FaithSlaker Music Blog

Mozart Sonata K.283 for Saturday Group Class

2012-02-10T09:18:00.000-08:00

The following is a recording of the first movement of the Sonata K.283 by Mozart which we discussed in class performed by one of my favorite performers of Mozart's music, Mitsuko Uchida:

And for those of you who weren't in class on Saturday and don't have your own copy of the Mozart Sonatas, here is a link to the complete free downloadable score of this sonata: http://imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_No.5_in_G_major,_K.283/189h_%28Mozart,_Wolfgang_Amadeus%29

Be sure to mark all parts of the movement as we have discussed in class and label what key each portion begins and ends in. And enjoy! This is a charming sonata!
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Sonata Form

2012-01-23T11:55:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick version of the notes from last week's Sonata lecture:

Introduction

Slow and stately, Commanding, Catches your attention
Varying lengths
Not always present

Exposition

This section introduces the main themes of the piece
The first theme is usually grand, and the second contrasting, and usually lyrical
The first theme is in the tonic key and the second theme is usually in the dominant
The entire exposition is usually repeated

Development

One or more of the themes are played around with and changed up
The development often ends with something called a retransition - that part that feels quite intense and builds up, usually with new material or transition material to bring us back to the main theme.

Recapitulation

This is when the two themes from the exposition return in their original form
The second theme though is usually in the tonic key

Coda

Though the piece may end with the recapitulation, many sonata-allegro form pieces have a coda
A "tail" end - with a grander variation on one of the themes, a piece of the development, new material or very grand sounding final material

Suzuki Book 2 and 3 students are challenged to find these parts in their own Sonatinas!

Christmas Day Secrets

2012-01-19T08:16:00.000-08:00

Anybody looking for a beautiful version of Christmas Day Secrets to aid them in their practice of Suzuki Book 1 should look no further! Natalie has graciously supplied us with a thoughtful, carefully articulated and beautiful version. Enjoy!

Billie Jean for Piano Duo

2011-11-14T11:58:00.000-08:00

This is one of the reasons I love the piano. As a pianist, one has such a great expanse of sounds truly at the fingertips.

Today I really enjoyed hearing a version of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean done by the Anderson and Roe piano duo. Below is a link to a duo concert they did. Billie Jean comes in at about minute 41. Check it out!!!

Billie Jean done by the Anderson and Roe piano duo.

Awesome, right? Yeah! Go practice! :)

Recital - November 2011

2011-11-08T22:17:00.000-08:00

Well done! Here's the proof!

To view the performances of Natalie, Katie, Maeve, Declan F., Pauline and Erica:

To view the performances of Whitney, August, Ioannis, Anne Marie, Cole, Diego and Adrian:

To view the performances of Amber, Fiona, Evan, Kabir, Jimena, Eddie and Declan H:

To view the performances of Mary, Chloe, Jerecho, Graham and Criss:

To view Ms. Aubrey's performance:

Thank you so much everyone - this was a lot of fun!! Let's meet back here in the spring so we can show off all the hard work we do this winter!

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Beethoven's Sixth Symphony; Last Movement

2011-10-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

I'm glad everyone enjoyed listening to the Third Symphony a couple of weeks ago. Here is the last movement of the 6th symphony, one of my favorites.

Some of you are working on beautiful melodies and recognizing instrumentation, some are working on creating a picture or a feeling with the music your play at the piano, and some are working on the intricacies of how a composer treats a melody (variations, etc). Please listen to this recording with these things in mind and come prepared to discuss it in your next lesson! And enjoy!

Evan - took a lesson like a Suzuki Book 2 kid today!

2011-10-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

Wow - what a week for congratulations! Evan also graduated from Suzuki Book 1, playing with impressive sensitivity and spirit for his age. Make sure to congratulate him when you see him at the November recital!

Declan - Done with Folk, and on to Baroque!

2011-10-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

Congratulations go out this evening to Declan, who gave a clean, confident, and musical performance of Suzuki Book 1 at Sherwood Community Music School. I'm proud of all the work you've put into becoming an accomplished pianist for your age!

As if playing the piano weren't challenging enough.....

2011-10-01T17:25:00.000-07:00

In case any of you out there are feeling especially brilliant this week, Pauline and I propose a challenge. Can any of you play like this??

Try it, practice it, and let me know!!

Ohhhh..... IT'S ON! October 20th, a student responded to Pauline's challenge:

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Maeve&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Maeve says, "Oh yeah? Watch THIS!"
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Studio Star Scholarship Results!

2011-10-01T17:17:00.000-07:00

The Studio Stars of the 2011-2012 school year have been decided and I'm happy to announce that the winners are Natalie Rehkemper and Katie Schneider!

Natalie has proven to be a committed piano student by making strides in developing the ability to practice in a goal-oriented manner and solve problems at the piano on her own. She took that focus and motivation and worked very hard over the summer break. To recognize this achievement, Natalie is being awarded one free piano lesson in which she can choose anything she wants to learn at the piano and her choice for where she plays in the order of this year's studio recitals. Congratulations Natalie!

Katie, this year's second place winner, has continually proven herself to be a committed student with a passion for music. She has been working on musicality, stage presence, and calmly facing passage-work without too much frustration. I have seen her make great improvements in these areas and I love listening to her play. Katie is also being awarded one free piano lesson in which she can choose anything she wants to work on at the piano. Congratulations Katie!

All of my students are eligible for these awards, which are given yearly. Both Natalie and Katie take lessons at Sherwood and if you see either of them in the studio or the hall, please congratulate them on the hard work they've put in this year!

Theme from the Eroica Symphony

2011-09-22T11:47:00.000-07:00

Enjoy below, a version of the 4th movement of Beethoven's 3rd Symphony; and if you're one of my students in Suzuki Book 3, pay careful attention to the theme as it arrives one minute and fifty seconds into the performance. What instrument has the theme? How can you make this as powerful on the piano?

