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View this email in your browser Thank You for 500 Students! Words cannot express how grateful I am to you all for helping us enroll 500 students! It is a testament of our faculty’s dedication and the commitment of our talented students that we were able to achieve this awesome goal!   We started Orpheus to create a joyful musical community and 500 is an unbelievable milestone to that end. With 500 students there will be  more opportunities for our students and teachers to grow, more great performances like our latest Friendship Concert, and even more big events like our Carnegie Hall trip last June!    This December has been such an amazing dispay of the power of music to bring us together, and it’s amazing to see so many students discovering music at this time of year!  The Holidays bring up so many wonderful opportunities for sharing music, and as students prepare for family festivities you can feel the excitement for performing for friends and family in the air! This Holiday season especially has me reflecting on what it means to come together: as a family, and as a community. Music can help us find a common ground, whether that’s through caroling, singing in your church choir, or singing along to your favorite holiday hits on the radio.  Thank you all for being part of our community, and for sharing your music with us. We hope this Holiday found you well, and hopefully brought a little music into your life. Thank you for making music with us! Klondike and Wendy Staccato Thank you for 500 students! We are so grateful to see this musical community continue to grow! Spots will be limited for January so contact us today to see about registering! (512) 231-8999 Friendship Concert photos inside!  Thank you for referring your friends! Did you win the Fall Referral raffle? Check our Facebook page to find out! Events Calendar JANUARY 3  Back from Winter Break! Welcome back to classes! 20  Adult Impromptu, 4pm 27 Parent Education Class 28 Friendship Concert Forms Due FEBRUARY 2  Performance Classes: 2pm, 3pm, 4pm (11-Adult) 3 String Faculty Concert, 3pm 5  Parent Education Class 10  Voice/Piano Faculty Concert  17  Adult Impromptu 4pm  FALL REFERRAL RAFFLE VIDEO! Check our Facebook page to find out who won our Fall referral raffle and received 6 free nights of Dinner Elf! A very special thank you to guitar student, Michael V. for providing some beautiful music for this very special video!   Musical Journey Milestones! Congratulations to these students for achieving great things in their musical education!  Camilo G. publishes his CD and receives his Level 2 Trophy! Level 1 Sophie M. Ishaan A. Madeline F.  Level 2 Camilo G.    Level 3 Adeline E. Xingyi Z. Tomas B.     Friendship Concert! Orpheus’ biannual Friendship Concert celebrates the power of collaboration as students and faculty wow audiences with duets and small ensembles! We’re already looking forward to the next concert in Spring! Ask your instructor about how to sign up! Is Your Teacher Full? GUITAR Brendon    4 spots Douglas    5 spots Stephen    4 spots Jesse    3 spots Vijay    10 spots   PIANO Valeria    Tues & Thurs at 3, Fri at 1:45 Olivia    Full! Joyce    Mon 3:00, Wed 4:45, Thurs 5:15 Gordon    Full! Ruth    Full! Jae Eun    Sat at 10:15    PIANO (cont.) Margaret    Sat  at 12:30 John    Full! Wendy    Full! Georgia    Full! Leanna     Mon 3:15 & Fri 4:00 Bora    Sat at 11:00   VOICE/PIANO Skye    Thurs 3:15 & Fri 6:15 VOICE Stella    Mon at 3:15 Chelsea    8 spots on Mon, Fri, & Sat! VIOLIN Xavier    Wed 3:00 & Fri 3:00 Anna    Full! ANNE Anne exemplifies the model student at Orpheus Music Academy. As a musician, she is thriving, despite being the only string player in a “sea” of pianists. Over the past three years, I’ve witnessed huge leaps in her musicality and a new, bold approach to challenges. As a person, Anne is punctual, honest and kind - she shares her joy and love for music with us every Saturday morning – rain or shine (mostly rain these days!). It is with a happy heart that I select Anne as Student of the Month.     - Debra Erck, Musicianship Instructor   My name is Anne, and I have been playing the violin for 5 years and it has truly been an adventure. I love Orpheus so much, from its teachers to its musicians. I chose the violin because I thought it just sounded so beautiful and melodious. A special thanks to Ms. Debra and Mr. Xavier for helping  me to get where I am!     -Anne   JAMES James has been a dedicated guitarist since we started working together. He is a natural performer and jumps at every opportunity to play for a crowd. He has an inquisitive musical mind and loves experimenting with new techniques on the guitar. His recent accomplishments include playing in Carnegie Hall and One World Theater. Keep it up, James!     -Stephen, Guitar Instructor   Why do I love learning guitar? There are so many reasons.  I’ve been going to Orpheus for about four years now. The teachers are so nice. It makes me feel satisfied when I make a recording and then hear it and think, “wow I did that.” I really like musicianship because it helps me play other instruments, like the bagpipes which I’ve begun learning as well.  I’m happy to be student of the month, thanks!     -James James has been a student of mine for over three years, and he’s been at orpheus for a total of six years!! James has a special connection to the music that he plays, and after he learns a piece, he will continue to play it many times at different speeds or with different dynamics to keep it alive. Over the past three years, James has given two concerts and made a CD. This semester, James set the very lofty goal for himself to try to learn all of the technique required for musical journey level five. He has put in so much work that his skills have increased more in the past month than I would have thought possible. I’m very proud of his dedication to his music and his exercises, and I thought student of the month was the perfect way to recognize it. Way to go, James!!      -Georgia, Piano Instructor   I’ve been playing piano since I was five and taking lesson at 3. I have been working on musical journey level 5 and hope to pass the test. My eyes are on doing level 6 in the spring if i pass level 5 in the fall. I’m only 11 years old and only one person ever has passed level 6. I have until I’m 18 to get this done and I will do it that’s a promise.      -James R AUDREY Audrey has been an absolute pleasure to have in lessons. We committed to an undertaking of a large project for her parent’s anniversary this semester. Although the piece we had to learn was by far the most challenging we’ve worked on yet, she came to lessons with a bright and excited attitude each week. She also took  hat attitude home and seriously worked on learning this song every day for almost a month! The end product was a very happy anniversary, and Audrey made strides in taking on this challenge. Thanks for all of your hard work and laughter in lessons!       -Brendon, Guitar Instructor JOANA Joana is a vivacious pianist who shows fantastic musicianship skills and someone who I look forward to seeing every week at Orpheus. Joana is always a pleasure to work with because she comes in with a great energy, attitude, and willingness when it’s time for class. She is able to quickly pick up new skills and concepts which always impresses me. This allows us to practice and reinforce these new musical concepts in context. I believe Joana will a force to be reckoned in the musical world as she continues to grow as a musician.      -Mr. Adam, Musicianship Instructor I like music because it is a way to express your feelings and you can enjoy playing with others. Music is fun to listen to, but is hard to learn because it takes a lot of effort. I think it is cool to learn about chords and listen to find out in which part of the song they fit in. I also enjoy playing ensembles with my classmates and Mr. Adam. He helps me to understand about chords and a lot of other things, always in a fun way! Music may be hard but it is worth learning!    -Joana What’s up guys, I’m Pepsi-Cola and this is my brother Chubs. We’re pretty laid back dudes. Whenever we’re not chasing each other around the house, we like to snuggle up next to our mom, Riley from the front desk, and enjoy some TV. Our favorite foods are pancakes, chicken, and burgers.  Welcome New Students! Jude Siena Elise Zooey Hannah Emmy Jack Seth Oliver Levi Micah Ananyaa Devlin Benjamin Eden Grant Andy Andres Margie Karen Trevor David Bella Estella Visit our Facebook page! 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View this email in your browser Thank You for 15 Amazing Years! At our faculty retreat Orpheus teachers discussed ideas for how our students can transfer skills learned in music lessons to the rest of their lives. Piano instructor, Georgia shared this thought,    “I want to create a space where students feel comfortable and supported while making mistakes. Failure, and our response to it, is the most important part of the learning process.”    I couldn’t agree more.  