Ground Hog day on Sunday- will that groundhog bring us some snow?
It seems that right now – no snow – I am sad – I love some snow, not tons but enough to be pretty! Let’s see what the old ground hog says on Sunday!
The Spring semester has started well and all students seem to be making excellent progress. I have a few spare times (high schoolers have to quit sometimes to concentrate on sport and/or academics) but I am not anxious to take more students. I have enough!
I love getting parent feedback so please email me any thoughts you might have about student progress or direction.
And thank you to all who have asked me are my Australian relatives OK in the terrible fires and heat. My daughter and family live in Fremantle on the West Coast where there have been fires and 41 degree temperatures but generally things are not as serious as on the East Coast. It is scary to be glad they live 5 minutes from the ocean when you think of towns in Victoria where people have had to leave their homes and take refuge on the beach and in the sea. The devastation of our precious animals, indigenous only to Australia, is heart breaking. An artist known as Edward made a huge sand picture of a koala on the beach at Barwon Victoria in honour of the death of so many koalas:
I have some important dates for everyone:
DMTA Adult Student Recital will be held at Croasdaile Village Chapel on Saturday March 28 at 3 pm with a reception to follow. I encourage all adult to students to consider playing at the recital. Last year there were all levels from beginner to more advances. Please talk to me about playing.
The next DMTA Playathon will be held on Saturday April 25 at Brightleaf Square and my time slot is from 2:30 – 3 pm. This would be a great way to work on your Spring Soiree piece, by playing in the playathon. The playathon raises monwy to pay for student scholarships and I have been very fortunate to receive several student scholarships in 2019 and 2020. The playathon last December raised $1,722! Please consider putting your name down for April 25.
The Spring Soiree will be Sunday June 7 from 3-4:30 pm at Croasdaile Village Auditorium.
Every year the DMTA holds a festival and I have more information about it – it will be on Saturday May 16. Students prepare a piece and play it for invited specialist in their area and receive feedback. They can also be rewarded for excellence with certificates from the DMTA. It would be another goal to add to the ones above for a student wanting to hear more about their piano playing. Sadly nothing for other instruments.
Finally something for younger musicians at Duke. I really love Peter and the Wolf and hope some students might be able to go:
Duke University String School Faculty Recital
Saturday, February 1
4 pm — Nelson Music Room, East Duke Building
DUSS faculty perform Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, with narration by David Ballantyne, WCPE Classical Station’s “Rise and Shine” presenter and producer.Free admission but donations accepted to benefit the Dorothy Kitchen Scholarship Fund.
The Scholarship Fund, named for Director Emerita Dorothy Kitchen, helps families in the community who would not be able to participate in the Duke University String School otherwise. 100% of funds donated go directly to families in need.
