SUMMER SCHEDULE (June 1 - Aug 28) We are looking forward to an exciting, refreshing and fun summer! Please take note of the following details... - Starting June 1, the practice requirement drops to 30 min/day for 3 days/wk for all scholarship students! - "Vacation Weeks" (READ CAREFULLY!): As in the past, families may take off any TWO weeks during the summer without having to pay or reschedule! Simply deduct 25% per "vacation week" from your payment the month that you take the "vacation week." (Again, maximum of two deductions per summer. You can cancel additional lessons, but there are no refunds/deductions. "Lesson Openings" emails will go out more frequently during the summer due to all the cancellations. All missed summer lessons must be made up before Labor Day or they will be "let go." As always, we start the new school year with a "clean slate." Tip: if you know you'll be missing a lesson near the end of August, you may want to save one of your "vacation weeks" for that time.) - As much as possible, please notify me of your "vacation weeks" by the 25th of the month prior. Minimum 48-hour notice required for "vacation weeks." (Summer "vacation weeks" cannot be used at any point during the school year.) - Right around the first week of August we will begin preparing for the Fall Music Olympics. This one-month head start on the "school year" will give all students a great boost! - Our studio is running at 100% capacity. There are no openings for the summer. Note also that the schedule we have during the summer does NOT change when the school year starts. If you know you need a different spot for the coming school year, now is the best time to get in line for it. Have a GREAT summer! NEW SCHOOL YEAR (Starts Sept 2) Our "school year" schedule officially starts the day after Labor Day! - As a way to help "ease" everyone back into the schedule, the summer practice requirement will be extended one week. The regular practice requirement will start the second week in September for all students! To help make sure you're ready for the new school year, please do the following by your first lesson in September: - Bring your classical music resources, theory, etc, so we can dive back into them. - Make sure you have a music binder in good condition for your practice forms. - Go to the Student Zone documents page and print off your new report card. Punch holes in the RIGHT side of the form and place in your binder. - Print and hole-punch several extra copies of the practice form and place them in your binder. - Take note of all the new event info listed below. - Note that the Music Olympics forms are available at the GHMTA site! Print off the forms for your level if you haven't already! (MO's registration deadline is Sept 12... coming up quickly. See below. Let me know if you have any questions!) FALL RECITAL (Fri, Nov 9) This is our first recital of the school year! Hope to see all of you there! Arrive at least 20 minutes early. If you want to "get a 10-second feel" for the piano, do so before 6:50. At 6:50 I ask that no more warm ups take place. (Note: no reception afterwards -- we're saving our appetites for Thanksgiving. :) All students will sit in the order they are performing on the right/front side of the auditorium as usual. The order of students playing will be emailed out the day before the recital. Note: If you are participating in the Music Olympics, there are no "days off" after the recital -- you still need to get your full practice in. You'll get a big break after the Olympics! If you are NOT participating in the Olympics, you can take off one day of practice between the recital and your next lesson. Enjoy the break! WHERE: Discovery Baptist Church WHEN: Fri, Nov 9, 7:00pm ATTIRE: “Sunday Best" (* See below) INVITATION: Click here to download and print a recital invitation you can pass out to family and friends! *** RECITAL ETIQUETTE *** Parents, please remind your children of proper recital etiquette so that our audience can fully enjoy each piece. Good etiquette includes no talking (the pianist can often hear it and we wouldn't want to throw them off!), no walking in or out when someone is playing (always enter/exit between pieces), use the restroom before the recital, etc. Thank you also for utilizing the cry room or foyer if your young child is noisy. We don't want to distract the students who've worked so hard to prepare their piece or distract others who are trying to enjoy the recital. If you must take a flash photo of your own child, snap it as soon as they start. (Please do not take pics of other students unless they have requested it.) Thank you! * Performance Attire: Students, thank you for dressing respectfully and modestly for our recitals. This includes no t-shirts, jeans, mini-skirts, etc. Thank you! MUSIC OLYMPICS (Sat, Nov 19) This fun and inspiring event is required for all school-age students in our studio (see Studio Policies for details), and is designed to encourage piano students to develop well-rounded musicianship! Around 175 school-aged musicians from around the community will come together to be quizzed in the nine essential music skills (performance, theory, rhythm, ear training, scales, chords, arpeggios, sight reading, speed reading). Every student then receives a graded ribbon for each room, and the top scoring students in each category receive a trophy. One of the greatest benefits of the Music Olympics is that students (and teachers!) can see their strengths and weaknesses -- and then work accordingly for the rest of the year! The focus of this event is not so much on competition as it is personal achievement and encouragement. The goal is to send each student away with a greater love for making music than when they came! - Go to the GHMTA (Gig Harbor Music Teachers Association) website for complete details! - Go to the "Student Zone" to see all the study tips I've written up for our studio! (Note: once you get to this page, you can save that page to your "favorites" and you won't have to enter the password every time.)
