Wednesday, May 1, 2024 by Cortney Baker | Uncategorized

   May tuition                              

is due at your first lesson of the month.  Consult your monthly invoice for the exact amount. 

Ways to pay:

1. IN PERSON at your lesson
2. MAIL CHECK:  814 Pineland Dr, Cary, 27511
3. ONLINE PAYMENT: Google Pay or Zelle

   May Schedule                             

There are no lessons scheduled on Wednesday, May 15 or Monday, May 27.

2023-2024 lessons end on Friday, May 31.

Log in to your MyMusicStaff portal to see your specific lesson dates, times and location.  Also included in your account: the link to access the Zoom webpage, previous lesson notes, the monthly studio news, and much more!

   May Group Class                       

Group Classes will meet this month on Friday, May 10th.  Location: Saint Francis UMC. 2965 Kildaire Farm Road, 27518, Sanctuary. Book 1 & 2 students will have a regular group class month, bring all your Music Mind Games materials. Book 4+ student we will be rehearsing your solos with the piano for the solo recital the following day.  

Group schedule:

                                 *arrive 5 minutes prior to group start time

   May Solo Recital                        

Our Spring Solo Recital is Saturday, May 11 at 4:30 p.m., Saint Francis UMC, Sanctuary.  The recital will be recorded and a link shared for family and friends to watch and support all of the performers!

All studio participants are expected to participate in our 3 recitals each year.

RECITAL ATTIRE:

Men/Boys - nice pants and shirt, dress shoes preferred (dark tennis shoes are fine)

Ladies/Girls - dresses (with a below the knee hemline - our "stage" is at eye level for our audience, so please plan accordingly) or dress pants and nice top, dress shoes preferred.

ARRIVAL:

Plan to arrive by 4:10 PM to unpack and tune

   Musical MARCH Madness              

Several of you are continuing to work on your brackets - whoo-hoo!!  Bring them in as soon as they are done.  

We will recognize another group of students at the May recital.   

   Outreach Concerts 2023-24               

All students are invite to participate in our monthly outreach concerts at Spring Arbor of Cary.  These events will require 2-3 studio participants each month.  We will prepare (during weekly lessons) a 20-min concert for the residents and perform it twice within an hour.  Please plan to participate in one of these monthly concerts.

A hearty thank you to Lillian Moore for her preparation and participation in our April Outreach Event.

Upper Level Concert
Lower Level Concert

    Studio Videos                                   

Reminder: link to our YouTube folders: https://pinelandsuzukistrings.mymusicstaff.com/Video-Links

For now, there the folders are for the Pre-Twinkle videos, Book 1 accompaniment, Daily Do (for Music Mind Games class), and Christmas Carols.

   Parent Education                              

I have loaded several articles to the Library & Downloads page in your MMS portal with articles and handouts for parents.  Find a title that interests you and read it!  I highly encourage you to take a moment this month to choose one and read it.  There is so much value in motivation for the Suzuki parent.  Let these articles give you that blessing!!   This link might help to take you there: https://app.mymusicstaff.com/Teacher/v2/en/online-resources

As we move into the summer stretch, I want to help you all find motivation for increasing your practice time each week. Every day is our goal! Summer is the perfect time to turn attention to practicing as so often, our daily schedule is less full.  

Check out this article with ideas for Long Term practice Challenges: Long Term Practice Challenge Ideas by Samara Humbert-Hughes.  Read through this list and see if any of them fit the personality of your student (s). Then, let me know how I can help you -- as cheerleader, co-teacher, or lead.  Practicing is the KEY to progress. Let's continue to find ways to support our student's progress. 

To access these articles, you can also log into MMS and use the tabs to find our Online Resource's folder>Parent Education. 

Let me know what you think! If you have time, send me your reaction, thoughts. etc. I would love to know what speaks to you.

   Suzuki Summer Institutes                  

Registration for SUZUKI Summer Institutes is underway! Use this link to view all of the options around the country for summer study: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/institutes/

What is an Institute?  It is a 5-day family camp.  Each day, students have a Masterclass lesson and 2-3 classes (group repertoire, group technique, chamber music, orchestra, fiddle, etc) depending on the level of the player and their ability to read music.  Want to know more, please ask me!   

I want to encourage everyone to look at the dates and see how you can fit one of these amazing camps into your schedule this summer.  Several students have attended the NC Institute (which doesn't look like is happening this summer), others have attended virtual camps - there are LOTS of these to consider. 

I will be on faculty at the Greater Washington Suzuki Institute again this year, July 8-12.  I would love for you to consider joining me near our nation's capital.  Lots of fun sightseeing and history to observe when you are not in class!  Here is the link for more info: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/loc/university-louisville-suzuki-string-institute/

I will also be teaching at the Univ of Louisville Suzuki Institute, June 9-14.  Here is the link for more info: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/loc/university-louisville-suzuki-string-institute/

It seems that some Institutes are continuing virtual classes.  I highly encourage in person learning, but you can reduce the cost and time commitment and still experience some of what it is like to work with other teachers and students from around the country!  Several students in our studio have taken advantage of these opportunities in the past.  Each one has come away with a major boost in motivation and confidence! 

