PIANO TEAM: Students interest in trying out for piano team should print out and sign the AMTA Piano Team Guidelines and Agreement included in your email, and bring to your lesson next week. My registration deadline is Thursday morning. Students who are eligible for registration are: Madilyn Harrison, Kaitlyn Via, Matthew Warren, Raquel Zipprich, Lilly McCutchen, Tyler Merritt, Nicole and Julianna Mouat, Elizabeth Bertsch, Bailey Griffin and Blake Castiex.
PERFORMANCE CONTEST: Will be held February 11th. Students wishing to participate should arrive at your lesson this week with two or more pieces prepared by memory and ready to be timed for registration. My registration deadline is Thursday morning January 9th.
December Newsletter
Studio Christmas Party: Our traditional “students only” Christmas Pizza party will be held Tuesday December 13th at 6:00 at the studio. Those students who have learned a Christmas piece will play for us, and others who do not have a Christmas piece may choose a piece from your repertoire to play.
Thank you to Blake Casteix and Lilly McCutchen who performed for Artwalk at the Center for Contemporary Arts on November 10th. Special thanks also to Madilyn Harrison and Blake Casteix who performed some Christmas pieces at Wisteria Place on Sunday December 4th. A performance opportunity through community service is a win-win combination.
Theory Test: There are 15 students registered to take the Spring Theory Test scheduled for January 29th. It is very important that these students continue working on theory through the Christmas break. Some are taking theory test for the first time, while others are going for the gold medal. Students registered are: Blake Casteix, Bailey Griffin, Lilly McCutchen, Tyler Merritt, Dijae Blackman, Noah Gonzales, Reagan Huskin, Morgan Neely, Matthew Warren, Brianna Beasley, Hannah Hillis, Kelly Nguyen, and Marissa Smith. Check the studio calendar for more details regarding time and place. Continued below- see memorization contest.
Memorization Contest: As soon as you receive this email, we will begin a memorization contest. The contest will end on the week of January 30th through February 3rd. The student with the most pieces learned and memorized CORRECTLY for guild will win a prize. We may even have 2nd and 3rd place winners. We may even have a prize for those who can play the most scales, beginners 1 octave hands separate or together, early intermediate 2 octaves HT and late intermediate to early advanced 3-4 octaves HT. If playing scales for the contest, correct fingering (refer to scale book or assignment book) and a steady beat are a must! Take advantage of your time off at Christmas break to see how many pieces you can learn on your guild list and how many you can play for me by memory when we return from break. Be careful with “details”, a sloppy piece with poor rhythm, too many incorrect notes or bad fingering will not be counted!!! Retained or relearned pieces DO count and ESPECIALLY newly learned pieces count.
Performance Contest registration will be in January. If you want to participate in performance contest you need to work hard over the Christmas break to learn and memorize your pieces (2 contrasting) so we can do polish work when lessons resume. I will not register you if pieces are not clean and accurate.
Piano Team pieces should be by memory with the metronome for tryouts in February. Registration for piano team will also be in January upon our return. (Check piano team information sheets for tempo markings and other requirements).
Studio Information: Did you know that your regularly scheduled lesson time is a time slot that has been reserved strictly for the student every week. For every hour of teaching per student, at least another hour for the student is spent on paper work, preparation for the lesson, performance events or other activities. Please refer to the studio policy regarding missed lessons and studio holidays.
The student’s progress is very important to me. Good communication helps promote progress. Your calls or emails to ask questions or get help are encouraged, especially for parents who do not attend lessons.
Each of you is a blessing to me and I’m very thankful for you and enjoy you very much! Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Have fun and be safe~ Sharla Van Cleave November Newsletter
Ensemble Festival: Ensemble Festival will be held at Hardin Simmons University Saturday November 19th at 10:00 a.m.. Students should arrive 15 minutes early and be sure to bring your music. Some of you may have your piece memorized, but I do not have your piece by memory. Since this is a public recital please review the recital etiquette and be sure to dress appropriately. Students should be working very hard to complete pieces for Ensemble Festival and have them performance ready by next lesson. We will start playing with partners next week since there are only two more lessons left.
Performance Class: There will be a performance class held on Thursday November 17th 4:30-5:45. You will have an opportunity to practice with your partner, or group and also an extra chance for performance with an audience before the festival on Saturday.