NOTE: Due to the extensive amount of time it takes me to coordinate our studio's participation in this all-day event (and for me to serve as a "required-volunteer" at the event), all students participating in the Music Olympics will substitute one private lesson for this event. Basically, you still pay for this lesson, but instead of receiving the private lesson, you will receive my support and participation in the festival. The lesson substitute will take place Dec 13-14 for all Thur-Fri students, and on Dec 31-Jan 2 for all Mon-Wed students. Please see your "Rates & Policies" form for details regarding "lesson substitutions for events." If you have ANY questions, feel free to ask! WHERE: Harbor Covenant Church (directly across street from Discovery Baptist) WHEN: Sat, Nov 19 -- Intermediate thru Advanced in the morning / Novice thru Elementary in the afternoon. (See Parent Letter on GHMTA website for exact details. RSVP ONLINE by: Fri, Sept 16 COST: $14 per student (non-refundable) PAY CHRIS DIRECTLY BY: First lesson in October ATTIRE: Nice Casual (collared shirts, nice blouses, no blue jeans/t-shirts, etc.)
Last-Minute Tips! "WEEK OF THE OLYMPICS" NOTE FROM THE TEACHER: Watching you prepare these past few months has been most inspiring. I can't even being to tell you how "proud" I am of each of you and how grateful I am to be your teacher. I couldn't ask for a better studio! Regardless of how you "score," take pride and confidence in knowing that you've done your best. Enjoy the experience, chat and laugh with the other students (outside the classrooms), and encourage each other throughout the day! And be sure to cheerfully greet each teacher as you enter each room, and thank them on the way out. (Do I sound like a parent, or what? :) Best wishes for a fabulous round of Olympics, Chris
*** LAST-MINUTE TIPS! *** - Make sure you're having fun! - Read every word of your Requirements page to make sure you know exactly what's expected of you! - Do "Practice Olympics" at home with siblings or parents quizzing you! - In the performance rooms (scales, arpeggios, etc), TAKE YOUR TIME! Stop and "see" the scale or arpeggio path before you begin. - On Nov 17 and/or 18 (Thur/Fri), get out of "practice mode" and into "performance mode" -- meaning: do "practice performances" on the various subjects all throughout the day for perhaps 5-10 minutes at a time (versus one straight 60-minute practice), and don't stop for mistakes. - Eat a BIG meal before you go to the Olympics. :) As much as possible, try to practice EVERYTHING in the Olympics EVERY day! (Now would be a verrrrrry good time to practice extra each day. :) Take a moment to review all of the tips on this page at least once or twice this week. (NOTE: I've highlighted certain tips based on the most common mistakes I've heard in lessons recently.) Tips for Testing - Don't rush!!! - Practice under pressure. Learn to relax under pressure. - Enjoy the experience! - "Root" for the other Olympians! Good sportsmanship! - ... Also see our Competition Tips page. :)
"WHAT ORDER SHOULD I DO THE ROOMS AT THE OLYMPICS?" - Start and end with rooms that you're most comfortable with. :) - Do the "playing" rooms (performance, scales, etc.) when your hands are warm. - Do your hardest room after you warm up with a couple other rooms. (Do your hardest room somewhere in the middle.) - Do NOT save the hard rooms for last (when your mind is most tired).