As our students look forward to achieving big goals like performing at the Friendship Concert, or completing a Musical Journey Project let’s keep in mind that accomplishing these big goals wouldn’t be possible without making mistakes and learning from them. Speaking of Musical Journey Projects, if your child has been at Orpheus for a year or more and you haven’t experienced completing one of the Final Projects, I highly encourage you to ask your instructor how to participate! Every student who completed a Final Project accomplished tremendous musical growth, and, best of all, had an experience they can be proud of for the rest of their lives! I have seen more than one parent moved to tears at a Home Concert. Finally, thank you all for your support in helping Orpheus teach more students than ever before! Nearly every teacher at Orpheus started this semester completely booked!   We’ve brought on amazing new instructors who have opened up more teaching availability to meet the record demand we are experiencing, so we still have a few spots left! Nothing makes me happier than knowing that more students can discover the joy of making music.  Thank you for making music with us!           Klondike and Wendy Staccato Orpheus celebrates our biggest enrollment for September ever! Spots are filling up fast, call today to register! Fall Referral Raffle is still under way! Thank you for you referring your friends! Orpheus celebrates its 15th Anniversary with an amazing concert at One World Theatre! Fall Friendship Concert is coming up on December 9th! Events Calendar NOVEMBER 3  Performance Classes: 2pm, 3pm, 4pm 4  Musical Journey Testing 11 Musical Journey Testing 19-24 Closed for Thanksgiving! 19-29 Makeup Days DECEMBER 2  Adult Impromptu, 4pm Friendship Concert Dress Rehearsal, 3-6:30pm 9  Friendship Concert 3pm & 5pm  15  Last Day of Fall Semester! 16  Makeup Day 17  First day of Spring Semester! Meet Our Teachers: Mr. Adam! We are happy to welcome Mr. Adam as one of our newest Musicianship instructors! He recently taught students age pre-k to fifth grade at Allison Elementary! Mr. Adam loves teaching students of every age, but especially enjoys singing with his kinder theory classes! Stop by to say hello to Mr. Adam!  Fun Facts:  Favorite pasta shape: Fusilli Favorite instrument: Double Bass (contrabasso) Favorite Composer: John Coltrane Favorite Guilty Pleasure Music: 90’s/early 2000’s pop Salty or Sweet snacks: Sweet Snacks Walter belongs to Orpheus office administrator, Annette and her husband Zach. Walter enjoys doing tricks for treats and has mastered sitting, shaking paws, high fives and even likes to twirl on his hind legs. At just 6 months old, he also loves chasing the cats, finding random socks thought lost forever, and having zero chill.    Musical Journey Milestones! Congratulations to these students for achieving great things in their musical education!  Hana M. gets an ovation at her home concert and receives her Level 1 trophy! Sophie S. finishes her CD and gets her Level 2 Trophy! Level 1 Hana M.  Level 2  Sophie S. Students Prepare for Friendship Concert! When Wendy and I founded Orpheus, we set out to build a music school that valued community. 15 years later, looking around at all the students rehearsing for our bi-annual Friendship Concert, seeing new friendships being formed, old ones being re-kindled, and siblings growing closer (in between squabbling), I can honestly say that I see this mission exemplified in our students every day! It’s amazing to see the power music has to bring people together! Thank you for being part of our community!  Come see the concert on December 9th at the Highland Park Baptist Church! Is Your Teacher's Studio Full? GUITAR Brendon    7 spots Douglas    7 spots, Wed-Sat Stephen    3 spots Jesse    6 spots PIANO Valeria    Tues-Thurs at 3, Fri at 2:15 Olivia    Full! Joyce    After school  Tues, Wed, Fri Gordon    Full! Ruth    Mon at 6:30 Jae Eun    Mon 3-4:15  Leanna     Fri 2:30 & Mon 5:45 Bora    Sat at 2:15 PIANO (cont.) Margaret    Sat  at 3:30 John    Friday at 3 and 7:15 Wendy    Full Georgia    Full   VOICE/PIANO Skye    Thurs at 3:15 & 6:00 VOICE Stella    3 spots Chelsea    9 spots on Mon, Fri & Sat! VIOLIN Xavier    Wed at 3, Friday at 3 Anna    Thurs at 3 & 5 GABE Gabe has made amazing progress over the past 5 years! He is one of the hardest working students I have ever had and always comes prepared to all his lessons. Gabe brings a great attitude and a curious mind to his lessons and he holds himself to high standards when practicing at home. I know that music will continue to be a big part of his life forever. Congratulations, Gabe!!      -Wendy, Director, and Piano Instructor   I really want to thank Ms. Wendy for nominating me and for spending so much time with me! She has helped me prepare myself for recitals, have fun with music, and overall become a better musician. I love the challenges of piano and learning a new piece. I’m super excited for the Friendship Concert this winter!     -Gabe LUKA Luka loves music and enjoys playing the piano very much.  He always comes to his lessons very excited and well-prepared.  Every new concept, technique, sound, and little detail about the piece he’s been working on amazes him.  Sometimes he’d gets frustrated and has moments, however he is able to pick himself back up and find solutions to overcome the obstacles.  I couldn’t be more proud to be Luka’s piano teacher. -Joyce, Piano Instructor   I  like playing piano because it is fun to play songs with expression, and it feels good when you get the notes correct. I have played piano for 3 and 1/2 years now, and I have loved almost every minute of it! My teacher, Ms.Joyce, is exceptional, and she helps me with my songs. There is almost always a recital, or performance class, or something to show off my songs at. I also like composing, and I am having many ideas for songs! Sometimes, it feels like I am doing horribly at piano, but I am always able to push through! Also, my parents are helping me practice for longer amounts of time. Piano is extremely fun, but challenging. It feels like there is always a reason to do better. Piano is amazing!         - Luka Welcome New Students! Liv Olivia Jeremiah Eliana Jack Zoya Ava Lucy Kenzie Jada   Neev Keshav Nivrithi Quinn Sofia Logan Zach Aarush Emily Jane Akshar Neil Visit our Facebook page! See performance photos Watch instructional videos Learn practice tips See class fun Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*

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View this email in your browser Wow! Thank you for an amazing start to Fall! I don’t know if it is the awesome weather, the excitement over the upcoming 15th Anniversary Concert at One World Theater, or what, but we have NEVER seen such high enrollment! August was our second highest ever and September will be our highest ever if we get just seven more students by this weekend!  Most of that growth is due to referrals and your rave reviews! Thank you to all of you that have given us a 5-Star Review on Google and Yelp. You recently gave us more 5-star reviews than any other music school in Austin.   I hope you are as excited as I am about the upcoming performances such as the Halloween Spooktacular, the Performances Classes offered twice this semester, or the Friendship Concert in December. It’s so amazing to see everyone reaching new heights in their Musical Journey!  Beyond the concerts at Orpheus, probably the most memorable concerts are those that are unique to each child: Home Concerts, Public Concerts, CD’s and even just playing for friends and family over the Holidays. The goal of music is to bring us together in joyful sound – let us express that every day!  Finally, a huge thank you to the parents who made it to our Parent Education Class and took time out of their schedules to participate in Parent Teacher Conferences. Your support makes a huge difference in your student’s musical education! . Thank you for making music with us! Klondike and Wendy Staccato Orpheus achieves record high enrollment! Spots are filling up fast, contact us today to register!  Orpheus Students performing at One World Theater for 15th Anniversary Concert! Fall Referral Raffle announced! Thank you for you referring your friends!  Orpheus welcomes two new instructors, Ms. Jae Eun and Ms. Margaret! Stop by to say hi!  New practice books help students stay on track with a fun format and helpful tips!  Events Calendar   SEPTEMBER 25  Parent Education Class 29  Performance Classes: 2pm, 3pm, 4pm   OCTOBER 7  15th Anniversary Concert at One World Theater! 21  Halloween Spooktacular! 28 Adult Impromptu NOVEMBER 3  Performance Classes: 2pm, 3pm, 4pm 4 Musical Journey Testing 11  Musical Journey Testing Win Six Nights of Dinner by Referring a Friend! Nothing makes us happier than knowing that our musical community grows through amazing referrals from students like you! We cannot be more grateful to you for sending your friends to us. To thank you we will be hosting another Raffle Giveaway with an awesome prize—Six Free Meals from Dinner Elf! Refer a friend and when they sign up, and mention your name, both you and your friend will automatically be entered. You will also both receive a free lesson certificate that you can use any time. Did we mention we really appreciate all you do to make Orpheus great?!   