Studio Holiday: There are no lessons the week of Thanksgiving, but with performance class and ensemble festival this month everyone should have plenty of piano activity. Artwalk will be held Thursday November 10th at the Center for Contemporary Arts on Cypress. Studio time TBA at your lesson, or you may call for the time. Those eligible to play for Artwalk are: Lilly McCutchen, Blake Casteix, Tyler Merritt, Elizabeth Bertsch, Nicole and Julianna Mouat.
Congratulations: Lilly McCutchen, Elizabeth Bertsch, Blake Castiex and Sharla Van Cleave, performed for the AMTA Fall Recital last Friday night at HSU. Great job students!!!
Parents: Remember that you are responsible for providing a regularly scheduled daily practice time. Also checking the assignment book to be sure assignments have been completed. Self-discipline and responsibility for the students is a huge part of being successful in piano. Students need to have consistency in training their mind and muscles to make progress. Making the student think for themselves will help insure better reading and understanding. I feel especially blessed to have the opportunity to work with such wonderful families. Thank you for your support! Please feel free to call or ask questions at any time. Good communication is essential to progress and growth.
OCTOBER NEWSLETTER 2011 At this point everyone should be working hard to meet deadlines which are just around the corner.
Please mark these dates on your calendar. Students who are participating in theory test should be doing practice tests at home and ET files may be emailed for completion at home to save lesson time.
TMTA Theory Testing: Please note that the make up testing is ONLY for those who had to miss the Sunday test due to illness. Students registered to take theory test are: Elizabeth Bertsch, Blake Casteix, Bailey Griffin, Madilyn Harrison, Reagan Huskin, Lilly McCutchen, Tyler Merritt, Julianna and Nicole Mouat, Morgan Neely, Kaitlyn Via, Matthew Warren, and Raquel Zipprich,
30th (Sunday) TMTA SA Theory Test @ HSU Caldwell Hall and Hemphill Building
Grades 1 - 3 and 9 -12 @ 2:00 p.m.
Grades 4 – 8 @ 2:45 p.m.
3rd (Thursday) TMTA SA Theory Make-up HSU Caldwell Hall and Hemphill
All grades 7:30 p.m
AMTA Recital: There are usually two AMTA Recitals held per year. Music must be original literature worthy of recital quality and performed from memory. AMTA teachers are allowed to present 3 selections per recital. Students being selected to perform must meet studio standards for excellence. If you wish to perform on this recital, let me hear your classical piece by memory. Registration is due next Thursday.
Artwalk at Center for Contemporary Arts: November 10th, AMTA has removed the requirement to play pieces by memory this year, but performances must be of a level worthy of background music for a public performance. Students are selected to perform as an honor. AMTA Ensemble Festival: All Students should be working hard to get their piece(s) ready for Ensemble Festival. Ensemble Festival is a formal adjudicated recital which is open to the public. However, it is a low pressure environment due to performers being allowed to use music and also getting to play with a buddy. Ensemble Festival is great for a first recital experience. Be sure to invite friends and family. Students work hard since we have a short amount of time to learn and polish pieces. Some of you will be needing to come extra for rehearsal with a group too. New students should check the link for AMTA Recital Etiquette and dress which is included on the website.
Nov 19th (Saturday) Ensemble Festival, HSU Woodward-Dellis Recital Hall.
Website Updates: The Studio Calendar on this website has been updated. The AMTA Recital Etiquette has been added under the forms tab.
Studio Christmas Party: Scheduled for December 15th. Students will perform either a Christmas piece or a memorized solo for their peers and possibly as a community service project. Place for a community service project is undetermined at this time. If no one has request, we will have the party and performance at the studio. This is our annual pizza party for all students.
Welcome New Students: We welcome these new students into our Piano Studio “Family”: Dijae Blackman, Noah Gonzales, Elizabeth Harrison, Hannah Hillis, Kelly Nguyen, Alex Nicholls, Rob Patton, Marrissa Smith, and Matthew Warren. Some of you are also new to Abilene. Welcome!!! We are enjoying you joining our studio!
AUGUST NEWSLETTER 2011
LESSONS BEGIN: Piano lessons for the 2011-2012 school year begin September 12th. I hope you have all had a peaceful and relaxing summer and are ready to start back into piano study. Most of you have been scheduled in the same lesson time slot as last year and the lesson schedule is already back to back. At this point there are only two openings left.
