In a speech at the 1984 Matsumoto Summer Conference, Dr. Shinichi Suzuki nicknamed Alice Kanack Mozart's mother" in response to her innovative work in the development of the creative part of the brain. He added to this his hope that as a result, someday all children might create their own music. After twelve years of research and testing, the Fun Improvisation for... series was developed. Each book contains philosophical and practical advice on how to use the 28 musical exercises to develop a child's innate creative ability to its highest level. The basic instructions allow even a twinkler to use these exercises, while the advanced instructions provide a challenge to the most advanced player."

Book 2 of the Creative Ability Development series25 Improvisational Puzzles for Violin, Viola, Cello, or PianoThis newest addition to the series includes two recording discs for improvisational practice. With the end goal of creative fluency in all 12 keys, this single and compact book includes a wealth of animal-themed fantasy pieces, finger charts, and practice strategies for violin, viola, cello, and piano, making it perfect for siblings playing different instruments.

Free Play is about the inner sources of spontaneous creation. It is about why we create and what we learn when we do. It is about the flow of unhindered creative energy: the joy of making art in all its varied forms. An international bestseller and beloved classic, Free Play is an inspiring and provocative book, directed toward people in any field who want to contact, honor, and strengthen their own creative powers. It reveals how inspiration arises within us, how that inspiration may be blocked, derailed or obscured, and how finally it can be liberated—how we can be liberated—to speak or sing, write or paint, dance or play, with our own authentic voice. Stephen Nachmanovitch, a pioneer in free improvisation, integrates material from a wide variety of sources among the arts, sciences, and spiritual traditions of humanity, drawing on unusual quotes, amusing and illuminating anecdotes, and original metaphors. The whole enterprise of improvisation in life and art, of recovering free play and awakening creativity, is about being true to ourselves and our visions. Free Play brings us into direct, active contact with boundless creative energies that we may not even know we had.

A MASTERFUL BOOK ABOUT BREATHING LIFE INTO ART AND ART INTO LIFE "Stephen Nachmanovitch's The Art of Is is a philosophical meditation on living, living fully, living in the present. To the author, an improvisation is a co-creation that arises out of listening and mutual attentiveness, out of a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity. It is a product of the nervous system, bigger than the brain and bigger than the body; it is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter, unprecedented and unrepeatable. Drawing from the wisdom of the ages, The Art of Is not only gives the reader an inside view of the states of mind that give rise to improvisation, it is also a celebration of the power of the human spirit, which — when exercised with love, immense patience, and discipline — is an antidote to hate." — Yo-Yo Ma, cellist

(String). Jazz is one of the biggest challenges a violinist can face, with the thought of improvisation likely to strike fear into the heart of even the best classical player. This book demystifies the process, taking you step by step through everything you need to know about playing jazz violin. The work of players such as Stephane Grappelli, Joe Venuti, Stuff Smith and Jean-Luc Ponty is examined in detail, and styles including gypsy jazz, belop, modal and fusion are explored. Topics covered include: analyzing a chord sequence * bowing * chord symbols * double stopping * harmonics * how to construct your own solo * how to swing * pentatonic, bebop and blues scales * vibrato * and more. An accompanying CD with 65 tracks for listening or play-along is also included.

Teach yourself authentic bluegrass fiddle with this book. The book contains clear instructions on the basics: bowing and left-hand techniques, solos, backup, personal advice on performance, and much more, as well as a complete selection of the best bluegrass songs to learn from. Written by Matt Glaser, chairman of the String Department at the Berklee College of Music in Boston since 1980.