Further questions for the Book 3 student:

What does Beethoven do to this theme starting at three minutes and 24 seconds into it?
A counter theme enters at about four minutes. How does it contrast the original theme that we're so familiar with?
Would you call what happens around minute six a climax in the piece? What happens when the theme returns just after that?
What about the theme at minute 7 and 45 seconds? What kind of Classical style treatment or form are you familiar with that you can detect Beethoven using in this movement?

What is the best thing about being a pianist?

2011-09-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

I asked this question of all of my students recently on an online poll. At the end of the day 7% of my students said it was looking cool, 14% said learning something new every day, 38% said the best thing was being able to do something other people can't do, and 50% said that making beautiful music was the best thing about being a pianist.

Have you thought about why you are a pianist? Are the reasons still the same as they were when you first started taking piano lessons? Is it ever a combination of all of those answers?

Some pianists play to entertain others; some to entertain themselves. Some like to share the music they produce and some want to be left alone with it. For some, working through something new at the piano makes them feel really smart and for others, it is all about the finished product.

I admit that the best thing about playing the piano changes all the time for me. Whether I'm a teacher or an entertainer or a philosopher or a therapist; whether I have a musically educated audience, an undiscerning and eager audience or whether I'm playing just for myself - I'm always getting these things out of it. I'm always feeling great about improving every day; I'm always proud of what I've accomplished and I almost always get to make beautiful music.

Happy Practicing!

Repertoire-Learning Contest Results!

2011-09-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who participated in the repertoire contest this summer. Wow! Everyone played wonderfully and it was a close call!

But I'm happy to announce the two winners, who will get their prizes in the next couple of weeks.

In first place, with her poised performance and great use of the technique she learned this year is Pauline, playing Jazzy Joe:

In second place, with her enthusiasm and musicality, is Mary playing Carnival:

Congratulations to ALL the participants. I'm really pleased with your performances and can't wait to work with you further this year!

Summer Repertoire-Learning Contest!

2011-08-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

All current students of mine at Sherwood or FaithSlaker Music:

I hope you're all having a great summer! Care to show us all what you've accomplished? I've given you all the skills you need; we've worked hard together during the school year; now you have the opportunity to show everyone what you can do on your own!

This contest is for the performance of a single piece (or portion of a piece) played by you on video with beauty and accuracy submitted by e-mail (mp4, youtube or vimeo).

Winners will be selected based on accomplishment within their playing level, musical expression and daring choice.

Entries must be received by midnight on August 31st and winners will be announced via e-mail by Labor Day. The first place winner will be awarded a book of wonderful music to learn at the piano as well as a CD of inspiring piano music by great performers. The second place winner will be awarded a collection of fun sheet music that we can work on together during the year.

Now, head on over to the piano, warm up with your performance pieces, and see what you can do! I look forward to watching all entries!

*Suzuki students: Suzuki repertoire will not qualify.

Summer CD 2011

2011-07-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

The Summer CD is out! Check your child's bag or folder this coming week for the CD and enjoy supplementing your regular listening with this new variety over the next month!

The Playlist:

Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 10 - Tal and Groethuysen
Bach: Fugue in A minor, BWV 895 - Tureck
Beethoven: Bagatelle Op. 119, No. 4 - Brendel
Purcell: Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, Act 3
Bill Charlap Trio - In the Still of the Night
Bach: Gigue from Suite in E Major, BWV 1006a - Williams
Schubert: Impromptu Op. 90, No. 3 - O'Conor
Chopin: Etude Op. 25 No. 1 - Pollini
Schoenberg: Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23, No. 1 - Hill
Ravel: Jeux d'eau - Richter
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21, K.467, movement 3 - Ashkenazy
Milhaud: Botafogo from Saudades do Brazil - Bolcom
Waltz from Songs without Words, Fred Hersch

Summer Recital Video

2011-07-07T20:05:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all the performers who played in last week's recital! Everyone played beautifully, most everyone smiled beautifully, and we all did a pretty good job of polishing off those cupcakes!

To see the performances of Sean, Natalie, Fiamma, Megan, Amber, Max and Diego:

To see the performances of Pauline, Erica, Maeve, Jimena, Adrian and Anne Marie:

To view the performances of Evan, Gabriella, Cole, Sophia and Sarah:

To view the performances of Eddie, Katie, Graham and Declan:

To view Criss's performance, as well as my interpretation of some Schumann:

Thank you everyone for all your hard work. See you in lessons and definitely at the next recital! I'm thinking November.......
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You think you know the Baroque?!

2011-06-29T19:20:00.000-07:00

Strong language. Funny language. Watch this before you let your children watch this. It's old, but it's Pachelbel - it couldn't be that bad, right?

Pachelbel (1653 - 1706)'s Canon in D; you know it.

Ellis and Adrian

2011-05-07T19:19:00.000-07:00

Hot Crossed Buns - like you've never heard it before!

Aren't they cute?!

Friday Afternoon Group Class

2011-04-28T20:02:00.000-07:00

First attempt - just like the big girls in the recital!

Amber Schneider.... on to bigger and better things!

2011-04-16T17:22:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Amber of a terrific Suzuki Book 1 graduation recital this afternoon! THAT is how you play Book 1! (And thanks for including me in your performance - the encore piece ended up being a lot of fun!)

Katie Book 2 Graduation Recital

2011-03-20T14:34:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Katie for giving a sensitive, poised, and mature performance of Suzuki Book 2 this weekend. When you see her in the hall, congratulate her on all her hard work!

Note Taking - Copied from Suzuki Journal

2011-03-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

Taking Notes at Lessons: Practical Tips for Parents

by Heidi Ehle

March 8, 2011 / Minijournal 2001 / Parents

Continuity is a crucial part of learning an instrument, and the link that provides continuity between lessons and practice is your precious notes! Having been a Suzuki parent, I know that in a busy day sometimes you sink into the chair at the lesson and think, “Ah, 30 minutes of down time.” Then you find yourself daydreaming, and before you know it the lesson is over. You glance down at your notebook, and see “Review Allegro” … hmmm, not much to work with. You hear your teacher compliment your child on the lesson, but you are not exactly sure what went on.
At this point you may ask your teacher, “What shall we practice this week?” This will probably get a somewhat annoyed response as the teacher thinks, “OK, do I have to re-run the entire lesson at fast forward?” although she’s glad you at least asked. Or you don’t ask and figure you’ll just get through practice somehow.