BE PREPARED: Remember theory test time will be here soon. Have your theory books completed BEFORE lessons. Returning students can expect to start practice theory test, start work on ensemble pieces and/or piano team pieces. I will also listen to your memorized pieces. New students will begin learning theory concepts, gain familiarization with the keyboard and start or prepare to start (depending on age) learning to read music. I look forward seeing and hearing you and am excited to start a productive year. If you haven’t started your theory book yet, start today and you can still finish before lessons start. Call if you have questions or need help.
OTHER OPPORTUNITES OR EVENTS: TMTA Student Affiliate offers more opportunities for students than those which I have required for studio participation. Look at this list to see others that might interest you. Composition Contest, Publications Contest, World of Music (basically a music appreciation/music history test), Convention Projects and TMTA Student Convention Activities such as the June Leondar Contest, Allstar Festival and Keyboard Orchestra. The Nationally Federated Music Clubs have a festival in which you can earn trophies after 3 years of superior ratings. None of these activities or events are in our required studio participation but are available for your participation if you are interested. Just let me know.
SPECIAL SUMMER PIANO ACTIVITIES: Congratulations to the following students on their achievements!
Julianna Mouat had a fantastic performance of her winning AMTA Piano Solo Contest solo at the AMTA Showcase Concert at the Abilene Civic Center in June.
Blake Casteix, Bailey Griffin, Tyler Merritt and Lilly McCutchen all performed with the AMTA Piano Teams in June at the AMTA Showcase Concert at the Abilene Civic Center and at the Arlington Convention Center for the TMTA Convention. Lilly was featured on the Civic Center Grand during her piano team performance.
Blake, Bailey, Tyler and Lilly also performed for the TMTA Allstar Festival while at convention. The Allstar Festival is an adjudicated recital for students who have received a superior rating during a local festival or adjudicated event. These students all received medals for their performance.
Blake Casteix attended ACU Piano Festival and Elizabeth Bertsch attended HSU Piano Camp. Both of these students had a week of piano study, practice and music related activities and events. Elizabeth was an AMTA Summer Camp Scholarship Winner.
SUMMER IN THE STUDIO: Many students also continued in their piano study with summer lessons here at the studio. All students were invited to a summer studio swim party in June. We have some really good swimmers!
NEW TO THE STUDIO THIS YEAR: We will have customized assignment books and a special studio notebook to contain important papers. Let’s work towards collecting all your adjudication sheets, certificates and information papers in your studio notebook and over the years we may have some on display at the Studio Awards Recital.
New software has been added, Finale 2011. Finale is a fully functional notation program which will enable compositions to be printed and also can provide worksheets, exercises and many other functions.
We now have a Studio Facebook page which will feature comments or encouragements from composers, students pictures and performances and current updates that I may not have time to post directly on the website, but can have a live stream incorporated on the newsletter page, as you may have noticed. Facebook has proven to be a useful tool connecting to and sharing ideas with TMTA and MTNA Teachers, American Composers and new learning concepts. Click to “like” on one of the website pages or content.
Last yet; MOST importantly we welcome 4 new students to our studio family beginning in September: Matthew Warren, Elizabeth Harrison, Noah Gonzales and adult student Rob Patton.
March Newsletter
Special recognition to Julianna Mouat, Nicole Mouat, Raquel Zipprich, Blake Casteix and Bailey Griffin for your beautiful performance on the January 22nd AMTA Recital.
Special Recognition goes to Nicole Mouat, Julianna Mouat and Raquel Zipprich for participation in the AMTA Piano Solo Performance Contest March 5th. Each of these students performed beautifully in a category with many contestants.
Congratulations to Julianna Mouat who recieved 1st Place in the AMTA Piano Solo Performance Contest in the 5th-6th Grade Category, and also to Raquel Zipprich who received Honorable Mention in the 5th and 6th Grade Category.
Congratulations to the following students for being selected to participate on an AMTA/TMTA Piano Team. AMTA/TMTA High School Team- Bailey Griffin and Blake Casteix, AMTA/TMTA Texas American Team II- Tyler Merritt, AMTA/TMTA Texas American Team I- Lilly McCutchen. These students will perform with these teams at the AMTA Showcase Concert Abilene Civic Center and the TMTA Convention at the Arlington Convention Center in June.
