May showers? May flowers!
Our May newsletter for Pacific Melody students, begins with a hearty congratulations to ALL students for consistently maintaining practice and attendance throughout the Spring. It's always exciting to hear about what students are up to in the community, including their other activities, and celebrations.
This month we are working hard to polish our music and memorize it if possible for the year end studio recital! This will be a great afternoon to celebrate a successful year in piano, and listen to the culmination of many months of hard work on the part of our students! Tom Lee Music in Langford is our host in their beautiful concert hall with magnificent grand piano. The recital begins at 2pm sharp, please arrive before by approximately 15 minutes.
I am looking for parents to help with the following:
1. If you have a "real" camera, could you perhaps move around during the recital taking photos of various aspects of the recital to send to me afterwards. Please let me know if you can help with this.
2. Could you provide juice boxes or water bottles after for students? I am going to buy
a cake, though previously I had thought we could not host a reception there.
3. Would a parent offer to purchase napkins or paper plates? Any contribution here would be most appreciated.
4. As there was no registration fee this year to help off set recital costs, there will be a basket on the table if you care to donate to the cost of the recital. This is optional of course. Any money received above the recital cost will be donated to charity.
5. I have asked our guest composer to wait until next year to speak with Pacific Melody students. The reason is that her talk is very special and she brings with her, her own performers. I would like to make this a special event rather than part of our studio recital. At this time, she and I are trying to pin down dates for her talk. She is speaking to teachers of the BCRMTA Victoria branch this month, and thus is very busy. If I can't have her at the recital, I do plan to make a special composing event with her next year.
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Wishing a very happy birthday this month to students Alyssa S, Maeve, and Sophia! May you look forward to an adventurous and wonderful year ahead!
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Virtual recital: ALL students are invited to have a parent video them at home, playing their favourite piece this year. Try as many times as you like, and then send your best video to me and I will upload them all to a video sharing host, to provide a "virtual recital". This is to encourage all students to share their music, and if you prefer privacy, your family may video just your hands, or from an angle that provides online privacy. I would love to put together a studio video of all our students playing their best pieces. Please send this to me no later than June 15.
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We are finishing our 5/10/20/30 piece challenge this year. Each student has worked toward an individual goal, and this will be recognized at the end of the year.
Practice sticker trade in days are coming at the last week of lessons in June! Keep practicing to earn your sticker each week!
Congratulations to Elwyn, Alden and Alyssa S for successful performances in the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival! Is your student interested next year? Speak to me about either competing or non competing opportunities to perform for adjudicators. The comments our students received were outstanding!
Royal Conservatory of Music exams take place in June. Please enter our studio quietly in case I am pre-testing exam students during the next month.
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SUMMER CAMPS: Everyone should have received a "flier" on April 29 via email that highlights our summer camps and private lessons in July. Please consider keeping the momentum going for one month in the summer to avoid a long gap in lessons until the Fall.
FALL REGISTRATION: The new policies and registration info will be posted on the website and/or emailed to students this week. You will need to complete a new registration form, with your lesson option, and submit to the studio before June 15th to hold a spot with your registration fee for the Fall. After June 15th, new students will be free to fill remaining spaces. The studio is moving to a much better business practice of equalized billing next year. There are many new options and changes so please read through the registration information carefully.
Thank you for your commitment to piano and music studies. Each week students are a delight to work with and their accomplishments speak volumes about the support they receive at home.
SIncerely,
Paula Cain, Associate Victoria Conservatory of Music
BC Registered Music Teacher
Pacific Melody Music Studio,
Cordova Bay.