   Special Listening                             

Just a reminder that wonderful videos and audio recordings of professional performers can be seen/heard on YouTube.  Use this as the Special Listening assignment for each week.  This month's famous performer is Julian Rachlin (see notes below).   

There are other recordings - enjoy looking around and learning more about this great artist of our time.

Please share these with the kids.

Enjoy!

Julian Rachlin

Julian Rachlin (born 8 December 1974) is a Lithuanian-born violinist, violist and conductor. He emigrated in 1978 with his musician parents to Austria. In 1983, he entered the Konservatorium Wien and studied violin in the Soviet tradition with Boris Kuschnir, while also receiving private lessons from Pinchas Zukerman. His career as a child prodigy began with his first public concert in 1984.

In 1988, he took the title of Eurovision Young Musician of the Year, which led to his being invited to appear at the Berlin Festival with conductor Lorin Maazel and to his becoming the youngest soloist to ever play with the Vienna Philharmonic, under the direction of Riccardo Muti.  In 2005, Rachlin made his Carnegie Hall debut when he performed with the New York Philharmonic under Maazel.

Rachlin plays the "ex Liebig" Stradivarius violin (which is loaned to him). His website:  http://julianrachlin.com/About.aspx

Listening video links:

Beethoven, Sonata for Piano and Violin, No. 5, Op 24 "Spring" - https://youtu.be/Ogg0uT9X208?si=sLffgPWlKCasqCnl

Brahms, Concerto for Violin in D Major, Op.77  - https://youtu.be/tPV1kYjOX7I?si=PFyuyjOXGHDRnXJl

Vivaldi, Four Seasons: https://youtu.be/oVwTmXm2Xcw?si=1BCN4pXoGm7lnbkf

    2024 Local Summer Camps                       

• Session 1 Day Camp: June 16-21
• Session 2 Day Camp: June 23-28

Triangle Youth Music Camps:

Financial aid is available for all programs and anyone is welcome!  See below for dates and additional details:

• Weekly Summer String Orchestra - Mondays from 6:30 - 8:00 PM at Peace Presbyterian Church in Cary, directed by Meaghan Clayton and Myriah Luke. Orchestra begins on June 17th and runs for six weeks, ending on July 22nd with final "in-formance" at 7:30 PM. Cost for six weeks: $100
• Summer String Camp (half day and full day available) - July 29th - August 2nd at Peace Presbyterian Church in Cary, directed by Meaghan Clayton and Myriah Luke. String summer camp will be a little different this year! From 9 AM - 12 PM, string students of any level can participate in traditional orchestra camp. For those who want to stay for the full day, 1 PM - 4 PM is our new enrichment session, where students can select two options each day, including chamber music (for intermediate/advanced students), TYM audition prep, music theory, music history, and/or music composition/ arranging. Please note: the enrichment portion is only available to students who participate in the morning session.  Cost for Half-Day: $300. Cost for Full-Day: $500
• Jazz Camp (full day only) -July 22 - July 26th, location TBA, All levels accepted, directed by Kobie Watkins and Gregg Gelb. Students will be broken up into smaller groups based on skill level. Musicians will explore jazz style, improvisation, and prep for TYM auditions. Cost for Full-Day: $500

Registration will be open soon! Contact Katherine Denton katherinedenton@ triangleyouthmusic.org with questions.

  Monday, April 1, 2024 by Cortney Baker | Uncategorized

   April tuition                              

is due at your first lesson of the month.  Consult your monthly invoice for the exact amount. 

Ways to pay:

1. IN PERSON at your lesson
2. MAIL CHECK:  814 Pineland Dr, Cary, 27511
3. ONLINE PAYMENT: Google Pay or Zelle

   April Schedule                             

Log in to your MyMusicStaff portal to see your specific lesson dates, times and location.  Also included in your account: the link to access the Zoom webpage, previous lesson notes, the monthly studio news, and much more!

   April Group Class                       

Group Classes will meet this month on Friday, April 13th.  Location: Saint Francis UMC. 2965 Kildaire Farm Road, 27518, Sanctuary. Everyone keep your review of past Suzuki pieces up to date - we will be highlighting a few in each book again.  Book 1 & 2 students, bring your Music Mind Games materials. Book 4+ student we will be reading through several new pieces again!  

Group schedule:

                                 *arrive 5 minutes prior to group start time

   Outreach Concerts 2023-24               

All students are invite to participate in our monthly outreach concerts at Spring Arbor of Cary.  These events will require 2-3 studio participants each month.  We will prepare (during weekly lessons) a 20-min concert for the residents and perform it twice within an hour.  Please plan to participate in one of these monthly concerts.

To participate, log into your MMS account.  Go to the studio calendar tab and add your name to the event on the month you are available (See the How to Register for an Outreach Concert file in the online resources for more details).  

