Shvi is a flipple flute with a labium mouth piece. It is one of the instruments in Armenian traditional music. The shvi has been played continually for 4,500–5,000 years, making it one of the oldest musical instruments still in use. It has seven finger-holes in the front and one thumb-hole in the back. One octave is obtained by blowing normally into the shvi and a second octave is attained by blowing with slightly more force. The lower octave has a timbre similar to a recorder, whereas the higher octave sounds similar to a piccolo or flute. It is suitable for both solo performances and ensembles. The shvi can “sing” melodies without words and instill discipline in the player that goes beyond music and into everyday life.

Learn how to play the shvi through one of our comprehensive methods that takes you through a progressive approach addressing technique, musicality, and so much more.

Program Information

We will offer you many new and exciting musical opportunities. We offer instruction to shvi students of every level and every age. The Farabius Academy of Music offers one-on-one instruction and group sessions on multiple Armenian instruments. All students will learn from the basic instrumental technique, posture, technical exercises, how to play Armenian traditional songs and their favourite melodies.

Each online lesson takes place between one teacher and one student, for either 30 or 60 minutes. For children's sessions, parents can attend their child's classes.

Goals:

Our goal is the development of our students to their highest musical level through private lessons. Creating the correct foundation for technique and appropriate repertoire is of utmost importance. Our amazing shvi faculty takes care of utilizing elements of different teaching methods that work best for each student. Beginner students start with the fundamentals, like how to hold the shvi correctly, how to get sound out of it, finger placement, reading music, and learning simple songs. Intermediate and advanced students continue to progress with increased proficiency in techniques and significant Armenian repertoire. Our shvi curriculum covers the following subjects:

• Note reading and recognition
• Armenian traditional ornaments
• Counting, rhythm reading
• Technique (staccato, trill, dynamics)
• Rudiments of theory
• Memorization
• Ear training

Levels / Ages offered:

The Farabius Academy of Music provides online private shvi study at all levels and ages. Students in a private study can learn with no prior experience, all the way to extensive professional experience and we will ensure you have an enjoyable experience. We offer different levels of teacher experience and qualification, so that we can adequately provide to the wide range of learning styles, difficulty levels, and ages who seek shvi study with us.

Repertoire

Selecting repertoire is one of the most challenging and important tasks that we take on in the development of our students’ musical educations. Students at all levels will be given a selection of repertoire from multiple genres of music to study and perfect.

Important Facts & FAQs

• Highly recommended for students of 6 years or older.
• Offered but less recommended for students 5 years or younger.
• Extremely useful for children and adult learners.
• The most effective format for learning technique, traditional repertoire.