SCALES, CHORDS, ARPEGGIOS General Study Reminders for Scales, Chords, Arpeggios Tips for Scales - Notice that F & f have identical fingering - Minor cadences: See/hear the order of major and minor chords (minor, minor, minor, major, minor) - Identify the letter name of the I, IV and V chord (or i, iv, and V chord... if minor). - “Bounce” wrists. Drop the weight of your arm into the keyboard. - Focus on the left hand going up, and the right hand going down. - “Bounce” wrists. Drop the weight of your arm into the keyboard. - Identify the fingering principle: “1 or 2 white notes between the arpeggio notes?” - Don’t twist or tuck too hard – slide into position instead. - Play portato. SIGHT READING - 5 minutes/day - Choose music that is just a little easier than the level you play at. - Master the 30-second pre-study (see below). (Study no more than 2 lines. That's probably how long your test will be.) Use your - Play each line 2-3 times! (Don't just play straight through the whole piece.) - Go slowly!!! Don't rush the easy spots. - Better to pause than hit a wrong note. If you pause, "take advantage" of the pause and make sure you play the next notes correctly. Don't pause and then try to rush back in and hit wrong notes - you'll get 2 points off, instead of 1. - Don't go back and fix mistakes! The "point" is already taken off - going back and fixing the note will not put the point back on. * 30-SECOND PRE-STUDY GUIDE: 1) Find hand position first! 2) Check first measure details (clefs, time signature, key signature) 3) Scan notes. See any tricky spots? 4) Scan rhythm. 5) Scan dynamics and other marks. 6) Check key signature AGAIN! 7) Start counting and reading notes silently. 8) Play. LISTENING - Focus very hard on the first few intervals/chords you try each day. Those are the most critical! - SING the intervals! (Play the bottom note, sing the top, then play the top to see if you sang it correctly.) THEORY - Make sure you can visualize/understand your terms and definitions in an actual music score. - Circle of 5ths... follows the hours of the clock. (Should be included in your scales book. If not, let me know.) RHYTHMS - Do not stop and correct if you mix up whispering versus saying it out loud. The judges will not take off points for whispering or not whispering. - Look ahead! Don't get caught by surprise. :) - Count out loud using music books, not just our rhythms worksheet.
CHRISTMAS BREAK (Dec 17-28) / MUSIC OLYMPICS SUBSTITUTE (Various Days) No lessons and no practice requirement during these dates. Enjoy the break! Everyone deserves it! PRINT: Your next level Music Olympics "Requirements" and "Theory" page now so you can start studying for next year. :) Go to the GHMTA site. Remember the "Music Olympics substitute": NOTE: Due to the extensive amount of time it takes me to coordinate our studio's participation in this all-day event (and for me to serve as a "required-volunteer" at the event), all students participating in the Music Olympics will substitute one private lesson for this event. Basically, you still pay for this lesson, but instead of receiving the private lesson, you will receive my support and participation in the festival. The lesson substitute will take place Dec 13-14 for all Thur-Fri students, and on Dec 31-Jan 2 for all Mon-Wed students. Please see your "Rates & Policies" form for details regarding "lesson substitutions for events." If you have ANY questions, feel free to ask! UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND PIANO FESTIVAL (Sat, Jan 21) An outstanding and very fun all-day event for junior high, high school and college age students! (This is one of our older students' favorite times to "get away" and have a good time together. :) If you're serious about your upper-level performing, this is the event to attend. Participate in the event ($100, includes 2 Saturday meals and 3 comp tickets to Friday night's concert), or just come observe ("audit") ($20, no meals, 1 comp ticket to Friday night concert) the group workshops, small-class lectures, and performances given by UPS faculty and guest artist, John Pickett, professor of music at Central Washington University. The festival includes a piano solo competition with $1200 in prizes during the day, and a Recital Performance by the competition finalists on Saturday night! (Note: There will also be a multi-piano concert on Friday evening, Jan 20, 7:30 pm, in the music building concert hall. Everyone may attend, but there is a fee for tickets. ($12.50 adult, $8.50 student.) Buy tickets at the door. Transportation is on your own.) WEBSITE: www.pugetsound.edu/pianofestival Note: There is very limited seating in the professor's small classrooms. If parents or siblings (who are not upper level pianists) want to attend, I would ask they attend classes only if there is extra room, even if their family member is playing. You're welcome to have someone video tape or record them. We take up more room than all the other studios, so if one of our parents/siblings goes in the small classrooms, they will likely prevent another studio's student or teacher from being able to attend. Thank you for your sensitivity to this!
