DECEMBER Studio News
Monday, December 2, 2024 by Cortney Baker | Uncategorized
December tuition
is due at your first lesson of the month. Consult your monthly invoice for the exact amount.
Ways to pay:
- IN PERSON at your lesson
- MAIL CHECK: 814 Pineland Dr, Cary, 27511
- ONLINE PAYMENT: Venmo & Zelle
December Schedule
NO Lessons are scheduled from Dec 23 to Jan 10.
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!
Inclement Weather
During seasons when school could be cancelled and storms cause travel to be unsafe, remember that we have many options for moving the lesson to an online format. Of course, this is given that we still have power to run our devices! The missed lesson policy will remain in place if you do not attend a lesson that we have agreed to move to an online format. In the event of a location change, I will contact you via text or email and will update the lesson location in the MMS calendar of events.
Group Class
Group Classes will meet on Friday, December 20th. This month our Friday class time is the rehearsal for our Caroling Outreach at Spring Arbor the following day. See the schedule below or consult the MMS calendar for details of when your student should be in attendance.
We will follow an "add-in" format, starting with the reading pieces and ending with the pieces everyone plays. The goal is to run each piece one time and move on. Arrive at the time listed below, or the time Dr. Baker gives you in your lesson, if you needed. Unpack and join us when the carols you know are called!
Given the longer rehearsal time length for the reading students, I will build in breaks along the way.
The plan is to wrap up the rehearsal by or before 6pm and have some time at the end of our rehearsal for an end of semester party in the Gathering Space. Plan to stay, spend time with studio friends, and enjoy our usual festive fare!
Location: Saint Francis UMC. 2965 Kildaire Farm Road, 27518, Sanctuary.
Group schedule:
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*plan to arrive 10min prior to your assigned group time to unpack and be ready to tune.
Christmas Caroling Outreach
Are you enjoying the sounds of Christmas carols at your house? Encourage your student to keep preparing for our Caroling Outreach concerts at Spring Arbor of Cary on December 21st. If needed, use the link below to access the carol videos from last year. New ones will be added soon for playing along in the keys we are using this year. Listening at home will be extra helpful.
A few reminders:
- ATTIRE: Festive attire OR dark pants/skirt and white top. Christmas hat to top it off! (a reminder that it will be warmer than usual inside the building, so wear layers that can be removed if you begin to feel hot.)
- We will hand out ornaments to decorate your scroll at the group rehearsal the day prior.
- Plan to arrive 15-20min prior to your concert time. We will need time to unpack, tune and line up before beginning the concerts at 1pm and 2pm. (For the 2pm attendees, please wait outside under the portico if you arrive while the first group is still performing. Be on site by 1:40 so we can all walk downstairs together to unpack and tune).
- Any additional details will be added to the event on the MMS calendar and emailed 24-hrs prior to the event.
Thank you to everyone who has made time on their family calendar to participate in our outreach event this year. Our selected pieces will bring joy to the residents at Spring Arbor.
Studio Videos
Reminder: link to our YouTube folders: https://pinelandsuzukistrings.mymusicstaff.com/Video-Links
For now, I have posted links to 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/Student/v3/en/online-resources
The Year of Listening
It has been exciting to see the progress of everyone's listening journey on our studio chart. Everyone is more attentive to the idea of listening as a benefit to their musical progress. Keep going!! ****Everyday is a new opportunity to listen.****
****When you complete your second 50-day chart, please hand it to Dr. Baker in your lesson.****
A reminder of why listening needs to be a focus each week:
This year, to encourage and build healthy habits, we will hold three Listening challenges. Each semester, there will be a 50-day listening challenge and throughout the winter a 100-day challenge. Students who complete a challenge will be recognized during the recital at the end of each timeframe, with a MASTER LISTENER award being presented to students who achieve the maximum 200-day listening challenge.
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 Sergey Khachatryan. (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!
J.S. Bach - Sonata No. 1 (unaccompanied) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6jdYRXP0NY
Grigor Narekatsi - Havoun, havoun : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHY8W7LCjlQ
Komitas - The Sky Is Cloudy : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxMOKtRJdQI
Waxmen, Fantasía Carmen : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k3SjPOUddA
Born in Yerevan, Armenia, Sergey Khachatryan won First Prize at the VIII International Jean Sibelius Competition in Helsinki in 2000, becoming the youngest ever winner in the history of the competition.
Since 1993 he has lived in Germany where he gave his first orchestral concert at the age of nine. He and his sister, Lusine, a renown pianist in her own right, released their album “My Armenia” with works by Armenian composers in 2015.
Sergey plays the 1740 ‘Ysaÿe’ Guarneri del Gesu violin on kind loan from the Nippon Music Foundation.
Local Performances
*Jan 31 & Feb 2 - NC Opera presents Florencia en el Amazonas by Daniel Catán: https://ncopera.org/2024-2025-season/florencia-en-el-amazonas/
*April 4 & 6 - NC Opera presents The Marriage of Figaro by W.A.Mozart: https://ncopera.org/2024-2025-season/the-marriage-of-figaro/
*denotes Dr. Baker is performing