Helpful Hints

While you may need some clarification at the end of the lesson, the teacher expects you to pick out major points for practice during the lesson. Here are some tips:

Look for a theme, especially with very young children. There is what Suzuki teachers call the “one point lesson.” If you hear the same aspect mentioned again and again, circle it at the top of your notes (i.e., thumb position, clear high notes, where is your foot, D’s correct).
In review songs, what is the teacher’s focus? Sometimes it is just a fun warm-up, but more often there is a specific goal. Children do not like mind-numbing repetition. Find the teaching point in the review (i.e., beautiful E’s, breathing, fingering D to C, air use on high notes, etc.).
Write down how to do things. “Last two measures of Minuet I” is not enough. How did the teacher break it up? Did you follow the process so it can be duplicated at home? (i.e., do this small group 5 times with no slurs, then add slurs, then speed up, through the A, be careful of the C#.)
In scales and exercises, try to notice how they are worked on (i.e., fruit salad, slur patterns, speed, position or tone aspects). Just writing “Do F Major scale” is usually not enough.
If you can’t follow where we are in the music, make a copy of the piece as your own study copy. Whether you read music or not, you’ll find this makes a huge difference.
Listen for cues. Your teacher is constantly aware of your presence—and how mentally present you are. Whenever you hear the word “practice,” heads up! Also listen for colorful language: sail your tone out the skylight, staccatos like hammering little nails, BIG beach ball bouncing. Try to use these words again in the practice. Listen for location phrases: “in the last measure of that line, where it starts on B-flat and goes up, where it says crescendo.” These location tips are often for your benefit, as the teacher and student already know where they are working.
Observe and adore your child. Relish the chance to do this. Watch body language, facial expressions, how your child learns, what feelings flicker past. It’s very interesting, and you may find something to talk about later, or you may just cherish the memory 10 years from now. However, keep your reactions, especially negative ones, to yourself during the lesson.
Need time to space out? OK. There are times you can, like when the teacher goes off on a long technical workout and you already have the gist of what is being done. But listen for cue words to bring you back to attention.
Help your teacher: Put all materials recently used on the stand at the beginning of the lesson. Ask for clarification of practice tasks at end of lesson. Ask about review if your teacher did not mention it. Try not to do noisy things like rattle newspapers, tear checks, crinkle cellophane, etc. It’s easy to forget that listening captures all sounds—and we are listening. Bring up general practice or schedule problems at the beginning of the lesson. Starting these important and timely conversations at the end of the lesson can wreak havoc with the teacher’s attempt to stay on time. Keep the teacher informed about events that may affect the child in a significant way (moving, illness, divorce, school troubles, etc.). These things have an impact which the teacher observes, and wants to respond to appropriately. Lengthy explanations are not needed, but a word will enable the teacher to respond in a sensitive, effective way.

Copyright © 2001 Suzuki Association of the Americas, Inc.
Previously printed in the Minijournal 2001. Reprinted with permission.

I Love to Practice!

2011-03-10T07:16:00.000-08:00

I Love to Practice!

by Joanne Bath

March 9, 2011 / Minijournal 2000 / Parents, Practicing

“I love to practice!” That’s what we all want our children to say. Here are some ideas for how parents can get there without resorting to things they wish they hadn’t! These suggestions can keep you motivated so that you can help your children have the best possible musical experience.

Enjoy the process. If you can figure out how to have pleasant practice sessions, you and your children will succeed. This may be the hardest part of the whole pro¬cess, and perhaps the most crucial. Suzuki said that little children should “practice three minutes, five times a day, with joy.” The main goal for practice should be with joy.

Be consistent. If your child knows that you will practice every day at the same time, it is easier for you and more secure for your child. Find a time that works best for your family. If you can, practice for ten or fifteen minutes before school.

Don’t negotiate. If you practice only when your child feels like it, you will probably never practice. Get in the habit of regular practice and do it. Say, “Practicing is what we do in our family.” I have found that “in our family” is one of the greatest phrases you can use. If children believe that something is done in their family, they will do it!

Be reasonable—don’t expect perfection. One of the parent’s most important jobs is to show children that life is not a matter of being perfect, but one of trying new things and growing. We do not want children to be overly cautious about learning. We want them to be interested in a variety of things, and willing to accept a challenge.

Work for an accomplishment rather than a set amount of time. One of the best ways you can teach your children to be efficient workers is to stop early when they have accomplished the goals for a practice session. If students can learn to reach their goals in less time, they learn efficiency.

Do not ask for too much. If you stop the practice session before the child is ready to stop, the child will want to play again the next day. Suzuki said, “Move slowly and never stop.”

Gradually lengthen practice time. Children need to slowly gain physical stamina. They will also have more repertoire as time progresses, and practicing will automatically get longer as they review. Some of my students review a whole book each day.

Focus on quality rather than quantity. Small manage-able sections can be worked out with a feeling of success. Do one measure thoroughly so the child can really master it. More is not always better. It is better to play fewer pieces and play them well, so move slowly and carefully.

Move at your child’s pace. Compare only so you have a general idea of what others are doing. Allow your child to move at a pace that is natural for her.

Know what you are doing. You are the home teacher. To learn what you should be doing at home with your child, ask the teacher. Take notes or tape the lesson.

Be in charge. The secret to successful practicing is that the parent must be in charge to a greater or lesser degree depending on the child’s age.

Focus on what is right. Tell children what they are doing well. Parents often ask if they can help their children successfully if they are not musicians them-selves. Actually, non-musician parents often have a much easier time than musician parents. Musicians are trained to find mistakes so that they can correct them, while people who are not musicians tend to hear the music and not the mistakes.

Stay positive. Be of good cheer. Avoid statements like, “You’re not even trying,” “That’s terrible,” or, “You’re just trying to irritate me!” If you feel something hurtful coming, put your hand over your mouth. Do not say something that could destroy weeks of positive growth.