For complete details, go to: www.pugetsound.edu/pianofestival CLICK HERE to open and print our CUSTOM SCHEDULE. - WHO: Upper level students ages 13 and up. (Note: I am not always with the students, as we split up into different classes and I have one meeting to attend during the lunch hour. The students always stay together at least in "small groups.") REMINDERS/NOTES: DIRECTIONS: Click here. HOWEVER, I RECOMMEND (from Port Orchard/Gig Harbor) take the HWY 16 UNION AVE exit in Tacoma. Turn LEFT at light, go a couple miles or so. Pass the sports fields on your right. Park in the Thompson Hall Parking Lot on your RIGHT. Click here for map of campus. We will meet in the foyer at Building 29 (Music Building/Schneebeck Concert Hall). UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND PIANO FESTIVAL (Sat, Jan 21) A record-breaking 11 students from our studio are registered to perform for the professors, and another 10 or so are signed up to audit! Participants: Your "master classes" are the actual competition. No additional performing. A short Competition Recital by the 6-8 finalists will be held on Saturday night at 7:30. Winners announced at the end. Family/friends are welcome to attend the Saturday night competition for free. I encourage all festival attendees to stick around for this very inspiring concert, but if you must to leave at the end of the 5:45pm master class, I understand. (Note: There will also be a multi-piano concert on Friday evening, Jan 20, 7:30 pm, in the music building concert hall. Auditors I believe get 1 free ticket, performers 3 free tickets. Auditors and participants, your tickets will be at "Will Call" when you get there. Everyone may attend, but there is a ticket fee for additional guests. ($12.50 adult, $8.50 student.) Buy tickets at the door. Transportation is on your own.) Remember that due to our baby being due on Jan 21, there is a chance that I will not personally be able to attend this festival. Christian Winslow (who has been to the festival many times) will serve in my place. I have grouped students in teams of 3-4 and given specific instructions on how to approach the schedule. Click here for our studio's personal schedule. Students attending this event may take off 3 days of practice this week (or this coming week). Thank you for your willingness to attend this fabulous festival!
WHERE: University of Puget Sound, Tacoma -- Music Building ATTIRE: "Nice casual" for auditors (shirt/tie or nice blouse for performing students -- see below for additional details) SCHEDULE: Click here for our studio's personal schedule. DIRECTIONS: Click here. HOWEVER, I RECOMMEND (from Port Orchard/Gig Harbor) take the HWY 16 UNION AVE exit in Tacoma. Turn LEFT at light, go a couple miles or so. Pass the sports fields on your right. Park in the Thompson Hall Parking Lot on your RIGHT. Click here for map of campus. We will meet at Building 28 (Music Building/Schneebeck Concert Hall). Practical Details for Everyone: PIANO ADJUDICATIONS (Mon, Mar 27, 2017) This educational experience provides students with an opportunity to play two classical pieces from memory for a piano professor or advanced teacher! Right after students perform, they receive a written page of recommendations from the adjudicator, and then the adjudicator gives them a one-on-one lesson with the remaining time! Our adjudicator is Dr. Oksana Ezhokina (Chair of the Piano Faculty and Assistant Professor of Music at PLU; click name for bio). I request that ALL students (as much as is possible for your family) participate in adjudications as we no longer have the UPS Festival available. This rare opportunity to have adjudications in February will not only greatly enhance your performance quality in the spring, but will improve my ability to teach you individually as well. This is the highest level performance class available to our studio this year, and it gives me an invaluable outside perspective on the quality of teaching I'm providing you. How much time should you purchase? 