Check our Facebook Page on December 6th to see if you’ve won! Musical Journey Achievments! Level 1 Milaan. A  Level 2 Ione B. Sophie S. Daniel E. Level 3 Kalki P. Ashok P.  Level 4 James R.   Ione B. achieves Level 2 with her purr-ific CD, Cat Like Music James. R. achieves Level 4, and poses with his trophy Teacher Spotlight: Jae Eun Jae Eun is currently pursuing a Doctorate degree at The University of Texas, Austin. She is passionate about teaching, and she especially loves to teach young children.   Fun Facts: • Favorite Animal: Dog and Bunny • Favorite Composer: Bach, and Mozart • Favorite Guilty Pleasure Music: K-Pop • Salty or sweet snacks: I Love sooo much sweet snacks!! Especially Chocolate!! Is Your Teacher Full? GUITAR Brendan   6 spots  Douglas   7 spots, Tues-Sat  Jon   After school spots open!  Stephen   4 spots  Jesse   2 spots PIANO Valeria   Tues-Thurs at 3, Fri at 2:15  Olivia   Full  Joyce   Weds at 6:30, Fri at 2:30  Gordon   Mon at 3:00  Ruth   Mon at 6:30, Tues at 2  Jae Eun   After school and Sat spots!  Leanna   Fri 2:30-3:45 PIANO (cont.) Bora   Sat at 9  Margaret   Sat 12-4  John   Full  Wendy   Full  Georgia   Full VOICE/PIANO Skye    Tues at 3:30, Thurs at 3:15 VOICE Stella   5 spots  Chelsea   Fri and Sat spots! VIOLIN Xavier   Wed at 3, Friday at 3  Anna   3 spots   ORPHEUS IN THE NEWS! It’s always nice to get a little attention, and it’s even nicer to see Orpheus students celebrated for their accomplishments! We love to see our students share their passion for music! Casey I. gives an in depth interview to the Austin American Statesman Molly C. and Michael V. give the inside scoop on performing at Carnegie Hall Estaban W. appears on Fox 7 News in advance of his Carnegie Hall Performance ANNE Anne has been a student of mine for 5 years now. Last June she participated in the 15 year Orpheus Anniversary Concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Anne has always been a hard worker and a very detail oriented player, perfect for the classical guitar. However, watching her prepare for the Carnegie performance made me realize just how important and special the guitar is in her life. I am very proud of all the work she has done over these last 5 years and if the start of this school year is any indication then there are going to be some great things to come in her guitar future. Thanks for being such a great student Anne! Its a joy to get to work with you every week. -Jesse (Guitar Instructor)  I like to play guitar because it helps to focus and relax me. The beautiful sounds of the guitar and the songs I play are inspiring to me. And it makes me a better listener and all-around musician.  - Anne LILLIAN Lily has been one of my favorite examples of how curiosity, focus and consistent work pay off. She displays these characteristics in lessons, and at home with her practice, which is why she has made leaps of progress from month to month, and from lesson to lesson. Most importantly, she chooses to practice every day - but not generally long, strenuous practice sessions. The difference between loading all the practice into one day in the week, and practicing a little each day is reflected in her musicianship and technical comfort and facility on the guitar. Students like Lily seldom fail to progress, and often make the largest strides.  -Brendon (Guitar Instructor)  The music that inspires me most is ukulele music, particularly when my cousin plays ukulele. I started playing guitar because I liked the electric guitar and decided, ‘why not play the actual guitar?’ I like learning music because I like getting finished with a piece, and then getting to start a new piece. -Lillian SARAH! Sarah belongs to guitar/voice student Michael V. Sarah is two years old and loves to listen to Michael play guitar so much, that she has decided to become a guitar. Here she is seen practicing hard. Go to our Facebook page to share a picture of your musial pets! We might feature them in the next Overture! Welcome New Students! Abel Ilan Lev Adelaide Olivia Reid Charlotte Louisa Maya Brother Katherine Wiley Zoya Leah Lucy Parker Anya Sofia Vivian Claire Junnosuke Aowei Katie Lilac Jada Praja Alexander Jesse Oliver Peyton Mary Margaret Grayson Livia Aubrey Mila Ashima Paxton Francis Charlie Keshav Davianna Mario Pieter Cora Britten Visit our Facebook page! See performance photos Watch instructional videos Learn practice tips See class fun Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*