August Notes

At the end of each month I will post notes of accomplishments and what we need to work on as a studio so parents and students are aware of their accomplishments. You should all be so proud of yourselves! I am so proud of what you have achieved this first month of voice instruction! I will start with my private students: great first month!!!! What talent you all have! You have all been given solos, you know your female composer you will be studying this coming month, and you have your specific warm-ups and sight-singing exercises! Bravo! Please practice every day and remember to begin working on your female composer paper. I would also like to see each of you pick a sacred song this coming month and schedule a date to perform in public. My group students: WOW!!! You did so well this month! Bravo to you! I am so overwhelmed with the talent we have in our group this semester. You have learned 4 new warm-ups, studied rhythm, learned solfege hand signs, and you have learned 6 new songs! Please remember to fill out those very important frog practice charts! Remember we are aiming for "high 5" each week! 5 days of practicing, 10 minutes each. I will be assigning solos this month. I hope you will be excited about that! Please remember to use your practice CD at each practice session you have. That CD is so important! Great job this month to all of you. I am so excited for September!!!

SENIOR RECITAL IN MAY

I have 2 wonderfully talented Seniors from Queen Creek High School this year. They will be performing a very special senior recital in May that you won't want to miss. A senior recital is a very significant moment for a vocalist to honor achievement and growth and I can't wait for theirs!

Recital and Rehearsal Information

We have 2 recitals this semester. The first is at the Calhoun Residence on Saturday the 21st of November at 4pm. The second is our service recital at Creek View Manor in Queen Creek on Saturday December 12th at 11am. There will be a Studio Rehearsal at the Calhoun Residence on Thursday November 12th from 6-8pm. This rehearsal is mandatory to be in the recitals.

Fall 2009 Semester Goals

It's so important to have goals for yourself! That is how we succeed... having reasonable, attainable goals. A sign in my music room reads:
"We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act
but a habit."
-Aristotle
"We are what we repeatedly do" means practice. My goal for the Fall 2009 Semester is to get each of my students practicing every day! That is how you will reach your personal goals!
Some other projects we are working on this semester are:
1. Studying and singing a specific female composer.
2. Singing a solo in a public setting before the recital in November.
3. Sharing our talents at a rest home for a Christmas gift to the residents there.

PRIVATE LESSONS

Many students find that a result of private training helps them to have more musical confidence. That is my goal in private coaching. I want each of my students to develop a confidence in them musically. As we work together in private instruction to strengthen your talent and increase your confidence, you can become an influential member in youth choirs, church choirs, community productions and choirs, and from there- college vocal groups and music theater. As your personal coach, I pick music suited specifically for you- to help develop your unique talent. I hope to introduce you to all types of vocal music to develop a deeper appreciation of music in general. I encourage my students to come to me with song choices of their own as well.

In addition to providing you with an opportunity to perform in our studio recital, I will always encourage auditions and public performances and I will help you prepare not just your voice, but your musical selection as well. This time is yours. I will begin your lesson on time every week and expect you to arrive on time each week so that your time and efforts are spent well in the valuable time we have each semester before your recital. I have a “no knock, walk right in policy” as I hope that each student feels comfortable in my home. Please arrive in time for your lesson each week so we can make the most of our time together.

GROUP LESSONS

I am so excited to offer Group Singing Lessons for 8-12 year old girls. I believe that this age is a great time to teach music technique, theory and performing. There is no better way to develop confidence, in my opinion, than through music!!! In group class, we focus on warm-ups, basic theory, sight-singing, solfege, and singing beautiful repretoire. There will be 2 recitals this semester.

Each student in group lessons is treated as a group member but also is given individual attention. There are solos to try out for each semester. Also, if you are interested in private lessons, the group class is a great place to start as I will usually draw my private students from my group lessons when I feel they are ready to work on solo repertoire.

Group lesson time is Mondays from 4:15-5:15pm at my home. You will be provided with music. Please bring your own folder/binder and pencil to each lesson.

PREP LESSONS

If there is an opportunity for a school musical audition, choir audition, if you are singing in church or if you are a high school choir member wanting to try out for Regionals, I would strongly suggest prep lessons. These are mini lessons to help you succeed in your musical endeavor. To prepare you as a performer, a vocalist, and to give your musical selection the best edge we can. We will decide what course of action to take with the lessons and how many we might need together. Please contact me if you are interested as I fill my extra prep time slots quickly. These are short-term lessons so make sure you are planning ahead to give yourself adequate time to be ready for your audition, performance, regionals, etc.

STUDENT COMMITMENT

Practice: My biggest expectation of my students is daily practicing. You MUST practice at least 20 minutes daily or your time and money will not be well spent. Remember, 20 minutes of practicing 5 days a week is better than 100 minutes once a week. Also, I expect each student to come prepared with their music, staff paper, sight-singing book, pencil and small recording device (if you desire) to each lesson. That is how we will develop your talent best!

Performance: Each student will learn to perform individual solos as well as how to sing in a group. Before each recital we will have a group lesson called a Studio Rehearsal. The Studio Rehearsal and Recitals are MANDATORY. You will be given the dates ahead of time. Also, each private student must arrange a date to sing in a public performance setting once a semester BEFORE their recital. I will help them pick a venue for this assignment.

POLICIES

Make-up Lessons: For private students there are 2 make-up lessons a semester. I will only make up a lesson if the student is ill and is not able to attend their lesson. The make-up lesson must be made in the month the lesson is missed. Group lessons cannot be made up. Please try to come to each rehearsal so we are better prepared for the recital.