Recital Week!

Our Spring "Pop" will be held at Dow Rummel Village in the chapel at 3:30pm on May 14 and 3:30pm Sunday  May 15.  The chapel at Dow Rummel has a beautiful, well maintained, Steinway grand piano.  I feel that this is one of the best pianos in Sioux Falls!   Dow Rummel is located in the northern part of Sioux Falls near Russell and West.  

If you would like to bring recital treats to share, please drop me an email.

Whether your child has played in several piano recitals or if this will be their first piano recital please take a moment to review the following:

1.  Please arrive 15-20 minutes early.  If you are not sure where Dow Rummel is located please ask, and also leave early so that you will not be rushed.

2.  Please bring your music!  While many students will have their music memorized, some students may feel more comfortable with the music on the stand.  I ask that everyone bring their music to the recital.

3.  As a matter of respect, please plan on attending the entire recital.  The recital should last about 30 to 45 minutes.  All students have worked diligently this semester and this is their time to shine. Students may sit with their families during the recital.  If you have a younger child who starts crying or likes to run around please take them to the hallway outside of the chapel.  Also, remember to silence your cell phones and other electronic devices.

4.  When it is your child's turn to play at the recital they will make their way towards the piano as the previous student has taken a bow and is leaving the piano.  Each student should adjust the piano bench so that they are not too close or too far away from the piano.  After they sit down they should take a moment to think about tempo and dynamics and the first few measures of their piece.  After their performance they will take a bow and return to their seat.  We will go through this sequence and bowing at an upcoming piano lesson.

5.  After the recital there will be an opportunity to take pictures by the piano and we will have cookies and punch in the foyer.

6.  Along with the families and friends of my piano students, the residents of Dow Rummel are also invited to attend our recital.

The last day of our Spring Semester is Saturday May 14th. If your child’s lesson is normally after 2pm on Saturday afternoon please contact me for a make-up lesson time.  Due to my full schedule, we may need to meet the week following the recital.  We are still in the process of scheduling summer lessons.  I recommend that students take at least 6 summer lessons in order to retain the skills and knowledge they have acquired this year.  If you have not yet enrolled in summer lessons, please do so soon so that we can find the best time for your child/children.  

April News

 Only 6 weeks remain in our spring semester and at this time most students have chosen their pieces for our May recital.  The theme of the May recital will be "Pop Music."  This theme encompasses a broad range of songs, from movie themes, to oldies, Christian Hits, modern day pop songs on the radio, and classical pop songs.  I believe the students will have a fun time learning music they have heard before.  Some students will be analyzing chord symbols in the songs and many students will have a lot to learn from counting the syncopated rhythms.  

Last month, about 20 students from my studio participated in the Sioux Falls Area Piano Festival.  Students who participated received a comment sheet and certificate and several students earned trophies for 3, 5, and 7 years of participation in the festival.  

As the spring semester draws to a close, keep in mind that summer is right around the corner.  I normally begin the summer semester after our spring recital.  Sign up for summer lessons is on a week to week basis and I highly recommend that students enroll in 6 to 8 weeks of summer lessons in order to retain the skills and musicianship they have developed throughout the school year.  

The owners of K & M Music recently announced that they are retiring and have sold their business to Popplers Music of Grand Forks, ND.  This transition occurred on April 1st and the store will reopen on Monday April 4.  K & M Music has served the Sioux Falls music community for 40 years.  

Just over four years ago I opened up my studio at Donegal Centre and time has definitely flown by!  I only had a digital piano when I started but within a couple of weeks I purchased a Kawai upright piano and a couple of years ago I followed my dream and added a Kawai grand piano to the studio.  When I first moved to Donegal, I had 15-20 students and today the studio has now doubled in size!

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/

January News!

Thank you all for your help in producing such a great holiday recital at Dow Rummel.  We tried some new activities and enlivened the afternoon for everyone!  A special thank you to those who shared treats!

