February News!

Mr. Handel is modeling our fantastic
2016 Music Olympian medal! 

The SFAMTA Piano Festival will be held Saturday March 19 at Augustana University.  The registration forms along with the $15 non-refundable registration fee will be submitted on Thursday morning (February 4).  If your child is currently practicing pieces for piano festival and they have a scheduling conflict on that day, please let me know before I submit the forms.

Please remember, there will be no lessons Wednesday February 10 through Tuesday February 16 for President's Day Break.

Our 3rd Annual Music Olympics will be held Thursday February 11  from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in the Donegal Centre Conference Room.  Please meet at my office for opening ceremonies.  This event is open to students who are in their first few years of piano study and the recommended age group is 1st through 5th grades.  If your child would like to attend Music Olympics and they are older than the recommended age group that is OK with me.  We will be playing fun music games and awarding prizes and each student will receive a Music Olympian medal!  This event is free so please RSVP by Sunday February 6th so that I know how many students to plan for.  

The Augustana Lee Piano Festival will be February 4-6,  students (grades 8-12)  are invited to participate in a special day for them at Augustana on Saturday, February 6th.  Students can participate in the master-class, or if they would rather not perform, they can watch, listen, and learn throughout the day.  There is a greet and meet at 8:30 and then the  first session starts  at 9:00 a.m.  Lunch will be served and  students will finish around 3:00 p.m.

http://augie.edu/arts/camps-festivals-and-competitions/2016-lee-piano-festival

SDSU Piano Day 2016 - Saturday, February 6, 9:00 am-noon.  This annual non-competitive seminar for students in 6th-12th grade will be held onstage in Lincoln Music Hall.  This year’s topic is Modern Music for the Piano, and will give students hands-on experience with some common contemporary piano techniques, and will include a master class and performances of popular contemporary piano works.  The event is free and includes refreshments and certificates for each participant.  

Please see the Piano Day webpage at:  www.sdstate.edu/mus/outreach/piano-day/

SDSU Music Scholarship Auditions - Fri/Sat February 26 and 27 at SDSU.  SDSU gives generous music scholarships to incoming music students, whether or not they are music majors. 

 SDSU now has an outstanding collection of Steinway and Boston grand pianos and all Boston practice room pianos. Students will audition on the beautiful Fazioli concert grand in the Performing Arts Center, the expansion of which will be completed two years from now.  Off-campus auditions will also be held Monday, February 15th in Sioux City and Rapid City. 

Please see the scholarship audition webpage at:  www.sdstate.edu/mus/for-our-students/scholarships.cfm

John Walker Piano Recital - Sunday, March 6, 4:00 pm, Freeman Academy - He will be performing the great Sonata in B minor by Franz Liszt, plus Beethoven’s ‘Pastorale’ Sonata No. 15 and Chopin’s Barcarolle.  This recital will be repeated at SDSU on Monday, April 11 at 7:30 pm in Peterson Recital Hall.  The SDSU concert is free of charge.

All State Music Camp - June 13-17.  Piano students may take private lessons with Dr. John Walker, plus classes in piano ensemble, master class, and special topics class.  They may also participate in any of our band, choral, or jazz ensembles, improv and other music-related classes, and have fun living in the dormitories with fun events every evening.  See the webpage at:  www.sdstate.edu/mus/outreach/all-state/