MUSIC STUDIO UPDATE

 

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!

MONSTER MASTER CLASS + OCTOBER UPDATE

What a great year so far! I can hardly believe we are well into October already. Read on for details of upcoming events. 

MONSTER MASTER CLASS Saturday, October 26 from 10:00 am to 12 noon Each of my students will be working throughout the month of October on their new pieces to perform for each other at the beginning of my annual Monster Master Class. After their mini-performance, we’ll have a group listening class plus my more experienced students sharing their wisdom with my newest of students, then treats at the end. Come in costume! (No scary masks please :) Parents are welcome to stick around if you’d like.

THE GREAT FALL SCHEDULE SHIFT Fall sports schedules are coming to a close at the end of October which brings us to the end of my little biweekly experiment. While the Marco Polo idea for the off weeks kept my students going, I have found that it’s been more difficult to help everyone retain and progress. And so — I’ll be opening up the possibility of weekly lessons again which would start the first week of November. I will be reaching out to each of you individually to determine what will work best for you and your family. If you would rather keep the biweekly option, let me know. 

TUITION PAYMENT REMINDER This month’s tuition will also cover the master class as well. Thank you in advance!

As always, thank you so much for your support of this next generation of musicians!

WELCOME BACK TO FALL MUSIC SEASON ‘24

I hope that you all had a wonderful summer! We are back from our travels out west and getting details together for the upcoming year of school and sports. As I have told many of you, this year brings a wind of change to our house — I have started up my design business by day which will affect the way I run my music studio in the afternoons. Read on for details!

NEW SCHEDULE

This week, I will begin working on my studio calendar scheduling students for every other week with an off-week check-in. For example: a 1st & 3rd Tuesday lesson means students would make a quick video of their progress on their primary solo during their lesson time on the off weeks and send to me for same-day coaching feedback. I’d like to try out using the app MarcoPolo for the first month and see how things go. (More details to come) This will require a bit more parent involvement for my younger students but I hope that by doing these check-ins during the off weeks, all my students will continue in the same progress with their usual dedicated practice. Any 5th weeks will be off for everyone unless you need a reschedule. 

AVAILABLE LESSON TIMES

Tuesdays 4 to 7 (wks 1&3 OR wks 2&4)

Wednesdays 4 to 6 (wks 1&3 OR wks 2&4)

- Let me know what your preferences are of day, time, and week by Friday, August 30. I will do my best to accommodate as I can. Lesson times will be able to shift earlier in November.

STUDIO DATES AND EVENTS

SEPT 3 :: Lessons will begin

OCT 26 :: Monster Master Class (10:00 a.m. to 12 noon)

NOV 25-26 :: Thanksgiving Lesson Shift (Tues/Wed becomes Mon/Tue)

DEC 7 :: Christmas Recital (tentative, dependant on venue confirmation)

DEC 16 - JAN 3 :: Studio Winter Break (half tuition for Dec)

APR 28-MAY 2 :: Spring Break

MAY 24 :: Spring Recital (tentative)

MAY 28 :: Last lesson day

JUN :: Possibility of summer lesson extension TBD

TUITION

Tuition will remain the same as last year which will also include lessons, check-in/feedback, master classes, ensembles, and recitals. Once I get your preferences and we settle on a lesson time for this year, I’ll send a tuition reminder with your monthly amount. Family & multiple-instrument discount will still be in effect. 

REMINDERS FOR ALL STUDENTS

1. First lesson back will be a show & tell in which each student will perform for me their favorite things they’ve been playing all summer. Those who completed the summer play list and practice, please bring them!
2. All students should review changes to my studio tuition + expectations page with a parent before first lesson back. There may be a quiz! 

I’m looking forward to another amazing year — see you soon!

Spring Studio Update

Hello everyone! Despite the rainy days, my flowers waking up out front are telling me spring is on its way which means its time for end of year news! Read on for upcoming dates etc.

SPRING MASTERCLASSES
Masterclasses are back! This is a chance for my students to gather to perform for their fellow musicians. 

CELLO: Saturday, April 13 ~ 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

PIANO + VOICE: Saturday, April 20 ~ 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

*RSVP by Friday, April 5*

10:00 a.m. ~ Introductions + perform + feedback
Students will learn a bit of concert etiquette, how to give and receive constructive feedback, and most importantly have a chance to perform what they've all been working so hard on. Parents are welcome to listen in from the other room, but this won't be a recital-type performance.
11:00 ~ Break 
11:15 ~ Listening experience
Students will have a chance to listen to a collection of different recordings while learning a little history, musicality, and great music.
12:00 ~ End/Pickup time

SPRING BREAK

No lessons April 22-26 — don't forget your daily playlist! Lessons will resume the week of April 29.

MVPO CONCERT: For those interested, I will be playing in an upcoming concert featuring works by Antonin Dvorak and Josef Suk on Sunday, April 28th @ 2:30.  Lori Singer (yes, from the old school Footloose fame who went to Julliard) will be the headliner playing Dvorak's Cello Concerto. 

SPRING SPORTS/EXTRACURRICULARS

A few of you have contacted me about a shift of lesson day/time. If any of my other students need an adjusted schedule, please contact me ASAP. I will be reworking my schedule and notifying you individually. Thank you for your patience as I try to juggle all the schedules!

SUMMER LESSONS

I will be open for teaching through June 28 this year then will resume after Labor Day. Watch for a future notification regarding next year's '24-'25 season!

music studio news

All my students have had a great couple of weeks back into lessons and their new pieces! Here’s a few things coming up:

WINTER BREAK

Winter Break is fast approaching for my students in “the shire” during the week of February 26 – March 1. I’m planning on teaching through the week but will instead offer morning lessons for those of you who will be in town. Let me know your plans and we’ll find a good morning time for lessons that week.

SPRING BREAK

No lessons during Spring Break this year.

MASTER CLASSES

In lieu of an end of year recital here at our house, I will be hosting two separate master classes for my students: 

Cello Students: Saturday, April 13 ~ 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Piano & Voice Students: Saturday, April 20 ~ 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Each student will be preparing a piece to play/sing for feedback and further progress. They will also be learning how to play with others in duets and small ensembles. This is an event that parents may stay to listen in, but it won’t be a formal performance.

MERRIMACK VALLEY PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

As you all know, I had the opportunity to play with two of my students in the orchestra pit for Frozen, the musical at the high school. Through one of my fellow mentor musicians, I was invited to join the MVPO cello section and will be in their next concert on March 10. This is big news around our house since I haven’t had the chance to play with a symphony since we moved here nearly 9 years ago. To say I’m loving it is a huge understatement! (Even if it’s a little overwhelming — Sibelius!) 

This concert will be a heavier one with selections from Grieg’s Peer Gint Suite, Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A, and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2., but if you’d like tickets, click on the square below.

Music Studio Update

Frozen Update: 3 shows down, 3 more to go! This has been the experience of a lifetime for me as a musician but also as a mother as I've been able to share a stand in the pit orchestra with my son Jack – not to mention how much fun this has been to play with these amazing high school students and local pros. 

If you are in the area and would still like to come see the show there are still tickets for this coming weekend. Here's the link. 

All that said, during this month of intense practicing, rehearsals, and performances, I've missed my awesome students! Let's start lessons back up next Monday, January 29, shall we? Don't forget! Get your "January practice show-and-tell" ready for your first lesson back next week!  If you have a conflict for your usual lesson time or if you are starting back into lessons again, contact me directly and we'll work something out.

See you next week!