Remember the power of praise. Praise always accomplishes more than criticism. Sometimes it is not just praise but acknowledgment. Acknowledge what the child is doing. Keep a running list of all the wonderful things that your child does. If your child is just starting to read, make the list in large print so the child can read for himself all the things that he did well.

Give rewards. From the beginning, try to establish the desire and pattern of practice. You don’t have to always give rewards, but if you do at certain times, you’ll find that you will get good work from your child. Austin, our six-year-old grandson, will work hard for shiny pennies, which we call “gold coins.” I sometimes give him one for everything he does well in a practice session.

Consider listening part of practicing. Listening makes the practicing and learning easy. Put your child to bed every night with a tape of the next piece. He will be able to learn the notes to that piece very rapidly, and all you will have to do is show him the bowings. If you are in a time crunch, and simply can’t practice one day, listen. If you have to choose between practicing and listening, listen. If you go on a camping trip and you can’t take the violin, take the tape player and listen.

Give projects and assignments. Deadlines and performances are very motivational. A performance could be just making a video or audio tape for the grandparents, or playing over the telephone. Get children to play as much as they possibly can.

Review every day. Most of my students have a review chart. When they are more advanced, they may do three pieces from each book or they may do one book a day. The students at the end of Book 2 should play all of the pieces in Book 2 every day. This may mean two practice sessions. If your child is in Book 1, he should be practicing all of the pieces in Book 1 every day.

Play review games. Children love “Lucky Dip.” Write cards with the names of all the pieces that the children play and put them in a box. The children draw the name of a piece of music from the box, and play the piece. Or have your child play along with the CD.

Divide practice sessions in approximate thirds: one-third review, one-third preview, and one-third polishing. Polishing means working on the last three pieces and getting those so that they are performance ready.

Help older children find time to practice. One of the best things you can do is to excuse your teenager from some household tasks in exchange for practicing. Make it easy for them.
This is a very special time that you have with your children. You have your child one-on-one during practice. Sometimes that is the only time that a parent and child have alone together. Treasure your children and their accomplishments. Be understanding, encouraging and loving and I promise you that you will have success beyond anything you could have ever imagined!

Excerpted from a talk given to parents of the Greenville Suzuki Association, November 1999.

Graham Book 2 Graduation Recital

2011-02-26T18:01:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Graham Anderson for completing Suzuki Book 2 and giving an extraordinary recital this evening. You have lots of proud fans!

You're never fully dressed without a smile!

2011-02-17T09:17:00.000-08:00

Students of my Saturday afternoon group class: One point in class this week if you saw your picture on my blog and can tell me about it. Two points if you were looking at the audience in the picture. Three points if you were smiling. Four points if you can tell me who is glaring, who has hair in her face, who can't sit up straight and who is making funny faces!

Studio Recital, January 2011

2011-02-16T09:44:00.000-08:00

Finally! It is done! For those of you who couldn't make it, or those of you who want to share your performances with friends and family - here is the online version of the most recent studio recital. I'm proud of everyone for keeping it together when the piano sounded so funny! I promise next time it'll be in tune! Enjoy!

For the video of Declan F., Pauline, Whitney, Fiamma, AnneMarie, Sean, Cole, and Ellis:

For the video of Erica, Natalie, Eddie, Declan H., Amber, Maeve, Sarah, and Fiona:

For the video of Jimena, Evan, Megan, Sophia and Diego:

For the video of Adrian, Katie, Mary and Graham:

For the video of Criss and me:

Waiting for the Video

2011-02-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

Parents, Students, and fans of my students:

I know you're currently waiting for me to post the recital video. I was sick over the weekend and so I expect to have the video up NEXT week.

In the meanwhile, please enjoy this picture of a piano made of legos built by one of my students:

Happy February!
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Mozart's Alla Turca

2011-01-22T18:47:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Mozart! I found out in one of my group classes today that half of the choices for favorite Mozart pieces came out to be the Rondo Alla Turca from his A Major piano Sonata. So, for those of you that chose that as your favorite Mozart piece, here is another take on it. Enjoy!

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Mary's Book 2 Graduation Recital

2011-01-22T17:36:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Mary Wilkie for completing Suzuki Book 2 and giving such a poised and musical recital today. I'm so proud of you!

A Grander Grand

2011-01-18T11:12:00.000-08:00

For those of you still in the market for a piano, the ante has just been upped! Now, better than an 88-key grand piano, an innovative, new piano is on the market. The Stuart and Sons Grand piano has 102 keys and a curious device that makes the strings vibrate differently. There are, of course, people discussing pros and cons of such a new idea in the piano world, which has remained pretty much static since the end of the 19th century. I'm happy with my Schimmel, but I wouldn't mind trying one of these out if anyone has the $300,000 and the room to spare!

For the full article: A Grander Grand Piano

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Free Concert for Kids!

2011-01-13T10:40:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow! January 14th Friday @ 5:30pm - admission: FREE

*****A Special Concert for Young Musicians ****
This concert is recommended for children ages 5 and up and was prepared for introducing children to the world of Classical music through "Child-friendly" performances of dance music and famous classical works, featuring Sherwood Faculty members.

Violin: Christie-Keiko Abe
Cello: Martine Benmann
Piano: Ivana Bukvich

Congratulations to Declan!

2010-12-10T12:04:00.000-08:00

Congratulations go out to Declan Hurless who just completed the Primer Level of his Music Tree piano method book.

He has worked diligently and is now reading music. You will see him perform in the January Recital, where you can congratulate him on a job well done!

Hallelujah Chorus

2010-12-02T09:58:00.000-08:00

Music is fun.

Your Child's Place in Education Today (and the Arts)

2010-11-19T09:54:00.000-08:00

It scares me to see so many of my students stressed out with what they have going on at school. I'm delighted though to see, that by 20 minutes into their lesson, they have stopped fidgeting, and they are engrossed in doing something so complicated, so creative, and so beautiful. I know that piano lessons aren't for everyone. I just hope that everyone is able to find something like that for themselves (adults included!) to keep the unbalanced hounding of gadgets/media/expectations/pressure to succeed at bay.

I'd like to share a creative lecture on this very subject. Enjoy!

