It's Back to School!

"Creativity will be the currency of the 21st century." 

– Gerald Gordon

September Music Notes

• For All Saturday Students: Starting THIS WEEK (Saturday, September 21) we will be in the Fine Arts Building at 410 South Michigan Avenue, Studio 727. I have arranged to be there for the rest of September. We are trying it out, so please let me know what you think!
  
• For those of you who need an adjustable piano bench at home, there is a large order being placed through the Music Institute of Chicago which drastically decreases the cost of these benches ($315 instead of $599). All order forms need to be in by the end of the month. Please let me know if you're interested!
  
• The swap list for FaithSlaker Music students has been posted on my website. Ask me in lesson for the password!
  
• The Grand Avenue Bridge is going to be closed until the 27th of September. If you rely on that route to my studio, please make other plans!

You guys need to send me some new videos! I've had to resort to machines! Here is a mixed instrument player piano at House on the Rock.

Although they're not that bad.......

And here is Toby, back from the summer and trying out Variation A. Remember when Variation A was new???

MY SEPTEMBER RECOMMENDATIONS

• ARTICLE AND BOOK: 
  The Benefits of Piano Practice Article
  Beyond the Music Lesson - a great guide for practice help that makes sense for your family!
• PRACTICE HELP:
  A Suzuki Practicing Notebook prepared for you! For those of you who would love a system set up for your success in lessons, check out Lesson Compass!
• LISTENING:
  For the pet owners: here is a dog enjoying the family piano when he's alone.
• FREE CONCERTS:
  Harry Potter Goblet of Fire--CSO concert, Friday, November 29, 7:30pm
  Casablanca--CSO concert, Friday, March, 13, 7:30pm.
  Jurassic Park--CSO concert, Friday, May 15, 7:30pm.

Ready to Upgrade? Or do you have materials to donate? New students are always looking for footstools that your child may have outgrown. If you're no longer using it, let's pass it along! Footstools, pianos, keyboards, extra Suzuki books, CDs, Practice-help books, etc! Thanks for sharing and adding to our community!

July Notes and Updates as we get set for the fall term!

"Education in music is most sovereign because more than anything else rhythm and harmony find their way to the innermost soul and take strongest hold upon it."  ~ Plato 

July Music Notes

• Fall Scheduling is upon us! If you have participated in two public events and have taken summer lessons, you may register for lessons starting July 15th!
  
  Please fill out the following form if you study with me at home: FSM Registration Form.
  Please fill out the following form if you study with me at Sherwood: Fall Scheduling Form.
• Everyone has been invited to choose a movie or a song from a movie to start working on in lessons. We're going to do a Music in the Movies Recital this fall, projecting images from your child's favorite movie on a screen behind the piano to accompany each performance. Fun! Make sure you know what your child is planning on playing and keep an ear out for it during home practice!
• Please remember--No cell phones in lessons. I have been finding it very distracting and want to be able to give your child my full attention. Thank you so much!
• If you're on Facebook, please follow FaithSlakerMusic for weekly updates as well as articles on parenting, music education, and events around Chicago!

Ms. Aubrey Book 2 Graduation Performance, 1986!
Some of you might find this fun. This is me at age seven graduating from Suzuki Book 2. I was not required to play the entire book, so you'll hear two Bach Minuets and the Beethoven Sonatina.

Rosie's First Piano Lesson!
Orson's little sister was so well behaved during Orson's time with me that she finally got her very own piano lesson! They're rarely too young!

 Sasha and Stefan participated in the Chicago Suzuki Institute over the summer! Well done!

It's official! I'm a Suzuki Piano Teacher Trainer! The Chicago Suzuki Institute was my last step. I studied with Annette Lee, Caroline Fraser and Fay Adams and celebrated with the newest Suzuki Cello Teacher Trainer, Andrea Espinzo from Argentina. Here is also my first class of new Suzuki teachers that I helped train! If you know of anyone looking for Suzuki training, send them my way! I'm so eager to get started!

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MY JULY RECOMMENDATIONS

• VIDEO AND BOOK: 
  Growth Mindset Video a& book Mindset by Carol Dweck
• PRACTICE HELP:
  A Suzuki Practicing Notebook prepared for you! For those of you who would love a system set up for your success in lessons, check out Lesson Compass!
• LISTENING:
  For those of you who enjoyed the Gershwin at Millennium Park last week, here is a Spotify playlist of more of Gershwin's music: Gershwin Playlist
• FREE CONCERTS:
  Ravel's Mother Goose Suite--Millennium Park, Wed, 7/17, 6:30pm
  Beethoven 3rd Piano Concerto--Millennium Park, Fri 7/19 6:30/Sat 7/20 7:30pm
  Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake--Millennium Park, Wed, 7/24, 6:30pm
  Copeland Rodeo--Millennium Park, Wed July 31, 6:30pm