20, 30, or 40 minutes. A middle-of-the road time would be 30 minutes. Advanced students should do their best to purchase 40 minutes. We only have the adjudicator for 1 day. Should we max out our time with her, the priority will be given to older, more advanced students. Time preferences: If you have a critical time preference for your adjudication, CLICK HERE to submit your preference. I will honor as many of these as I can primarily on a "first-come, first-served" basis. Many of the individual spaces will be scheduled during school hours. I’ll do my best to work in all the preferences, but can’t give any guarantees. (Thankfully, it’s worked out just fine 99% of the time for the past 15 years. :) If you do not have a real need to request a specific time, please do not make a request. This leaves us as much flexibility as possible for students who will not be able to participate if they can’t get an “after school” space (or whatever the case may be). An exact schedule will be sent out a few weeks in advance. CLICK HERE to see the WSMTA Parent Information Sheet. WHO: All students WHERE: Rogers Piano Studio WHEN: Monday, Mar 27, 2017 REGISTRATION DEADLINE w/CHRIS: Friday, Dec 16 COST: Non-refundable $13 plus however many minutes you sign up for (i.e 30-min adj. = $43) PAY CHRIS BY: First lesson in January ATTIRE: "Sunday Best" BRING: Your music (measures must be numbered) More details will be made available when we get closer to this event. Adjudications Substitute Note: As usual, students participating in Adjudications will substitute one private lesson for this event. Instead of having your private lesson here at the studio, I will attend your adjudication (which is far more beneficial use of the lesson time for you). This allows me to observe your adjudication and how the adjudicator is working with you, as well as follow through on what has been taught and discussed. These substitute dates will be in the latter half of May. Exact details to come as we get closer to that time. * Some have asked in the past if they could use their substitute whenever they want, or put it toward a lesson they missed in the past. Good question... I would have asked it myself. Unfortunately that option is not available. The administrative preparation for adjudications (and then attending all of them) requires far more hours from me than giving each student their regular lesson. Using the substitutes in one "lump sum" helps me recover a portion of the extra time I've put into the event. Thank you for understanding. The date of the substitute will be announced as we get closer to adjudications. Please see your "Rates & Policies" form for info regarding "lesson substitutions for events." If you have ANY questions, don't hesitate to ask! Your substitutes will take place as follows: - All Tue students who were in adjudications will not have a lesson on Tue, Mar 25 - All Wed students… Wed, Apr 9 - All Thur students… Thur, Apr 24 - All Fri students… Fri, Apr 25 PARENTS & STUDENTS: READ THESE DETAILS BEFORE ADJUDICATIONS: (CHURCH) - This is not a "recital," so no need to bring lots of family and friends. However, if a few family members (especially parents/grandparents) want to come, they are welcome to. - Please arrive 20 minutes before your scheduled time. Do not walk into the auditorium if the student is performing for the professor (and the professor is sitting in his/her seat). If the prof is at the piano working with the student, feel free to walk in and be seated. - When it's your turn, have your music opened to your pieces for the adjudicator. If both pieces are in the same book, have a paperclip or stickynote on the 2nd piece so the adjudicator can find it easily. - Give the adjudicator a very friendly greeting! :) - Bow before you play (since this is in an auditorium). - If the adjudicator asks if you'd like to "warm up" or "play a quick scale to get a feel for the piano," know in advance what you'd like to do. Don't get caught by surprise. :) Have a scale and cadence already picked out. (Do not play the first two lines of your piece.) - Wait to play until the adjudicator tells you to play. (He/she might be busy looking over your music first.) - If we clap after your piece, no need to stand up and bow. Simply look at the adjudicator, smile nice and big, and nod your head in appreciation. - Wait to play your second piece until the adjudicator tells you to play. (He/she might be busy taking notes first.) - Check our "competition tips" page to help you prepare for adjudication. - Students participating in this event may take off 1 day of practice that week. :) PARENTS & STUDENTS: READ THESE DETAILS BEFORE ADJUDICATIONS: (HOME STUDIO) - This is not a "recital," so no need to bring lots of family and friends. (You know how much seating is available here in the studio. :) - Please do not arrive more than 10 minutes before your scheduled time, otherwise vehicles will get out of order (and doing a 180 in the loop w). Come in 1 minute before your turn and wait in the entry, just like