6/5/2019
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Brian Griffin
|
I had a violinist in my high school orchestra who was born with short pinky fingers. This isn't much of a challenge for the right hand as she balances her bow hold in a way that allows for successful articulation and distribution of weight.
However, when it comes to accessing the upper register on the fingerboard, this student struggled to reach the notes. I pulled her aside outside of rehearsal to offer her alternative fingerings that included additional shifts. I also showed her a trick, where she could bend the pitch using her third finger when the intervals were very close. She was much more successful after applying these strategies. |
6/6/2019
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Brian Griffin
|
I had a student who had difficulty matching pitch with his double bass. He was on the spectrum and had some auditory processing challenges. While I generally discourage the use of tuners that provide a visual representation of the pitch being played (strobe tuners), in this case, it worked well to put a clip-on tuner on this student's bridge while in rehearsal. Over time, his pitch accuracy improved significantly as he had established the muscle memory needed to access the notes on the fingerboard. |
6/6/2019
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Brian Griffin
|
I have a student who has a mitochondrial disease that makes it difficult for him to build muscle. As a cellist, he often struggles with holding the instrument effectively. He also has trouble maintaining concentration during long rehearsals.
In order to assess him effectively, I've had to make sure I give him his playing tests at the beginning of class instead of later when he was more fatigued. I'd also ask him if he had enough calories by that point in the day to give him the energy needed. He also was given more time, sometimes over the course of weeks, to play his tests. It worked well for this student, who was exceptionally bright and eager to learn. |