A hearty thank you to Cataleya Kelley and Joshua Chen for their preparation and participation in our March Outreach Event.

Lower Level Concert

    Studio Videos                                   

Reminder: link to our YouTube folders: https://pinelandsuzukistrings.mymusicstaff.com/Video-Links

For now, there the folders are for the Pre-Twinkle videos, Book 1 accompaniment, Daily Do (for Music Mind Games class), and Christmas Carols.

   Parent Education                              

I have loaded several articles to the Library & Downloads page in your MMS portal with articles and handouts for parents.  Find a title that interests you and read it!  I highly encourage you to take a moment this month to choose one and read it.  There is so much value in motivation for the Suzuki parent.  Let these articles give you that blessing!!   This link might help to take you there: https://app.mymusicstaff.com/Teacher/v2/en/online-resources

This month I want to highlight Dr. Suzuki's reasoning behind his emphasis on REVIEW.  Raise Your Ability With a Piece You Can Play is an excerpt from Dr. Suzuki's book, Nurtured By Love.  In this excerpt Suzuki elaborates on where the concept of Review came from, the results to expect from including or not including it in your weekly routine, and even how it ties in to the art/act of LISTENING (another of the top 10 traits of Suzuki pedagogy).  

Coming out of our March Group Recital, it is refreshing to read his thoughts and remind ourselves that there is benefit to slowing down and focusing on past pieces--think group recital, think 100x charts, think book Graduation, think Musical March Madness, think outreach performances.  How are you including REVIEW in your student's routine?  Every time you help them include REVIEW, you are raising their musical ability. 

To access these articles, you can also log into MMS and use the tabs to find our Online Resource's folder>Parent Education. 

Let me know what you think! If you have time, send me your reaction, thoughts. etc. I would love to know what speaks to you.

   Suzuki Summer Institutes                  

Registration for SUZUKI Summer Institutes is underway! Use this link to view all of the options around the country for summer study: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/institutes/

What is an Institute?  It is a 5-day family camp.  Each day, students have a Masterclass lesson and 2-3 classes (group repertoire, group technique, chamber music, orchestra, fiddle, etc) depending on the level of the player and their ability to read music.  Want to know more, please ask me!   

I want to encourage everyone to look at the dates and see how you can fit one of these amazing camps into your schedule this summer.  Several students have attended the NC Institute (which doesn't look like is happening this summer), others have attended virtual camps - there are LOTS of these to consider. 

I will be on faculty at the Greater Washington Suzuki Institute again this year, July 8-12.  I would love for you to consider joining me near our nation's capital.  Lots of fun sightseeing and history to observe when you are not in class!  Here is the link for more info: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/loc/university-louisville-suzuki-string-institute/

I will also be teaching at the Univ of Louisville Suzuki Institute, June 9-14.  Here is the link for more info: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/loc/university-louisville-suzuki-string-institute/

It seems that some Institutes are continuing virtual classes.  I highly encourage in person learning, but you can reduce the cost and time commitment and still experience some of what it is like to work with other teachers and students from around the country!  Several students in our studio have taken advantage of these opportunities in the past.  Each one has come away with a major boost in motivation and confidence! 

   Musical MARCH Madness              

Several of you are continuing to work on your brackets - whoo-hoo!!  Bring them in as soon as they are done.  

We will recognize another group of students at the May recital.   

   Special Listening                             

Just a reminder that wonderful videos and audio recordings of professional performers can be seen/heard on YouTube.  Use this as the Special Listening assignment for each week.  This month's famous performer is Akiko Suwanai (see notes below).   

There are other recordings - enjoy looking around and learning more about this great artist of our time.

Please share these with the kids.

Enjoy!

Akiko Suwanai 

Akiko Suwanai is a Japanese classical violinist. Winner of the 1990 International Tchaikovsky Competition and the youngest first-prize recipient in the history of the competition, violinist AKIKO SUWANAI has established an international career as soloist and recitalist performing in the major cities of Asia, Europe and the Americas.  Distinguished by numerous awards, Akiko Suwanai has been a winner at the International Paganini Violin Competition, the International Japan Competition, and the Queen Elizabeth International Competition among others, as the youngest entrant. 

Suwanai studied at the Toho Gakuen School of Music with Toshiya Eto, then at the Juilliard School and Columbia University with Dorothy DeLay and Cho-Liang Lin, as well as the Hochschule der Kunste in Berlin with Uwe-Martin Haiberg. Until 2019 she played the 1714 Dolphin Stradivarius, on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation. After it was returned she received the "Charles Reade" Guarneri del Gesù on loan from Japanese collector Ryuji Ueno.