we do for lessons. Shoes off, please. - You are welcome to record your adjudication (unless I tell you otherwise when you get here). - When it's your turn, have your music opened to your pieces for the adjudicator. If both pieces are in the same book, have a paperclip or stickynote on the 2nd piece so the adjudicator can find it easily. - Give the adjudicator a very friendly greeting! :) - No need to bow since this is in a small space and you already greeted the adjudicator. - If the adjudicator asks if you'd like to "warm up" or "play a quick scale to get a feel for the piano," know in advance what you'd like to do. Don't get caught by surprise. :) Have a scale and cadence already picked out. (Do not play the first two lines of your piece.) - Wait to play until the adjudicator tells you to play. (He/she might be busy looking over your music first.) - If we clap after your piece, no need to stand up and bow. Simply look at the adjudicator, smile nice and big, and nod your head in appreciation. - Wait to play your second piece until the adjudicator tells you to play. (He/she might be busy taking notes first.) And again, no need to bow. Just smile and nod your head or say "Thank you," etc. - Check our "competition tips" page to help you prepare for adjudication. - Students participating in this event may take off the rest of their practice that week. :) STATE RECITALIST COMPETITION (Mar 24) If you are upper intermediate to advanced and participated in this year's adjudications (both pieces successfully played from memory), you may be eligible to participate in this competition. The winner of this event has the honor of representing the Gig Harbor Music Teachers Association in the State Honors Recital (Whitman College in Walla Walla, June 21-24, 2016). See WSMTA-GH website for complete details. REGISTRATION DEADLINE (with Chris: March 4) JUDGE: Dr. Jeanine Jacobson COST: $10 per student (include with your March payment) SPRING CONCERT (Apr 8) Mark your calendars! Our studio’s recital is scheduled for Friday, April 8, 7pm. As you know, all students are expected to participate (unless permission is given otherwise). Friends and family welcome! We’ll have a dessert finger-food reception afterwards. Please bring a food contribution (enough to cover your family and a few guests) if you are able. Thank you! * Students participating in the recital who are also participating in the April 16 ACM Competition may take off ONE day of practice after the recital! Students who are not competing on April 16 may take off the rest of the week until their next lesson! Enjoy the rest! WHERE: Discovery Baptist Church WHEN: Friday, Apr 8, 7:00pm ATTIRE: “Sunday best” INVITATION: Click here to download and print personal invitations. *** RECITAL ETIQUETTE: *** Parents, please remind your children of proper recital etiquette so that our listeners can fully enjoy each piece. Good etiquette includes: absolutely no whispering (the pianist can often hear it and we wouldn't want to throw them off!), no walking in or out when someone is playing (always enter/exit between pieces), use the restroom before the recital, etc. Thank you also for utilizing the cry room or foyer if your young child is making any noise. We don't want to distract the performing student who has worked so hard to prepare their piece, and we don't want to distract others who are trying to listen and enjoy the recital. Thank you! * NOTE: As soon as our recital finishes, I have to completely reset the auditorium for a girls conference at 8:00 the next morning! If any of the men are free to help me reset the auditorium, don't hesitate to roll up your sleeves and go at it with me. :) Thank you! (Go to www.BeautifulForGod.com to see the conference Ruth is co-directing. Girls and moms are welcome to attend this inspiring event!) ACM COMPETITION (Apr 16) The Alliance of Christian Musicians is hosting a piano competition in Tacoma for students 6th-12th grade (prizes up to $400), and we have 20 students heading off to this event. Best wishes to each of you!
Click here to download the complete information brochure. Family and guests are welcome to attend this outstanding set of performances. This is actually a "competition recital," meaning that it is just as much a public performance as it is a competition.
* Students: Be aware that this competition welcomes you to play your repeats! Go ahead and include them unless you totally haven't learned them, or we decided in your lessons NOT to do them. Let me know if you have questions.
