Hello all! I can't believe how quickly this year is passing by. Christmas in less that two months?!! Here is your November Studio Newsletter. In this issue you will read about:
--Master Class News
--New Reward Programs
--Royal Conservatory Achievement Program
Master Classes
October's Master Class was another great time! Everyone in attendance performed a piece and we practiced listening for various aspects of the music. Then, we had a short lesson on music history and learned about Ornamentation throughout history. It was a lot to take in all at once, but we had fun ornamenting blank sheets of music and then hearing them performed. We will continue to revisit ornamentation in order to keep it fresh. Thank you to all who came! The next master class will be on Saturday, December 7th, 2013 from 10am to noon. Each student will perform a prepared piece and a scale, we'll watch/listen to a great performance on video and probably spend some time playing Christmas duets.
New Reward Programs
Personally, I think have the most diligent, inspired students around! I see you all so often motivated by the simple joy of learning and achieving--and I so look forward to every lesson. You deserve some tangible rewards and recognition! It is with this in mind that I present three new ways for you to get rewarded at piano (or flute) lessons!
1) Reader's Club
Every student in the studio is an automatic member of my new Reader's Club, for music sight readers. Sight reading is such an important skill, especially for pianists, that we have been doing it at every lesson. From now on, when you complete your sight reading example at the lesson, you will receive a sticker on the Reader's Club chart in the studio. You can receive bronze, silver and gold stars for particularly good sight reading.
2) Music Bucks
Did you practice 6 days this week? You'll get 6 music bucks. And music bucks can also be given for any achievement, good behavior, extra activity or great playing at random! Once per month at the studio store, get all your music bucks together and trade them for candy, books, toys and other items! (This one is mostly for the younger students, but I'll stock a few items that appeal to the grown-ups too!)
3) The Candy Jar
Did you have the worst lesson of your life? The best lesson of your life? Just OK? Well, no matter what, when your thirty minutes are up, you are free to grab a candy (or two) on your way out from the newly instituted candy jar of appreciation!
Royal Conservatory Achievement Program
Finally, I would like to remind everyone to keep the Royal Conservatory Achievement Program in your discussions. The next assessment date is in June and I would like some of us to participate! As a participant, you'll prepare several songs to a polished performance level along with the required scales and arpeggios for your level. At the assessment, you'll perform your prepared material plus a sight reading example and some listening examples. The adjudicator will then record his or her feedback on an official form which will be mailed out and received here in Albion about 6 weeks later. Good performances will merit the certificate of achievement for that level! Even more than playing in an end-of-year recital, the achievement program will give you a great sense of...well...achievement! I highly recommend it but it does have an entry fee, so it's good to start planning well in advance. Let me know if you have any questions!
--Master Class News
--New Reward Programs
--Royal Conservatory Achievement Program
Master Classes
October's Master Class was another great time! Everyone in attendance performed a piece and we practiced listening for various aspects of the music. Then, we had a short lesson on music history and learned about Ornamentation throughout history. It was a lot to take in all at once, but we had fun ornamenting blank sheets of music and then hearing them performed. We will continue to revisit ornamentation in order to keep it fresh. Thank you to all who came! The next master class will be on Saturday, December 7th, 2013 from 10am to noon. Each student will perform a prepared piece and a scale, we'll watch/listen to a great performance on video and probably spend some time playing Christmas duets.
New Reward Programs
Personally, I think have the most diligent, inspired students around! I see you all so often motivated by the simple joy of learning and achieving--and I so look forward to every lesson. You deserve some tangible rewards and recognition! It is with this in mind that I present three new ways for you to get rewarded at piano (or flute) lessons!
1) Reader's Club
Every student in the studio is an automatic member of my new Reader's Club, for music sight readers. Sight reading is such an important skill, especially for pianists, that we have been doing it at every lesson. From now on, when you complete your sight reading example at the lesson, you will receive a sticker on the Reader's Club chart in the studio. You can receive bronze, silver and gold stars for particularly good sight reading.
2) Music Bucks
Did you practice 6 days this week? You'll get 6 music bucks. And music bucks can also be given for any achievement, good behavior, extra activity or great playing at random! Once per month at the studio store, get all your music bucks together and trade them for candy, books, toys and other items! (This one is mostly for the younger students, but I'll stock a few items that appeal to the grown-ups too!)
3) The Candy Jar
Did you have the worst lesson of your life? The best lesson of your life? Just OK? Well, no matter what, when your thirty minutes are up, you are free to grab a candy (or two) on your way out from the newly instituted candy jar of appreciation!
Royal Conservatory Achievement Program
Finally, I would like to remind everyone to keep the Royal Conservatory Achievement Program in your discussions. The next assessment date is in June and I would like some of us to participate! As a participant, you'll prepare several songs to a polished performance level along with the required scales and arpeggios for your level. At the assessment, you'll perform your prepared material plus a sight reading example and some listening examples. The adjudicator will then record his or her feedback on an official form which will be mailed out and received here in Albion about 6 weeks later. Good performances will merit the certificate of achievement for that level! Even more than playing in an end-of-year recital, the achievement program will give you a great sense of...well...achievement! I highly recommend it but it does have an entry fee, so it's good to start planning well in advance. Let me know if you have any questions!