Thank You! to Blake Casteix and Bailey Griffin for serving as pages during the AMTA Piano Team tryouts. AMTA thanks you for your service.
Please mark your calendars with these important dates: AMTA Springer/Manly Music Festival HSU April 9th, National Guild of Piano Teachers Auditions HSU week of May 9th, Performance Class/Recital Rehearsal May 12th, Studio Spring Awards Recital ACU May 13th 7:00. There will also be students selected for participation in an AMTA Recital March 26th, and Artwalk at The Grace Museum April 14th.
Scholarship Opportunities: For those wishing to attend a summer music camp see Mrs. Van Cleave ASAP to receive a Harmony Club of Abilene Scholarship Application or download and send to me ASAP the AMTA Scholarship application on the forms and links page. HSU Summer Piano Camp is recommended. Applications due to me by March 25th deadline.
Studio Policy Regarding Inclement Weather: Lessons missed due to dangerous travel conditions WILL be made up. Students may be assigned an additional time, given a double lesson, or a group class may be held.
Parent Education: The links pasted below provide parents with beneficial information. You are encouraged to read and apply these to gain the most from your lessons. The Ottawa Suzuki Strings Website is a Violin site, but the information listed below can be applied to lessons for any instrument.
Proper and Unacceptable Lesson Behavior http://ottawasuzukistrings.ca/millliondollarlesson
Information for Parents about Practice (keep in mind this is at a site for a violin studio, when viewing practice charts) http://ottawasuzukistrings.ca/practicechart
Make up Lessons from an Economist’s Point of View http://ottawasuzukistrings.ca/makeuplessons
Why Study Music http://ottawasuzukistrings.ca/whystudymusic
The Benefits of Music Study http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081104132916.htm
For More Educational Information, Links and theory online websites click above on the forms and links page.
December Newsletter
Studio Christmas Party- Thursday December 16th 5:30-7:30. Traditionally the annual Studio Christmas party has been a “students only” party. However, this year we had a request to perform at Wisteria Place. Please drop off students at Wisteria at 5:30 and pick up at my house at promptly 7:30. Students, this is a public performance so please dress accordingly. You may wear black pants and a Christmas sweater or boys may wear Dockers and a Christmassy type shirt. Bring music! We will eat pizza at my house after the performance.
Lesson schedule- Remember there will be no lessons next week. Lessons regularly scheduled for next week were made up in advance during Thanksgiving week. Lessons resume January 5th. While on Christmas break, review your memorized pieces, scales and cadences; finish up pieces we have started learning so we can reach our goal of 10 memorized pieces.
Theory Test- These people have been registered to take the Spring Theory Test. Click Calendar tab for more information. Olivia Scalf, Amelia Stark, Kaitlyn Via, Lilly McCutchen, Bobby Stark, Bailey Griffin, Blake Casteix, Brady Letz and Vanessa Salazar.
Condolences go out to Bailey Griffin and Tyler Merritt who both recently lost their grandfather.
May you all have a Very Blessed Christmas!
NOVEMBER Newsletter 2010
RECOGNITION: Special Recognition to Judith Sharbutt and Vanessa Salazar who played several pieces each by memory for Artwalk at the Center for Contemporary Arts. Special recognition also goes to Julianna, Nicole and Gavin Mouat, and Elizabeth Bertsch, Raquel Zipprich and Blake Casteix for a beautiful performance for the Abilene Philharmonic Home Tour. The students playing for Home Tour enjoyed playing on a Steinway autographed by Van Cliburn.
