Year End Recital - Sunday April 28th 3:00

Just an update before the weekends events:

I am using next week to do some make up lessons. There are technically no lessons scheduled after the recital if you check you Calendar of Events, but it's not too long till the end of lessons before summer and I like to give everyone the chance to make up a lesson they may have missed throughout the year. If you would like to take the week off, feel free to stay home. However, if you would like to come for your regular lesson time let me know.

Please arrive no later than 2:40 on Sunday. We need time to tune and seat everyone accordingly in the pews.

If you are in the fiddle group, please arrive no later than 2:15 for a run through.

Keep singing Wishing and playing all recital pieces!

I look forward to seeing everyone on Sunday!

Thank you!

I cannot thank you all enough for the generosity and support from the wedding shower and from everything throughout the year. You have all done so much, more than expected, and I truly appreciate it.

Steve was so excited about the BBQ. We got home on Monday and he put it all together, we went out Tuesday night to get BBQing supplies, and burgers were made on Wednesday! It seemed to stop raining just in time for dinner. Thank you so much for this nice luxury we'll now have at home.

Congratulations to everyone who played at Kiwanis this week!

T-SHIRTS: Please bring your $20 on Monday for t-shirts if you haven't already purchased yours for the year end recital. 

MAKE UP LESSON WEEK: There are no lessons scheduled for the week after the recital April 29th - May 5th. However, I like to use this week to make up any lessons missed throughout the year. Please let me know if you would like to come for your regular lesson time that week to make up for any lessons missed because of sickness, school events, etc.

Keep working on the pieces for the recital, and please start learning the best you can Wishing, the Japanese song. If you do not have a copy, I have some on my stand during lessons so please take one.

Happy Easter!

Hi Everyone! I can't believe that we are already winding down to the last two months of lessons and preparing for the year end recital. Just to recap last nights group class, here are the pieces that we will be playing at the recital:

• Suzuki's Prelude & Berceuse
• Fiddle Set
• Book 4 Vivaldi A Minor, 1st Movement
• Humoresque
• Witches Dance
• Chorus (with Duet parts)
• Book 1 Minuet 3
• Allegro
• May Song
• Song of the Wind
• Lollipop Lollipop
• Twinkle Theme

Please work these pieces into your daily routine. These are expected to be "polished" for the recital. Those still on fiddle boxes and/or just starting bread and cheese on the violin are encouraged to play along with Lollipop Lollipop and Twinkle Theme.

The dress code for this recital will be black bottoms and the red Thames Valley Suzuki School t-shirts. Shirts are $20 each. If you purchased a shirt last year, please pull them out of your closets and make sure they still fit. We have some limited sizes, but ranging from XS to L Youth and S to 2XL Adult.

I have to say that it has been a successful first week of teaching out of my new home! Please keep me informed of any parking issues, but so far things seem to be working out. 

Some exciting news to announce; I have just recently been asked to join a group called Celtic Shift which consists of both my elementary and high school music teachers playing penny whistle and piano! I am so excited to have the chance to work with these two amazing musicians and to perform my love of fiddle music on a more regular basis. I will keep you all up to date on any shows we may be doing. 

All lessons remain the same through Friday to Monday of Easter weekend unless we have arranged something else. There will be no group on Monday. Only 3 group classes remain in April so I expect 100% attendance to prepare for the recital. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend. 

The Move, Kiwanis, & Schedule Changes

I just spent the afternoon moving all my teaching/music stuff and setting up my new teaching area. I am so excited for everyone to see it!

If you did not receive an official notice of change of address from me or have any questions about parking, directions, etc. please let me know. Today (Saturday) was my last day teaching on Marigold Street. Therefore, all further lessons will be at 1320 Savannah Drive Unit 64.

The next group class will be on Monday March 18th, 2013, right after March Break.

Kiwanis is right around the corner. If you signed up for Kiwanis I will hopefully be arranging a rehearsal/masterclass with accompanist Sharie St. John. I'm looking at the last two weekends of March. I realize the last weekend is Easter, but that will be the last available weekend before Kiwanis starts in April. So please stay tuned and I appreciate in advance everyone's flexibility to make rehearsals work, as I know Sharie is always very busy this time of year accompanying at multiple music festivals.

The schedule for Kiwanis normally is sent out last minute close to when the festival starts. Sometimes the schedule is sent to me, and sometimes it is sent to you. Please let me know if you receive anything from the Kiwanis festival and I will do the same for you.

Also, please keep an eye out for an e-mail from me near the end of March Break. There have been many changes made to my schedule in terms of lesson times, and if we have made a switch, I will send out an e-mail just confirming the time change. Please let me know ASAP if anything has changed on your end. You will have until the end of March Break to make an further lesson changes. 

I hope you all have a nice March Break and have time to enjoy some this Spring like weather we are having.

Amy

Growlin'

In light of my recent move and not having internet except for at my mom's for almost two weeks now, I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates and to say thank you for everyone's patience and for the wonderful contributions at the silent auction last weekend! I was so pleased with everyone's efforts and was blown away by the performances! I think we need to make this an annual tradition just for the chance to experience what it is like playing in a duet/trio ensemble. Congratulations to everyone for working so hard to make the recital a success.

Just a couple updates while I'm at it:

• Next group class is Monday February 25th
• Year End Recital is Sunday April 28th at 3:00. I know this seems like a ways away but we only have a few group classes left to rehearse before this recital. So I expect everyone to be at the last few group classes of this year so that everyone is prepared for the year end.
• Although it is not a requirement, everyone from my studio is welcome to perform at my mom's annual piano recital on Sunday June 2nd. Please let me know if you are interested. Also, be aware that the Saturday before on June 1st is the pool party at Sharon's. 

This post is titled Growlin' for those wishing to learn the fiddle tune Growlin' Old Man & Old Woman. I have recorded it first slow so as to learn it by ear and then up to speed. Enjoy!

A New Year Update

Hi Everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday, a Happy New Year and some time to relax. As we head into the new year I have a few announcements to make:

1. The first group class is on Monday January 7th, and lessons start that week as well. 

2. The third parent education meeting will be held during group class on January 14th. Please be there to refine your knowledge of the Suzuki method.

3. I am moving in February! My new address will be 1320 Savannah Drive Unit 64, which is in the condominium complex off of Sunningdale Road past Mother Teresa Highschool. I am so excited about this move as my fiance and I purchased this place with all of you in mind. I will have a much bigger teaching area which will also allow me to start running Suzuki ECE classes and a space for group play-ins/masterclasses and rehearsals. I will keep everyone updated as to when the switch in teaching locations will take place. My schedule will be opening up with the move, so if you are not happy with the lesson time you currently have, I will be excepting requests for lesson time changes. Let me know.

4. The next recital is on Sunday February 10th. This is our Silent Auction. If you have anything that could be donated please let me know.

5. For those in the fiddle group; please keep playing your fiddle tunes everyday! The next few weeks of rehearsals are going to go by really quick and before we know it the show will be here. Please refer to your rehearsal schedule regularly as 100% attendance is required and there are no exceptions. So rehearse, be prepared and have fun. These performances are unlike any other performance you will do.

See everyone Monday!

The Landfill Harmonic

Found this really neat video. Check it out! Any instrument can sound beautiful if played from the heart. 

Start planning your Christmas performances for family! It has always been a tradition in my family for us to pull out our instruments, even my brothers who don't play all year round, and play Christmas tunes together. Before my Grandparents passed we would play for them, now we play for our girlfriends, boyfriends, fiances :) etc. It's not a Christmas for us without some live music. Start your own Christmas traditions this year that highlight your child's musical abilities and joy of playing. Play from the heart!