They certainly have – I have a garden again although lots more work needs to be done!

We have 2 more months of lessons before the summer semester begins and I will put dates below and ideas for taking lessons in summer.

The Playathon:  Students are invited to perform on Saturday April 21, from 2-2:45 pm at Northgate Mall, and we will be situated right next to the old Macy’s store front inside of course. There will be a grand piano and chairs for the ukulele players.  Singers, there will not be a microphone so you need to be ready to sing out – not shouting just good projecting.  I would like students to come for the whole 3/4 hour time unless there is something imperative that you need to attend in which case please talk to me about it.  If necessary students could go first or last.  Each student performing needs to contribute $5 to the scholarship fund and you can either give that to me and I will write the DMTA a check or you can put your $5 in the box at the playathon.  The money we raise goes towards scholarships for students who cannot afford music tuition.

Thanks so much to all the willing playathon participants so far.

Adult work-in-progress night, otherwise known as the Flourishing Muse Salon, will be held at my place on Friday May 25 from 7:30 – 9 pm.  Adults please consider performing or even just attending to support your colleagues.  We have very nice evenings with adult beverages!

The Spring Soirée:  it is now coming up very soon.  All students should be thinking about what they are going to perform.  Talks to me about it soon!  The Spring Soirée will be held on Sunday June 3 from 3-5 pm at Croasdaile auditorium as usual.  More detailed information will be given closer to the event.

Spring Semester ends on Friday June 8. I will be leaving for London shortly after this date and will return July 23.  Summer lessons will commence Monday July 30 for those who are available and want to continue.  I do encourage students to return to lessons then if they can – I am sorry I will be away so long but this is the price I pay living in America so far from my daughters, who themselves are spread out all over the globe! 

Summer Lessons:  I will be teaching a summer schedule from Monday July 30 to Friday August 24.  I will be talking to everyone about lessons times and dates.

Fall Semester 2018:  Hard to contemplate when we barely have Spring yet but I wanted to let you know that Fall Semester begins on Tuesday September 4, the day after labor day.

One last item.  For many years I have taught guitar as well as ukulele but I am gradually phasing out guitar.  I still love the guitar and I do play for myself sometimes but it is a lot of extra work preparing material for each student.  I have two guitar students, one delightful boy who will probably transition to another teacher for electric guitar tuition and a lovely high school girl who likes the same melancholy folk type songs that I do (eg Eed Sheeran!).  Ukulele I love and will continue to take ukulele students especially young ones who are fun to teach.  Ukulele is so good for little fingers and now many artists are incorporating ukulele into their lineup!

Videos: With Carol’s help, I will be putting up more videos this weekend so have a look under videos and I will be doing more videos so I keep my hand in putting them up on my blog.  I forget how to do it in between postings!  Love to see students on video and have to tell you that some of my students who are learning Yiruma’s “River” watch Ashley playing the piece to learn how to do it!

Happy Spring!