What do we do in the summer?

 Summer can be a tricky time for lessons with vacations, camps, holidays and family visits. While these things can make it harder to get in regular practice times, the freedom of having no school can make for excellent practice sessions because your child's mind isn't filled with school work! Instead of taking the summer off, my advice is to take advantage of summers by:

•  Practicing in the morning when you and your child are fresh,
•  Playing concerts for family when they come to visit,
•  Taking extra lessons the week before or after you're out of town for vacation,
•  Listening to your CD whenever you are out of town.

 This summer I will be offering summer classes August 13-17 at 10am and 11am each day for just $25 - only $5 per class! If you haven't taken lessons over the summer, these classes are an excellent way to get ready for starting up again in the Fall. If you've been wondering if your child is ready for lessons or interested in music, these are a great way to find out without having to spend a lot of money!

 The beginner class from 10-10:50am will be designed for students starting at 3 years old to get started in their musical education. While I do teach piano, this class will be geared towards general music so that the students can take the things they learn and apply it to any instrument. We will:

• Explore high and low sounds,
• Play music and rhythm games, 
• Learn simple note-reading,
• Learn about different instruments,
• Learn simple improvisation on the piano.

 The intermediate class from 11-11:50am will be designed for students who have taken music lessons before and have some experience with basic note-reading. Again, even though I am a piano teacher, this class will be geared towards general music and I encourage students of all instruments to join us! In this class we will:

• Play music theory games,
• Learn simple chord structure,
• Learn basic rhythmic and notational transcription,
• Explore the different time periods of music,
• Perform for the class,
• Learn to positively critique performances.

If you are interested in signing your child up for these classes, or know of someone who may be interested, please contact me, Sandra Leary, at (716)270-7117, or dunkirksuzuki@gmail.com. These classes are a great way to give your child/grandchild/niece/nephew a head start on lessons in the Fall, and are a fun way to introduce them to music!