HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011 LESSONS RESUME January 3rd!

Looking back over 2010, I marvel at what our little studio was able to accomplish! 4 celebrations last year....Sweets, Patriotic, All dressed up and Christmas is for sharing....This doesn't include the hours of service rendered by each student performing their songs at the VA hospital, churches, schools, creche festivals, community and family programs....Kudo's to all my students....A lot of work, but look what we've been able to accomplish in 2010! PARENTS... I would like my students to have their journal entry's ready for me to read at the first lesson of the new year....If you do not understand what I mean by this, please refer to your last piano explorer magazine...It gives the instructions for this assignment...Your child will receive 25 crystals when completing this....
The studio will reopen on January 3rd....This is going to be a hectic semester for me...PLEASE BE PATIENT! Two of my daughters will be having babies in February and March...Jayni has 3 little ones that will need to be cared for when her new one arrives sometime in February...Suzanne and Nikalle will be here to pinch hit if needed...Annie is due March 7th which is Andrew's birthday! Speaking of Andrew, he arrives home March 23rd in time for our Argentinian Celebration of Song April 1st...I have the piano gallery reserved from 6-8pm...All students except for 1st year will perform their Spanish piece this night...I AM SO PROUD OF ANDREW....I hope to have a special celebration afterwards, with the piano gallery decorated in the colors of Argentina, which are Light blue, white and gold....This will be a fun surprise for Andrew or Elder Larsen....The children are very excited to see him again...Be thinking of how I can make this even more incredible!

Now for the dates of Group Lessons: JANUARY GROUP LESSONS: January 18th-19th...LESSONS WILL NOT BE HELD ON MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY...MAKEUP FOR MONDAY GROUP LESSONS WILL BE FRIDAY, JANUARY 28th...NO LESSONS JANUARY 24th-27th....
FEBRUARY GROUP LESSONS: February 14th-16th.... NO LESSONS ON PRESIDENT DAY FEBRUARY 21st...MAKEUP LESSONS WILL BE ON FRIDAY FEBRUARY 25th, same lesson times as on Monday!
MARCH GROUP LESSON: March 14th-17th....NO LESSONS MARCH 21st-24th....ANDREW COMES HOME!!!!
APRIL GROUP LESSON: April 4th-6th...(SPRING BREAK)...NO LESSONS WEEK OF APRIL 11th-14th....MAY GROUP LESSON: May 23rd-26th... NO LESSONS ON MAY 30th! MAKEUP LESSONS WILL BE ON JUNE 3rd....SORRY FOR ALL THE MONDAY HOLIDAYS...SPRING SEMESTER IS A KILLER FOR MONDAY PIANO STUDENTS...
The semester will end on June 3rd! The SPORT celebration will be held on June 4th 2-6PM at the Piano Gallery...
Even with the 3 weeks I plan to take off, I still will be teaching 4 weeks a month by June 3rd including the celebrations!
LIKE I SAID THIS SEMESTER WILL BE TRICKY...

I will also be giving 1 private lesson for each child in group this semester...Wednesday mornings @ 7:00AM and 7:30AM...The Sign up roster will be ready the first week of lessons....

IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS CRAZY SCHEDULE...PLEASE EMAIL ME....

GROUP LESSONS December 6-9/December 13th, Final week of lessons for year....January Lessons begin the week of January 3rd...same dates and times....

Just a reminder,
Group lessons will be the week after the celebration...No private lessons will be given except for those on Wednesday morning for the group lesson pupils...We will be going over piano repertoire including Christmas songs, learning about famous composer Johannes Brahms, playing games and of course shopping at the piano store...Don't forget to BRING YOUR CRYSTALS!

GROUP LESSON TIMES: Monday Dec 6th, 4th Year 4-5:30 and Teen 5:30-7:00
Tuesday Dec 7th, 2nd Year 4-5:30 Wednesday Dec. 8th, 1st Year 3:00-4:30 and 3rd Year 5:30-7:00

DECEMBER 4th CELEBRATION...Christmas is for Sharing!

JUST A NOTE,
The upcoming Christmas is for Sharing celebration at the Piano Gallery will be on December 4th.
THE TIMES ARE AS FOLLOWS. IF YOU CANNOT MAKE THE TIME, LET ME KNOW ASAP!
1st year 1:00-2:15 Gracie and Gracious
2nd year, 4th year 2:30-3:30
3rd year, teens 3:45-4:45
I think this should give us plenty of time in between groups. Please bring 1 dozen goodies to share to the celebration and arrive 10 minutes early...
Let me know if any family members want to play the duet portion with their child so I can put names on the program correctly..

