Summer has almost arrived! For Flourishing Muse this is signaled by the Spring Soiree, June 2 at 3 pm at Croasdaile Auditorium. Students will perform for families and friends, and the Croasdaile community. Here is a link to a pdf flyer in case you can use it to advertise our Soiree to friends who might be interested
Even if you are not personally performing I do hope you will come and support your colleagues. I have thought quite a bit lately about the Soirees and other performance opportunities for students. Each opportunity has its own focus and merits. Recently four students competed in the Durham Music Teachers’ Association Festival. This was a great opportunity for these students to play for another piano teacher and received valuable feedback but it was a solo experience in a room with just the pianist and the judge. Other students have just completed piano and music theory examinations, another type of performance opportunity.
The Soiree is a much more relaxed opportunity for non-threatening performance for people who love to hear you play and who celebrate your achievements. If we make a mistake we just start again!
This year all my guitar students will play first. The guitar can be a solo instrument of course, but I teach guitar primarily as an instrument to accompany yourself singing. I also teach skills in how to read tablature as well as traditional notation, so students can carry on learning independently in whatever style they are attracted to. At the Soiree, guitarists will either play in groups or accompany themselves singing.
Pianists and vocalists will share their skills in the second half, but whatever group you are supporting I do hope you will come to both sections. You might be pleasantly surprised at the choice of repertoire!
