Nov 23, 2009....

It's THIS close to Thanksgiving, but I thought I ought to sit down and write a few words so you won't think I've dropped off the face of the earth. We had a lovely time with my brother, wife and kids. Did a quick mystery tour of a few places downtown and son Jordan was kind enough to babysit so we went sans children. There are SO many wonderful places to see in Cleveland - I don't know why we have such a terrible reputation, and why I don't get there more often.

This past weekend Paul and I created a cozy table for two in Bistro Scheutzow for our son Jordan and his girlfriend Michelle, to celebrate 1 year of dating. It was lovely, and they seemed to enjoy it. The house still smells like crab legs!

This week, I have TWO DAYS to get ready for Thanksgiving, which is on Wednesday this year for us, since all the boys have other places to be on the real day. Still, I'll take what I can get. The insisted on turkey, so we'll do it with all the trimmings.

One nice thing last weekend was attending a church service where my adult student played a wonerful duet with his organist. We had worked on the piece for a while, and he did a great job. It was "It Is Well With My Soul" and sometime if you get a minute or two, google it and read the history behind the hymn. It will stir your soul.

Anyway, nothing else new here. Just dashing off to errands after preparing lessons for classes this afternoon. Hope anyone reading this is well and headed for a great Thanksgiving.

Lori

Nov 13, 2009

They're coming, they're coming, they're coming!!!! I'm not really that excited, as you can tell, but Nephew Jack and Niece Lucy are coming and bringing their parents....:-) My "little" baby brother Clark, and his gorgeous wife Charlie should be here by dinner!!! Ok, I'll knock it off with the multiple exclamation points! I distinctly remember the time when I was no longer the center of the universe, but just the transporter, feeder, diaperer, clother, and one of the ones who provided the centers of attention - the children - for all to admire and fawn over. Somehow it didn't bother me a bit! They are just wonderful! I suppose it gets us attached so that we somehow bring them into adulthood, relatively unscathed, and ready to be parents themselves someday. In one of ours' cases, that someday is right around the corner in June 2010. You think I'm excited about Jack and Lucy, just wait until I get my hands on a grandchild!

More to come...

Lori

Here's a view from Bill T's birding tower near our hometown last weekend. It was breath-taking, to put it mildly. I think it's the least God can do to compensate us for what lies ahead in the coming months, especially here in northern Ohio to give us this gorgeous show of color before it's all gray and then bone-chillingly cold. It had been gray and rainy all that day, and then right before the sun set, as if we asked for it, it came out below the clouds for a few minutes to show off on the treetops. This is taken from 40+ feet high. Well-worth the climb and the drive. Thanks, Julie and Bill, and also Phoebe and Liam for loaning us your folks for a while to visit!

October 23, 2009

My husband and I are going down to my old hometown, Marietta, Ohio, for a concert of my father's music....well, he's part of it, but also accompanying a soprano singing 3 of his songs in it. Cooincidentally, a classmate of mine, Bill Thompson, has a band that is playing a block from our hotel tonight, so I get a mix of musical styles and experiences. It will be the 1st time I've been back since our 25th HS reunion. My dad has set many poems to music, but these poems will actually have the poet there in person, and I'm really looking forward to meeting her. I've heard the songs as they've developed over the years, and heard recordings, but I'm not sure I've heard them live. He's driving up from TN, so the least I can do is drive down to meet him. I'm sure it will make me want to get composing again.....or else be so good that I'll never write another song again! Just kidding....I can feel inadequate compared to my dad, but he is a master teacher, and has about a million more hours of practice, education, and preparation for his craft, so I can hardly expect to compete with that, can I??

Here's a neat thing Volkswagon did in Sweden to get ppl to take the stairs instead of an escalator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJMOI5_FKwg

Also, www.familygames.com/freelane.htm and scroll down to the last game, Note Card for a quick and easy game to study notes.

Happy Weekend.....see you next week!

