There will be no lessons next week (March 30 – April 3.) I need to travel to Utah for my aunt’s funeral and to help my parents so I’ll will be out of town. I’ll make one or two days available during Spring Break as a reschedule for the missed lessons for those interested — I’ll reach out to each of you separately to coordinate that later on. All students should keep working through their “play list” and we’ll move forward after Easter.
Happy 2026 everyone! Read on for all the news — there is quite a bit so sit back, take a moment, and find the sections that apply to you and your budding musician. The biggest news will be the slightly crazy February schedule but there are some exciting performances I hope you can take advantage of seeing. Let me know if I’ve missed anything or if you have any questions. If you are new to this music studio news group and would like to sign up for lessons or the children’s chorus, let me know via text.
:: Children’s Chorus Session 2 - 4 weeks @ $60 :: Tuesdays 4:00-4:45 (January 13 - February 3) Time change! Children's Chorus will continue instruction of good breathing, safe singing, and lots of fun singing new things! I am opening this up to more students, so if you would like to sign up your budding singer, reach out to me and I’ll get them on the roster. I’m so looking forward to this next session!
:: Private Cello Lessons :: As usual, these lessons will be offered at 45- or 60-minutes in length. See tuition and expectations tab up top for more details. If you are already a student, I’ll see you at your usual time.
:: Private Piano Lessons :: Good news! I will be starting back to taking beginning to intermediate students as I have space.
:: Private Students’ February schedule :: Half tuition for February!
Feb 2-6 - lessons as usual (I will contact individuals whose lessons will need to shift days for this week) Feb 9-13 - NO lessons (tech week) Feb 16-18 - lessons as usual (with a few shifted days due to our winter break travel) Feb 23-27 - NO lessons (winter break
:: March Lessons + Children’s Chorus Session 3 :: We will be back to regularly scheduled lessons beginning the week of March 2.
***AND! I’ll be involved in a couple of upcoming performances. For those interested, read below to find out details and links to tickets.***
:: SHS Production of Little Mermaid :: Big news! I’ve been hired as Salem High School’s pit orchestra mentor cellist again which I’m so excited about. Shows will be February 13-15. This will be a fun show for all my students to experience live music in a fun way as well as support the local musical theater community. Here’s a link for tickets.
:: Merrimack Valley Philharmonic Orchestra :: I am a regular cellist in MVPO down in Andover, MA with an upcoming concert Sunday, March 1 @ 2:30 featuring Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 — tickets can be found here. This concert would be wonderful for my older students to enjoy — it is typically 2 hours and will also feature selected works from Dvorak and Beethoven.
As always, thank you for supporting and encouraging this next generation of musicians! It’s a joy to work with you all!
Click above or {here} to listen to one of the songs we'll be learning!
After much deliberation, I will be switching gears temporarily from teaching beginning piano so that I can include more students into my schedule.
I will instead offer a new Children’s Chorus here in my home music studio. This class is designed to be a fun way to learn music basics by way of singing in a group. We will begin learning proper singing techniques including breath control, vocal placement, and singing safely — all while learning songs for the upcoming holiday and having a lot of fun in the process. My hope is that all my students will be able to perform a gift of music for our local senior center. (Details about this performance to follow).
If you are interested in this experience for your child, please let me know by messaging me your child’s name and musical background. This 6-week class will begin Tuesday, November 11 and run through December 16.
Tuesdays @ 4:15 45-minute class (weekly) 6-week session ($80, 10% family discount for more than one student) 7-12 year-olds
SCHEDULE YOUR LESSONS: Lessons will be starting back up next week beginning on the 16th. As usual, give me your first, second, and third choice of the best time that fits with your schedule. Please select from my lesson openings below:
Tuesdays: @4, @5
Wednesdays: @4
Fridays: @4
Saturdays: @9
TUITION + EXPECTATIONS: This year, I will be raising the cost of monthly tuition by $25 increments for the month. When you tell me your lesson time selections, please also let me know the duration of lessons you would like for this upcoming year. Please read through my tuition + expectations page before coming to lessons next week with your young musician. You’ll notice a few other changes as well.
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES:
Merrimack Valley Philharmonic Orchestra: Opening Gala 6:00 – 7:00 pm Cocktail Reception; 7:15 “That’s Entertainment” Concert featuring works by Gershwin as well as selections from movie soundtracks like Pirates of the Caribbean. Semi-formal or black-tie attire. $50/ticket. (They are also planning a second performance for Saturday. Details TBD.
... and thank you for your patience as I have needed these couple of weeks to get the school-year gears oiled and running smoothly. (And to get our well back up and running at our place. Mostly. :) Please let me know if you have any questions!
Here’s to another great year filled with lots of learning, fun, and music!