Saturdays at Sherwood - November

2010-11-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

Hello all! With the weather getting colder, it is time to bring your weekend entertainment indoors! This Saturday at Sherwood, there will be a jazz concert as part of the standard Saturdays at Sherwood (formerly Sundays at Sherwood) faculty concerts. Below is the program - if you're at Sherwood already on Saturdays, why not stop by for a concert and snacks?

Program for November 20th, 2010

"Nardis" by Miles Davis
"Quiet Morning" by Seth Canavan-Hitsky
"I Thought About You" by Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Mercer (lyrics)
"Well, You Needn't" by Thelonious Monk
"Day Dream" by Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, John La Touche (lyrics)
"Blue Monk" by Thelonious Monk
"Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" by Leonard Cohen
"Innocent When You Dream" by Tom Waits
"How Deep Is The Ocean?" by Irving Berlin
"Dindi" by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Aloysio de Oliveria (Portuguese lyrics), Ray Gilbert (English lyrics)
"Song For My Father" by Horace Silver
"Come Sunday" by Duke Ellington
"Maple Leaf Rag" by Scott Joplin
"If it's Magic" by Stevie Wonder

Seth Aaron Canavan-Hitsky is an Early Childhood faculty member of Sherwood, The Community Music School at Columbia College. A life-long musician, Seth was born and raised in Metropolitan Detroit. He studied voice with Cantor Louis Klein, Eric Bruner, and Melody Racine, and piano with Maryan F. Abramsohn and Sumito "Ariyo" Ariyoshi. Seth has performed and recorded in Detroit, Chicago, and New York City with Maschina, The Daniel Givens Age Ensemble (also featuring Josh Abrams, Glenda Baker, Nicole Mitchell, and Jeff Parker) and the 58 Group (directed by Ginger Farley and Cameron Pfiffner). In addition to his duo with Hashim Uqdah, Seth currently performs with and composes for Más Trueno, a world music band that played live on the air on WBEZ's Eight Forty-Eight program in 2009. Seth was recently admitted to VanderCook College of Music's Master of Music Education and Teacher Certification Program.

Hashim Na'im Uqdah is a musician, turntablist, and music producer from Chicago. Hashim began playing drums at age 2. Studying at the feet of his father, drummer Carl Ameen Uqdah, Hashim learned trap set, congas, djembe, and talking drum. At age 13 Hashim taught himself how to DJ. He now records in studio turntable sessions and free-lances as a music producer for various groups as well as performing with Alpha and Princes of Futa (drums and percussion), Seth Canvan-Hitsky duo (drums), and Mood Music Collective (turntables, production).

If you're in the market for a piano

2010-10-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

Has your child been studying piano for some time now? Have you noticed the difference between an electronic keyboard and a piano? You've probably heard me talk about it, and it may be in the back of your mind, but it is probably time now to go ahead and buy a piano.

For some, waffling on this is due to the issue of space (piano or dining room table?) and for some it is financing (can you really justify spending thousands of dollars on a piano for a five year old?). At Keys 4/4 Kids, all the pianos are donated and are sold at very reasonable rates. It is worth checking out (though they can't help you figure out where to put it).

See me to borrow a book on piano shopping, in case you feel uncertain or overwhelmed!

Studio Star Scholarship Results

2010-09-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

The studio stars of the 2010-2011 school year have been decided and I am proud to announce that Max Bebawy and Declan Flaherty are this year's winners.

Max Bebawy has proven to be a committed piano student by making great strides this past year in terms of technique and maturity and in maintaining that advancement on his own over the summer vacation. To recognize this achievement, Max is being awarded 5% off of tuition for the rest of the school year as well as the privilege of being able to select his placement in both of this year's student recitals.

Declan Flaherty, this year's second place winner, has diligently proven himself to be a dedicated and enthusiastic student by making continued progress through the Suzuki repertoire and taking on any challenges given to him. He also impressively maintained his level of proficiency over the summer months. To recognize this achievement, Declan is being awarded one free piano lesson in which he can choose anything he wants to learn at the piano.

Congratulations Max and Declan!

All students are eligible for one of these exciting prizes, which are awarded yearly. If you see one of these students in the hallway or in my studio, congratulate them, because they have done an excellent job!

If the first prize is awarded to a student at Sherwood Community Music School, 5% off of tuition for the year is not in my power to grant, so in lieu of that, one free piano lesson in addition to the privilege of being able to select placement in the student recitals would be awarded.

In the market for a piano?

2010-09-23T11:02:00.000-07:00

Those of you who are in the market for a piano might appreciate a look at this piano, which you might have been in the market for if you had lived at the turn of the 19th century, when piano technology was really taking flight.

There was no standard for pianos at that time and composers, like the rock stars of today, were given pianos by the producers/inventors much like manufacturers do today to get celebrity endorsements. Some of the details are astounding! And check out all those pedals!
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Primed to Succeed

2010-07-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

An article was published this week in Science Daily previewing the results of the Northwestern University study that your children may have participated in.

It is clear from many of the article's claims that those of us fortunate enough to have received music instruction from a young age will then go on to be more fortunate in life through the skills we amassed during that instruction. Some of the claims this study makes are:

Musical children will have a better vocabulary and stronger reading ability
Music training primes the brain to better choose relevant information when faced with the need for quick selection
Musicians are better at incorporating sound patterns for new languages into words
Musicians are primed to understand speech better in a noisy environment
Children with learning disorders may be helped significantly by developing their musical skills

For a link to the full article, click here. Now go celebrate what you have opted to do for yourself and your child and go practice the piano!
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Summer Listening

2010-07-15T10:03:00.001-07:00

The Summer Listening CDs are made - make sure you get yours in lesson this week! If your child has been studying with me for a year or more, this summer he will have a CD of piano music to listen to a couple of times a week. If your child is a Suzuki student, he may take a day or two off of listening to the Suzuki repertoire to listen to this instead!

