Stringbabies is based in the Horsham area of West Sussex (UK), but the teachers can be anywhere. Please have a look at the directory to see if there is a teacher near you.
Sessions last for no more than 30 minutes (less for the youngest), in cheerful and comfortable surroundings. Parents can stay or not as they please.
Children are either taught individually or in very small classes of no more than three. Your child won’t get lost in the crush.
The video on the right explains the teaching sessions
The Stringbabies method
Each child has their own workbook, with the simple lessons in large print plus space for the own compositions and included in this is a CD of the songs in the book.
The Teacher and Parent’s book which accompanies the child’s workbook and is essential to understand the method. Along with this, there is a separate Piano accompaniment book for the Violin, Viola and Cello. You can order the books online here .
The video explores how children learn to read music
Accompanying CDs
Each Pupil Book also contains a CD of piano accompaniments recorded in close collaboration with Surrey Arts, one of the Stringbabies partners.
Each CD consists of the following items:
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- Four tuning tracks
- All songs at slow practice speed (piano and instrument)
- All songs at performance speed (piano only)
- Twelve tuning tracks
Here are two sample tracks from the CD’s that are included with the workbooks.
1. Kippers and custard, for Violin
2. Winter Creeps, for Cello
Instruments for Stringbabies
A small child will need a small instrument – typically 1/10th or even 1/16th full size. These can be easily obtained from local specialist music shops.
Stringbabies and exams
Stringbabies teachers will enter children for external exams, but only when a child is emotionally ready. Some children may be technically able long before that time arrives and that is fine. Exams are not the be-all and end-all! Click here, to find out more about our own Stringbabies Awards, for Violin, Viola and Cello, as accredited by Victoria College Examinations
