October 2017 Newsletter

Orpheus Academy of Music October 2017 Newsletter In this Newsletter: Orpheus Spooktacular, students of the month for October and November, becoming a Music Jedi and much more!! A Letter from the Directors: Wow! Thank you for the Best Fall Ever! I don’t know if it is the awesome weather, the excitement over our 15th Anniversary Celebrations, or what, but we have NEVER had three months in a row of record break- ing growth like this: 61 new students in August, 48 in September and 18 in October. All record highs for those months! According to the recent registration forms, most of that growth is due to referrals and “on- line reviews.” Thank you to all of you that have given us 5-Star Reviews on Google and Yelp recently giving us more 5-star reviews than any other music school in Austin. I hope you are as excited as I am about the performances we just had (Spooktacular, Performance Classes etc) and the ones coming up (Musical Journey, Friendship Concert, etc). 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! Thank you for making music with us! Klondike and Wendy   Important Dates! Closed for Week of Thanksgiving November 20th - 26th Please note that we are closed for the full week of the Thanksgiving break. All group classes and lessons will resume on Monday, November 27th. Adult Impromptu Sunday, December 3rd 4pm Please join us for our last adult impromptu event of the Fall semester! Friendship Concert Information! Dress Rehearsal Sunday, December 3rd 3pm - 7pm Performance Sunday, December 10th 3pm & 5pm Last day of lesson for Fall Tuesday, December 19th Closed for Winter Break Wednesday, December 20th - Tuesday, January 2nd. No lessons or group classes. Schedules will resume on Wednesday, January 3rd Students of the Month for October & November Junna C. - Piano The hook that music has left on me, expressed through piano, has been one of the reasons I still pursue music relentlessly, despite my crowded schedule. I don’t do what I do because my parents force me, I genuinely get absorbed in the art called music, a mesmerizing phenomenon. -Junna Junna is a busy high school student who has been playing the piano for many years. Despite her hectic schedule (academic studies, debate team, track team...just to name a few), Junna still manages to prac- tice regularly and makes progress every week. It has been a great pleasure for me as her piano teacher to see her maturing into a whole musician and enjoys her life.   -Joyce, Piano Instructor Effie C. - Piano I enjoy playing music because it’s fun and relaxing. I also get to share my experiences with my instruc- tor. Ms. Joyce has been my instructor for a little over four years. I started when I was six years old, and now I am about 11 years old. I enjoy swimming, reading, playing piano, and especially sleeping. I keep practicing songs until they are good enough so I can start a fresh one. Ms. Joyce is always entertaining when I get to my lesson and fun, that is why I enjoy piano. -Effie Effie practices her assigned pieces diligently and doesn’t get frustrated if she needs to continue working on a piece for weeks. Her positive attitude and commitment to excellence are not only going to help her become a good pianist, but also succeed in life. -Joyce, Piano Instructor Audrey C. - Violin The thing I like most about music is that I learn about new things. Sometimes I learn things fast! I am grateful that Mr. James has taught me the skills to learn music on my own. -Audrey Audrey has been consistent in her preparation for lessons. I am extremely proud of the progress she has made and have seen her mature, especially recently. She is making beautiful sounds on the violin and displaying technique that really makes me proud. I can’t wait to see her progress continue this year! - James, Violin Instructor Kenai P. - Piano I like music because it is fun. I like music because it is entertaining. I like writing music in musician- ship class. -Kenai Kenai is an excellent student who practices mindful of his goals. He has grown musically and artisti- cally over his time at Orpheus! He has presented a home concert, as well as finished a CD. He has also participated in many recitals and the friendship concert. I look forward to his future musical endeavors! -Skye, Piano Instructor Sophia B. - Piano I love music because it’s fun to listen to and I really enjoy improvising. My teacher Ms. Wendy makes it especially interesting. I like it when she gives me pieces that are from movies and TV shows that I watch.  -Sophia Sophia has been studying piano at Orpheus for almost 4 years! She always brings a great attitude and a curious mind to her lesson. Sophia is very consistent in her preparation for lessons and it is very reward- ing for me to see her mature in music. She has participated in many Orpheus recitals, performed a home concert, recorded a CD and is now preparing for her first Musical Journey Level 3 Public Solo recital. I can’t wait to see what Sophia will achieve next! -Wendy, Piano Imstructor Three Things You Can Say During Practice Sometimes I feel my daughter isn’t giving her best effort at practice. Perhaps she is rushing through things, repeating mistakes without even noticing or simply putting a piece away after just one seemingly half-hearted run through. At times like these I have come to realize it is usually best if I stay clear of giving unwanted advice, otherwise I am in danger of creating an unhealthy, negative relationship around music. I have to admit, though, sometimes I actually can’t stand it and I feel I just HAVE to say something. In those cases, I have found that I am more likely to provoke a positive response if I refrain from being critical and, instead, try to pique her curiosity (and mine as well). Many successful parents I have talked to express a similar approach: Asking questions about the piece rather than giving advice can lead to a happier interaction. So here are three things you can say when you feel your child isn’t giving their best effort but you don’t want to fuel a power struggle: 1. “That’s a nice piece. What’s your favorite part of the song?” 2. “I really like the way you are connecting with the music in this part. How are you doing that?” 3. “That’s an interesting piece. I wonder if we can learn anything about the composer or the origin of the piece on the internet.” Approaching the situation with curiosity and an open mind often allows our child to respond in kind and begin to have an interest in doing their best. Even if it does not result in immediate improvement, exploring what we love about the music can open up the door for the teacher to address these issues in the lesson and increases the willingness to put in the hard work to get better over time. Musical Journey Milestones Orpheus Spooktacular!! What is a mummy's favorite type of music? "Wrap" music!  Our annual Spooktacular event is a fang-tastic time for friends & family. Students get to see pirates, ghosts,, witches and more perform their spookiest songs! Check out some of the photos from this year. Welcome New Students! Please be sure to welcome all the new faces at Orpheus this semester! We’ve had a record enrollment and spots have been lling up quickly. We are so happy to see our musical family grow and look forward to a very exciting year!  Tristan T Thomas T Aran T Suhan T Caleb T Vincent V Evan V Grayson V Nico V David W Shanaya A Ishaan A Milaan A Ali A Aarush A Campbell B Cooper B Lillian B Logan B Jules B Daisy S Avaneesh S Drew S Alaric S Isabelle S Cameron T Alex R Cate T Austin T Sophie T Arjun E Esha R Allie R Ana R Camila R Ines R Eli R Ila R Luke S Sarah S Samson S Natalia N Kian N Lyla O Siena P Jude P Roman P Chloe P Justin P Krish R Arjun R Gabriella K Jettie K Ji Woo K Young K Alex K Izzy K Ines L Jessica L Erin L You can find pictures & videos of students, articles, announcements & more at our social media links below!