Elective Classes
Elective classes can add additional fun to your Suzuki Institute experience. Some electives have age or playing level restrictions. Please check with your private Suzuki teacher for appropriate elective choices prior to registration.
We recommend no more than one elective for younger students in the Foundational Program. Two may be added if the student is more mature. Students in the Intermediate Program may add up to two elective classes.
Make sure to leave enough time for daily practice and breaks so you can enjoy the beautiful Fairbanks summer sunshine!
Note Reading Basics
Fee: $100
Course enrollment requirements: Students must be finished with first grade and playing in the Suzuki Book 1, Minuet 1 and above.
Learn the elements of music note reading and rhythmic notation. What do all of those symbols mean and how do we play them together on our instruments?
Please consult with your private lesson teacher about signing up for this class.
Fiddle
Fee: $100
Course enrollment requirements: Open to violin students in Suzuki Book 2 or above.
Fiddle classes will introduce students to various styles of fiddle music, teaching the tunes by rote. The course includes a mixture of Irish and old-time American Fiddle tunes, with specialized bowings that make fiddle music so much fun!
- Classes will be formed based on playing ability level, pending enrollment.
Rhythm Revolution
Fee: $100
Course enrollment requirements: Students must be able to read pitch and rhythm simultaneously at the Suzuki Book 3 level. Open to all instruments.
Course description: Having a great grasp of rhythm and counting can revolutionize your playing and sight-reading abilities. Students will work through the basics to everyone’s satisfaction, then explore tricky counting examples together. Later in the week, we will be using percussion instruments to practice and enjoy what we’ve learned.
Lunch Games
Fee: $75
Course enrollment requirements: Students and siblings, ages 5-12, must bring a lunch from home and be ready to participate in the activity of the day.
For registered students and siblings whose parents will attend the daily Parent Lunch Talks.
Come eat your lunch and enjoy outdoor games, weather permitting, with an adult teacher. In case of rain, an art project will be done indoors.
Dalcroze for Siblings
Fee: $100
Course enrollment requirements: Children must be 5 years or older and have a sibling registered for FSI.
Dalcroze Education is a playful, experiential approach to teaching and learning music. It is a process for awakening, developing and refining innate musicality through rhythmic movement, ear-training, and improvisation. Games and activities progress as the students mature and gain skill.
You can learn more at the Dalcroze Society of America website.
Dalcroze is included in the core curriculum in the Foundational and Intermediate Programs.
Viola for Violinists
Fee: $100
Course enrollment requirements: Students need to be in Suzuki Book 4 and above.
Note: The ability to read viola clef is a requirement for violinists enrolling in Chamber Music.
Viola for Violinists is open to violinists who want to learn to read and play viola music. You may take it more than once to gain proficiency and skill. Violas will be available for sign-out in the FSI office at the opening Orientation meeting on Tuesday.
Chamber Music
Fee: $125
Course enrollment requirements: Students must play at the Suzuki Book 5 or comparable level. All violinists enrolled in chamber music must be able to play viola. Open to all instruments. Chamber Music may not be added as an elective after March 1.
Chamber music is performed by a small group of musicians, each with a unique part for their instrument that coordinates with all of the other instruments in the ensemble. Players learn to listen and interact with all of the instrumental voices, fitting the separate parts together into a beautiful and expressive whole. Chamber music is many musician’s favorite performance setting and may become yours, too!
Students will be grouped into small ensembles according to reading and playing ability. Music will be emailed prior to the institute so students may prepare ahead of time.
Note for violinists: If you do not yet read viola clef, register for the Viola for Violinists elective instead of Chamber Music.
Composition
Fee: $100
Course enrollment requirements: Students should be familiar with basic key signatures and intervals. Open to all instruments.
Explore the building blocks of music writing with Michael McLean, composer of A River Runs Through It for FSI’s 40th anniversary celebration. Students will learn how to write a simple melody over a chord progression, and by the end of class will learn how to arrange music for a small chamber ensemble. Students will also learn about current music software for Composition.
- Appropriate elective for Intermediate students only. Advanced Program students receive Composition 2 as part of the core program.
Sibling Electives
Attending FSI with Siblings
Fairbanks Suzuki Institute is a family program with extensive parent and family involvement. We understand and support younger siblings in attendance. We do, however, ask that siblings are able to sit quietly through class so they aren’t disruptive to the students in the class.
Non-Suzuki Students Attending FSI
Siblings who are non-Suzuki students may take select elective classes. Siblings attending must:
- Be enrolled in private music lessons (non-Suzuki/Traditional lessons are acceptable)
- Meet the minimum class age and level requirements for each elective class that they register for.
Sibling Elective classes are limited to the following:
- Dalcroze (music movement class) – any instrument, ages 5 and up
- Lunch Games – ages 5-12
- Rhythm Revolution – any instrument, meets the music reading requirements for the class