Bizet-Sarasate – Carmen Fantasy for violin and orchestra (performed in 1990): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOexWWdSURc

Debussy Sonata in G minor (1^st mvt): https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=rd1SXqTyTZw 

Beethoven Violin Sonata #7 In C Minor, Op. 30_2 - 1. Allegro Con Brio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wNvMtFQufE 

    Local Performances                        

*April 21, NC Opera presents The Girl of the Golden West by Puccini: https://ncopera.org/2023-2024-season/the-girl-of-the-golden-west/

*denotes Dr. Baker is performing

    2024 Local Summer Camps                       

• Session 1 Day Camp: June 16-21
• Session 2 Day Camp: June 23-28

Triangle Youth Music Camps:

Financial aid is available for all programs and anyone is welcome!  See below for dates and additional details:

• Weekly Summer String Orchestra - Mondays from 6:30 - 8:00 PM at Peace Presbyterian Church in Cary, directed by Meaghan Clayton and Myriah Luke. Orchestra begins on June 17th and runs for six weeks, ending on July 22nd with final "in-formance" at 7:30 PM. Cost for six weeks: $100
• Summer String Camp (half day and full day available) - July 29th - August 2nd at Peace Presbyterian Church in Cary, directed by Meaghan Clayton and Myriah Luke. String summer camp will be a little different this year! From 9 AM - 12 PM, string students of any level can participate in traditional orchestra camp. For those who want to stay for the full day, 1 PM - 4 PM is our new enrichment session, where students can select two options each day, including chamber music (for intermediate/advanced students), TYM audition prep, music theory, music history, and/or music composition/ arranging. Please note: the enrichment portion is only available to students who participate in the morning session.  Cost for Half-Day: $300. Cost for Full-Day: $500
• Jazz Camp (full day only) -July 22 - July 26th, location TBA, All levels accepted, directed by Kobie Watkins and Gregg Gelb. Students will be broken up into smaller groups based on skill level. Musicians will explore jazz style, improvisation, and prep for TYM auditions. Cost for Full-Day: $500

Registration will be open soon! Contact Katherine Denton katherinedenton@ triangleyouthmusic.org with questions.

  Friday, March 1, 2024 by Cortney Baker | Uncategorized

   March tuition                              

is due at your first lesson of the month.  Consult your monthly invoice for the exact amount. 

Ways to pay:

1. IN PERSON at your lesson
2. MAIL CHECK:  814 Pineland Dr, Cary, 27511
3. ONLINE PAYMENT: Google Pay or Zelle

   March Schedule                             

There are no lessons scheduled Tuesday, March 19 to Friday, March 22. Dr. Baker will be in Louisville for the SAA/ASTA Conference that week/weekend.

There are also no lessons scheduled Tuesday, March 26 to Monday, April 1 for Spring break/Holy Week.

Log in to your MyMusicStaff portal to see your specific lesson dates, times and location.  Also included in your account: the link to access the Zoom webpage, previous lesson notes, the monthly studio news, and much more!

   March Group Recital Rehearsal   

Group Classes will meet this month on Friday, March 15th.  Location: Saint Francis UMC. 2965 Kildaire Farm Road, 27518, Sanctuary. Our focus this month will be preparing for our group and chamber recital the following day. Come prepared to learn where you will stand, how to get there, and to rehearse our Suzuki and fiddle pieces!  

Group schedule:

                                  *arrive 5 minutes prior to group start time

**Book 6+ students please arrive by 5:30 so we can begin the Suzuki pieces playdown directly after the chamber piece rehearsals conclude (this will be your only harmony part rehearsal).  Unpack and be ready to tune!

   March Group Recital                        

Our studio group recital is Saturday, March 16 at 4:30 p.m., Saint Francis UMC, Sanctuary.  The recital will be recorded and a link shared for family and friends to watch and support all of the performers!

All studio participants are expected to participate in our 3 recitals each year.

RECITAL ATTIRE:

Men/Boys - nice pants and shirt, dress shoes preferred (dark tennis shoes are fine)

Ladies/Girls - dresses (with a below the knee hemline - our "stage" is at eye level for our audience, so please plan accordingly) or dress pants and nice top, dress shoes preferred.

ARRIVAL:

Plan to arrive by 4:10 PM to unpack and tune

Repertoire for the Group Recital:

We will be going over the pieces below in lessons for the next 2 weeks to ensure all students are individually prepared for the recital.  In addition to these pieces, there are 8 chamber pieces, including Red Wing performed by the Reading class participants. 

   Outreach Concerts 2023-24               

All students are invite to participate in our monthly outreach concerts at Spring Arbor of Cary.  These events will require 2-3 studio participants each month.  We will prepare (during weekly lessons) a 20-min concert for the residents and perform it twice within an hour.  Please plan to participate in one of these monthly concerts.

To participate, log into your MMS account.  Go to the studio calendar tab and add your name to the event on the month you are available (See the How to Register for an Outreach Concert file in the online resources for more details).  

**WE are in need of 1-2 more students to sign up for the Friday, March 8th outreach event.  If you are available, please add your student to the event on our studio calendar.

A hearty thank you to Elizabeth Baucom and Joshua Baucom for their preparation and participation in our February Outreach Event.

