It's been such a busy spring I've barely had time to update! I've been working on unveiling my new logo and website and spending countless hours preparing students for all kinds of auditions and performances. Yesterday I headed out to South Lakes High School to help my student Duke prepare for his Junior Recital, happening next Saturday. He transcribed (by ear!) a piece and arranged it for string quintet. Here they are after a productive rehearsal. Unfortunately I only captured 3 of them with their eyes open...
"10 Tips to Encourage Your Child to Practice"
I really love this article -- give it a read if you are a parent of a music student! My only qualm is the "Give it 12 months" suggestion. If a student is trying to make the violin or viola sound decent, it will likely take more like 2-3 years! Patience is key!
Happy students, happy teacher
I was so excited to learn in the past week that 4 of my students have been placed 1st chair in their school orchestras! Teaching all of my students is a delight regardless of where they sit in orchestra, but it's always wonderful to see my students' faces light up (and their confidence skyrocket) when they are moved to the front of their sections. Many of the students are currently hard at work for my upcoming Winter Recital. It's a little strange working on holiday/winter-themed music prior to Halloween. But, early recital prep leads to confident and satisfying performances!
Another Recital in the Books!
A couple of weeks ago, I hosted my Spring Recital for all of my wonderful young students. This recital included some fun collaborations with some musician parents, including cellists and pianists. Quite a few students selected movie music for their performance, including Harry Potter, Star Wars, and the Sound of Music. Enjoy the pics!
Scenes from the Studio
My greyhound Luke, enjoying the dulcet tones of one student's lesson.
Spring Recital, 2013!
I presented my annual Spring Recital on June 1 at the Sanctuary at Convergence. Twenty-seven of my students performed solos while I accompanied them on piano. All of the students did a really lovely job. It takes a lot of courage to stand up in front of a crowd and perform, and I was very proud of them!
In Memory: Neil Landsberg
On a sad note, I lost one of my beloved students recently. Neil Landsberg decided to take up the violin about one year ago. Lessons with Neil were always full of jokes and laughter, and he had a real enthusiasm for learning. I learned a lot from Neil, including how to be a more humble, compassionate, generous, and kind person. He touched the lives of so many, including my own. I don't think what I've described here is even close to adequate, but the world has lost a really special person. If you have a moment, this article in Time features Neil, and is an important read.
Studio Class!
This weekend, I hosted a small studio class for some of my younger students. We worked on playing a couple of tunes as a violin quartet, which each student playing his or her very own harmony or melody line. Next, each of the students performed a short piece for the others and the listening students practiced giving positive feedback to the performers. it was an excellent way for them to prepare for the upcoming recital. The kids had a great time listening to each other play and learning to play in a small ensemble. It was a blast, and I can't wait to schedule the next group lesson!