CONGRATULATIONS! The following students have earned medals for the Fall TMTA Theory Test GOLD: Raquel Zipprich, Tyler Merritt, Julianna Mouat, Judith Sharbutt, Madilyn Harrison,
SILVER: Lilly McCutchen, Bailey Griffin, Gavin Mouat
BRONZ: Vanessa Salazar, Bobby Stark, Elizabeth Bertsch, Nicole Mouat
STUDIO PERFORMANCES: Ensemble Festival is Saturday December 4th at Hardin Simmons Woodward- Dellis Recital Hall. Performance time is 3:00. Be there 10 minutes early, dressed in performance attire. Bring music! You may have your piece by memory, but I do NOT!!! Be sure to invite family and friends to this fun event. Studio Christmas Party scheduled for December 16th 5:30-7:30. Please place this on your calendar. Instead of caroling this year, we will share our piano music at Wisteria Place, behind Famous Dave’s BBQ. Be there dressed in something nice and Christmassy. Although this is our annual “students only party”, a couple of parents will be needed to provide transportation back to the house. We will have our regular menu of pizza, hot cider, hot chocolate, chilie con queso, and the various other treats and goodies. Parents please drop off students (with music for your assigned piece) at Wisteria Place at 5:25 and return to pick them up at my house no later than 7:30.
LESSON SCHEDULE CHANGES: THANKSGIVING WEEK- If your lesson is on Monday or Tuesday you WILL have regular lessons on November 22nd and 23rd. The studio calendar listed on the studio policy lists no lessons this week, but this has been changed. The week of Christmas there will be no lessons.
Group lessons are scheduled for the week of November 29th-December 3rd to prepare for Ensemble Festival. This comes at a good time, because I have dress rehearsals and performance scheduled for November 29, 30 and December 6 and 7. The first part of the week will be partner lessons to prepare for your group lesson. These lessons will take care of your regular private lesson for November 29 and 30. The group lessons at the end of the week are scheduled not only as make-ups in advance for December 6 and 7, but also provide our semester group lesson opportunity. I apologize for any inconvenience this scheduling may cause but feel it is necessary to have group performance classes at this time to provide better preparation for Ensemble Festival. Studio policy states there will be one or two group lessons per semester. Group lessons for the week of Ensemble Festival will focus on building ensemble skills and performance etiquette and provide a rehearsal for the Ensemble Festival. Group lessons provide an audience of peers who asses each other’s practice performance. Group performance classes result in building a bond between students who share striving for the same goals, feeling the same frustrations through the learning process and sharing the reward and sense of accomplishment for the results of their efforts. Group lessons provide better preparation and a more relaxed and comfortable performance for the “real” audience on performance day.
MONDAY November 29th
4:00 Amelia
4:30 Judith, Tyler, Brady Vanessa
5:15 Blake, Bailey
6:00 Madilyn
6:30 Eloy
TUESDAY November 30th
4:00-4:45 Lilly, Tyler, Kaitlyn
WEDNESDAY
2:15 Tighe
4:30 Bobby
5:00 Raquel, Elizabeth, Julianna, Nicole
5:45 Gavin
6:15 Olivia
THURSDAY
5:00-5:30 Amelia, Bobby, Madilyn, Gavin, Olivia, Eloy,
FRIDAY
4:30-5:15 Tyler, Lilly, Kaitlyn, Blake, Bailey, Tighe
5:15-6:00 Judith, Tyler, Brady, Vanessa, Julianna, Nicole, Raquel, Elizabeth
There will be no lessons Monday and Tuesday December 6th and 7th. Please remember that I had originally scheduled lessons December 20 and 21st but have moved those lessons to the week of Thanksgiving, which balance out to receiving 3 lessons for the month of December, and 4 lessons for November. Wednesday lessons WILL have regular lessons on December 8th due to not receiving the lesson on Thanksgiving week. Thank you so much for your cooperation in making these performances be successful. At this point, the student should be able to play from beginning to end correctly with the metronome and should be able to play with a partner. Most students have successfully reached this point and have also completed memory. YEA!!!
Be advised now that we will have group lessons again in May as a rehearsal for our annual studio recital. Hopefully it will be an easier schedule in May, due to solos being performed.
September Newsletter
Congratulations to Madilyn Harrison for winning first place in the theory book contest. Madilyn was the first one to completely finish her theory book. You can see Madilyns picture holding her prize by clicking above on teh Awards and Pictures tab. We still have a prize for 2nd and 3rd place and anxiouly await to see who will win next. The theory contest will end October 1st and practice test will start.
Post these Dates! The calendar should be ready soon. AMTA is trying to finalize a few dates. Theory test is scheduled for October 24th and Ensemble Festival is scheduled for December 4th. Everyone should be working hard to be prepared for these two events. Remember the REAL prize for theory test is winning that Gold Medal. Ensemble Festival pieces need to be learned and up to tempo with the metronome so we can start practicing with each other in groups. This should be loads of fun to create our own small piano teams here in the studio.
