Maybe one of these will help your kids stay motivated to practice over the summer...!

I've started a list of books about music that would be good for students (and parents!) to read. I'll add to it as I discover more. Click on the link below to see the titles and my comments about them. Have fun reading this summer!

http://www.kaboodle.com/naht/music-books.html

Our spring recital is approaching faster than you might think! I will be discussing recital choices with your student over the next week or two, so they have plenty of time to prepare two pieces for performance either on Friday, May 1 or Saturday, May 2. If you haven't already given me your preference of recital days, let me know soon!

Hopefully you are all looking forward to some fun holiday activities. In the midst of all the bustle, it can be a challenge to keep regular routines going. The excitement of starting the year has worn off and there are tons of other things that seem more appealing than sitting down to work. Check this article for a few ideas on how to motivate your student.

How to Get a Child to Practice

My goal is for your student to practice everything on their assignment sheet at least 4 times each week. There is a place in their notebook to record their practice. Check and see how your student is doing! Hopefully you aren't suprised by what you find. I'd be happy to offer other suggestions or talk with you about how your child is doing. Just sent me an e-mail or give a call!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving. Remember, no lessons the week of Nov. 24-26.

In case you didn’t notice, your students should be coming home with Christmas music either this week or next! I own the music and am happy to loan it to you. If your student just loves the book I’ve given him/her, most of them were purchased at Music and Arts off of Wadsworth and Bowles near the Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Speaking of Christmas music, there will NOT be a Christmas recital this year. I will hold the recital in the spring, probably in April to avoid the May end-of-year rush. In lieu of a Christmas recital, try encouraging your student to perform the Christmas song(s) they know for a group of family or friends sometime during the holiday season. Performance is a good encouragement for careful practicing, and a good way to overcome the fear and experience the joy of sharing something with others.

Speaking of loaning music, I am always glad to loan as much music as I can from my personal collection. Please encourage your student to be careful with music they borrow from me. (Don’t worry, I’m not thinking of anyone in particular who doesn’t take care of their music!!) My music library is continually growing and evolving, so if you or someone you know is cleaning out old music, consider letting me look through it before it ends up in the trash!

That’s all for now! Enjoy the beginning sounds of Christmas….

Check out Classics for Kids! It is a fun website that corresponds with a weekly public radio show for kids about classical composer and classical music. You can use the website to listen to the current show or past shows. There are quizzes and worksheets about the information, and some online music-related games. The parents section has some practice hints and other interesting articles. Check it out with your student!

http://www.classicsforkids.com/

Here it goes, my grand attempt to keep in touch with my music families via e-mail/blog. I hope to use these posts about twice a month to notify you of studio news, upcoming events, practice ideas, music links on the web, and other music and lesson related information. I will send an e-mail and post identical information on the blog. Past posts will be archived on the blog here. Please let me know if you DON'T want to receive these e-mails, or if you want them to go to a different e-mail account. The blog address is http://michellesmusicnotes.blogspot.com/ in case you want to make a bookmark. See you all soon!

This is a test post to check out the layout of my new blog. The purpose of this blog is to post information relating to my music teaching studio. The blog will feature archives of the notices I send parents, containing both logistical reminders and music ideas, practicing tips, web links, and other information.