Orpheus Blog

"Savannah's Ten Fingers Exercise" — Level 1 Musical Journey Project

1/17/2025

Savannah completed her Musical Journey level 1 album project beautifully. Congratulations!

"Reyansh's Piano Music" — Level 1 Musical Journey Project

1/15/2025

Reyansh successfully completed his Musical Journey Level 1 project, and we are very proud of him!

January 2025 Students of the Month

1/13/2025

Delsa A.

“Since day one, Delsa has been delightful to teach! She always comes in the classroom so happy and excited to play! Her love for music and the joy she has for playing the violin are contagious. Not only is Delsa very motivated to learn, but every lesson, one of her parents is always present, asking questions, and taking videos. Then, between lessons, they send me videos and questions so that I can monitor her practice time at home and make suggestions. Because of all of this amazing teamwork, Delsa is becoming a fine musician. I can’t wait to see what’s next for her!” — Ms. Maria

"Wow, Student of the Month—how exciting! I love playing the violin and learning with Ms. Maria. Big thanks to my family for helping me practice and to Ms. Maria for making music so much fun!" — Delsa A.

Addy B.

"Addy is a super talented student, and a quick learner. She is always giving her best at guitar playing and comes into our lesson ready to play. We had a terrific time working on new ideas for one of her songs to play for her grandmother. It's always such a joy to have a lesson with her! Good job Addy!" — Ms. Gema

"The past 5 months of learning guitar at Orpheus has been a blast! My teacher Ms. Gema is the best teacher I could ever have. Ms. Gema is always encouraging and I have so much fun with her and I also really enjoy my group class too. Thank you Ms. Gema and Orpheus!" — Addy B.

Maya L.

"Maya is a joy to teach at Orpheus because she has a true love for music! She begins nearly every lesson with some new song idea she has, chord change or melodic idea. Maya always has an enthusiasm to learn something new, regardless of what style of music it is. Recently she performed a great medly of Christmas songs with her sister at the Friendship Concert. She also put on an outstanding performance at her parents' anniversary down in Mexico. I expect great things from Maya because of her genuine passion for music and performance." — Mr. Mike

"We knew from a very early age when we heard her start playing and singing that there was something special in her that needed to be developed. She plays often - even including writing her own improvised melodies, lyrics and songs - it just seems to come from her soul. Claudia and I wanted to make sure she had access to a music school and learning environment that would foster her creativity and not overwhelm her with technical skill building too early. I know from personal experience that a love for music can last a lifetime if developed in the right way. Your school has been just the right mix of those elements. Thank you and we look forward to many years to come!" — Maya L.’s dad

Anshu K.

"I would like to nominate Anshu for Student of the Month. She recently passed her Music Journey Level 2 test and performed a wonderful holiday concert for her friends and family. Anshu is an absolute pleasure to work with, demonstrating a strong eagerness to learn in every lesson. She actively participates in Orpheus concerts and is deeply involved in musical events within her community. Her dedication, enthusiasm, and passion for music make her an exemplary student." — Ms. Ziwei

"Thank you so much for nominating Anshu for Student of the Month. Anshu is very passionate about singing, and she really enjoys Orpheus Academy." — Anshu K.’s dad

Spencer M.'s "A Guide to Getting Bluesy" — Level 4 Musical Journey Project

12/13/2024

Spencer recorded this delightful album featuring two of his original compositions!

December 2024 Students of the Month

12/5/2024

Yashvi B.

Yashvi is a very well-behaved and obedient student, who is always full of check marks on her weekly completed homework attendance that I give her. She has also done an excellent job of recording the video alone for the Musical Journey test! I hope she continues to work hard! Can't wait to see her play more beautiful songs in the future!
-Ms. Kelly

Orpheus has wonderful teachers who are always a joy to work with. I am honored to be featured as the Student of the month. I love music
and joined Orpheus early this year. My piano teacher Ms. Kelly has taught me a lot of musical notes and how to play many new songs on the piano in just a few months. Thank you Orpheus for kick-starting my musical journey.
-Yashvi

Micah L.

Micah has shown remarkable growth this year. They have put in the practice and commitment that takes to leap up to the next level. Also, I always appreciate the fun spirit that Micah brings into their cello lessons, as well as their ability to follow through with my teaching instructions with a greater sense of discipline - even if they feel tired since their lesson is the last one at the end of my week! Lately, it makes me very excited to hear how Micah's cello playing is becoming more refined and mature. Now, they're preparing for their high school auditions and I am sure they have a bright future ahead of them.
-Ms. Sara

I am so honored to be student of the month. I love everything about cello and especially my teacher. I can't wait to learn more about it!
-Micah L.

Deesha T.

