Joplin Cellos

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Scott Joplin (1868 - 1917): was an African-American composer and pianist who achieved fame for his ragtime pieces and was dubbed the King of Ragtime. Ragtime has a syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Both swing and early jazz developed from ragtime. Joplin wrote over 100 original ragtime compositions, a ballet, and two operas.
Stephanie McDermott
Beautiful Skies
Eagles on Air
French Song
Shortninʼ Bread

Setting up and Holding the Cello
Watch this video to get set up as a nice, strong cellist.
  1. Find a good chair that helps your hips be above your hips.
  2. Sit tall, like a tree, with flat feet planted in the ground.
  3. Set up the endpin so it is in front of your eyebrows.
  4. Lay your cello on you, with the three contact points: hugging with the knees, laying on the chest, and keeping the peg by the ear.
**Disclaimer: When Miss Ruth talks about lining the cello's nut with your eyebrows, she meant to say the scroll! So practice putting your endpin out so your cello's scroll is right in front of your eyebrows.

Holding the Bow
Okay, you've mastered holding the cello- now, it's time to hold the bow!
  1. Spread out your right hand (which is your bow hand) and lay the bow in between the two knuckle lines on the inside of your hand, with the bow hair pointed away from you.
  2. Put your pinky on the circle on the frog, keeping those fingers spread out and letting them touch the bow. Bring in your thumb and keep it bumpy!
  3. Turn your hand over, holding onto the middle of the bow with your left hand, and check out your bow hold! Is your thumb bumpy? Are your fingers laying on the bow, nice and long?
  4. Do some bow exercises! Circles, stir the pot, and windshield wipers!

Putting the Bow on the String
We are learning how to put the bow on the strings today! Things to remember:
  1. Use the weight from your back to push into the bow.
  2. Use your pointer finger to do some bow push-ups. 
  3. Keep that bow elbow high!
  4. Open and close your elbow as you pull it across the racetrack.

Putting the Left Hand on the Cello

​We are getting our left hand on the string today! Remember...
  1. Open your left arm, bend that elbow, and put your fingers on the neck in a nice C shape.
  2. Thumb and second finger are travel buddies.
  3. Keep that chicken wing up and push into the string with the tips of your fingers!

Singing, "I Love My Cello" Song

Singing, "The Cello Ant Song"