Spotlight On Strings is a new string method designed for a heterogeneous group setting by co-authors Doris Gazda and Albert Stoutamire, well-known string educators and composers.
Level 1 offers the unique
approach of playing with all four fingers on all four strings from the very
beginning. This gives students the opportunity to feel and hear the vibration
of the entire instrument and provides the means of learning to adapt bow
arm weight and range of motion to all four strings. Clear photographs of
students demonstrating stance and fingerings are easy for children to relate
to, while fingerboard diagrams are convenient for teachers to check for
correct fingering patterns.By teaching improvisation right from the start, students learn to explore the instrument through their own musical bent. From call and response to musical embellishment, rhythmic variation, and independent improvisation, students have the opportunity to expand their creative impulses and ideas. In addition, reading and writing music on all strings removes the mystery of musical notation and helps students understand the system of the repeating musical alphabet.
The Teacher/Keyboard Score is designed for busy teachers who may be interested in a few additional ideas and instructional tips. Each unison/octave melody appears in score form with a simple accompaniment. This enables teachers to see at a glance the exact notes and fingerings for each instrument part. The harmonized melodies have accompaniments that are actually a reduction of the score. If the class has a missing or weak part, the teacher can easily fill in for that part on a keyboard.
| 92VN | Violin | |||||||||||
| 92VA | Viola | |||||||||||
| 92CO | Cello | |||||||||||
| 92SB | String Bass | |||||||||||
| 92F | Teacher/Keyboard | |||||||||||
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Spotlight on Strings, Level
2, builds on the concepts introduced in Level 1 by opening with
a review of the major and minor fingering patterns on all four strings.
Attention throughout the method is given to presenting material that makes
use of the entire tonal range of the instrument in the first position for
the upper strings and the first three positions of the lower strings.