Remember we are also preparing for Artwalk and the Abilene Philharmonic Home Tour. Artwalk should be
the second Thursday in November. Dates for the Home Tour TBA. These public performances must be by memory unless playing a duet.
The sticker chart is posted and has started. Remember to earn a sticker you must succeed in showing you have accomplished your assignments. 4 people earned stickers on Monday, the first day of the chart. Bailey Griffin, Brady Letz, Madilyn Harrison, Tyler Merritt. Work hard so you can acheive the wonderful feeling of accomplishment!
Tuition Payments: For your convenience more options have been given to make payments easier. You may now click above on the payments tab and use your credit card or paypal account to pay through Paypal or Amazon. Please remember that tuition is due on the first lesson of each month with a $10.00 late fee after the 10th of the month.
AUGUST NEWSLETTER
Lessons begin September 7th.
Exciting Changes in the Studio This Year!!!
Elementary Music Class- I am excited to announce the that Elementary Music Classes are now available during school time hours. The class will be for home school students who have no home instrument available. If you know of someone who would be interested please refer them to the homepage for more information.
Why Music Matters- Be sure to check out the link for youtube on Why Music Matters on the forms and links page.
Big Surprise- There will be a huge surprise for students when they come into the studio this fall. The addition of a new Boston 5'4" Grand is very exciting!!! There have been improvements made in the midi lab as well.
This makes a perfect time to learn about how to properly care for and respect the instrument. As your teacher, my job covers instruction in piano care and etiquette.
Piano team students already know, and all piano students should learn piano care etiquette listed below.
Recognitions- Blake Casteix, Frankie Beckendorf and Stefani Stovall all earned a Superior rating for their performance at the TMTA Allstar Festival at the TMTA convention in June. Tyler Merritt played for a wedding this summer and Blake Casteix also has the addition of a new Yamaha Grand at his house. Vanessa Salazar presented a musical performance of playing the piano and singing at her Quinceanera in Arizona.
Waaay to go all of you!!!
I hope you all had a fantastic summer and are eager and excited to start back into lessons with these new studio changes and some fun music. I look forward to seeing you all soon!!!
PIANO CARE ETIQUETTE
1. Wash hands before playing. (Not only does this help to protect the piano, but it also helps to protect each student by not sharing germs)
2. No dangly jewelry which can scratch the wood surfaces or the keys while playing. (This also makes annoying sounds that distract from the music performed.)
3. Food and drinks should not be brought into the studio (Lessons are a time for concentration and learning, food and especially drinks could cause serious damage to the piano from spills or cup sweat.)
5. Erase theory papers and piano music away from the music rack or the instrument in general. (Causes debris inside the piano and creates wear and tear)
6. Never touch inside a piano!!! (Although the beauty of the piano (for girls) and the mechanical aspects (for boys) are very tempting to touch, oils from our hands can damage strings, pins, felts and alter the precise settings of the instrument.)
7. Red fingernail polish is a big NO! NO!... Anytime we play someone else's instrument it is bad manners to wear colored fingernail polish that rubs off onto the keys or chips and gets down inside between the keys.
8. No objects in pockets that could scratch or rub the bench.
9. Keep your feet off of the pedal unless using it to make music. Both feet should remain flat on the floor. (We learn this in the very first lesson :) )
10. Play with proper technique. Students who pound the keys or break strings do not create a beautiful tone, AND wear out the instrument.
May Newsletter
Congratulations to Studio Winners:
1st Place Best Practice Record- Tyler Merritt
2nd Place Best Practice Record- Frankie Beckendorf
2nd Place Best Practice Record- Madilyn Harrison
2nd Place Best Practice Record- Amelia Stark
3rd Place Best Practice Record- Vanessa Salazar
Most Improved- Brady Letz
Most Improved- Judith Sharbutt
Highest Guild Score- Blake Casteix
Remember deposits for next year are due June 1st. The deposit not only covers your fees for registration and music, but also holds your spot for next fall.
Be sure to attend AMTA Showcase Concert Benefiting Harmony Family Services June 7th
Abilene Civic Center, 7:30 p.m..