October 7, 2009

Wednesday. I've been sad since our dog Malley died Monday morning. He greeted all the students, and terrified others who were afraid of dogs. Still, he was harmless, as they eventually discovered, and he helped them get over their fear of dogs. He spent the first months of his life tied to the piano leg as I taught (before the studio was built) so I could keep an eye on him, and then since he wasn't allowed in the studio so I could have a pet-free environment for those with allergies, sat or lay down at the top of the stairs to it. Better yet, on nice days, he would lay outside the French doors on the deck literally feet away from me, to keep an eye on me, and be the closest he could be to me. He was a great dog, and for 13 yrs was loved much.

I saw this on the internet this morning and thought I'd eat my words about accordions and post this. Incredible player, incredible piece.....sounds like a church organ - but you hold it in your lap! I wish I knew how to embed the picture where you just click on it to play. Sorry. If someone wants to teach me, then I'm all ears!

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.collegehumor.com%2Fvideo%3A1922340&h=9a74f910e1dc4b7e2be4ecbe3c8e0d49

October 1, 2009

It's not the first day of fall, but it feels that way. Today was in the 40s in the morning, and even only 55 mid-day. I can't believe we had to turn on the heat already. It will wreak havoc on the newly tuned pianos. If I'd only waited a few weeks. Oh well. Such is the life of an MYC teacher whose classes start in late August/early September, and need the pianos - all 6 of them - 4 electronic and perfectly tuned to sound right with the 2 acoustic. One is so old that it only really holds a good tune about a week. At least the way I like it. Only one student I have can really tell the difference, and it's her perfect pitch that makes it that way. She's amazing.

Anyway, I promised that I'd post the url for the music dictionary again. Here it is: http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/

I hope you bookmark it, and refer to it often, at least if you're a student, or parent of a student. Another good site is http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/fromthetop/pages/ a TV show on public television that is fantastic! ANYONE will love these young people performing, and host Christopher O'Reilly's rapport with them.

Got to go plan lessons for the last day of the week! YEA, Friday!

Lori

Friday, September 25, 2009

Last Friday of September. A true sign of the end of summer. Leaves starting to turn, chilly nights, change is in the air. The Halloween decorations are starting to go up, and I have to admit, it's not my favorite holiday. It signals an "accelerando" of time into Thanksgiving and Christmas, and that can only mean "GET BUSY!" Time for loafing is over. Boo-hoo. I had such a nice summer. Oh well, I do love that we have 4 seasons here in Ohio, and those frigid days make us appreciate the warmth of the sun, and walking around barefoot, even outside. I'm not sure I would like 100+ in Arizona in the summer any better. Humans are so fickle and love to complain, don't we?

The Chopin is coming along, and playing a freshl tuned piano is such a joy. I wish I could afford to have him come once a month. It's already starting to slip a little, and it's only been 4 days!! If you are reading this and wondering when to tune yours, wait a little until the house is closed up and the heat on. Just a little "note" from my tuner, Phil Gibson, who is the BEST around, and if you need his number, call or email me and I'll give it to you. My addy is loris3@sbcglobal.net and phone is 440-235-8743. Stalkers need not apply.

Have a great day! Get out and enjoy the last of what I hope is many warm days.

Lori

Tuesday, September 21, 2009 - First day of autumn

Well, I think it's finally dawning on me that summer is over for good, and now even the calendar says so. It was 81 yesterday here in Cleveland town, so it didn't feel like it, especially with the humidity and subsequent rains the last few days. We sure needed it, but the pianos didn't. In fact, they're being tuned today, and unless I close up the house and run a dehumidifier (which is on loan to someone else at the moment) it will be for naught. The grand I have stays in tune about a week, and I have the BEST tuner in town! That week is pretty glorious though, and I have recently restarted work on the 1st Chopin Ballade, a beast of a piece if I ever saw one. It isn't the most difficult for others, but for me, who hasn't really worked HARD on a piece since college, it's tough.

Here's a link to Horowitz playing it years ago - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhnRIuGZ_dc
(Why isn't that underlined????) You'll have to copy and paste into youtube to see and hear it. It has the most exciting ending I can think of. Contrary motion octaves....some of you music students might know what that means. MYC students beyond Sunbeams 2 OUGHT to know what that means!!!