The Sioux Falls Area Music Teacher Association (SFAMTA) Piano Festival will take place Saturday March 19, 2016.  The non-refundable registration fee is $15.00 and is due the first week of February.  Students from the Sioux Falls area participate in the piano festival throughout the day in the Humanities Building at Augustana University.  Participants are required to play two pieces from memory and are given a rating, critique sheet, and a certificate. Students who participate in the piano festival for 3, 5, 7,and 9 years earn a trophy.  They will earn an engraved plaque the 10th year of participation and a gift certificate in their 11th year of participation.  Students must be enrolled in piano lessons at least one full year before participating in the piano festival.  Students must attend nearly all of their lessons before the piano festival.  Please let me know if you would like your child to participate in the piano festival so that we can choose festival music at the first lesson.  If you would like your child to participate in the piano festival, please include $15.00 with this month’s tuition.

SFAMTA is also hosting an All-Boy Recital Sunday February 28 in the afternoon at St. Therese Catholic Church.  The registration cost is $5.00.  This is a great opportunity to showcase a festival piece.  Memorization is optional but encouraged for this event.  If you would like your son to participate in the All-Boy recital please include the registration fee in this month’s tuition.

Augustana University will be hosting the 2016 Lee Piano Festival February 4-6.  Recitals are held Thursday and Friday evenings featuring Chamber Music on Thursday night and pianist, Dr. Stephen Beus on Friday night.  Workshops, lessons and masterclasses are held on Sasturday February 6 for students in 8 - 12 grades.  All events are free and open to the public.  More information can be found on the Augustana University website.

Our 3^rd Annual Music Olympics will take place Thursday February 11 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm.  This event is free and open to students in 1st through 5^th grades.  This is a fun time to come together and play music games, and rhythm cups are sure to make an appearance as well!  Please RSVP to me by February 3^rd if you would like your child to participate in Music Olympics, this will greatly help with planning!

Studio Reminders:  In this snowy season, please remember to remove snow boots in the waiting room before entering the studio area.  Salt and other solutions used to treat sidewalks can be harmful to the pedals of the piano; this will also help keep the studio clean! 

Also, please remember to silence cell phones and other electronic devices before entering the studio.  Please wait quietly in the waiting room for the previous lesson to finish.  If you need to talk, please do so in the hallway outside my office.

Holiday Recitals

Our Holiday Recitals will be held at Dow Rummel Village in the chapel at 3:30pm on December 12 and 3:30pm Sunday  December 13.  The chapel at Dow Rummel has a beautiful, well maintained, Steinway grand piano.  I feel that this is one of the best pianos in Sioux Falls!   Dow Rummel is located in the northern part of Sioux Falls near Russell and West.  

If you would like to bring recital treats to share, please drop me an email.

Whether your child has played in several piano recitals or if this will be their first piano recital please take a moment to review the following:

1.  Please arrive 15-20 minutes early.  If you are not sure where Dow Rummel is located please ask, and also leave early so that you will not be rushed.

2.  Please bring your music!  While many students will have their music memorized, some students may feel more comfortable with the music on the stand.  I ask that everyone bring their music to the recital.

3.  As a matter of respect, please plan on attending the entire recital.  The recital should last about 30 to 45 minutes.  All students have worked diligently this semester and this is their time to shine. Students may sit with their families during the recital.  If you have a younger child who starts crying or likes to run around please take them to the hallway outside of the chapel.  Also, remember to silence your cell phones and other electronic devices.

4.  When it is your child's turn to play at the recital they will make their way towards the piano as the previous student has taken a bow and is leaving the piano.  Each student should adjust the piano bench so that they are not too close or too far away from the piano.  After they sit down they should take a moment to think about tempo and dynamics and the first few measures of their piece.  After their performance they will take a bow and return to their seat.  We will go through this sequence and bowing at an upcoming piano lesson.

5.  After the recital there will be an opportunity to take pictures by the piano and we will have cookies and punch in the foyer.

