April 2017

Orpheus Academy of Music April 2017 Newsletter A Letter from the Directors: The beautiful sounds of the Spring Friendship Concert are still ringing in our ears but already it is May and we are on to thinking about Summer! Thank you to all the amazing performers and to all of you who supported them and gave so generously to CASA of Travis County. To- gether we have raised over $2,000 to help the volunteers who support abused and neglected children in our community. Summer is the best time to pursue our deepest dreams while we have a brief respite from the daily grind of homework and school. Pick a new goal with your teacher, start a new instru- ment, invite a friend to form an ensemble or band. Best of all, explore new and exciting top- ics and skills through our summer camps! For younger siblings, parents and friends that are thinking about starting music lessons, consider a few reasons summer is the best time to start: 1) Starting in the summer allows the student to have greater focus on their newfound passion without the distraction of schoolwork. 2) It is generally a good idea to try to limit the number of new experiences a child must adjust to at one time. While many kids do start with us in the Fall, they face the additional challenge of a new school or grade, while getting used to learning a new instrument. 3) Summer flexibility can allow students to schedule more frequent lessons to ensure a great start! This year we are hosting a special Summer Open House for New Students June 3rd from 2-5 PM! Please tell your friends and feel free to drop in! Summer has always been a time when we get to do the things we want to do rather than just the things we have to do. Let music be one of those things!        -Klondike & Wendy   Call today! 512-231-8999 3918-C Far West Blvd Important Dates: Performance Classes May 6  2:00 & 3:00 (5-10 yrs.) 4:00 (11 yrs.-adult) Musical Journey Tests May 13-14 Last Day of Classes! May 27 Summer Open House June 3rd 2:00-5:00 50 Days of Practice Party June 4, 2017, 2-5:00 p.m. Summer Camps are Filling up Fast!  There’s still time to sign up for some of our most beloved camps.  Check out our complete camp listings at orpheusacademy.com/summer-programs  Music From The Inside Out  Ages 6-12 June 19th-23rd, 1:00-4:00 In this dynamic movement camp, students engage with music in fun and new ways to become better all-around musicians. Awesome for students of all levels!  Composition & Improvisation Ages 8-14 Camp #1: June 5-9th, 1:00-4:00 Camp#2: June 10-14th, 1:00-4:00 Students work together in small groups to compose and improvise their own music! Great for creative musicians!  Students of the month April 2017! "I love music because it makes me feel happy. I like playing piano while my sister Leire and my brother Daniel dance and sometimes sing the songs I have learned. My piano teacher Mijung helps me a lot, she is awesome! I love music!" -Joana Echave "Joana is a talented young musician! She has grown tremendously within a short amount of time. It was possible because she enjoyed playing piano and practiced hard! I am so proud of her passion for music. It has been a great joy for me to have her in my studio!" -Mijung, Piano Instructor "My name is Maggie Lee. I have been playing the violin for almost 4 years now. I really like expressing myself through music. Mr. Xavier inspires me to do my best every week. I'm looking forward to attending chamber music camp again this year." -Maggie Lee "My pick for Student of the Month is Maggie Lee. She is my most patient and diligent student, two traits that are not always present in young student-musicians. Her joy for playing the violin is more than obvious; she arrives to her lessons with a bright, positive energy and eager to play for me what she has practiced that week. Maggie's calm nature and studious concentration have allowed her to accelerate her progress on her violin and I look forward to seeing her violin playing continue to grow." -Xavier, Violin Instructor  Orpheus Trio Takes First Place at Brownsville Guitar Competition!  In March, a trio of Orpheus guitarists, Himeer, Aylin, and Mei Yin, made the five hour trek down to Brownsville for the annual Brownsville Guitar Ensemble Festival and Competition. They competed first thing in the morning and came in first place! They opened with the traditional Irish tune “The Leaving of Liverpool” and then moved onto their concert piece, “Kalimba” by Jorg Kindle. Afterward they attended a workshop on how to play fast scales with the renowned flamenco guitarist “Grisha.” 2nd Piano Master Class with Dr. Bruce Lin  We were lucky to have another Master Class with Dr. Bruce Lin. Dr. Lin holds degrees from University of British Columbia, Westminister Choir College of Rider University, and West Virginia University, and he is currently on the keyboard faculty at the University of the Incarnate Word and Texas Lutheran University. Musical Journey Milestones Check out our awesome students’ recent Musical Journey Milestones! Musical Journey Tests Are Coming Up!  In just a few weeks, our students will participate in Musical Journey Tests! The Musical Journey is a unique, leveled achievement system that promotes creativity and high standards through clear goals in performance and musicianship. The Musical Journey Tests assess a well-rounded set of musical skills and measure our students’ growth over time, as well as developing their self-confidence! Completing the Musical Journey Projects has proven to be a transformative experience for each and every one of the many students who have taken part in the program. Students will be allowed to re-take any portions of the exam where they need improvement. The tests will consist of two parts, each of which takes about 10 minutes. 1. A performance judge will evaluate the students on their expressiveness, technique, and sight reading.       The student will play at least 2 pieces and do a few exercises for the judge. 2. A musicianship judge will evaluate the student’s development in rhythm, pitch, and other musical concepts. Testing will take place on May 13-14th (Saturday & Sunday). Registration ends Wednesday, May 10th!  50 Days of Practice Celebration! Our students have been hard at work again this year doing the 50 Days of Practice Challenge! To celebrate all their hard work, we are having a party for all of those who finish the challenge. The celebration will take place at Emma Long Park, Picnic A, on Saturday, June 4th from 2 - 5 p.m.! Come join us! Check out our annual Student Composition Book! Our students have been working on their very own original compositions all semester. Take a moment to check them out in the Orpheus Academy’s Annual Student Composition Book! The book is a collection of compositions by our students of various ages.