Gosh, as I listen to this, I don't know if I have the chops to play it anymore. Certainly not at this speed, but hey, I can do it for the enjoyment and exercise of it! No one said I have to perform it anywhere, right? Sometimes just the joy of working through a knotty run with fingering challenges is the point of it all. I certainly know how every measure and note should sound as I heard my father (William Buelow) practice it for hours when I was a child. In fact, I used to lay under the piano and pet the dog and listen. It was SO loud there, and the closest I could get to my daddy at that moment, since he was BUSY practicing at the time! It was wonderful. I know SO much music, but have no clue what it is or who wrote it, since I just heard it.

Anyway, if I knew ANYONE was reading this blog I might write more often. Now, it seems kind of pointless., except as a journal.....:-)

Hope you're ALL well.....

Waiting for the tuner,

Lori

Thursday, September 10, 2009

I received this via email from Frances Balodis, founder of Music for Young Children:


Who are your mentors? Have you thought about where you met them and how long ago they influenced and strengthened you? If you could talk to just one of your mentors, what would you say? If you could have another mentor, who would it be? Someone in your personal life or someone in your business life? Have you ever asked your child who is important to them? It might surprise you to have that conversation. Wouldn't it be interesting to hear your child say that their mentor was Mozart? Not surprising that practicing has picked up in your home recently! Mozart was a child wonder! Your child is a miracle - and with the magic and strength of a mentor, this little miracle can blossom and grow with the strength, not just on their own strength but on the fortitude and influence of others.
Frances Mae Balodis, MEd. ARCT LCCM(Hon) LCNCM(Hon) RMT


It got me thinking about those questions. We are pretty lacking in mentors these days as a culture. People ask sports and pop stars about being "role models", and frankly, as parents, we cringe if our child idolizes one that is less than stellar in morals and good character. I had my father, William Buelow, as a mentor for me musically, and then another teacher, Elizabeth Cummings when I was in my teens. Then my college professor, Robert Mayerovitch at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music was the latest. I learned from them all, and still hear myself using phrases and concepts in my own teaching that I got from them. Unfortunately, I didn't always choose great mentors in other areas of my life, but that is another story altogether. I would like to think that I have been a part of many students' musical lives through the years, hopefully for the better.

My favorite "past student" memory came from a gal who I had taught her 1st year or 2 of piano at age 6, who transferred to the Cleveland Institute of Music for some years, then the family moved to Colorado. She was incredibly gifted, and I was sorry to lose her. A few years back, she called me, at age 16, to tell me that she had just won the Denver Concerto Competition and would be playing with the Denver Symphony. She said she wanted to thank her very 1st teacher who gave her her start and a good foundation to build on all those years later. I was SO BLESSED, to say the least. I would have loved to hear her play. In fact, I think I'll look her up on youtube.......you never know..... If I find her I'll post it here soon!

Keep up the good work......whatever you find yourself doing today!

Lori
MYC Founder and International Director

Sept 8, 2009......

Had a couple of reminders that I hads a blog.....it gets busy around here! We're taking in a boarder; a NASA intern from Italy named Augusto. He said he used to play the piano years ago, so maybe we'll re-ignite an old inspiration. I sure have enough keyboards around here. Right now I have a baby grand, and spinet, 2 key Yamaha, and 2 smaller keyboards, both touch-sensitive. Each week the students rotate keyboards so no one has the same one every week. There are also 2 ukeleles, a mandolin, a guitar, and an old cornet, just for decoration. We did finally find a home for the rosewood marimba, thanks to craigslist. It went to a guy in Idaho.

Just heard a great quote, "the second dumbest thing I ever did was forgetting the dumbest thing I ever did." Isn't that hilarious???

That has absolutely NOTHING to do with the first paragraph, or music or anything, it just struck me as funny right at this moment.

I'm in the 2nd week of classes and lessons this week, and it's as fun as ever. We'll see how the homework that is to be turned in tomorrow looks. I'll know if they "got it" then. I decided to divide the Moonbeams 3 class into 2 years, due to the young age of the students. This way they'll have half the "normal" work load, which is significant, considering their ages. Some of this stuff I didn't really study until I was in BW Conservatory of Music! They're 7, 8 and 10!!!! Plenty of time to make sure they understand. Anyway, I have my oldest AND my youngest students tomorrow.....a range of many decades! Proves it's never too late to learn!

