Subjects
There are different subjects connected to each level. The higher the level of students, the more complicated pieces they will be able to play, which requires more advanced and specific knowledge.
Violin
Elemental level
In A1 the students learn the position of the violinist, how to include the violin in their own phisionomy in a natural way, how to place the left hand on the violin and to make pizzicato with the right hand before learning to take the bow, the different plains of the arm in the strings as well as the detaché, a essential type of bow stroke. Suzuki pieces, and scales in first position are meant for this level.
In A2 the students improve what they know, try to tune the instrument by themselves, and learn to change the position with the left hand (first, second and third position) as well as the legato related with singing. Scales and arpeggios in one position (first, second, and third) and Suzuki No.2 pieces are meant for this level.
Intermediate level
In the I1 the students learn the fourth position while improving the intonation of the three first and the new bow strokes martelé and spiccato. Scales and arpeggios in one string and four strings (two octaves) and double stops, studie books of Mathieu Chrickboom, Rodolphe Kreutzer, Charles Dancla and Federigo Fiorillo as well as some pieces as Bach Concerto in A minor or Thäis Meditation are some of the vehicles to improve the quality of sound and musicality.
In the I2 level the students keep improving their violin skills in more difficult pieces, having to introduce them the way of playing chords, flying spiccato or harmonics, used as a resources to change the timber of the violin, as well as the use of vibrato and the different points of contact to decorate subtly their interpretations. Telemann Fanthasies, The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi or Accolay Violin Concerto are meant for this level.
Professional level
The students in P1 and P2 are able to anticipate many questions and solve them. They are becoming more and more independent from the teacher and they are able to decide what repertoire they want to play from the pieces of their level. Scales, arpegios, double stops, chords, Schrädieck and Otakar Sevcík scales , Kreutzer studies, and pieces as Mozart Concerto No.3, Concerto for two Violins and Sonatas and Partitas by Bach , Romanza Andaluza by Pablo Sarasate, Felix Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and Schubert, Schumann and Mozart Sonatas are some examples of pieces that the advanced students of Arriaga Violin School play.
Pre-bachelor
The Pre-bachelor course is created to help the students to prepare their audition for the Admission Bachelor Exam. For this exam the student needs to play the first movement of a concerto, a sonata, a virtuosistic piece and a studio. Some proposals are Mendelssohn Concerto, Mozart Concertos No. 3 and 5, Partita No. 2 or 3 and Sonata No.1 by Bach, Scenes de Ballet by Charles de Bériot, Paganini Caprices, Beethoven Violin Concerto, Sergei Prokofiev Sonata for Violin and Piano No.2 and Concerto No. 2, Max Bruch Violin Concerto or Henryk Wieniawski Concerto. Scales, arpeggios of three and four octaves, double stops and chords and Studies are also essential in the study routine of the Pre-bachelor students. All this as well as having enough rehearsals with the pianist and the teacher, and training the mental preparation during the concerts will guarantee a successful audition.
Piano
Elemental level
During the first year or E1, the students learn the position of the hands in the piano by playing basic exercises (scales and arpeggios) and easy pieces. They learn first to read in G-key and secondly F-key as well. The second year, E2, is meant to teach them how to read both keys at the same time and little by little I encourage them not to look at the piano keys. They play joyful pieces that will make them loving the music that they create!
Intermediate level
In the I 1 and 2 the students continue developing their skills: they play scales, arpeggios and chords in different tonalities and inversions. They learn also how to transport from one tonality to another. They play more complicated pieces, but very beautiful.
Musical language
Elemental level
A1 level focuses on teaching the parameters of the music, the musical notes, the rythmical figures and their timings and the different sounds of intruments in a basic level. A2 focuses in reading music (rythm and intonation) at the same time as developing the listening skills through musical dictations. Books of Antonio Zamorano and traditional songs are used in this sub-level and the intermediate level.
Intermediate level
The student continues improving in rythm, intonation and listening. The level also increases, so it is important to study more at home to follow the rythm of the lessons. The new concepts that they learn are the musical intervals (I1), the types of scales and the tonalities (I2), what helps to understand the Harmony of the next level.
Harmony
Professional level
Harmony is a very important subject. It is the math of the Music because it will help the student to understand how the music is created: why it sounds consonant or disonant depending on the chords, the scales, the tonalities, character, dynamic, hairpins and instrumental timbres that the composer used. The students learn the different types of chords: how to use them in their own compositions and distinguish them in other pieces. They also learn how the composers use all the parameters to create or remove tension in a piece; what they can also use to express more while playing violin.
History of music
This subject helps the student to understand the different epoques of the music, their composers and their styles. We talk about the Primitive Music, Medieval Music, Baroque, Classicism, Romanticism and Contemporary Music and their different characteristics, making auditions to learn to distinguish one composer from another. They will apply this knowledge while playing the violin too.
Orchestral repertoire
This subject is advanced and meant for the Pre-bachelor students who want to be violinists as a profession and enroll in the Bachelor. It is an introduction to the orchestral pieces that they will learn at the University with the aim of preparing students to audition to enter an orchestra. We play the orchestral excerpts of Don Juan by Strauss, Symphony No. 35 by Mozart, Symphony No. 5 and No.9 by Beethoven, Midnight Summer’s Dream by Mendelssohn or Symphonie No.2 by Brahms, among others.