avoiding dropping the animal.

Olesya MacNeil has been teaching children since 1991 and striving to make every music lesson educational and fun!

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