MASTER CLASSES With only a few weeks left in my music teaching season, it's time to finally update to my end of year scheduling. Due to some unforeseen scheduling conflicts, I need to postpone my Master Classes that were scheduled for this Saturday.
For those new to my Master Classes, I invite all my students to come together to not only perform for their peers and learn more about music in general, but also for the parents and families to come see what their young musicians have been working so hard on all year.
Please look at your schedules in the next day or two and let me know which of the following times work best for you and your family. I'm hoping to find a time that allows all students to participate.
:ALL PIANO STUDENTS: - Sat. May 24, 10:00-11:00 am - Sat. May 24, 1:00-2:00 pm
:ALL CELLO STUDENTS: - Sat. June 14, 10:00-12 noon
- Sat. June 14, 1:00-3:00
END OF SEASON It's been another wonderful year finishing out my 9th season of music teaching here in New Hampshire! I've loved every minute teaching your budding musicians watching them learn, struggle, grow, and find joy in making music. Thank you for all the encouragement you give your children, and to you students: thank you for working so hard this year! Let's do it again in the fall!
REMINDERS
Piano lessons will continue through the end of May. Cello lessons will continue through June 13th.
I'm looking forward to seeing all my amazing students when we start back the week of Mon Feb 3! I hope you've all been continuing to have fun with your instruments — remember to put together a playlist for your first-lesson-back showing me all you've been working on.
My new availability dates/times are below. We'll be doing a ranked choice lesson time selection now that all my students will have the chance to come weekly again. Please send me a separate text with your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice for lesson day/time by this Wednesday, January 29. I'll be sending out my new lesson schedule this Friday. (If these days/times don't work with your schedule, send me a text and let's see what we can work out.)
Mondays @3, @4, @5
Tuesdays @4 (good option for siblings)
Wednesdays @4
Fridays @4 (good option for siblings)
Saturdays @9, @10
HADESTOWN: For those of you interested in coming to see what I've been up to this past month, Hadestown is this coming weekend at Salem High School! It's a bit darker than last year's show, so please read details and find a link for tickets at end of this post.
WINTER BREAK: All lessons will be pushed to a single day. Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 22. I will send out a signup for times.
SPRING BREAK: There will be no lessons during Spring Break — I will instead be hosting a master class/recital on Saturday, May 10 10:00 - 11:00. This will give my students a chance to perform the pieces they will have mastered. Parents are invited to attend.
END OF YEAR: Lessons will be done for the summer June 13.
As always, thank you for supporting and encouraging this next generation of musicians! It is an honor to be part of their music education!
*********
Salem High School Theatre Arts invites you to their exciting upcoming production of “Hadestown: Teen Edition!”
This intriguing and beautiful folk opera by Anais Mitchell delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience. Following two intertwining love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of immortal King Hades and Lady Persephone – Hadestown invites audiences on an electrifying journey to the underworld and back. Inspired by traditions of classic American folk music and vintage New Orleans jazz, Mitchell’s beguiling sung- through musical pits industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Expect some thrills and high production value in SHS’ state-of-the-art Seifert Performing Arts Center.
Tickets can be purchased online at ssd.booktix.com/ as well as at the door. General admission is $15; seniors, students and staff are $12. Because of the show’s thematic material, “Hadestown” is generally recommended for ages 8 and up. For more information visit sau57.org or call (603) 893-7069.
SHOWTIMES Friday, Jan. 31 and Saturday, Feb. 1 at 7pm. Sunday, Feb. 2 at 2pm.
DECEMBER & JANUARY NEWS – My music studio will be closed from Dec 24 – Feb 2 as I’m contracted to play with the Salem High School pit orchestra as mentor cellist. While my schedule will be packed with rehearsing, I encourage all my students to keep playing and getting their “personal concert” ready to play for me during their first lesson back the first week of February.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE – Music studio startup date will be Mon Feb 3. Mid-January, I will be sending out my new lesson availability which will include the possibility of Saturday mornings. I know this year has been full of schedule shifting as my own kids get busier and as I’ve had a few health issues pop up — I’m hoping this will be it for the rest of the music teaching season! I will also be transitioning all my bi-weekly students to every week again. Weekly lessons are so much more effective!
WINTER BREAK – All lessons will be pushed to a single day. I will reach out as this gets closer to see whether Saturday, Feb 22 or Mar 1 works best with everyone’s schedules. I’ll keep you posted about this!
SPRING BREAK – There will be no lessons during Spring Break — I will instead be hosting a master class/recital on Saturday, May 10 10:00 - 11:00. This will give my students a chance to perform the pieces they will have mastered. Parents may attend.
END OF YEAR – Lessons will be done for the summer June 13.
As always, thank you for supporting and encouraging this next generation of musicians! It is an honor to teach these amazing students of mine. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the year to come!
