Spring Break

Hello, hello, hello!  Spring is in the air and we are all ready for a break!

Just a reminder that there are no lessons scheduled for spring break, unless you need a make-up lesson.  I know Lexi DeGraw and Aliyah Staker need a make-up.  Anyone else?  Please call or message me to set something up.

Also, if you are a Monday student guy and have a Monday holiday or professional day coming up and you know we're going to miss, you are welcome to schedule a makeup as well.

Reminders of upcoming events (Schedule is detailed on the blog as well):

May 2nd is our Classics/Something Fun Recital. 

Everybody is sounding really good.  I know that a couple of students are still waiting to get started.  No worries.  We're going to be great! 

This year, in the interest of time, I'm not going to have everybody do an oral classical composer report.  What I would like to do instead is have everybody do up a poster of their composer with some pictures and some interesting details and facts about the composer.  We will display the posters around the room during refreshment time and have a chance to learn a little bit about those composers.  Mostly I care that the students learn something about their composer and if possible, something about the song they are playing.  It becomes far more meaningful to them when they learn about these composers and the songs they are playing.

Students who have perfected their classics song get to choose a totally just for fun song to play at the recital as well.  Some students will only play one song and that's totally OK.  Others will play more than one.  It's up to them!

May 5th Retirement Home Performance

Our last performance was so wonderful for the kids and the residents. I heard from so many students that they want to do it again!  My family has been going for a couple of months and we plan to make it a regular monthly thing.  So, we would like to invite you to join us on May 5th at 4:30 if you would like to participate.  No pressure.  Anybody is welcome to come and play whatever.  If you'd like to get in on the act as parents, feel free!  You can sing, play your ukulele Tomi, do a jig, whatever.  The residents LOVE LOVE LOVE the interaction and it's such a great opportunity to serve.

May 9th is our End of the Year Carnival

Remind your students to practice hard and get those tickets so they can play lots of fun games at the carnival!

Housekeeping Stuff

Lots of students aren't recording their practice time in their notebooks.  I am so eager to have kids get their practice goals, that they now earn one knock-my-socks-off token every time they get their practice goal, plus they get a ticket for every day they have practiced, plus they get a five ticket bonus if they get their goal.  The best way to earn lots of tickets is to practice, and record that practice time!  Please encourage them to do so. :)

Next Year Lessons

If I don't have your student on the schedule for next year yet, please contact me to choose a lesson time.

Summer Lessons

It's time to start thinking about summer lessons.  I will be available to teach during the summer.  I leave it up to you to do lessons or not during the summer.  I encourage you to schedule four throughout the summer so we don't lose too much ground, but it's up to you.

I am also planning a couple of bootcamps for the summer.  I would love to work intensively on some notes and rhythms this summer with some of those more beginner guys and I would love to work on some more advanced theory stuff, musical time periods and composers, and some other stuff we don't have time to get to during the school year with the more advanced students.  I will let you know when I schedule those and you can sign up for them if you would like.  They will just be the regular lesson price and we will go for an hour.

Thanks!
Kelli