The Playlist is as follows:

Bach - Prelude and Fugue in Bflat from Book 1 of the Well-Tempered Clavier (Richter)
Chopin - Nocturne in Eflat Op. 9, No. 2 (Ohlsson)
Beethoven - Bagatelle Op. 119, No. 3 (Brendel)
Beethoven - Bagatelle Op. 119, No. 4 (Brendel)
It Had to be You - Hank Jones
Chopin - Etude Op. 10, No. 2 (Pollini)
Schumann - Dreaming from Scenes from Childhood (Horowitz)
Schumann - Hobby Horse from Scenes from Childhood (Horowitz)
Beethoven - Sonata Op. 13, Movement 2 "Pathetique" (Faith-Slaker)
Ligeti - Fanfares from Etudes Book 1 (Aimard)
Chopin - Etude Op. 10, No. 1 (Pollini)
Bach - Aria and Ten Variations (Tureck)
See See Rider - Erwin Helfer
Schubert - Impromptu Op. 90 No. 4 (O'Conor)

If your child is of Intermediate Level (Suzuki Book 2 and above), we will discuss the music in the fall with regards to time period and style.

Enjoy!

Teacher and Parent Training Opportunities

2010-07-08T21:57:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love about the Suzuki Method is that the training is ongoing and available to all teachers. The initial course, called "Every Child Can" is required for all Suzuki teachers and recommended to all Suzuki Parents.

Pepsi has a Refresh Project that offers fifty thousand dollars to a good idea to help America. With one thousand $50 scholarships, Pepsi just might help spread this idea of nurturing and natural education in the arts.

Below is a link to vote for this idea. You may vote for it every day until July 31st. We currently rank as good idea number 72!

Studio Recital, June 28, 2010 - VIDEO

2010-06-30T12:09:00.000-07:00

Well, I think this recent recital was the most fun yet! Everyone was prepared, everyone played beautifully, and there were more cookies than anyone knew what to do with! Below are the YouTube videos from the event.

For Fiamma, Megan, Autumn, Fiona, Anne Marie, Erica, and Sean:

For Declan F., Natalie, Pauline, Declan H., Amber, Eddie, Jimena and Sarah:

For Mary, August, Criss and Evan:

For Katie, Sophia, and the Katie/Jimena/Erica/Mary Ensemble:

For some of Milhaud's impressions of Brazil:

I can't wait to see what everyone can do at the next recital! Congratulations!

A Quick Pic from the Studio Recital

2010-06-29T21:22:00.000-07:00

Ecossaise

2010-06-05T18:45:00.000-07:00

Listening, taking cues, knowing a piece inside and out, and trying not to laugh in group class today!

When I Was Taking Suzuki Piano Lessons

2010-06-01T09:57:00.001-07:00

My mother was a Suzuki mom. I was the first of her children, so she probably had the most patience with me (as well as the most tolerance for the Suzuki repertoire). She took us to summer Suzuki camps. She had us practice every day. When I went through a phase in junior high of not practicing, she kept taking me to lessons.

The next time you see her at one of my student recitals, ask her how she did it.
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It is always funnier when Victor Borge does it.......

2010-05-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

One Step at a Time

2010-05-15T20:59:00.000-07:00

Baby Steps. We have heard it so many times - when you are overwhelmed, take baby steps. When you can’t see the end of the work you’re tasked with, take baby steps. If you feel you aren’t succeeding, notice the baby steps!

When I woke up this morning I thought, “This is what I want to do: an hour and a half of yoga, go running when the thunderstorms clear, cook a delicious vegetarian dinner for a friend for tonight, memorize three French pieces for a performance on Sunday, practice the piano for an hour besides that, walk my dog, write and mail postcards to friends I haven’t seen in a while, teach inspiringly for five hours sending each student home excited about what he/she is working on, write a blog posting, check out what my friends are doing on Facebook, oh - and shower and get dressed!” And this is AFTER I had pared down my real goals to ones that are clearly more practical.

By tonight though, when I’m having a glass of wine and enjoying whatever dish I came up with to make with a good pianist friend of mine, I’ll be able to tell her that I did 15 minutes of yoga, put off running until tomorrow, practiced those three French pieces, ran through the rest of my repertoire, walked the dog to the mailbox reminding myself that one of these days I want to write to my friends, taught for five hours with hopefully at least one moment of inspiration in each lesson, and yes, checked in on Facebook.

I will not be disappointed.

I’m thinking about this today because of a lesson I taught last night. A student of mine has reached the age where baby steps are well, just too babyish! We can easily tell a six-year-old how proud we are of her for being able to play two notes legato. It is sometimes hard as an older child or adult though to hear that someone is proud of you for learning a three chord sequence when the entire rest of the piece sits in front of you - daunting in its size, composed of how many baby steps?! But it worked out for us - this week.

After eighteen minutes of practicing together - my student got the three-chord passage. Hurrah! And you know what? As it turns out, that is all that was left for him to learn of that piece. We celebrated by playing the whole piece together. Looking back on that last baby step, that had such huge results, was satisfying.

Take some time this week to look back on what you and your child have accomplished together. It is amazing! It is worth celebrating! And then focus on the next step - and keep it small!

Suzuki-Trained Brains

2010-05-11T22:17:00.000-07:00

There are so many wonderful things that your children are getting from studying music and I am not always as articulate about it as I’d like to be, but I LOVE watching these abilities develop in your children. Here is an article that talks about some of that in a much clearer way. Read it, pass it on, and watch and enjoy your childrens’ successes!

Playing Along with the Mozart Effect, L.A. Times, 2010

Piano Lessons in Art

2010-04-08T22:15:00.000-07:00

Above is a work titled “Piano Lesson” that is currently being displayed at the Art Institute in the Matisse exhibit, which is free with general admission into the museum.

On Thursday, April 15th at 6pm, there is a concert being held there in conjunction with the exhibit of French music in synch with the spirit of Matisse’s works featuring pieces by Poulenc, Ibert and Defaye.

Speaking of Music.....

2010-03-05T22:14:00.000-08:00

Check out this video of Bobby McFarin demonstrating the power of the pentatonic scale at the World Science Festival in 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne6tB2KiZuk

Isn’t music FUN?!