Off to bed....

Enjoy some great music!

Lori

Tuesday, September FIRST, 2009!

WOW! Is it possible that it's September already? I've been neglecting this blog, being on vacation last week and in a flurry of activity yesterday getting ready for the 1st classes and lessons of the year. They came, and what a great group of kids and parents! I'm really looking forward to this year. Ran across this quote this morning:

“A teacher is a compass that activates the magnets of curiosity, knowledge, and wisdom in the pupils.”
―Ever Garrison

Kind of stuffy language, but you get the idea. "Activating magnets".....hmm...I like that idea. I do believe that they are they in everyone, young and old, just waiting to be activated. I'll do my best this year to bring that into fruition for each and every one of them. There is nothing like all those sets of eyes looking intently at me, wondering what new thing I'll tell them, or ask them to do. I told one class yesterday it wasn't like school, at least not always, since to demonstrate the word "forte", I asked them to shout it LOUDLY. They did a GREAT job! Loudly and with great enthusiasm. Can't wait for the next ones. Today is all private lessons, and they are a whole different cat altogether.

Does anyone think that teaching is a God-given gift, or just a learned set of skills, magnets, if you will that OUR teachers activated in us? Perhaps a combination of both? Food for thought.....

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Counting down the days! The UPS man arrived with 6 big boxes of MYC supplies that I ordered only last FRIDAY, the 14th! I was stunned. I'm always excited to get the shiny new books in their plastic wrappers, and the new bags, thinking of the new students coming in 2 weeks to begin the new year. Every year is a little different, and this morning I heard on a webinar of an MYC teacher who is teaching 19 classes this year! Again, my jaw dropped open with amazement, as to how on earth she can do that. I only have 5, hopefully 6, but also 21 private students in addition. I suppose she must teach on Saturdays as well as all through the week, and evenings. I think I'm maxed out. Too busy a schedule with no down time makes Lori a less than optimal teacher.

I would still love some Sunrise kids - that's the 3 - 5 yr olds. That class is a blast! No piano yet, but everything leading up to it. So many songs from my childhood, which do, sometimes, run through my head non-stop. One example: He's a little white duck, sitting in the water, a little white duck, doing what he oughter.....or Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, please shine down on me....etc. One student from last year said that the sibling of a Sunrise student would NOT settle down to anything in the car except that CD. I wonder if they're still listening to it!

Anyway, I have to go organize it all. Time's a wasting!

Until later,
Lori

Friday, August 14, 2009

Sommer Oktoberfest! For the next 3 days we will smell the weinerschnitzel, hear the oom-pah and and late into the night, hear cries of "Eins, zvie, drie, fumfuh!" or something like that. No one ever stopped to spell it for me. They were too busy draining their stein of German beer.

Anyway, here's another link for you to enjoy. Thanks, Bill Henry for sending it to me.
http://www.flixxy.com/bach-duo-piano-organ.htm

Later,
Lori

Thursday, August 13, 2009

This was sent to me by an adult student. No explanation necessary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifKKlhYF53w

Now for the youngsters:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMr-tfuouc4

Painting the studio......gotta run!

Lori

Wed, August 12, 2009

Sometimes I feel like I'm just writing a private journal that only I read, but JUST IN CASE there's anyone out there, I'll soldier on.

Today is a teaching day, and I'm on lunch break. In the summer I take a few select students and have them all on one day, which makes a one day work week. Nice to take. It reminds me of how much I love what I do, and how the students energize me, and make me want to keep my own skills up. I spend HOURS at the piano or in class around keyboards, so I ought to spend a little more time there by myself. I pulled out the old books this morning and got back to relearning some pieces I had worked on in the school year. I felt rusty, but it was good. That's the nature of this job; I'm more of a coach than a teacher. I can only take someone from point A to point B, the best way I know, and hopefully the best that works for them. The rest is up to the student. Obviously, the more they put in at home, the better, and unlike a test or quiz at school, there is no cramming that will equal lost days in practice during the week. It really takes a few years before students get that, and the light goes on in their heads where they WANT to practice. I remember VIVIDLY when that happened for me, and when I came home from school, I dropped my books, got a quick snack (you never miss that!!!) and hit the piano if it was vacant. My father taught lessons, so many times it was occupied. I didn't like playing in front of him - still would rather not - but I do remember actually making the connection between the amount of work I put into a piece and the results, AND improving and getting more enjoyable pieces to play. How I wish I could bottle that feeling and give a dose to each student that is struggling and wants to give up. Any ideas? I am open to comments!

