A brand new year of music lesson

Fall is upon is, but for teaching it feels more like spring; a sense of a new beginning. A fresh 'batch' of new students are awaiting teachers, and a refreshed outlook on teaching is helping us to get the best out of our students.

Getting organized
Over the summer Jackie (partner in life and music, pianist) and I have developed a completely new record keeping and tracking system, which will help us to be more effective teachers. 

An essential part of the record keeping is the Goals and Accomplishments sheets. Each student will have their goals defined during the first lesson, and a comprehensive strategy is developed for the full year.

Goals can be straightforward, such as "improving my tone" or "doing more jazz improvisation this year". But there's more to it than just that. Together with the student we will design an effective, goal oriented strategy.

New duo-tangs!
Helping students setting goals and planning for the year.  

For example, somebody who is planning to do an RCM Grade 8 exam would want to take advantage of more performing and mock-testing opportunities, and would want to know where and when theory lessons are available. With the help of our Goals and Accomplishments sheet in combination with our Theory, Concerts & Exams sheet we are now able to plan this.

All of these documents have been put in bright coloured duo-tangs (easy to find in your music bag), together with newly designed weekly Practice Charts, which will help the students realizing their goals step-by-step. 

New performance opportunities
Both Jackie and I are members of the BCRMTA, the British Columbia Registered Music Teachers Association. THE BCRMTA organizes five student concerts a year, which gives our students more opportunities to perform.

And we have not forgotten about taking care of our adult students. An "adults only" concert is scheduled for the end of the season.

We are looking forward to a GREAT year of music making with you!

Band Package: three lessons for beginning band students @ $95

Would you like to get a head start on either saxophone, clarinet or flute? Sign up for the Band Package.

You will get three 45-minute lessons, working on essential basic rudiments, and more for a total of $95. The Band Package is ideal for new students as well as for music students transitioning to a new instrument.

Feel free to call me for more information: 250-477-5413

Taruskin has arrived

Finally, my own copy of Taruskin's The Oxford History of Western Music! Now all I need is a long holiday...

Erik's got some reading to do.

We have moved, we're nearing the end of renovating our music studios, and we're almost ready to teach again in the fall

Summer has kept us really busy: predominantly with moving and renovating.

On July first we moved to beautiful Oak Bay, South Oak Bay to be precise, and are living on a quiet little street called Beaverbrooke Street. It's right in between St. Michael's Junior School and Monteray Middle School. 

We have moved to Oak Bay, 2189 Beaverbrooke Street

Our renovation was necessary to turn two bedrooms, located on the lower floor, into two music studios. With the help of family, especially contractor and uncle, Jim, these rooms have undergone a major transformation.

We finished the new laminate floor of my own studio today (yeah!), and I still will have to paint the ceiling and walls to give it that 'fresh' look. We're getting there. 

My saxophone/clarinet/flute studio; the floor is done.

Why student concerts matter

On Saturday Jacqueline and I held our bi-yearly student concert. These concerts are quite successful!

At their core, student concerts are like progress cards, displaying the advances made through diligent practice. But there are lots of side-benefits too.

Firstly, both students and teachers put in extra effort in order to show their very best of what they have been working on over the last weeks or months. Students put in the extra practising time as to master even the hardest passages, and teachers ensure all aspects of a 'perfect performance' have been fully addressed during lessons.

Concerts also have the effect of making lessons more exciting and relevant, and parents have a real appreciation for seeing their son or daughter perform in concert, finally seeing and hearing the results of lessons and practising.

An added benefit for our combined piano and saxophone studios is the opportunity for all students and parents to get to mingle with one another, creating a sense of a larger musical community.

And how do we ALL benefit? We are reminded how wonderful music making really is. Music has the ability to bring together people from all ages, abilities, and walks of life, enjoying musical moments of presenting, sharing, listening and appreciating the talents of our peers, sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters; a new generation in the making.