Music Academy Updates...

For all of you who read and are NOT music academy families, I apologize!  Every day I realize how complicated the lives of the Music Academy faculty are, and how much everybody needs reminding of things at this time of year! 

May 3: Ensembles Concert at Emmanuel Lutheran/ rehearsal at 9:45

The actual concert location has been changed to the Centennial Room.  That room is the long carpeted room in the downstairs.  

May 10: Suzuki--Twinkle party/ book recitals/ and rehearsals for many of the solos.  (Check with your teacher for time/location)

May 17: Solo recitals

Can you keep it all straight?

And somewhere in the mix, you should look at your summer schedules and sign up for private lessons as well as camps by May 15th.  

Don't forget to enjoy the nice outdoors!

Planning for Summer!

This isn't exactly summer in Rockford, but there are some great musical opportunities for your youngins' to explore.  

Hhmmm... what do  you do with summer?  Sleep in? Relax? grill out?  After a few weeks of that, you'll need some structure.  How about a full day of structured fun for your musicians?  

Drum roll pleaseeeeeee......................

June 16-20, 2008

String, flute, and Piano camp  (full or half day)

for the students ages 4-12

June 23-27, 2008

Chamber music camp

for more advanced students (full or half day)

August 4-8, 2008

"All together now"

a family music camp

Also: throughout the summer

June 3,10,  and July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29,

Prelude: Music for the young child

Also available: individual lessons with your regular teachers--6 recommended.  Prices listed in the newsletter.  See you at camp!

Register by MAY 15 (to avoid a late fee)  at the Music Academy office: 815-226-4168

A lot happening around town!

This Sunday, one of Music Academy's own stars, Sam Batista will perform with RYSO.  Check here for details.  Sam also won first place for violin in the Chandler Starr Miller Scholarship competition hosted by the Mendelssohn Performing Arts of Rockford.  

This should be an inspiration to the little twinklers out there to keep playing.  Let's expose our young people to concerts like this! 

A lot happening around town!

Closing Suzuki Activities for Music Academy

May 3rd is our closing activities for the Suzuki Program.

It's hard to believe we're wrapping up another Suzuki year!  As a parent, it has been such a fun and rewarding time to watch the Saturday morning Suzuki activities.  I like interacting with the parents and watching my kids progress in their various musical pursuits.  

Just in case you would like an update of the schedule for May 3rd, here it is again.  This meets at Emmanuel Lutheran Church (regular Saturday location)

9:45 a.m. Rehearsal time for:

Suzuki Orchestra in Sanctuary

Vivaldi Orchestra in the Heritage Room

Chamber Orchestra in the Auditorium (downstairs)

Measure 5 in Library

Flute Choir in Nursery

Interlude Singers in Classroom 2 (downstairs)

at 10:20 Students report to:

Ensembles to Sanctuary

Piano and Voice Extravaganza/ Orff & Keyboard Showcase to Centennial Hall

10:30: Concerts begin! 

For everyone who attended a concert, there will be an Ice Cream Social in the lower level Centennial Hall immediately following the concerts.  

Academy student hits the big league!

Who's this, you may ask?  She was once a little twinkler... Can you guess? Her name is Alissa Fleming.  She has just been accepted to the Las Vegas Philharmonic as well as the Henderson Symphony.  Quite an accomplishment!  Good job Alissa!  

I bet your teachers back at the Music Academy are proud of you! Read HERE for her full article. 

I want to see this concert.

O.K.  I want to see EVERY concert, but I really want to see this concert.  It's in Beloit, which isn't too far from Rockford.  But if I don't get a chance, I'll be happy to see this one.

NEXT SATURDAY April 19th at Emmanuel Lutheran Church at 1:00p.m.  Only one week to go!

Go kids!  Go parents! Good job!

Enticing them to want to play...

She just makes it look like fun, I guess..  This article is about Mozart's mother.  I wonder about these heroes.  Here I am, trying to be a better Suzuki mom, but I have only begun to explore what it takes to rear musical children.  I know she looks like a wild card.  We'd get along famously.  Since I can't meet her (or other great musical mommies) every day, I'll keep reading the good book and reporting in once in a while.  

In Suzuki's book, Ability Development from Age Zero, p. 10-14, he gives us moms some help in enticing our children to want to play.  

It's so fun and easy.  O.K. Here's how you do it.  You just pick up your little 3 year old's violin or flute or whatever their playing, and you play it.  Act like you're having a grand old time of it.  Put on the twinkle songs and play right along with them.  Have a concert for Daddy.  Make sure he lavishes you with praise and such.  (that wouldn't hurt either way)  By this time, the little critter will be dying to pick up that fiddle and practice.  She'll be begging for a lesson.  "O.K.  if you're good.. and IF you promise to practice....I'll sign you up for a lesson... etc. etc. "  

O.K. this isn't EXACTLY what Suzuki said to do, but he's so chop chop about life.  You get the idea.  

Only 7 weeks of Saturday classes left!

Wow!  Where did the semester go?  Here we are, racing along in our lives, and everyone is already scrambling for the big concerts and solo recitals.  

Would it be helpful to post what is going on? Can you make it through the last couple weeks? 

April

Saturday April 5: Suzuki groups  Piano Repertoire 12:00 p.m. ELC

Saturday April 12: Suzuki groups

Saturday April 19: No Groups/ Cello /Guitar/ Flute Showcase Rehearsal + 1:00 p.m. concert

Saturday April 26: Suzuki Groups

May

Saturday May 3: Suzuki Closing Activities: Ensemble Concert/ Senior Recognition/ Piano Extravaganza (ELC)  and Piano Repertoire 12:00 p.m.

Saturday May 10: Twinkle Recitals/ Book Recitals

Saturday May 17: Mixed Solo Recitals 

Also:May 19-23rd is the make-up week.  

And then life is so easy, all you have to do is think about summer camp, summer lessons, or chamber music camp.  For now, we'll just work on getting through these next couple of weeks.