December 2007  Message From Louise ... 

        Season's Greetings  ....     

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!  It has been a busy Fall term,  Check relevant information about next term.  The winter term will be 9 weeks.  It will begin the week of Jan. 7 and end March 8. Keep these dates in mind…Thursday Jan 17th at 7:00 is the rehearsal for our winter concert.  The concert will be held on Friday January 18th at 7:00. 

OUR LAST GROUP SESSION WILL BE HELD ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 16 AT 1:00-2:30 OR SO.

All students need a metronome or a keyboard wtih a built in pulse that can be changed to fast or slow.  Most students are experiencing difficulty with counting. 

IF YOU HAVE BOOKS TO SELL, GIVE THEM TO ME AND I WILL SEE IF ANY OF MY STUDENTS WISH TO PURCHAE THEM.  I SUGGEST HALF PRICE

WHERE DO YOU FIT IN??....And how far will you go?

Music study falls into the following three major sections:

First:  All music elements, reading, performing techniques, and a foundation of study habits.

Second:  The playing of many, many pieces and types of music to gain an in-depth knowledge of the many ways music elements can be arranged - this deepens insight into how music communicates in the various styles of composition; and to develop technique to a more skilled level. (good sound is a result of good technique)

Third:  Now the study of the great masters is possible-a work of a lifetime.  This needs many hours of developing advanced techniques, and deep probing into the heart and soul of this level of communication.

PRACTICING

Emphasis should always be on practicing correctly, not on how long or on the number of times a piece is played.  Students should practice 6 days a week.  Each individual student and I can decide how long these sessions should be

A child knows so little at the beginning that little practice is needed.  Instead YOUNG CHILDREN SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO PRACTICE SEVERAL TIMES A DAY FOR SHORT PERIODS.

PARENTS’ ROLE

The learning situation is very important.  Parents can:

1. Set regular practice times
2. Help practice time be a HAPPY  time
3. Be interested-ask “What is your piece about?”
4. Praise creative compositions
5. Listen to music at home-attend concerts, recitals (Check out the Toronto Symphony Orchestra web site)
6. Attend lessons occasionally.
    

Lack of practice is a waste of time and money.  I will continue to  award points to students that  practice regularly and meet  their weekly musical goals.  I will explain this to each student individually since each student will have different goals and practice needs

PARENTS:  Please note that I will CONTINUE TO PROVIDECOLOUR CODED SHEETS TO EACH STUDENT.  Yellow Sheets will indicate what happened at the lesson and Practice goals for that week will be listed.   Blue sheets will have TECHNIQUE listed on them.  Developing technique is progressive, so each week or two I will add to the sheet.

ONCE AGAIN, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO  EVERYONE.  See you in January.

Louise