Viola Lessons in Grants Pass
With its slightly larger size and warm, rich sound, the viola is a rewarding instrument that many beginners and growing musicians love right away. Our viola lessons at Southern Oregon School of Music provide the foundational skills and confidence you need whether your goal is to perform in an orchestra, play in a string quartet or chamber group, or explore folk and fiddle styles on the viola.
What you Will Learn in Viola Lessons:
In your first viola lessons you will learn proper playing position and bowing technique, first scales, and classic songs with a focus on playing in tune. As you begin to master these foundational skills, you may choose to explore fiddling or playing in folk and popular styles in addition to the traditional classical genre of viola music.
A Little Info About the Viola:
The viola is a string instrument with a history of nearly 500 years. Slightly larger and lower-pitched than the violin, the viola sits in the middle of the orchestral string family, alongside the violin, cello, and double bass. In an orchestra, violas play a vital role by adding warmth and depth to the overall sound, often bridging melodies and harmonies between higher and lower instruments. The viola is used in many styles of music, including classical, chamber music, film music, folk traditions, and popular music. In folk and popular styles, the viola is valued for its rich, mellow tone and is often used to provide harmony lines, rhythmic accompaniment, and inner melodies that add texture and fullness to a group’s sound. In folk ensembles, string bands, and acoustic groups, the viola may take on roles similar to rhythm guitar or harmony vocals. While the viola is not commonly referred to as a “fiddle,” it can be played in folk-style and traditional music using more relaxed techniques and rhythmic playing. In popular music, violas are frequently featured in string sections, studio recordings, and live performances to enhance songs with warmth, emotion, and depth.
Where to Find a Viola:
You or your child will need a viola that is the correct size for your height. Renting with the option to buy is a good way to purchase an instrument for your viola lessons, since rental plans usually let you trade your instrument in for a larger size as you grow.
We recommend Great Northwest Music for viola rentals - they will be able to tell you what size is best for you and get you set up with everything you need for your violin lessons.
If you are interested in purchasing one or if yours needs repair or a new bow, we recommend Holst Violins, a home based violin-family instrument shop.
Contact Brad Holst at 541-622-3540.
FAQs:
What size of viola will my child need?
Here are some guidelines: -The student should be able to wrap their left hand comfortably around the curve of the scroll. -There should still be some relaxation to the student's arm with a slight bend to the elbow. -If the student's arm is extended straight with fingers barely touching the scroll, the instrument is too big. -If the student's left arm is bent at a 90 degree or smaller angle, the instrument is too small.
What accessories do I need?
Rosin and a shoulder rest.
How much will I need to practice?
It will be important for you to play the viola regularly to make progress in lessons. We recommend that beginners practice 15-30 minutes every day. Playing the viola can result in sore fingers at the beginning, so it may help to split practice time into two sessions a day for 10 minutes with several hours in between to give sore fingers time to rest. As you practice regularly, you will eventually develop callouses on your fingers so that they no longer hurt. At that point, you can play for longer periods of time. The more time a musician practices, the faster they progress in their playing.
Is it possible to schedule lessons every other week (biweekly)?
It could possibly work during the school day, but usually not after 2:00 pm since these times are in such high demand. Also in our experience, we have found that although it can work for adults, biweekly lessons with children are generally not successful. They need the consistency of weekly support from their teacher.
"When I am playing the viola, I feel a sense of oneness with the instrument that I never felt when playing the violin.”
— William Primrose, legendary violist