Lower Level Concert

    Studio Videos                                   

Reminder: link to our YouTube folders: https://pinelandsuzukistrings.mymusicstaff.com/Video-Links

For now, there the folders are for the Pre-Twinkle videos, Book 1 accompaniment, Daily Do (for Music Mind Games class), and Christmas Carols.

   Parent Education                              

I have loaded several articles to the Library & Downloads page in your MMS portal with articles and handouts for parents.  Find a title that interests you and read it!  I highly encourage you to take a moment this month to choose one and read it.  There is so much value in motivation for the Suzuki parent.  Let these articles give you that blessing!!  

This month I want to highlight the Suzuki Summer Institutes that are held all over the country during the summer. There are three articles for you to browse to learn more about Why a Suzuki Family should consider attending an institute week?  

1. 25 Reasons You Will Want to Attend a Suzuki Institute. Use this link:  https://app.mymusicstaff.com/FileDownloader.ashx?FileID=360564&FileType=DownloadLibrary&Mode=Inline
2.  Here are reflections from a Suzuki Violin teacher.  Thoughts on the Suzuki Institute Experience by Jan McClure. Use this link: https://app.mymusicstaff.com/FileDownloader.ashx?FileID=2379243&FileType=DownloadLibrary&Mode=Inline
3. Information from the SAA website about Summer Institutes  Use this link: https://app.mymusicstaff.com/FileDownloader.ashx?FileID=2379247&FileType=DownloadLibrary&Mode=Inline

To access these articles, you can also log into MMS and use the tabs to find our Online Resource's folder>Parent Education. 

Let me know what you think! If you have time, send me your reaction, thoughts. etc. I would love to know what speaks to you.

   Suzuki Summer Institutes                  

Registration for SUZUKI Summer Institutes is underway! Use this link to view all of the options around the country for summer study: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/institutes/

What is an Institute?  It is a 5-day family camp.  Each day, students have a Masterclass lesson and 2-3 classes (group repertoire, group technique, chamber music, orchestra, fiddle, etc) depending on the level of the player and their ability to read music.  Want to know more, please ask me!   

I want to encourage everyone to look at the dates and see how you can fit one of these amazing camps into your schedule this summer.  Several students have attended the NC Institute (which doesn't look like is happening this summer), others have attended virtual camps - there are LOTS of these to consider. 

I will be on faculty at the Greater Washington Suzuki Institute again this year, July 8-12.  I would love for you to consider joining me near our nation's capital.  Lots of fun sightseeing and history to observe when you are not in class!  Here is the link for more info: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/loc/university-louisville-suzuki-string-institute/

I will also be teaching at the Univ of Louisville Suzuki Institute, June 9-14.  Here is the link for more info: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/loc/university-louisville-suzuki-string-institute/

It seems that some Institutes are continuing virtual classes.  I highly encourage in person learning, but you can reduce the cost and time commitment and still experience some of what it is like to work with other teachers and students from around the country!  Several students in our studio have taken advantage of these opportunities in the past.  Each one has come away with a major boost in motivation and confidence! 

   Musical MARCH Madness              

Keep serenading your family, friends, and neighbors with the gift of music! Our goal is to completed the brackets by your lesson the week of March 11th--just in time for our Group/Chamber Recital that weekend.     

   Special Listening                             

Just a reminder that wonderful videos and audio recordings of professional performers can be seen/heard on YouTube.  Use this as the Special Listening assignment for each week.  This month's famous performer is Isabelle Faust (see notes below).   

There are other recordings - enjoy looking around and learning more about this great artist of our time.

Please share these with the kids.

Enjoy!

Isabelle Faust

Faust was born in Esslingen, near Stuttgart, in 1972. She accompanied her father to his violin lessons when she was five, and while the father's talents were ordinary, teachers noticed that the daughter quickly mastered whatever challenges she was given. A family string quartet (her brother Boris Faust is a noted violist) as well as lessons with Denes Zsigmondy and Christoph Poppen honed her skills. 

After winning first prize at the International Leopold Mozart Competition in Augsburg in 1987, Faust moved to Paris for nine years to gain experience in new contexts rather than enrolling in a conservatory. She made her U.S. debut in 1995 with the Utah Symphony and appeared with many of Germany's top orchestras including the Hamburg Philharmonic under the baton of Yehudi Menuhin.

In 1997 Faust released her first album, a set of Bartók violin sonatas recorded with pianist Ewa Kupiec; the album earned a Gramophone magazine award. Most of her albums have been released on the Harmonia Mundi label. In the early 2000s Faust began performing and recording violin sonata repertory with Russian pianist Alexander Melnikov, including their historically informed recording of Mozart violin sonatas.  Faust has been on the faculty of Berlin's University of the Arts since 2004. 

