Examination Results:
I would like to congratulate Kavisha Saram on achieving First Class Honors in her level 4 RCM Piano Examination. She opted to take an online examination early so she could concentrate on her end of semester school work. Level 4 is challenging as all the RCM exams are but especially so online. Kavisha has done an amazing job considering the demands of her high school classes. (The Royal Conservatory of Music is based in Toronto in Canada but has a US connection. I have been submitting students for RCM examinations since 2012).
End of Spring Semester:
We have one more month of lessons before I leave for the UK to visit my youngest daughter and her husband, and my grandson. The last day of Spring lessons will be Thursday May 26. I will be teaching during the summer so please let me know if you are interested in summer lessons during the times I have available.
Summer lessons:
Summer lessons will be available from 6/27/22 to 8/19/22 which will be 8 weeks in total. I will be away at the beach the last week in August – lucky me! I can be flexible about times and days but would still like to keep Fridays free for my own projects.
Fall semester will commence Tuesday 9/6/22 after labor day and will go until 12/17. Fall is a short semester only 1/2 as long at Spring.
Holiday Recital:
Some very exciting news! I have a possible venue for an in person Holiday Recital. I have really missed the soirees I used to have at Croasdaile Auditorium before the pandemic hit us. I really see the benefit of having these recitals and I can see there is a difference without them. Learning a musical instrument can be a bit lonely but if you can play for friends and family and see others play it really gives you a good perspective on what makes sharing music so enjoyable and important. The date will be sometime either just before or after thanksgiving so more news will be forthcoming and when it is, I hope everyone can commit to coming even if you feel you cannot play.
Ukulele Lessons:
I think I have mentioned to everyone that I am not taking new guitar or ukulele students – I do not have time to commit to practicing anything other than piano these days, but I still have my twins whom I have been teaching since they were 4 and wrote their first song “The Chicken Crossed the Road”. They have made huge advances since then and will be playing and singing at the playathon.
Practicing:
I would like to commend several students for their practicing techniques, and I am not naming people because I really hope that everyone tries to practice and uses good practicing habits. I love that one student recently asked could she warm up with her Hanon exercises before playing for me! This tells me that is how she starts her practices. Another student’s parent asked me could his son practice for a longer time. Sure, I said and I suggested this routine and I am looking forward to hearing what has been achieved:
- Exercises – dozen a day or Hanon for 5 minutes
- Your newest piece and try the hardest sections first while you are fresh, maybe 10 -15 minutes.
- Your pieces that you want to keep in your repertoire list – not every piece every day but keep a record so you don’t miss one for a long time, 10 minutes
- If you are composing music leave this till last but it is a great way to end your practice.
These times are for a student who has been learning for a year – newer students might work on shorter times. I would like to commend another student for just loving Dozen a day. I tell students if you can learn all 5 groups in Dozen a day book 1 (green), you are well on the way to good piano technique. It is an old series but still terrific! And always have a pencil ready to mark places that might need a bit of extra effort. I love having a high lighter which I have to use to remind me of things I keep missing in a piece.
May Fees:
Not due till next week but would really appreciate if everyone could pay their May fees first week in May so I can get myself ready for travel.
Thanks always for learning with Flourishing Muse Studio!
