Recital Program Cover Contest
What do you imagine should be on the cover of the Spring Recital program? Maybe flowers? Maybe butterflies? Let your imagination flow and design away to make a wonderful cover for us. All entries are due no later than Thursday, March 23 and the winner will be chosen by an adult outside of Forte.
If you like drawing & creating, collect a page at lessons this week with a few directions about what must be included on the cover & the necessary orientation of your creation. Don't worry about using the original page as any half sheet of plain white paper will do.
Recital Sign-Ups
Thanks to everyone who quickly signed-up for a recital time on Saturday, April 29. While my intention was that you be able to write on the document, I'm still learning how to get those settings correct. I'm sorry I messed that up, but thanks for replying with your choice as I was able to easily insert names then. If you still have that link you should be able to find your child at the correct time. There are a few that still need to choose their time.
Summer Zando
As you are planning your summer activities, please keep in mind what you would like to do for summer piano. Remember for your lessons, whether piano or guitar, you are paying a flat fee each month of the year. This includes the summertime. Our promise is 40 lessons that are made available for you. Over the summer, about 5 or 6 lessons are still to be had. You may carry through with those lessons, or some of you will choose to replace those lessons and participate in one, two, or three of the Summer Zando options. "Zando", from sforzando, is an Italian music word which means a short, strong emphasis. The summer is a perfect time for a short, strong emphasis on a related music theme.
You'll find options for Classical Times, both younger & older weeks, as well as a rhythm camp, the piano guts, and piano blitz. More information is found on the website about each of these weeks. For Forte students, Summer Zando weeks (you may participate in 1, 2 or 3) are not additional charges but are part of your regular tuition. Students outside of Forte are welcome but then pay for the camps. Registrations are open on the website now & enrollment is possible now.
Your choice is 1) continue with the 5 or 6 lessons on the scheduled weeks OR 2) participate in one or several of the Zando weeks.
Brain Power
Is it just notion that music is good for the brain? The brain is not a muscle, rather an organ, yet we know it can change & grow stronger as we learn. You’ve probably heard that music can help us, but is it true? Recently, one of my high school students suffered a rather serious concussion. Before the injury, practice was regular and steady which lent itself to satisfying progress and musical fulfillment. After the injury, piano playing even for a few minutes was not possible. It hurt his brain and didn’t work. It’s taken weeks for him to get to the place of just playing for enjoyment while reading music is still prohibitive & difficult. As healing has happened and continues slowly, he is able to play in small doses by improvising or creating music, but reading the music is still difficult. My takeaway, though unscientific, but nonetheless based on observable information. is that music develops the brain in ways that many other activities do not accomplish. Playing any instrument is good for the brain, but specifically playing the piano is even more complex using both hands and reading a wider, bigger picture than just one note, or like in reading, one word at a time. His story is at least anecdotal of the great value you give to your student of expanding & growing their own brains when they are given the opportunity to study piano.
Other places to look for great information: 10 Benefits of Playing the Piano - Piano Emporium
Monthly Invoices
So many of you are spot on and keeping up regularly with any music bills that are due. You should expect to have an invoice in your inbox the end of each month. If you don't open it, chances are good you will have the balance correct. However, looking at it is better since sometimes new music is added which can hang onto your account for weeks! There is a $10 late fee for those bills unmet after the 2nd lesson of the month.
Mini Musicians
Our youngest friends are at the beginning of new books! For our 5 or 6 years old, Level II Mini Musicians who last week finished listening through all the sections of the Nutcracker, they move onto listening through Benjamin Britten's engaging Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. We will uncover all the families of instruments & then each individual instrument.
In our 4- or 5-year-old class, Level I Mini Musicians, we finished Saint-Saens wonderful work, Carnival of the Animals, but now move onto Tchaikovsky's exciting Peter & the Wolf.
Each one-hour class ends with the listening, but is preceded by solfege, piano songs, using instruments & rhythms and other music games that reinforce music concepts.
Spots are available for our fall classes.
Comments