* Students participating in this competition may take a break from their practice after this event until their next lesson! Enjoy the rest! WHERE: Faith Presbyterian Church, Tacoma
WHEN: Sat, Apr 16, 10:00 am
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: March 1
ATTIRE: “Sunday best”
BRING: Your music for the judges. (No photocopies. Make sure your name and teacher name is not on the music. Make sure your measures are numbered.) Congrats to last year's winners: Anna Hastings (Senior division, 2nd place) and Bonnie Hastings (Junior division, 2nd place). (And also to Hannah Matsuda [Senior, 1st place] and Spencer Gross [Junior, 1st place] who were not in our studio last year... but have since joined our studio.) This friendly competition for serious students, ages 11-19 (on June 1, 2015), is hosted by our own Gig Harbor Music Teachers Association. Click here for the complete competition details. WHERE: Discovery Baptist Church WHEN: Sat, Apr 25, 2015 (exact times to be announced for each division a few weeks prior to the event) COST: non-refundable $5-10 per student REGISTRATION DEADLINE w/Chris: Fri, Mar 20 ATTIRE: “Sunday best” BRING: Your music for the judges. (No photocopies. Make sure your name and teacher name is not on the music. Make sure your measures are numbered.)  Sgt. Gabriel De Roo, who gave his life in Iraq 6 years ago. Click here for various tributes: 1, 2, 3, (CLick image to read.) SUMMER SCHEDULE (June 2 - Aug 29) We are looking forward to an exciting, refreshing and fun summer! Please take note of the following details... - Starting June 2, the practice requirement drops to 30 min/day for 3 days/wk for all scholarship students! - "Vacation Weeks" (READ CAREFULLY!): As in the past, families may take off any TWO weeks during the summer without having to pay or reschedule! Simply deduct 25% per "vacation week" from your payment the month that you take the "vacation week." (Again, maximum of TWO deductions per summer. You can cancel additional lessons, but there are no refunds/deductions. "Lesson Openings" emails will go out more frequently during the summer due to all the cancellations. All missed summer lessons must be made up before Labor Day or they will be "let go." As always, we start the new school year with a "clean slate.") - As much as possible, please notify me of your "vacation weeks" by the 25th of the month prior to when you take them. Minimum 48-hour notice required for "vacation weeks." (Sorry, "vacation weeks" cannot be used at any point during the school year.) - Recitals: We will have two fun, optional (yet highly encouraged) recitals. See events below. - Right around the first week of August we will begin preparing for the Fall Music Olympics. This one-month head start on the "school year" will give all students a great boost! - Our studio is running at 100% capacity. There are no openings for the upcoming school year. Note also that the schedule we have during the summer does NOT change when the school year starts. If you know you need a different spot for the coming school year, NOW is the time to get in line for it! PIANO EXTRAVAGANZA (DUET RECITAL) - Mon, June 13 BRING ANY DUET MUSIC YOU HAVE TO YOUR LESSON RIGHT AFTER THE SPRING RECITAL. Past multi-piano concerts have been a blast--this is going to be no exception! There is a whole boat load of entertaining duet/trio/quartet piano music coming your way! Remember: As necessary, I will use a max of one or two of your private lessons as a "group lesson" so you can practice with your duet partners. (If needed, review "Rates & Policies" form for details on "group lessons.") This is a COsTuMe PaRtY for those who would like to dress up to match their piece! We will again be making it a contest! DQ giftcards will be awarded for the best-dressed teams. Students may change the name of their piece to help find a doable costume, but the new name MUST match the piece well. Name changes must be emailed to Chris by Monday, June 6. This concert is becoming more popular, and the thoughtful/witty things you've done in the past have always always been great! Don't feel like you have to go shopping for an outfit, but do put your heart into this! Those who are a little less inclined to come in looking like a mosquito or river to match their piece... just wear something bright and fun! Contact your duet partner to brainstorm. (Note: Students will be allowed to step out briefly to change costumes between pieces. Do not to distract the current performers by talking in the foyer though.) PRACTICE GUIDELINES - If you're sharing music on the grand piano, pick whose music you'll use. If needed, copy your music markings into the other person's music in advance (or arrive a few minutes early). - Figure out as best you can in advance who will turn the pages (if applicable). Remember that if you're on a keyboard, you'll need to turn ALL of your own pages. Keyboard music racks are generally small, so you may not be able to to lay out 5 individual copies. Have them in a binder (or the original book) if necessary. - Be sure you practice with the metronome and can play your entire piece with it (counting out loud)! The