6.  Along with the families and friends of my piano students, the residents of Dow Rummel are also invited to attend our recital.

The last day of our Fall Semester is Saturday December 12th. If your child’s lesson is normally after 2pm on Saturday afternoon please contact me for a make-up lesson time.  Due to my full schedule, we may need to meet the week following the recital.

Piano Maestro

Welcome back students! Our Fall Semester will begin after Labor Day on Tuesday September 8, I am finalizing the Fall schedule and you should be hearing from me very soon. For a complete list of this year's events please check out the Upcoming Events page.

This summer I began using the Piano Maestro App (by Joy Tunes) with my students. It is truly a game changer and there is something for all levels. The Piano Maestro app is free for teachers and their students. For my students, if you have an iPad and would like to use the app please contact me and I will send an invitation so you can set up an account on your home iPad. Multiple profiles can be set up on the app if you have more than one child studying piano. Students play along with the music that is displayed on the screen on their piano or keyboard or the keyboard included in the app. Students can use their piano or keyboard or the keyboard on the app.

There are four main areas students can work from. "The Journey" takes a student from learning middle C songs through early intermediate repertoire. "The Library" has a wide selection of pieces students can sight read and learn. Categories include: Classical and Opera, Kids and Folk music, Christian Contemporary, Holiday, Pop and Rock, and TV and Game Themes. The pieces in the library are graded from Elementary through level 3B which is Mid to Late Intermediate. For most students I like to begin with the easiest level so the student can become accustomed to playing along with the iPad. "Exercises" has a great selection of technical skills and I often assign music from this category. Students can brush up on their rhythm, review 5 finger patterns, or learn 1 and 2 octave scales. "Methods" offers some background tracks for method books such as the Alfred Premier Course. There is a charge to download all background tracks for a book.

Finally, students can find their weekly assignments in the "Home Challenge" section. Often times I assign a scale or 5 finger pattern we are currently studying along with a rhythm exercise and 4 or 5 songs for sight reading or practice. If possible, I would like to see a student achieve 3 stars on each of their assignments before the next lesson. The "Home Challenge" is not a stopping place either, it is my hope that the student enjoys the app and is inspired to sight read and learn more songs on the app. Students should continue to practice their regular assignments as their top priority and supplement daily practice with the Piano Maestro app.

With my students' amazing practice this summer on the Piano Maestro app, I received the Gold Award for excellence in using technology in music lessons from Joy Tunes!  Please let me know if you have any questions about Piano Maestro, I am happy to help.

Congratulations Karl!

Karl Henry will be graduating from Lincoln High School this month.  Karl began his piano studies at the age of 4 with Myra Katherine Fritz, and I began teaching Karl in the summer of 2005.   For piano, Karl has participated and won numerous student competitions for solo piano and piano duet at the state level.  He has also participated in local events for the Sioux Falls Area Music Teachers Association such as All-Boy Recital, Piano Festival, and Duet Recital.  Karl enjoys learning classical music, especially Brahms and Debussy, and appreciates the 20th Century sounds of Bartok.

Karl’s primary instrument is cello and he has been a constant member of the South Dakota Symphony Youth Orchestra. The past two summers he has furthered his studies by attending the distinguished Interlochen Center for the Arts Music Camp in Michigan, where he played with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra.  At Lincoln High School, Karl has been a member of the soccer team, orchestra, Jazz I, and the Marching Band.  He has participated in South Dakota All State Orchestra for 4 years, All State Band (on Bass) and All State Jazz Band.  He has also played cello and percussion with his church’s Praise and Worship Team for the past 7

years.  Karl will be attending Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio where he has received a Conservatory Dean’s Scholarship.  He will be studying with Darrett Adkins who is also a member of the faculty at the Julliard School. 

Karl’s Senior Cello Recital will be Saturday May 30th at 2:30pm at First Presbyterian Church, 2300 South West Ave., Sioux Falls SD 57105, all are invited.