OCTOBER CELEBRATION: ALL DRESSED UP! October 30th 10:30AM-2:30PM

All dressed up and ready to play at the annual October piano celebration on October 30th, 10:30am-2:30pm. The first celebration will begin at 10:30-11:30, the 2nd 12:00-1:00 and the 3rd from 1:30-2:30. If you have a specific time that you need to have let me know ASAP since I will be making the programs shortly. Please help your child prepare a costume for this event, and bring 1 dozen goodies to go along with their piece to share afterwards..Remember this does not involve the first year piano students. I would like all piano pieces memorized unless it is too stressful for the child. Help your child feel successful at memory work by being supportive. Say things like it's incredible to play the piano without any music and I know you can do it!
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP and support on this.

WHY TEACH CHILDREN IN GROUP LESSONS?

1. Students look forward coming and being with their friends (other students).
2. Ensemble playing fun, great for training independence of rhythm.
3. Students have more opportunity to perform in front of others by playing for fellow classmates.
4. Students practice more to keep up with the class.

PIANO THOUGHTS...

Give your child something that doesn't break, doesn't get old or they cant lose, GIVE THEM MUSIC LESSONS!
When all the toys are put away, MUSIC LESSONS are there to stay!

IT'S NEVER TO EARLY TO START MUSIC EDUCATION....

OR NEVER TOO LATE... Music Last a lifetime and beyond...

HAVE AN IPOD TOUCH?

While working on my teaching projects here in Oklahoma, I've discovered some fun applications for piano education that you might want to download on your ipod touch.
1. Blue Note (.99) Flashes notes in Treble, Bass and Keyboard. Up to 4 levels. Symbol flashes up to 5 levels with helps.
2. Karajan (Free) Ear training. Intervals, Chords, Scales, Pitch, Tempo and Key Signature. Can ascend or descend.
3. Quiz LPO or Classical music Quiz (Free) London Philharmonic Orchestra plays name that tune! FUN!
4. Virtuoso Piano Pro (Free) or Grand Pro (.99) Records melody you play on keyboard that be displayed into 4 octaves. Also has a nice sounding metronome.
5. Nota ($4.99) Play notes, chords, and scales on keyboard while displaying on staff. A reference library of music terms. Will quiz on musical concepts.
Also for the little ones, interactive songs to keep them busy at Doctor's office. Wheels On The Bus and Eency Weency Spider.

PATRIOTIC CELEBRATION (NEW TIMES) TUESDAY, June 8th, 2010/Piano Gallery 2nd-3rd year: 2-3pm, 1st year: 3:30-4:30pm, and 4th-Teen: 5-6pm.

If you cannot make it to the above times, please let me know ASAP! This is going to be an exciting program on both acoustic and digital pianos.

A 50th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION! Saturday, May 1, 1-3pm.

Yes, Ms. Susan turns 50 on April 26th, so to celebrate living half a century or five decades (OUCH!) I will be throwing a carnival for all my students old and new on Saturday, May 1st from 1-3pm. Pass the word along to any older students that do not take piano anymore, because they are still my kids! PLEASE NO PRESENTS, just bring a fun spirit. Mark this on your calendar and I hope to see you all! By the way look around my house and you will see 50 hyacinths coming up. Hyacinths are my favorite spring bulb, so in commemoration of my 50th, I planted 50 around my house. Don't pick them, but be sure to smell them, their wonderful! I also am planting a Susan Magnolia! That's right, I will be planting that in the back of my house.

A WET and WILD SUMMER! Group Piano Lessons!

Get ready for a summer full of wet and wild musical adventures with my newly revised piano camps. Piano students loose a lot of technical skills through the summer if they do not have some sort of organized lessons. I will be conducting a fun series of piano camps that will help them maintain those skills. The teaching will be done in group lessons on the following dates: June 29th/30th, July 6th/7th, 12th/21st, 27th/28th and August 3rd/4th, with a swim and performance party being held on the 9th of August from 10-2PM. (Fall Piano Instruction will begin the week of August 30th).
Summer Group Times: Summer Piano Schedule is as follows:

Tuesday
10:00-10:30 Alexa Folkman
10:30-11 Tyler Funk
10-11 Ciera and Levi
11-12 Luke and Elizabeth
1-2 2nd Year Landen, Lauren, Andrew, Alaina, Makai, Kali
2-3 Davis’
3-4:30 Schaffer’s
4:30-5:30 Zundel's



Wednesday
1st year 9-10 Jace, Taylor, Parker, Rylie, Olivia, Amelia, Chloe,
3rd year 10-11 Howe’s, Ammon, Bailey, Jonah, Todd, Nate
12-1 Zentz
1-2 pre-piano
Jackie, Stockton, Schaffer’s, Chammelia, Simmons, Brinlee, Mary Angelene
2-3 Green’s

SPRING BREAK 2010 - March 18-24th

JUST A NOTE... No lessons will be conducted the week of March 18-24th. I will be taking a break during this week. I will resume lessons on Thursday March 25th, and then ensemble Friday will be on March 26th.

March Ensemble Friday/Composer of the Month: Johann Strauss Jr.-KING OF THE WALTZ

Students look to the right of this post and you will find an autobiography of Strauss, plus youtube links of Strauss' works. Also Ensemble Friday will be on the 26th of this month. Have your ensembles ready to play!