Congratulations!
Sunday, May 5, 2019 by Rylin Erickson | Uncategorized
Wow! Sorting through our plethora of congrats cards is such a joy. I love to see the web of connectivity between students! Especially the younger ones for whom writing even a few words is a big effort, the preteens and teens who offer such carefully crafted praise, and the handful of kids who wrote to practically EVERYONE! It is also heartwarming to witness the generosity of spirit from parents who support not just their own kids but their kids' friends, their classmates, and often students they don't even know! And as a hilarious cherry on top, pictured here is, I believe, the first time our cats have received a congrats card. So lucky to have this warm, lively studio community!
Huge congratulations are in order for all of our performers! You played with focus and enthusiasm and delighted the audience with your expressive combination of music and story. I'm looking forward to seeing you for our final classes of the session this coming week and hearing your thoughts on the concert and your growth over the past year as well as your goals for the future!
I would love to see your photos and videos! When you send them, please let me know if I can share them with the other students pictured (if any) and whether I can post them publicly on Facebook, Instagram, and/or my website (if any other students in the photo also agree). Thanks!
Cheers,
Elizabeth
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NOTEWORTHY DATES:
May 1-31: May Practice Challenge (details in your portal)
May 5 (that's today!): last day to register for summer ensembles
May 6-10: last week of classes
May 11-31: no class
June 1: first day of the summer session!
July 1-14: early bird registration period
July 15: open enrollment begins
August 17th: Summer Ensemble Concert! Students arrive at 10am; concert at 10:30am.
Our Story Soirée is today!
Saturday, May 4, 2019 by Rylin Erickson | Uncategorized
Today's the day! Can't wait to see you all soon. Students arrive by 4pm to tune, warm up, set up, and have a snack. Audience please aim to arrive by 4:30 so we can start no later 4:45. Potluck dinner to follow!
Remember to try playing in your concert attire including shoes, jewelry, and hairstyle to make sure it is comfortable, doesn't create any buzzing against your instrument, etc.
Remember to bring:
1) your instruments (unless you play the piano!) -- please double check that you have your BOW (string players), FOOTSTOOL (guitarists), SHOULDER REST (violinists/violists), and any other accessories you might need (bowing aids, spare strings, lucky hat...)
2) sheet music/books if there is *any* possibility you will want to use them -- remember we will be outdoors, so please tape or paperclip loose sheets ahead of time to your book, a folder, or a piece of cardboard so they don't blow away! I will have large clips available to anchor your books/folders/cardboard to the music stand.
3) potluck food items -- remember to label if they include any common allergens as ingredients (wheat, nuts, dairy). If you cannot stay for the potluck please contribute a non-messy pre-concert snack (i.e., carrot sticks, cheese). If you bring reusable bowls, platters, or serving utensils, be sure to use masking tape to put your name on the bottom of dishes or around the handle of utensils so they can find their way home to you if you accidentally leave them here!
4) blankets or lawn chairs -- blankets and ground level chairs can be used anywhere in the audience; table height chairs can be used in the back half of the audience and along the edges.
I think that's it! Let me know if you have any questions. If this is your first concert with us, please know it is a very low-key affair. First-timers are always pleasantly surprised afterward and say that there was no reason to be nervous after all and they had a lot of fun!
Cheers,
Elizabeth
May 2019 Practice Challenge!
Tuesday, April 30, 2019 by Rylin Erickson | Uncategorized
Hi Students! Read on for all the details on our May Practice Challenge!
WHO: all students who are enrolled in Uncaged Musicians classes for both spring and summer sessions
WHAT: it's a little different from last year so please read all the words. ;-) In the Practice Log page of your student portal, post an entry every time you:
1) practice
2) listen to your recordings
3) watch a practice video associated with one of your assigned pieces
4) send me a video of you practicing (yes, even though you will be sending this to me via text/email/WhatsApp, please still remember to log it in your portal so it counts!)
WHEN: May 1st through May 31st, 2019
WHERE: your car, grandma's house, a tent in the woods, an airplane, the comfort of your own home... Anywhere you find yourself this month!
WHY: many reasons! Preparation for the concert May 4th; maximizing the post-concert enthusiasm boost; establishing/maintaining a solid practice, listening, and video watching routine; preparation for summer classes; fluency with navigating the student portal; a window for me into your setup at home; and a chance to receive feedback during the break between sessions, to name some of the more tangible. Also, the arguably more important long-term benefits: a marked increase in joy, skills maintenance, and self confidence resulting from this careful attention to practice over time.
HOW: go to the "Practice Log" page in your student portal, click "+ Add Time," and enter both the duration and what specifically was practiced, listened to, or watched. Please let me know if you have any questions! *Logging is the responsibility of the parent/student; while you will still receive all of the benefits listed above if you participate without logging, prizes will only be offered to those who have logged their results.
PRIZES? Yes! As you are all probably aware, intrinsic motivation is more effective for student learning than extrinsic, which is why I do not tend to offer much in the way of prizes/rewards/trophies/etc. throughout the year. For this reason, the bar is intentionally low for student prizes: all students will receive a small participation prize if they log at least one practice, one listening, one current piece video watching, and send one video of practicing at home. Additionally, because practice routines for kids are typically formed as a result of adult involvement and because students who practice are more rewarding to teach, like last year I will be offering tuition discounts for Fall 2019 to all who complete the full challenge: 20+ practice sessions, 10+ listening sessions, 5+ assigned YouTube videos watched, and 3+ practice videos sent.