J.S. Bach: Partita II in D minor BWV 1004, V. Ciaccona (excerpt): https://youtu.be/_OHoxI_gcrA?si=azOc8Kwf8IYLlZEM

J.S. Bach: Partita II in D minor BWV 1004, Allemanda: https://youtu.be/TFx7RLwt-co?si=JQiL1NHqhV22uTNP

Schumann Violin Concerto in D minor: https://youtu.be/RlItfujbIjE?si=H1QktMM_DdEgigEX

Violin Concerto| Pastorale for Violin, Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet and Bassoon: https://youtu.be/T0VbNZhRKu0?si=Mhd94DMf7MYOiwef

    Local Performances                        

*April 21, NC Opera presents The Girl of the Golden West by Puccini: https://ncopera.org/2023-2024-season/the-girl-of-the-golden-west/

*denotes Dr. Baker is performing

    2024 Local Summer Camps                       

• Session 1 Day Camp: June 16-21
• Session 2 Day Camp: June 23-28

Triangle Youth Music Camps:

Financial aid is available for all programs and anyone is welcome!  See below for dates and additional details:

• Weekly Summer String Orchestra - Mondays from 6:30 - 8:00 PM at Peace Presbyterian Church in Cary, directed by Meaghan Clayton and Myriah Luke. Orchestra begins on June 17th and runs for six weeks, ending on July 22nd with final "in-formance" at 7:30 PM. Cost for six weeks: $100
• Summer String Camp (half day and full day available) - July 29th - August 2nd at Peace Presbyterian Church in Cary, directed by Meaghan Clayton and Myriah Luke. String summer camp will be a little different this year! From 9 AM - 12 PM, string students of any level can participate in traditional orchestra camp. For those who want to stay for the full day, 1 PM - 4 PM is our new enrichment session, where students can select two options each day, including chamber music (for intermediate/advanced students), TYM audition prep, music theory, music history, and/or music composition/ arranging. Please note: the enrichment portion is only available to students who participate in the morning session.  Cost for Half-Day: $300. Cost for Full-Day: $500
• Jazz Camp (full day only) -July 22 - July 26th, location TBA, All levels accepted, directed by Kobie Watkins and Gregg Gelb. Students will be broken up into smaller groups based on skill level. Musicians will explore jazz style, improvisation, and prep for TYM auditions. Cost for Full-Day: $500

Registration will be open soon! Contact Katherine Denton katherinedenton@ triangleyouthmusic.org with questions.

  Sunday, February 4, 2024 by Cortney Baker | Uncategorized

   February tuition                              

is due at your first lesson of the month.  Consult your monthly invoice for the exact amount. 

Ways to pay:

1. IN PERSON at your lesson
2. MAIL CHECK:  814 Pineland Dr, Cary, 27511
3. ONLINE PAYMENT: Google Pay or Zelle

   February Schedule                             

There are no lessons scheduled Wednesday, February 7 to Friday, February 9.

Looking ahead, there are no lessons scheduled for Monday, February 19.

Log in to your MyMusicStaff portal to see your specific lesson dates, times and location.  Also included in your account: the link to access the Zoom webpage, previous lesson notes, the monthly studio news, and much more!

   February Group Class                        

Group Classes will meet this month on Friday, February 16th.  Location: Saint Francis UMC. 2965 Kildaire Farm Road, 27518, Sanctuary. We will be continue our preparation for our March Chamber and Group Recital.  Come prepared to rehearse our fiddle piece - Turkey in the Straw!  

Group schedule:

                                 *arrive 5 minutes prior to group start time

   Outreach Concerts 2023-24               

All students are invite to participate in our monthly outreach concerts at Spring Arbor of Cary.  These events will require 2-3 studio participants each month.  We will prepare (during weekly lessons) a 20-min concert for the residents and perform it twice within an hour.  Please plan to participate in one of these monthly concerts.

To participate, log into your MMS account.  Go to the studio calendar tab and add your name to the event on the month you are available (See the How to Register for an Outreach Concert file in the online resources for more details).  

**WE are in need of 1-2 more students to sign up for the Sunday, February 18th outreach event.  If you are available, please add your student to the event on our studio calendar.

A hearty thank you to Claire Catalano, Jackie Kim and Glover Wilson for their preparation and participation in our January Outreach Event.

Upper Level Concert, group piece

Lower Level Concert, solos

    Studio Videos                                   

Reminder: link to our YouTube folders: https://pinelandsuzukistrings.mymusicstaff.com/Video-Links

For now, there the folders are for the Pre-Twinkle videos, Book 1 accompaniment, Daily Do (for Music Mind Games class), and Christmas Carols.

   Parent Education                              

I have loaded several articles to the Library & Downloads page in your MMS portal with articles and handouts for parents.  Find a title that interests you and read it!  I highly encourage you to take a moment this month to choose one and read it.  There is so much value in motivation for the Suzuki parent.  Let these articles give you that blessing!!  

This month I want to highlight the Suzuki Summer Institutes that are held all over the country during the summer. There are three articles for you to browse to learn more about Why a Suzuki Family should consider attending an institute week?  