Frankie Beckendorf, Blake Casteix, Bailey Griffin, and Stefani Stovall are part of the AMTA piano teams performing at the TMTA Convention June 11th and 12th. These people will also participate in the TMTA Allstar Festival while at convention. The TMTA Allstar Festival is an adjudicated event in a recital setting. Students must have earned a superior rating for a local contest or festival in order to be eligible for participation.
Fall lessons will begin on Tuesday after Labor Day.
Summer Lessons June 30th through July 21st.
MARCH NEWSLETTER
As you have noticed the website has a new face! It's still not all here yet, but I believe I like the looks of this one better anyway. Eventually the links and other information will be put back on, your patience has been needed and greatly appreciated this year.
Words just do NOT express the pride and joy I feel for the blessing that each one of you are to me. This studio was 100% in attendance at Music Festival today! Not only did you all do well with your ratings, but your behavior and appearance were outstanding!!!! YEA! for all of you!!!
WONDERFUL comments from judges regarding your playing.
Parents receive gold stars for getting in there and teaching responsibilty, giving support, attending lessons, asking questions, being punctual and showing interest. Students, you should feel the honor and glory of your accomplishments. However, this should be a shortlived reward because guild is approaching quickly, registration has been sent and many of you have a lot of work left to do in order to meet your goals. You should be working extra hard in order to finish learning and memorizing your pieces and getting your scales and chords accomplished.
Congratulations to ALL STUDENTS for the following results:
TMTA SPRING THEORY TEST RESULTS
GOLD- Madilyn Harrison, Isaiah Martinez, Julianna Mouat
SILVER- Josiah Light, Nicole Mouat
BRONZ- Brady Letz, Gavin Mouat
AMTA MUSIC FESTIVAL RATINGS -For those who played more than one piece your name will be listed for each piece, be sure to check all ratings. CONGRATULATIONS!
SUPERIOR + Raquel Zipprich, Elizabeth Bertsch, Madilyn Harrison, Josiah Light,
Isaiah Martinez, Tyler Merritt, Julianna Mouat, Julianna Mouat,
SUPERIOR Vanessa Salazar, Judith Sharbutt, Stefani Stovall, Bobby Stark,
Amelia Stark, Harrison Bertsch, Blake Casteix, Brady Letz, Brady Letz, Isaiah Martinez, Gavin Mouat, Nicole Mouat, Nicole Mouat
SUPERIOR - Eloy Velez, Vanessa Salazar, Judith Sharbutt, Bailey Griffin
EXCELLENT + Stefani Stovall, Bailey Griffin, Bailey Griffin, Frankie Beckendorf
EXCELLENT Charlie Fischer
NATIONAL MUSIC CLUBS FEDERATED Jr. FESTIVAL
SUPERIOR + Frankie Beckendorf
CONGRATULATIONS!!! Accepted to AMTA Piano Team and participating in playing at TMTA Convention in Arlington, Texas are: Blake Casteix, Stefani Stovall, Bailey Griffin and Frankie Beckendorf.
THANK YOU!!! Thank you to Blake Casteix, Stefani Stovall and Julianna Mouat for working at AMTA Music Festival as a page. We couldn't do it without our student workers. Thanks also to Bailey Griffin for her participation representing the studio in the AMTA Piano Solo Contest held March 6th.
UPCOMING EVENTS! Mark your calendars NOW!!!
AMTA Artwalk at the Grace Museum- April 8th. Number of students participating may be limited. Let me know NOW if you wish to participate in this fun event.
AMTA Recital April 25th- Studio Participation limited extremely limited. If you are asked to participate on this recital it is a huge honor!
National Guild of Piano Teachers Auditions Week of May 10th-14th- Students should be working hard. Fourteen students have been registered for a National Program. This is an adjudicated event. A National Program consist of 10 or more pieces by memory with scales and chords for each piece. Students will be excused from school for the alloted time to participate in this event.
SPRING AWARDS RECITAL will be held at Hardin-Simmons University Woodward Dellis Recital Hall Friday May 14th 7:30 p.m.. Reception following.
AMTA Showcase Concert Benefiting Harmony Family Services: Abilene Civic Center June 7th, 7:30 p.m.. All students are encouraged to attend. Blake Casteix, Stefani Stovall, Frankie Beckendorf and Bailey Griffin will be participating.