Violin students thrive on competition

Every time a student learns a new piece on his or her violin, Jacinthe Trudeau writes the name of the the song on a piece of paper, and slips it in a jar. When that student returns for their next lesson, Trudeau pulls a random piece from the jar, and the student has to play it.

She said the friendly competition is a great way to keep students playing their best. “It motivates them to keep their repertoire,” she said.

Trudeau has been teaching for 12 years, and playing the “jar game” with her students for the past five. Its something her violin instructor made her do, that she decided to pass along to her students. “It makes them practice and review,” Trudeau said.

Trudeau runs the Jacinthe Trudeau Music School in Sudbury.

An accomplished violinist and fiddler herself, she said she is able to work with everyone, from beginners just learning the strings, to assisting experienced violinists in creating arrangements.

Visit www.jacinthetrudeau.com