1. 25 Reasons You Will Want to Attend a Suzuki Institute. Use this link:  https://app.mymusicstaff.com/FileDownloader.ashx?FileID=360564&FileType=DownloadLibrary&Mode=Inline
2.  Here are reflections from a Suzuki Violin teacher.  Thoughts on the Suzuki Institute Experience by Jan McClure. Use this link: https://app.mymusicstaff.com/FileDownloader.ashx?FileID=2379243&FileType=DownloadLibrary&Mode=Inline
3. Information from the SAA website about Summer Institutes  Use this link: https://app.mymusicstaff.com/FileDownloader.ashx?FileID=2379247&FileType=DownloadLibrary&Mode=Inline

To access these articles, you can also log into MMS and use the tabs to find our Online Resource's folder>Parent Education. 

Let me know what you think! If you have time, send me your reaction, thoughts. etc. I would love to know what speaks to you.

   Suzuki Summer Institutes                  

Registration for SUZUKI Summer Institutes is underway! Use this link to view all of the options around the country for summer study: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/institutes/

What is an Institute?  It is a 5-day family camp.  Each day, students have a Masterclass lesson and 2-3 classes (group repertoire, group technique, chamber music, orchestra, fiddle, etc) depending on the level of the player and their ability to read music.  Want to know more, please ask me!   

I want to encourage everyone to look at the dates and see how you can fit one of these amazing camps into your schedule this summer.  Several students have attended the NC Institute (which doesn't look like is happening this summer), others have attended virtual camps - there are LOTS of these to consider. 

I will be on faculty at the Greater Washington Suzuki Institute again this year, July 8-12.  I would love for you to consider joining me near our nation's capital.  Lots of fun sightseeing and history to observe when you are not in class!  Here is the link for more info: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/loc/university-louisville-suzuki-string-institute/

I will also be teaching at the Univ of Louisville Suzuki Institute, June 9-14.  Here is the link for more info: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/loc/university-louisville-suzuki-string-institute/

It seems that some Institutes are continuing virtual classes.  I highly encourage in person learning, but you can reduce the cost and time commitment and still experience some of what it is like to work with other teachers and students from around the country!  Several students in our studio have taken advantage of these opportunities in the past.  Each one has come away with a major boost in motivation and confidence! 

   Musical MARCH Madness              

Begins the week of February 12th.  Get ready to serenade family, friends, and neighbors with the gift of music! Your personal brackets will be available to take home that week. Brackets should be completed by your lesson the week of March 11th, which is just in time for our Group/Chamber Recital that weekend.     

   Special Listening                             

Just a reminder that wonderful videos and audio recordings of professional performers can be seen/heard on YouTube.  Use this as the Special Listening assignment for each week.  This month's famous performer is Christian Tetzlaff (see notes below).   

There are other recordings - enjoy looking around and learning more about this great artist of our time.

Please share these with the kids.

Enjoy!

Christian Tetzlaff

Born in Hamburg in 1966 and now living in Berlin with his family, there are three things that make this musician unique, aside from his astounding skill on the violin. He interprets the musical manuscript in a literal fashion, perceives music as a language, and views great works as narratives which reflect existential experiences. As obvious as it may sound, he brings an unusual approach in his daily concert routine.

Secondly, Christian Tetzlaff “speaks” through his violin. Like human speech, his playing comprises a wide range of expressive means and is not aimed solely at achieving harmoniousness or virtuosic brilliance.

Above all, however, he interprets the masterpieces of musical history as stories about first-hand experiences. 

Mozart, Concerto No. 3 in G major: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukVuaZsJecw

Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, Op. 64, mvt. 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpxl68woWt4

J.S. Bach, Unaccompanied Sonata No. 3:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmDJKCz_H5k

    Local Performances                        

THIS SATURDAY, Feb 10:

The United Strings of Color Intermediate group is presenting a family friendly concert of two stories, one from Africa and one from the United States. Link for more details of the concert and music: https://www. unitedstringsofcolor.org/ event-details/usci-presents- stories-for-black-history

The concert at the Cary Arts Center is free for children through 12th grade and $5 for everyone else. Saturday Feb 10, 6:30 pm.

The performance is about an hour, with no intermission.

Tickets may be purchased online (see link below), at The Cary Movie Theatre box office at 122 E. Chatham St without added fees. (919-462-3051), or the day of at the Cary Art Center - the desk will open at 5:30 for ticket sales (again no added fees of purchased in person).

Link to purchase tickets online: https://www.etix.com/ticket/ online/performanceSale.do? method=restoreToken& performance_id=79402148& method=restoreToken

*April 21, NC Opera presents The Girl of the Golden West by Puccini: https://ncopera.org/2023-2024-season/the-girl-of-the-golden-west/

*denotes Dr. Baker is performing

  Wednesday, January 3, 2024 by Cortney Baker | Uncategorized

   January tuition                              

is due at your first lesson of the month.  Consult your monthly invoice for the exact amount. 