Until later,
Lori

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

I just wanted to write quickly today and tell you about a few great sites. One is www.myc.com and within that site is my personal teacher page www.myc.com/teacher/LScheutzow. It has the current upcoming schedule and other info about the coming year. I hope to get another website up that can accomodate video and audio and put the recital videos on it. I have at least 2 years recorded digitally, so they could be uploaded easily. Well, easily for someone who really knows what they're doing. I have enough knowledge to be dangerous in the realm of computers. It all takes time to learn. Time which I am running out of.

Another site for musicians is a great music dictionary at www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary. I use it regularly. Best of all, it has pronunciations of the words, which helps those of us NOT fluent in Italian!

For sheet music, you can go to www.primamusic.com. They have the same shipping rate no matter how many things you order, so it makes sense to wait until you have a big order, or better yet, tell me what you want and I'll add it to mine.

That's all for now. I have lesson planning to do!!

Until later,
Lori

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Today is Michelle's grad party, and it's going to be in the 90s and high humidity. Guess I have an excuse to turn on the A/C. IT really better for the pianos anyway. The humidity is terrible for them; rather, the CHANGE in humidity. Dry shrinks the wood holding the pins and makes them go out of tune badly. Humid I suppose would hold the pins, but the wood actually feels sticky. I have noticed the ceiling fan changing the sound of the notes, as the sound waves are broken up. Another thing I need to do is find out a good product to clean the old piano keys, which may or may not by ivory. The finish is practically gone, so dirt and dust sticks to them like glue. Even a damp towel comes off black, and that's with weekly cleaning! I've started even asking the students to wash their hands before lessons. Boys especially have often just come in from playing outside. A little sweat mixed with the dirt, and we have little muddy fingerprints! I know - I raised 3 boys, and every wall, light switch and cupboard door shows it! Only paint will help now!

Anyway, this was a really boring post, I know, but the "big" news now is that I figured out how to change the settings so anyone can comment, as long as they can copy those funny little words in the box. I read that those are actually helping translate old literature into computer databases. Next time you're annoyed by them, try to remember the good you're doing!

Off to make the cheese dip for the party. (BTW, if you didn't know, Michelle is another "daughter" - my youngest son Jordan's girlfriend)

Until, later,

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Summer's accelerating even more than a week ago. How is this possible? In January, time slows down it seems, with no real holidays to look forward to until Easter. In my world, January is composition time, where we really get serious about the students' compositions, juggling that with the regular curriculum. I'm hoping to have something special this year to motivate kids to practice more than the usual, but I won't say what it is here and spoil the surprise. I'm just trying to get everyone scheduled and happy with their time slot, which is next to impossible. One mom said this week for one scheduling change I had to make that I had succeeded in making everyone unhappy about it, so at least it was fair! :-) Oh well. It was the only way to accomodate everyone. This is the least favorite part of my job. Once it's done I will have the fun part of actually meeting everyone and starting in on the year's work.

Just for fun and giggles, here's a performance of a harmonica player at Carnegie Hall. I know, it sounds like I made an error, but check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SlukDf4k8E
It's a lot of fun, and obviously the audience enjoyed it! Hope you do too. Enjoy your weekend!

