May 2014 be full of many blessings and joy for all of you!

This year is the five year anniversary of the official start date for Flourishing Muse and thank you, all my students and parents, for five amazing years. There are so many wonderful things about owning your own business and, for me, working from my lovely home with all its comforts!

I have put up some video and audio clips from the Fall Soiree so please go and listen and watch. There are six so don’t miss Janelle, as she is the first one I put up and so is at the bottom of the list for soirees. One reason to put up these videos and audio files is so students can listen and watch and think about how they might change or improve their performance. In addition you can send my blog link to relatives who might not be able to come to Durham. Next time I will try to do more recording.

I think the schedule is now firm – please go to the schedule page on my blog and double check your time. Monday students, we start this coming Monday 1/6/14! There are a couple of new students. You will notice I am trying to keep Tuesday Wednesday and Friday mornings free to do my own creative work as well as to go to appointments. I am not teaching after 7 at night unless for some special reason that needs to happen. This is Carol’s home too and after 7 we both need to get dinner and relax.

The Spring semester is a long one, something like 22 weeks. I will be taking a break in the middle from 4/9/ to 4/24 to go and see my new grandchild who will, I pray, be safely birthed 2/11/14. Most students will have 18 weeks of music lessons. The Spring Soiree will be June 8, at the usual place and time, thanks to the wonderful community at Croasdaile. Please put this date in your calendar now.

Fees reminder: 1/2 hour lessons are $28 and hour lessons are $56 unless you are sitting for level 5 exams or higher, in which case the fees are $30 and $60 respectively. Families with more than one learning still have their 10% discount. Please pay on the first lesson of the month and you can tell from your weekly emails whether there are 4 or 5 says in your month. Thank you so much!

This semester I want to focus on sight reading and composition. I would love to have more original songs and compositions at the June soiree! The best way to learn sight reading in the lesson time is to play duets with me (ask Ashley!) so that will on our agenda.

On some Sundays and during the summer I will be running some Ukulele and Guitar workshops/camps in partnership with High Strung and my friend, Lori Baron. More details will be forthcoming!

Citizenship News!! I have my appointment date, January 28 at 8:15 am, and I have to not be late of course but also arrive “properly attired” (not specifically specified but I guess I can manage to look presentable!). I understand at this meeting I am interviewed and given two tests, History and English. I am studying now. Later I think there is a ceremony, and somewhere I get my American passport, but these details will be announced at my interview. Please send me good thoughts so nothing goes wrong!

Thank you as always for learning music with Flourishing Muse!