Ways to pay:

1. IN PERSON at your lesson
2. MAIL CHECK:  814 Pineland Dr, Cary, 27511
3. ONLINE PAYMENT: Google Pay or Zelle

   January Schedule                             

There are no lessons scheduled Monday, January 1 to Friday, January 5.

Looking ahead, there are no lessons scheduled for Thursday, February 1.

Log in to your MyMusicStaff portal to see your specific lesson dates, times and location.  Also included in your account: the link to access the Zoom webpage, previous lesson notes, the monthly studio news, and much more!

   January Group Class                        

Group Classes will meet this month on Friday, January 19th.  Location: Saint Francis UMC. 2965 Kildaire Farm Road, 27518, Sanctuary. 

Group schedule:

                                 *arrive 5 minutes prior to group start time

   December Caroling at Spring Arbor                  

Our December outreach concerts were amazing!  Thank you so much for your participation in and preparation for this event.  The staff and residents were so appreciative. 

Upper level concert

Lower level concert

   Outreach Concerts 2023-24               

All students are invite to participate in our monthly outreach concerts at Spring Arbor of Cary.  These events will require 2-3 studio participants each month.  We will prepare (during weekly lessons) a 20-min concert for the residents and perform it twice within an hour.  Please plan to participate in one of these monthly concerts.

Everyone is also invited to join us for caroling at Spring Arbor of Cary on Sunday, December 17th at either 1p or 230p. 

To participate, log into your MMS account.  Go to the studio calendar tab and add your name to the event on the month you are available (See the How to Register for an Outreach Concert file in the online resources for more details).  

**WE are in need of 2-3 students to sign up for the Friday, January 12th outreach event.  If you are available, please add your student to the event on our studio calendar.

    Studio Videos                                   

Reminder: link to our YouTube folders: https://pinelandsuzukistrings.mymusicstaff.com/Video-Links

For now, there the folders are for the Pre-Twinkle videos, Book 1 accompaniment, Daily Do (for Music Mind Games class), and Christmas Carols.

   Parent Education                              

I have loaded several articles to the Library & Downloads page in your MMS portal with articles and handouts for parents.  Find a title that interests you and read it!  I highly encourage you to take a moment this month to choose one and read it.  There is so much value in motivation for the Suzuki parent.  Let these articles give you that blessing!!    

This month I want to highlight an article from a part Suzuki Association Journal.  To access the article, log into MMS and use the tabs to find our Online Resource's folder>Parent Education. Or use this link:  https://app.mymusicstaff.com/FileDownloader.ashx?FileID=2118045&FileType=DownloadLibrary&Mode=Inline

Joyful Learning (part 3) by Timothy Durbin.  Dr. Durbin is an international Suzuki clinician who has visited NC numerous times.  Some of you have even attended his workshop classes!  For the past several decades, I have benefitted from his teacher enrichment classes and the unique way that he combines his knowledge of violin instruction/performance and passion for learning about the human mind/character. He insight is useful to all of us.  

Let me know what you think! If you have time, send me your reaction, thoughts. etc. I would love to know what speaks to you.

   Special Listening                             

Just a reminder that wonderful videos and audio recordings of professional performers can be seen/heard on YouTube.  Use this as the Special Listening assignment for each week.  This month's famous performer is Sarah Chang (see notes below).   

There are other recordings - enjoy looking around and learning more about this great artist of our time.

Please share these with the kids.

Enjoy!

Julia Fischer (1983)
     
 Not content with being a world-class violinist, Fischer is also a concert pianist on occasion - and perhaps it’s this that gives her that inimitable musicality, something more rounded than so many of her contemporaries.

German violinist Julia Fischer is recognized worldwide for possessing a talent of uncommon ability. Her “pure and fine-spun tone, blessed with seemingly infinite shadings” (The Chicago Tribune) combined with rare “technical brilliance” (The Guardian) make her one of the most-sought after soloist before the public today.

Born in Munich, Ms. Fischer began learning the violin at age three and soon thereafter started taking piano lessons. Teaching and passing on to her students what she feels privileged to have learned from her teachers has since been a pivotal focus of her professional life.  Julia Fischer was awarded the German Culture Prize in 2011 and the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2016. She plays a Guadagnini from 1742 as well as a modern violin made by Philipp Augustin.

J.S. Bach, Concerto in A minor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDyDHvZKl8g  (a Suzuki Book 7 piece! ☺)

Vaughn Williams, The Lark Ascending - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2SETH16Dzs

Saint-Saens, Violin Concerto No. 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5xRksP7fp4

Mozart, Sinfonia Concertante - recording session - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tIbPCe11tI

Grieg, Piano Concerto, mvt 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mGLMdVtUC8

    Local Performances                        

*February 2 & 4, NC Opera presents The Barber of Seville by Rossini: https://ncopera.org/2023-2024-season/the-barber-of-seville/

*April 21, NC Opera presents The Girl of the Golden West by Puccini: https://ncopera.org/2023-2024-season/the-girl-of-the-golden-west/

*denotes Dr. Baker is performing