Until later,
Lori

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

“Sing out loud in the car even, or especially, if it embarrasses your children.”
―Marilyn Penland

I LOVE this quote! It brings to mind the idea that what parents show as important will be important to kids too. (Or bosses, or teachers, or anyone in "authority") There is a dying of the arts in our culture, and it saddens me. People don't attend concerts much anymore, or even know how to behave when they do. I was horrified to be at Severance Hall to see the Cleveland Orchestra and saw people in casual clothes - not quite jeans, but not dressed up by any means. To top it all off, people clapped after the 1st movement of a concerto! For the non-musical, this might be no big deal, but it's a big no-no in the music world, and luckily, it didn't happen again, since they got the message. At my recitals, I try to instruct people up front how it all works, and seat the wigglers and noisy ones in the back so as not to distract the performer. In the school-age world, people are in the habit of getting up and walking out after their student's performance, and I find it RUDE to the rest of the performers. It doesn't help, though, when the schools have a habit of putting all the band, choir and orchestra concerts together in one day. I understand the audience's impatience.

Anyway, this was a rabbit trail if I ever saw one. Sorry for that. I guess it's my soapbox to get on and off, so hopefully I'll still have a reader or two after today. Moral of the story; make music a part of your lives, and participate enthusiastically! (Just not too loud as concert-goers!)

BTW, http://www.bw.edu/ has a schedule during the school year of scads of concerts by faculty and students alike - all for FREE - and fairly kid-friendly, as far as having a large enough venue to leave gracefully if someone has to go. (But please sit in the back, unlike the mother with the little boy who threw toys, yelled and ran up and down the aisle who chose the FRONT ROW as her spot.) Oops, sorry, another rant.

Have a wonderful day.

Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009 (continued)

I forgot to mention the BIG news lately! They have discovered 2 new Mozart pieces, probably written when he was 6 or 7. For more info and to hear a 45 sec excerpt (longer than they played on the evening news!) go to http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/arts/music/03mozart.html?_r=1


It was performed on Mozart's own pianoforte at his residence in Salzburg. How I would have liked to be a fly on the wall there!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

I find myself watching Youtube for these fantastic piano performances from the past, such as this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhnRIuGZ_dc&feature=related by the master of all time Vladimir Horowitz playing Chopin's gm Ballade #1. I remember my father practicing and performing this in concert when I was a little girl. I knew all his pieces so well that I was probably the only one in the audience who picked up a mistake (and there were only a few!) My current students, who live lives of a whirlwind of activity and video games probably couldn't believe that I spend many hours petting my dog under the Steinway while my daddy practiced, just to hear the beautiful music and to be near him. (Sometimes I'd read a book, but it was pretty loud under there!) I had such a musical heritage from my father for which I will forever be grateful. My only small problem was that since he was busy concentrating on what he was doing, he didn't stop and tell me what piece of music it was, or even what composer wrote it, so to this day, I will hear piano music on the radio and know EVERY note, and not have a clue who wrote it, or what it's called.

I've heard recently of research that is showing prenatal memory, such as a newborn being able to pick out his mother's voice from others, but it goes deeper than that. I "played" (on records at high decibel levels) all 5 Beethoven piano concertos for my firstborn prenatally. I don't know if it had any effect on him or not, but he has almost perfect pitch singing, and has since before he could talk. All 3 of my sons are musical, but not the classical, or even jazz, and certainly not the piano. Not for lack of trying on my part. They all had lessons, but gave up early on. The youngest played sax and had a wonderful teacher, David Kay, who teaches students at Interlochen in the summer, and took lessons for several years. He could not only read the difficult rhythms in the jazz music, but could improvise as well. All 3 play guitar now, and much better than I ever could.

I know MANY people who took piano lessons and quit and regretted it, but have never met ONE pianist who is even moderately accomplished who regrets all the time they studied and practiced! Some of that I attribute to the books they had in the 50s and 60s that were pretty tough, had tiny print and required some serious practice. Nowadays there are nice big notes, pretty colored pictures, and even accompaniment CDs and disks to play along with. Bells and whistles don't change the basics that everyone needs to learn, but it makes it a little more palatable. (In my humble opinion!) note: as soon as I can, I switch kids over to the old school methods, since they might as well be playing actual Bach and Mozart, rather than pieces that mimic them. I LOVE Kabalevsky. The entire preceding paragraph was most likely BORING for non-musicians, but I'm putting the soapbox away now.