Music and Language

2010-02-24T22:12:00.000-08:00

SAN DIEGO - Words and music, such natural partners that it seems obvious they go together. Now science is confirming that those abilities are linked in the brain, a finding that might even lead to better stroke treatments.

Studies have found overlap in the brain's processing of language and instrumental music, and new research suggests that intensive musical therapy may help improve speech in stroke patients, researchers said Saturday at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID AP Science Writer

What do you think music study is doing for your child??

Sundays at Sherwood

2010-01-28T22:00:00.000-08:00

Listen to Hungarian Dance No. 1 by Brahms.

Structure of a Typical Suzuki Lesson

2009-08-26T21:59:00.000-07:00

For those of you who aren’t sure what to expect or need a refresher before the fall semester begins, here is a breakdown of a typical Suzuki Piano Lesson.

2’ - 5’

Get settled in - catch up on the week. This is the time for any discussion of practicing concerns or any communication about upcoming performances, schedule changes or important events. Parents - if you have something you want to discuss - now is the time!

5’ - 28’

Lesson time. This is time for the teacher and student to have focus on the task at hand. Measurable improvement should be made and if a parent is attending the lesson, notes should be taken on the lesson procedure so it can be imitated every day at home. We will start from the beginning and work our way through your child’s entire repertoire - fine tuning tone and technique in the earlier pieces, working on dynamics and articulation in the more recent pieces, and working on notes and fingering in the new pieces.

25’ - 28’

Parent time. Sometimes a portion of the child’s lesson will be used for work with you to cover tricky passages or new concepts so that you may feel comfortable working with your child at home.

28’ - 29’

Questions and Review of practice points. I will often go over with your child what he is supposed to focus on, but this is time for you to check their notes and make sure you are ready to cover at home what I will be listening for in the next lesson!

29’ - 30’

Transition. (Often times, I use this time for hearing the information or story your child was so excited to impart to me in the middle of the lesson.)

Summer Recital - June 12, 2009

2009-08-14T21:52:00.000-07:00

Click here for the complete set of pictures from the last recital!

For the video of Jimena, Natalie, Max, Olivia, Whitney, Will, Bradley and Erica, click here.
For the video of Gabriella, Athena, Graham, and Anne-Marie, click here.
For the video of Hong, Sophia, Eddie, Diego, Ayla, Sean and Kayleigh, click here.
For the video of Katie, Sylvia, Antonio, Fiona, Declan, Anna and Ryan, click here.
For the video of Elliot, Fiamma, Criss and Jeremy, click here.
For the video of Mary, Amber, Mason and Ms. Aubrey, click here.

Have a great summer - I’ll see you all after Labor Day!

Suzuki Summer Institute

2009-03-23T21:44:00.000-07:00

One of the best educational tools the Suzuki community provides is the summer institute. This is an opportunity for your child to have fun in a musical environment that celebrates family, shared learning and music!

I love it when my students attend institutes because the circumstances provide an environment where much can be gotten out of the student to advance his musical education, commitment and enjoyment.

I have always gone to the Chicago Suzuki Institute in Deerfield, but there are several others around the country. Many families choose to make the week into a vacation to explore a new area. The institutes all provide housing, food and activities.

For a list of all institutes, click here. So far this year, I have students attending the Blue Lake Institute, the Chicago Institute, the Stevens Point Institute and the Colorado Institute.

If you wish to talk to other parents who have participated in an institute, let me know! I strongly encourage it this summer!

Sherwood Recital, November 2008

2009-03-15T21:42:00.000-07:00

In case any of you were waiting, here are links to the recital in November.

For Sophia, Michael, Anna, Natalie, Whitney, Diego, Gabriella, Erica, and Max, click here.

For Declan, Jimena, Hong, Will, Fiona, Jeremy, and Olivia, click here.

For Sylvia, Mason, Fiamma, and Mary, click here.

For Elliot and Ms. Aubrey, click here.

Enjoy! I’m sorry it took so long! Enjoy! If you would like, I can e-mail your child’s performance to you as well. Let me know!

Parent Lesson Week!

2009-03-11T21:41:00.000-07:00

Parents! Now is your time to shine! Or at least to get a good handle on what your child is learning. The week of March 23rd is going to be Parent Lesson Week. I will be working with YOU on helping your child practice at home, music reading, and proper technique. If there is something else that you wish to work on or a piece you would like to prepare for me, let me know!

I look forward to hearing everyone play!

PianoFest 2009

2009-01-05T21:40:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, and that all my students had an opportunity or two to show off a bit and entertain their family at the piano over break.

On Sunday, March 22nd, Sherwood Conservatory will be hosting an event for pianists that is a great opportunity for performance and for receiving positive and very helpful feedback from a panel of experienced judges.

Students perform a short program before a panel of two judges, and receive written evaluations of their performances, without the stress ad pressure of a competition.

To enroll your child to participate, please discuss with ME over the next two weeks repertoire selection and have a check for $25, written to Sherwood to me by January 17th.

I look forward to everyone having something exciting to work towards during these winter months!

Suzuki Piano Volume 2

2008-12-05T21:38:00.000-08:00

For those of you trying to track down the New International Edition of Suzuki Piano Volume 2, you can get them here.

I recommend getting the book and the CD together. This new edition has a clearer format, editing more true to what is played, and includes romantic and 20th century music as well as the baroque and classical we are used to hearing in the Suzuki repertoire.

I’m very excited about teaching from the new books!

Getting Recital Ready....

2008-11-09T21:36:00.000-08:00

When a student has a recital approaching, it is always an exciting time. We want our children to be successful and we want them to work hard. This is the perfect opportunity to practice both of those things.

We will choose a recital piece six weeks in advance of the recital date. This piece is one that will be READY at that time. That way, there are only minor things to tweak and your child can get more and more comfortable playing this piece - in his head, in front of family and friends, and weekly in lesson.

If your child is in a group class with me, we will practice the entire recital routine - including being a good audience, having poise on stage, and performance techniques that will make the recital a success.

At home, a week before the recital, you should have your child “perform” his recital repertoire every day for you. This includes walking nicely, taking a bow, putting his hands in his lap, hearing the first line of the music in his head, playing, again putting his hands in his lap, and taking that very nice bow at the end.

