Welcome to our fall session!
Summer was a busy, fun time in the studio! I enjoyed hearing about everyone's adventures, vacations, and camps, and can't wait to hear the same from returning students. We also managed to get a lot of learning in! Some highlights this past summer were:

• Reinforcing our understanding of Middle C and Treble C position with "It Smells Like Treble" starring Maxwell A. Skunk
• Completing four different piano "adventures" with Cami the Camel
• Collectively students memorized over 20 songs and composed some beautiful compositions that you can check out on Facebook!
  

Here is a sneak peek of some things we will be working on during the fall:

• Using the surfer themed "Cob Duster" to brush up on skills we may have forgotten over the summer
  
• The "Party Popper" and "Gold Mine" games to help learn intervals and tonic and dominant notes
• Christmas music will begin in October!
  
• Our fall piano recital will be held October 27th at 6:30pm at Rosemont Baptist Church.
  

I've planned fall in the studio to give students performance opportunities to work towards as well as developing new skills and expanding their repertoire. I know after a busy, happy summer it's hard to get back into a routine of school, homework, sports, and piano practice. If I can be of assistance in any way please let me know!

See you in the studio,
Noelle

So Summer is Flying By...

Summer is flying by in the piano studio! Heather, Ava, and Neely all joined the studio in the last few weeks. Heather took lessons back in high school and is ready to focus on piano again, while Ava and Neely are both taking piano lessons for the first time. I love teaching beginners and we're already having a blast together at lessons.
Current students have stayed busy this summer with our "Summer Adventures with Cami the Camel". They've enjoyed racing their camels across the desert by finishing several challenges which have included memorizing songs, composing their own piece, and playing for family and friends. They've come up with some pretty incredible original compositions...and some very origianl song titles including, "Voyage of the Icelandic Vikings," "Mysteries of the Deep," "When France Fell," and "Breaking Free--Not the High School Musical Version." Be sure to check out our Facebook page so you can hear some of their compositions.

Hellos and Goodbyes

This has already been quite the busy summer in the studio! In spite of summer camps, vacations, and other summer fun four new students joined our studio. I'd like to welcome Madi, Autumn, Charlie, and Cooper to piano lessons. They're all ready to work hard and have already established some very good practice habits. I'm having so much fun getting to know them! We've been using play-doh, Easter eggs, and jelly beans to work on proper posture at the piano, rhythm, and note names. Charlie and Autumn have already started note-reading as well.

While this month has been full of "hellos" there have also been a few "goodbyes" as well. Even though my piano studio takes up a small corner of my home my piano students take up a very large portion of my heart...and sometimes I forget how big until it is time to say goodbye. This month I had to say good-bye to three students.
After three years of lessons Philip graduated from piano. He's starting college courses and looking to add more hobbies to his bag of tricks. If you got to hear Philip play at our recitals you were always in for a treat and I know that he is going to do well at whatever he pursues for years to come.
Arisu has taken lessons from me for three years and this summer her family is moving back to Japan. She practiced diligently, enjoyed performing for her classmates at school, and loved composing. I'm going to miss her, but I'm excited that she gets to go back to reconnect with all the friends and family in Japan that she'd been missing.
Hardest of all was saying good-bye to my other Phil. It was even harder because I didn't know his last lesson was "good-bye". Phil started lessons in January at the age of 63. He was determined to learn the piano and even though his job had him flying out of the country on a regular basis he didn't let that stop him. He always did his best to have Monday off work and would spend hours practicing before he came to his lesson. I loved his drive and energy! Sadly, Phil passed away suddenly in a tragic accident over Memorial Day weekend. It was a shock to lose him and I'll miss teaching him, but I'll also miss hearing about his adventures from all over the world and his kind heart. He was an inspiration to me...and hopefully to everyone reading this...that you're never too old to try something new.
If you would like to add to my list of "hellos" and join our studio let me know! Summer spaces and fall spaces are filling up fast!

It's summer at the piano studio!

As we move away from a very structured school year and into the freedom of summer I wanted to thank each and every one of you for your efforts this past spring. Some highlights this past spring were:

• Learning to become efficient at practicing with our Wanted in the Wild West practice incentive
• Our spring recital...featured beginning and advanced students playing everything from classical music to pop music with almost 100 family and friends in attendance
• Re-inforcing our understanding of major and minor pentascales with the very fun "Misadventures of Agent Major and Professor Pentascalius"

Here is a sneak peek of some things we will be focusing on during the summer:

• Reinforcing our understanding of Middle C and Treble C position with "It Smells Like Treble" starring Maxwell A. Skunk
• Completing five different piano "adventures" with Cami the Camel
• Celebrating what we learned over the summer with a pizza and piano party at the end of July for all students in the studio.

 I very much understand that summer is a busy, happy time for both children and adults. I've planned summer in the studio to allow them to shore up students' basic piano knowledge in fun ways that will give them confidence and pride in the progress they have made in piano heading into the fall.


I know family vacations and summer camps will be happening over the next two months so please don't forget to let me know when you'll be out of town!

The Final Showdown!

Three students arrived at the Practice Cactus for the final showdown and successfully completed the Wild West practice challenge! They've learned good practice habits, how to add their own special touch to their songs, and then performed them for family and friends this past week. Hopefully we'll be hearing some of these songs at our spring recital! I'm looking forward to more students making it to the Practice Cactus because I have a lot of yummy prizes to give out.
I'd also like to welcome Cadence, 6, to piano lessons! She started lessons this month and is full of giggles and smiles, loves music, and is so much fun to teach!

We're Breaking the Rules!

Just about everyone has gotten to spend a week at the Repetition Ranch. My favorite comment from a student was: "I didn't want to get stuck at the Ranch!" She then proceeded to play a beautiful rendition of "Vivace". Efficient practice really works!

Last week several students got to move to "Creative Canyon". They have been busy exploring how to personalize their songs and break the rules. Some of them have gotten quite industrious and added chords, eighth notes, and new rhythms to their pieces, while others have been focusing on their dynamics and making the music come alive.

WANTED: Amazing Practice-ers!

Christmas break is over and we are back on our normal schedule! Let's face it...sometimes it is HARD to get back on a routine after a fun couple weeks with family, friends, way too much sugar, and a flexible routine. I miss all my students when my studio is closed over Christmas break, but it is hard for me to get back on a steady routine as well. That's why we're starting the year with a Wild West themed practice event! Over the next four weeks we're going to learn practice techniques that are both fun and efficient that will help aspiring pianists be successful all year long. Dust off your piano books and I can't wait to meet you at the Repetition Ranch this week!