In fact, enough for today. I hope you go to youtube and watch the Horowitz clip. Even for non-musicians, it is inspiring. We should all strive for excellence in something!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhnRIuGZ_dc&feature=related

Monday, August 3, 2009

I've neglected writing for a while due to a wild and crazy anniversary weekend. It was fun fun fun, and we celebrated our 26th on July 30. Hard to believe it's gone by that fast. The summer has a mere 3 weeks left to enjoy, but also to schedule students, organize lesson plans, order materials, and generally get my act together! I don't know what the best way to get the word out, but I did get some new brochures today, and the new business cards are ordered and on their way. After 5 full years of teaching MYC, I finally get the letters MYCC after my name. Ok, it isn't PhD, but it's an accomplishment nonetheless. I've taught over 100 MYC students, and have the pin to prove it.

I've enjoyed the summer vacation, as I always do, even though I taught 8 or 9 students throughout, but I have to say I'm looking forward to starting a new year. Each year brings new challenges but new rewards. I've decided not to raise my rates this year, even though EVERYTHING around me is going up up up. I try to think of it as a gift for the students and their parents, for the investment they're making in the future. Still, next year I think I'll have to......

One perk was a lovely gift card to Trader Joe's (a cool organic grocery store) and another gift card to itunes, where I downloaded LangLang playing both Rachmaninov's Paganini Variations and Concerto #2, with a few preludes thrown in. They are SO good that listening to it while picking blueberries this morning, I picked 3 buckets - almost 15 lbs! I kind of got lost in the music and the beautiful fruit, the sunshine and peacefulness of it all. Rachmaninov goes well with almost anything, if you ask me! Here's a link to variation 18 of the Paganini, played by Lang Lang. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLQALZFW85E

He is really something to watch if you haven't already seen him. Here's a short excerpt from the Concerto #2, middle movement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG-qtaZqOqQ

Youtube is a great place to get lost in musical performances. Time to get back to work!

Monday, July 27, 2009

Almost AUGUST! Time to get serious about all the summer projects and plans that have slipped through my fingers up until now. (The most pressing being fall scheduling with contacting EVERYONE, both MYC classes and private students.) This is the least favorite part of my year, since it rarely falls into place smoothly. It is, however, all part of the job, and I will stop living in denial, since once Aug 1 comes, it's a downhill slide, gathering speed as it goes!

We happened upon a music festival in the Cleveland Metroparks Frostville Museum yesterday and heard some very talented musicians, the best of which you can see here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsz-yZ5j5FI Sally Williams and Mark Minnich are BG students studying the violin. They were amazing to hear and watch. This partiular day they played in a little restored church where the acoustics were wonderful. The audience couldn't have been more than 20 people! We actually came back for the 2nd show later that evening! Oh, to be that young and that talented. They will go far! Expect to see (and hear) more from them in the future.

July 24, 3009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0

This is the season for weddings, and this video came up on my facebook this morning. I love the joy on the faces of these people as they enter the church. it shows how the MUSIC in a wedding ought to be one of the first things people think about and choose, right after vows. THEN can come the dresses, tuxes, flowers etc etc. Most brides and grooms have it backwards, in my opinion. My father played the piano for the prelude in my wedding (and did the same for one of my sons) and I had several friends play violin, flute, piano and sing in ours. In fact, I arranged a Greek Pavanne for violin, flute and piano to walk down to. None of that "Here Comes the Bride" stuff for me. Although you can read about the Bridal Chorus, which is actually from an opera and preceeds a failed marriage here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridal_Chorus. Wagner was anti-semitic, and many churches forbade the playing of this piece in a church setting. Some still do.

It just goes to show you that music is powerful, and should be well thought-out to convey exactly what each couple wants to communicate about themselves. My daughter-in-law Laura walked down the aisle to "Blackbird" by the Beatles. Their postlude included "When I'm Sixty-four".

Wonder what the next generation will include in their weddings, if they have any?

Well, I've entered the world of blogging. Don't really know what it's all about or if anyone will be interested enough to read it. Perhaps all it will do is open my inbox up to more and more spam and unwanted advances from foreign parties wanting to "give" me money. Still, I spend enough time on facebook, I thought it was time to do something a little more serious, like having to do with my real day job - teaching music. I'll keep you posted for more. If you are out there reading. Anybody?