metronome IS your practice "duet partner" at home! - Sit in the correct position on the bench. (If you're playing the lower part, always sit toward the left -- not in the middle -- when you're practicing by yourself.) - Pieces do NOT have to be memorized. Use your music if you'd like to and have a good time! - Figure out what order you're going to walk up in, who's going to carry the music, timing of the bow (who will lead it), what order you'll exit, etc. - Quartets using 3 pianos: When you get to the recital, each team can figure out for themselves who will use which keyboards. (I should already have told you who will play on the grand piano.) Bow before you put your music on the piano, and then at the end bow before you pick up your music. RECITAL NIGHT REHEARSALS - The quartets may rehearse ONE time straight through their pieces between 5:50-6:15 (first-come, first-served). - All other duets and trios can arrive at 6:15 (please do not come in before 6:10) to "get a 30-second quick feel" for the digital pianos, but there is NOT time for any full-piece "rehearsals." Simply line up at the front-left of the auditorium and wait your turn. - Order of Program will be emailed out in advance. All students will sit on the right side of the auditorium (opposite the piano), but will NOT be seated in order (since that's not possible with all the mixed-up groups). Sit with your "group" as best you can. Outdoor ice cream social afterwards (weather permitting). Bring your favorite flavor! If your family has 3 or less children in the family, please bring ONE standard size container of your favorite ice-cream. Families with MORE than 3 children, please bring TWO containers. This should cover us and our guests. There should be someone collecting ice cream in the foyer. Please do not go into the kitchen/office area. LIVE STREAM: If available (no promises), go to www.DiscoveryBaptist.org and click on the "LIVESTREAM" button a few minutes before 7pm to watch the recital LIVE online! WHERE: Discovery Baptist Church WHEN: Mon, June 13, 7pm ATTIRE: Costume or bright/fun clothes BRING: Ice cream. Music. Camera. Ice cream. Costume. Ice cream. INVITATIONS: Click here INSPIRATIONAL RECITAL (Tue, Aug 6) This is going to be one our best recitals ever, as every participating student will be writing their own piece! YES, this is your chance to be eXTrA CrEaTiVe! Students get to build a simple powerpoint presentation for this recital. Be creative and design something that best represents your piece. You can use pictures/backgrounds, and/or write words for your piece, or write a paragraph telling what your piece is about, etc. Max of 5 slides. (Please reduce picture file sizes to less than 1 MB! No HUMONGOUS photos!) Note: If you are studying improvisation this summer and do not have a copy of the "Pattern Play, Vol 1 or 2," you will need to order it (approx. $20). This course is recommended for age 13 and up intermediate level students. Questions about the improv course? Not sure if this is for you? Just ask! I have emailed the powerpoint template for you to use. You MUST use this template, otherwise your presentation will not fit the big screen at the church. If you do not have the PowerPoint program on your computer, or are not familiar with using it, no problem. We’ll quickly build one for you here in the studio during your lesson. Let me know at your next lesson if we need to build one here for you. All presentations must be emailed to me by your lesson during the week of July 29 through Aug 2. Please know that this is not a “do the best you can” deadline. I REALLY NEED YOUR PPTs BY YOUR LESSON so I can combine all the PPT’s into one single show... and TIME IT with your piece here in the studio. If you are not able to submit your PPT in time, we will build a simple one without photos during your lesson. (I’d much rather be working on your music than your powerpoint though! :) If you cancelled your July 29-Aug 2 lesson, please bring your presentation the week before... or we’ll quickly build one for you in your lesson at that time. LIVE STREAM: If available (no promises), click here or go to www.DiscoveryBaptist.org and click on the "LIVESTREAM" button a few minutes before 7pm to watch the recital LIVE online! WHERE: Discovery Baptist Church WHEN: Tuesday, Aug 6, 7:00pm ATTIRE: Fun/Nice Casual BRING: Finger-food desserts INVITATION: Click here (for printing and passing out in person) *** RECITAL ETIQUETTE: ***
Parents, please remind your children of proper recital etiquette so that our listeners can fully enjoy each piece. Good etiquette includes: absolutely no whispering (the pianist can often hear it and we wouldn't want to throw them off!), no walking in or out when someone is playing (always enter/exit between pieces), use the restroom before the recital, etc. Thank you also for utilizing the cry room or foyer if your young child is making any noise. We don't want to distract the performing student who has worked so hard to prepare their piece, and we don't want to distract others who are trying to listen and enjoy the recital. Thank you! |
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