Autumn Piano Events

Upcoming Events for Pianists

If you’re interested in participating in any of the below-mentioned events, see your teacher right away!

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Sonata-Sonatina Festival

Pianists prepare two contrasting movements from a Sonatina or one movement from a Sonata

December 7, 2014 at Sherwood!

Registration due by November 2.  $25 per student

Gold medalist recital Sunday, December 14 at PianoForte Foundation

Music Development Program Winter Assessments

Pianists prepare a selection of repertoire and etudes along with scales and ear training exercises.  Preparation to be closely supervised by student’s teacher.

Assessments occur November 29 - December 11

Registration due by October 14.  It’s coming up soon!

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The Achievement Program

Well, the scores are in, and anyone who participated in the Achievement Program assessment on December 2nd can be very proud of themselves.  Not only did everyone pass, but everyone passed with quite high marks!  I couldn't be more pleased!

Congratulations go out to:

Mary, Eddie, Natalie, Declan F., Diego, Declan H., Fiona, Ioannis, Pauline, Jerecho and Katie.

A little bit about the program that these brave and talented kids participated in for those of you who are interested:

The Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program is a developing national standard of music assessment much like the Canadian and European programs.


For students who are dedicated to advancement and are motivated through the idea of leveling up, I think this is a very good motivational tool. It works a bit like PianoFest, however, the grading procedures have a lot more meaning. The piano repertoire has been organized by level and at each level, there is an assessment that a child goes through with one judge - playing repertoire, scales, sight-reading etcetera.


I think it is a very well-put-together compete program that assures everyone that your child is getting a solid musical education held to a national standard and I'm looking forward to working with my students in this program.


There are three possible assessments per year, and children sign up whenever they're ready for one. Some of your children may already be playing the pieces that they would use in the assessment! If you are interested, please talk to me at the beginning of your child's lesson.


Here is a link to an overview of the program:

http://www.theachievementprogram.org/students-and-parents/benefits-program

Studio Star Scholarship Results!

The Studio Stars of the 2012-2013 school year have been decided and I'm happy to announce that the winners are Eddie and Erica!

Eddie has proven to be a committed piano student by focusing his practice on that which will get him closer to his goal of giving his Suzuki Book 1 recital.  He has proven himself able to take what we learn in lessons and improve on them at home and he has taken on this responsibility in a very mature way.  This is going to be a great year in piano for Eddie!  To recognize this achievement, Eddie is being awarded 5% off tuition for the remainder of the school year as well as his choice for where he plays in the order of this year's studio recitals.  Congratulations Eddie!

Erica, this year's second place winner, has continually proven herself to be a committed student with a passion for music.  Because of her careful and consistent work, she has shown herself to be a very musical and solid performer in competitions around Chicago and on stage.  Erica is being awarded one free piano lesson in which she can choose anything she wants to work on at the piano.  Congratulations Erica!

All of my students are eligible for these awards, which are given yearly.  Eddie takes lessons in my home studio and Erica takes lessons at Sherwood, so 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!

Teacher and Parent Training Opportunities

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!

Suzuki Summer Institute

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!

Summer Class Only - Musical Time Machine!

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.