JUNE Studio News
Monday, May 31, 2021 by Cortney Baker | Uncategorized
June tuition
is due at your first lesson of the month. Consult your monthly invoice for the exact amount.
Ways to pay:
- MAIL CHECK: 814 Pineland Dr, Cary, 27511
- ONLINE PAYMENT: PayPal (include fee) or Google Pay (no fee)
What to do:
Reply to your invoice email on the 1st and let me know how you will send tuition this month.
1. Check is in the mail,
2. PayPal link on invoice (you will pay the 2.9% fee), or
3. Google Pay (I will need to send you money request to go this route. I will send out requests to everyone who chose this option prior)
June Schedule
There are no lessons Monday, May 31 to Tuesday, June 8.
Summer lessons will begin on Wednesday, June 9.
There will be no lessons from Monday, June 21 to Friday, July 2.
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!
Group Classes
Group Classes will not meet during the summer months.
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 a previous article:
Beyond Technology by Laurie Stroup. A brief article that reminds us how practicing can be and is a great substitute for our children's technology time (be it for pleasure, school or other). I enjoy her insight each time I read this article. Let me know what you think!
Toggle over to the Online Resources Tab>Parent Education folder to find this article. View it online, Download it or Print it!
If you have time, send me your reaction, thoughts. etc. I would love to know what stands out to you.
Summer Suzuki Institutes
Its that time of year again! This summer - 2021 - is unique in that many institutes are already planning to be virtual! You can reduce the cost and time commitment and check out what it is like to work with other teachers and students from around the country! Several students in our studio and taken advantage of these opportunities in the past. Each one has come away with a major boost in motivation and confidence!
Due to uncertain summer COVID19 restrictions in many areas, several of the institutes have already decided to run online formats. This might be the perfect summer to try out an institute without the added element of travel. Here is the SAA webpage listing of all the Institute: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/institutes/
I will be on faculty at the Greater Washington Suzuki Institute again this summer. The faculty at this camp are highly esteemed in the Suzuki community, and each summer proves to be an uplifting and motivating experience for participants. I would love to have ALL of you join me at camp this summer. Here is the SAA listing for the GWSI: https://suzukiassociation.org/events/loc/greater-washington-suzuki-institute/
A few others where colleagues of mine are on faculty or direct the institute, and I thought would be educational for you to read about:
https://www.ogontzsuzukiinstitute.com/
https://www.ithaca.edu/suzuki-institutes
https://www.atlantasuzuki.org/
AND, it looks like the North Caroline Institute (Greenville) is planning to be in person this year. Space is limited. Registration opens this week, MAY 7.
https://music.ecu.edu/summer/suzuki/
Suzuki Book Recordings
New recordings of the Suzuki Books 1-3 performed by violinist Hilary Hahn have just been released! Use this link to read more and/or purchase from iTunes, Amazon Music or Alfred websites: https://www.alfred.com/suzuki-violin-overview/
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 highlighted violinist is Joseph Szigeti (see notes below).
There are other recordings - enjoy looking around and learning more about this great artist.
Enjoy!
Joseph Szigeti (1892)
Szigeti might not have had a grand technique, but his take on what music really means has earned him a top spot among famous violinists. He didn’t have a huge sound but made up for that in poetic intelligence. One of his most famous works is the recording of First Rhapsody by Bartok, along with other pieces, with the composer himself. As old age took a toll, he turned to writing about the craft, and produced beautiful texts.
here is a link to his biography on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Szigeti
Rhapsody No. 1, Bela Bartok https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuMTISOHRKg (Bela Bartok is the pianist in this recording - how awesome would if be to perform with the composer of the piece you have learned?!?)
Here they are performing Bartok's Roumanian Folk Dances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ydYQhM7kho
Schubert "The Bee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pm6kBXkqT4
Hubay, "The Zephyr": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BUY55Onzkc (Hubay was Szigeti's teacher. Another fun connection - to play a piece of music written by your teacher!)
ZOOM Virtual Lessons
Thank you all for continuing to work on establishing lesson etiquette online. A few reminders:
- Set up your lesson space with ample time to log in 5 minutes before your lesson time. (music stand, music, tuned instrument, etc)
- Please have the video in landscape (horizontal) setting so I can see both arms. Test out your bow arm at the tip...can you see your bow hold in the picture with your arm extended? I do not need to see your music stand, that can be off to the side of the camera (your left side when you are facing the screen).
- Turn off as many Wi-Fi devices in your house as you are able. The more devices you have accessing your router, the more delays and cut outs happen when you are playing. I will have most everything here at my house removed from our router during lesson times to help us out.
- Mute yourself and even turn off your video to be less of a distraction to the lesson in progress.
- Feel free to experiment with speakers or mics on your end to be able to hear me / make your audio sharper.
- Turn ON original sound, so that Zoom will relay your instrument's sound without delay. If you need help with this setting, please ask.
You can access the Zoom link through the MMS website. Log into your user account and click on the link associated with the event.