Deesha has actively participated in various activities at Orpheus. She showcased her talent at the Spooktacular Concert in October, successfully completed her Musical Journey 2 test in piano and voice in November, and is preparing to perform at the upcoming Friendship Concert in December. Deesha is smart and hardworking, demonstrating impressive sight-reading and musicianship skills. Her attentiveness and consistent effort during lessons make each class highly productive. It is truly a joy to work with Deesha—a dedicated student and a promising young singer!
- Ms.Tracey

I feel very thankful to Ms Tracey and Ms Kelly for making me student of the month for December. December is my favourite month of the year :)
I want to learn and sing more classical songs from old movies and do harder songs on the piano and become a great musician and singer in future :)
-Deesha T.

Allison K.'s "Gifts So Simple" — Level 3 Musical Journey Project

11/26/2024

Allison worked hard to complete her album for her Level 3 Musical Journey project, memorizing and perfecting multiple songs from her Faber lesson and performance book. Her favorite song was "Snowflake Rag," which you can hear in her performance!

Elie L.'s "A Morning Yerushalayim Walk in the Woods" — Level 1 Musical Journey Project

11/15/2024

Elie did a great job recording 12 songs for his level 1 album project. He worked very hard over several weeks to create this beautiful album. Bravo, Elie!

November 2024 Students of the Month

11/14/2024

Eleanora M.

"Eleanora is an incredible young guitarist who has done just about everything a young musician in Austin can do. Among many other things, she has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, sung with Conspirare Children's Choir, traveled to Spain with the Austin Classical Guitar Youth Orchestra, played in masterclasses for great artists. and much much more. She began guitar lessons at Orpheus over 10 years ago at the age of six and has gone through nearly every program we have to offer including Musicianship, Summer Camps, Marquee Concerts, Friendship Concerts and, most recently, the Spooktacular. But it really isn't her accomplishments that make Eleanora the student of the month. It is the love of music that she brings to every lesson and practice. She feels the music deeply and this comes across in her playing and in her life choices - including recently deciding to major in music when she goes to college in 2026!" — Mr. Klondike

"Orpheus has been a touchstone in my life for a decade now, and I couldn't have asked for a more supportive community of teachers and artists. It has been an integral part of my growth as not only a performer, but a person. From taking music theory from Klondike to private lessons, he has pushed me to become the best musician I can be. I'm so grateful for all that he's done and proud of the community that he has created. Thank you so much for selecting me!" — Eleanora M.

Jaxon B.

"I’m honored to nominate Jaxon for Student of the Month. His musical talent and growth are outstanding, and has made great improvements in sight-reading, rhythm, scales, technique, and repertoire. Jaxon’s creativity is evident in every lesson, and his natural connection to the music comes through in his expressive playing. Beyond his musical talents, Jaxon is also a joy to work with—he is sweet, polite, and always brings a positive energy to lessons. His dedication, passion, and character make him highly deserving of this recognition." — Ms. Yaci

Thank you so much for selecting me as one of Orpheus Academy's students of the month! I am incredibly honored and grateful for this recognition. I want to express my appreciation to Ms. Yaci for her kind words and the time she has invested in helping me grow as a musician. I’ve learned so much in my lessons, and I look forward to every session because of the positive energy and encouragement from the academy. I am so happy to be part of this musical journey with such inspiring teachers! Thank you again for this wonderful recognition—I truly appreciate it! — Jaxon B.

Natalie D.

"Natalie has been a tremendous student at Orpheus for the past 11 years. Her love of music and diligent practice have led her to participate in many Orpheus events including the 50 days practice challenge, Postcards to Seniors, Friendship concerts and summer showcase recitals. A few years ago, Natalie received the "Maestro of Musicianship" award by completing all 8 levels of Orpheus musicianship curriculum! Natalie also completed 7 levels of Musical Journey exams and projects and she is working very hard to prepare a concert as for her level 8 project. Besides being a great pianist, Natalie is also a fabulous singer! Her role as Sebastine in "The Little Mermaid" brought the house down!! Natalie is a high school senior, I know that music will continue to be a very big part of her life after high school. It has been such a privilege working with Natalie for the past 11 years and I am going to miss her very much." — Ms. Wendy

"Thank you, Ms. Wendy, for fostering my love of music. Orpheus is such a special place - from Mr. Klondike's Musicianship classes to Carnegie Hall - I treasure all the memories. Everything I've learned at Orpheus I have been able to apply to acting, singing, jazz band, and now toward my love of film and sound design. The community at Orpheus will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will miss you so much next year." — Natalie D.

Charlie C.

"Charlie exemplifies what it means to be an Orpheus student. He loves music and is always ready to learn, even if that means giving me a hard time every so often to keep me on my toes. I am so impressed with his involvement at both Orpheus and his middle school. Charlie study's guitar and cello (with Ms. Sara) at Orpheus and plays the trombone at his school. I look forward to our lessons together and seeing him develop each week." — Mr. Jesse

"We are so excited for this honor, thank you so much!" — Charlie C.

Pranavnandan B.'s "Repertoire of Pranav" — Level 2 Musical Journey Project

10/4/2024

Pranav learned a selection of classical repertoire (his favorite) to complete his Musical Journey level 2 project! He is excited to continue learning more classical repertoire as he moves to MJ level 3! His favorite song on this album is "Adagio and Allegro."