I am taking a vacation! It is a long semester and I decided I need a break and maybe the students do too. Let’s all come back refreshed!
This is what is happening:
Monday 4/2 – teaching normal lessons
Tuesday 4/3 – teaching normal lessons
Wednesday 4/4 through Tuesday 4/10 – Vacation!
Wednesday 4/11 – normal lessons resume.
I realize this time cuts across the Spring Breaks of various school systems so if you are going to be away 4/2, 4/3, 4/11, 4/12, 4/13 let me know so I can reschedule other students.
Provided you are going to be coming to all lessons except during Flourishing Muse’ Vacation, this is the fee schedule:
Monday students have 4 lessons in April.
Tuesday through Friday students have 3 lessons in April.
If you need me to send an invoice let me know.
I’m also open to anyone who wants an extra/makeup lesson on 4/11, or 4/12 during the day, seeing some students are on holidays then.
A word on practicing: It’s that time of year when we are all crazy busy and it is also gorgeous outside and we want to be out there playing, so this is what I think might help. If your aim is to do 1/2 hour or an hour of practice and you simply run out of time, don’t beat up on yourself, but sit down and do 5 minutes. Of course the 5 minutes needs to be on your main practice items like your pieces, your scales, or your exercises, not just fooling around, fun and wonderful though that may be. Save the improvising for when you can sit down for a longer session. It amazes me how much I can accomplish in a focused 5 minutes!
Parents, I know you are paying for these music lessons and you want to see practice happening. I know it’s not in some instances. It is my job to motivate students to practice and sometimes it works and sometimes students go through a sort of plateau where they don’t do a lot and then suddenly they will be practicing. I am trying to think what advice I would give but there is probably no generic advice that would work for everyone. I do think encouragement is good and in spite of what Dr Spock says about child rearing, some judicious bribery works wonders (not every week – some delayed gratification also works!). Letting your student know you are interested in what they are playing is the best motivator.
Practicing over the Spring Break – well, I will be – what a luxury to sit down and play whatever I want for few hours! But sometimes it is good to just put the books away and either stop for a few days or spend the time improvising or playing whatever you feel like playing, then come back ready to power through April and May and shine at the Spring Soiree, June 3.
Thank you all again for learning music with Flourishing Muse!
