The Lift and Shift

The school year is off to a great start for WI Orchestra students.  Huge compliments to all of the students who regularly attend rehearsals and lessons.  I notice a huge improvement in the level of the orchestra this year!

Advanced violinists have been learning to shift to third position.  In about two more weeks, the violinists should be able to play the “Can Can” melody in third, which is a huge accomplishment for sixth-grade students.

Third position exercises are beneficial for many reasons:  shifting helps violinists learn to scoop their elbows under their violin, encourages rainbows in the left-hand fingers, solidifies a tall violin posture, and loosens up the whole left arm.

When shifting from first to third position, remember to move the thumb along with the first finger and to slightly lift the shifting finger above the string so you can hear harmonics as the finger shifts.

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