Recitals should be seen as a fun and exciting celebration of everything that your child has been working on at home and in lesson. If your child (typically the older child) experiences nervousness, let me know - it is something we can work on!

While You Were Busy Practicing.....

2008-10-04T19:52:00.000-07:00

I was in Greenland!!! Pictured above are a glacier, an arctic fox, some icebergs, and a mountain I climbed!

Glad to be back - see you all in lessons!

Suzuki Students Listen to CD for EIGHT WEEKS STRAIGHT!

2008-09-14T21:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to Piano Lessons!

There have been some advancements made this summer - lesson time lengths, new Suzuki Books, but I think most important of all is the Suzuki CD Listening Challenge that went on among some of my students at Sherwood.

Congratulations go to the following students who listened to the Suzuki Piano CD every day for eight weeks NO MATTER WHAT!

Mason Schilling
Anna Schilling
Marleigh Belsley
Max Bebawy

In fact – it gets even better! Double congratulations go to Mason and Max for listening to both Books 1 and 2 over the course of the challenge.

A notice has been put up on the Suzuki Board at Sherwood and outside of my studio. This was some impressive dedication over the summer. Everyone keep up the good work!

Start By Practicing What You Know

2008-07-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

To get the most out of the Suzuki Method, you can really help your child by having him practice from the beginning every day.

We cover everything in lesson, so your child should be covering everything at home. There are many benefits of this type of practice:

* Your child will maintain a repertoire of polished and performable pieces, helping her to feel confident and eager when asked to play.

* Practice sessions will become easier as your child will be able to see a beginning and an end to his practice independent of what you or the clock says.

* We will be able to focus better in lessons on learning new pieces as we can use the old pieces that your child is fluent in to work on new concepts, skills, and techniques.

* If your child is comfortable with her old pieces, group activities that use these pieces to teach ensemble playing and reading will be more fun.

Give it a month, and let me know how it works!

Vacation Practice Tips

2008-06-18T21:33:00.000-07:00

For many, the summer months are great opportunities for focusing on non-academics (like piano!), but it is also a great time for vacationing. In order to make returning to lessons in the fall a successful and happy event, there are a few things you can do AWAY from the piano that will help to keep your hand in, so to speak.

1. Guessing Games - You play something for your child using the body staff without humming and he guesses what Suzuki Book 1 piece it is (this is also good for stretching on long car rides). You can do the same thing with fingers - if you pretend to play something, your child guesses what it must be based on the fingers that you used. You can do the same thing with clapping rhythms based on the Suzuki pieces.

2. Listening - listen to the CD! Put it on your ipod! Sing the music! When listening to other music, encourage your child to label piano,forte, instruments, repeats and echos. Have your child close his eyes and play the listening game (listening for nature, traffic, etc.... now can you hear Honeybee?). This is also good for getting a little peace and quiet on vacation. :)

3. Visualization - have your child close his eyes and picture two black notes or treble G, or the beginning of Little Playmates (etc) in his mind. (this is good before naps!)

4. Finger exercises and coordination - Ask me about these! However, you can have your child play pieces on his lap, a table, etc. (On vacations, this is good for the fidgets or siblings that can’t keep their hands to themselves.)

Enjoy your travels!

Listening to the Suzuki CD

2008-06-16T21:30:00.000-07:00

As with any new venture, it was easy to listen to the Suzuki CD when your child first started taking lessons. However, now, more than ever, listening to the CD is going to make a difference:

1. Your child is now learning music quicker, so familiarity with the melodies will help.

2. We are still, and always working on ear training, and want to create a good model of playing in your child’s ear.

3. Learning new pieces in lesson will be easier (I don’t teach notes).

4. The Suzuki Method is based on the mother-tongue approach and that will only work if you are playing the CD!

To have this be successful, you need not sit down and actively listen - merely playing the music in the background will do. Do this daily (you may skip the Twinkles) - it only takes fifteen minutes!

Summer Class Only - Musical Time Machine!

2008-06-05T21:29:00.000-07:00

Starting Saturday, July 12, I will be offering a Music History class at Sherwood Conservatory on South Michigan Avenue. Pianists with basic music reading skills and at least one year of individual piano lessons will be entering a musical time machine and exploring different time periods in music such as Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern. Students will learn how to apply the musical ideas from class to the piano pieces they are working on in lessons. For more information about the class contact me, and for enrollment information, contact Sherwood at (312) 427-6267.

Taking Notes in Lessons - Suzuki Parents

2008-06-04T21:28:00.001-07:00

One of the best things you can do for your child’s piano experience, especially for the young beginner, is to take notes in lessons. I believe strongly in this for many reasons:

1. What needs to be worked on in every piece changes almost every week. There is always something slightly new.

2. Practice at home needs to follow the same structure as the lesson and taking notes can make that a lot easier and worthwhile.

3. Your child is not going to remember every new item taught to him/her in lesson, nor will he remember the order of practice.

4. Many parents like to take notes to remind themselves that there WAS a lesson that week! I keep track, but you might like to as well.

5. When on vacation or during the summer hiatus from lessons, you might like something to reference to make sure that your child keeps making progress.

6. If you are not the parent that practices with your child, but you are bringing him/her to lessons, you need to provide a clear structure for your spouse for practicing at home.

A Well-Rounded Musician

2008-06-04T21:27:00.000-07:00

Besides regular practice, taking piano lessons, and performing, listening to other musicians is important for your child to develop appreciation of music and a sense of what he or she really likes. Our role models are not only sports figures, so check here weekly for musical events around Chicago that are appropriate for you and your child to attend. You will also find here news about upcoming classes, music education and practice tips to make piano lessons more productive and enjoyable for you and your child!

* The Chicago Blues Festival starts tomorrow, Thursday, June 5th! It is finally warm, and this is a great way to celebrate summer music!

* Ralph’s World Kids Concert at Ravinia, Saturday, June 7th.

* Lauren Upshaw’s Suzuki Book 1 Recital will be held at Sherwood Conservatory, Saturday, June 21 at 4:30pm.