Because of its popularity among Colombian children, La Rumba de los Animales offers many possibilities for BATUTA. Whenever young people are given opportunities to play music they already love, they are even more receptive to what we are teaching them. The challenge is to then transfer their enthusiasm and curiosity to pieces in the "classical" music world that have similar characteristics, challenges, and enticements.

Though this piece is intended for Intermediate students, it also includes Elementary-level parts for 3rd violin, 2nd viola, 2nd cello, and 2nd bass parts. This enables children who have been playing for only a few months to be part of something that is truly impressive. It also fosters a sense of responsibility among the older, more advanced students to help their younger counterparts. This demonstrates one of the fundamental el Sistema principles: that every student is also a teacher, sooner than later. We should not be amazed to see how quickly the Elementary kids "graduate" to the Intermediate level of this piece.

A number of special instrumental techniques are showcased in this arrangement, including pizzicato, harmonics, ricochet, and glissando. Not only are these effects important for musicians to eventually master, but they are also incredibly fun. It is essential, though, for instructors to first lay a solid foundation by working on each of these techniques in isolation before applying them in this piece. Here are some points to keep in mind ...

Pizzicato

See the detailed comments in the notes accompanying Paseo Pizzicato.

Harmonics

Teachers often assume that harmonics are too advanced to be taught to children. Not true! First of all, harmonics are not difficult for children to master, so long as one focuses on natural harmonics that can be played in the 1st position. Secondly, their color and texture are so special that children are captivated by the "magic" that they can suddenly create. One effective way to introduce natural harmonics is to tell the children that there are "magic notes" that live just underneath the "lily pads" -­which are the diamond-shaped note heads used to notate harmonics. When one uses very light left­hand finger pressure (using the fleshy pad of the finger), and draws the bow a little faster than usual, these "magic notes" are revealed.

Ricochet

This is another technique that many teachers needlessly ignore with children. It too expands their imaginations as it opens up new worlds of color. When teaching ricochet, it's important to emphasize that the bow should never be "thrown" onto the strings. Rather, it should be gently "dropped." This is achieved by releasing the pressure of the right hand's little finger. Since this is the finger that controls the bow's vertical balance, releasing it will cause the stick to fall. The children should then learn how much (or little) bow is necessary to sustain the bounce. To control the number of bounces, simply re­apply the pressure of the little finger after the desired number of notes. With ricochet, it is crucial to maintain a consistent contact point as well as consistent bow speed.