Recital Week

Thursday's Master Class students
Wednesday's master class students
Tuesday's master class. Since it is Halloween week, my students dressed in costumes.
Little Ariel sang "Part of Your World" as well as four piano pieces. She stole everyone's heart!

With 76 students, I do not have much time for practicing myself! This piece needs a few more weeks until it is perfect. But here is a run through of Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique.

Performing in front of others should be part of my student's training. It is an important life lesson, and the more it is practiced, the easier it becomes. Walking out onto a stage and performing is as natural for me as walking into the store or to the bank. It's just like any other day, thanks to the thousands of master classes, recitals, and concerts I participated in as a young child. But how do I have 76 private students perform in a recital? Well, I decided this year to divide the week into 5 master classes. Tonight is group number 3. Every evening at 5pm, the students who normally had lessons that day gather at my house to perform up to 4 pieces. This ensemble has been so much more manageable. Last years recital with 60+ students went for over 3 hours! Each evening features a wonderful variety of ages, levels, and instruments. I am so proud of my students and they bring me such great joy. I will continue to post pictures from each master class.

Coming Soon.....

.....To Waimea Town this December!

This week I began Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas rehearsals at school. Can you just imagine a school full of adorable little Who's down in Whoville?? I cannot wait until our performance December 16th. The kindergartners were stinkin' adorable singing "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch" so seriously. "You're a Rotter, Mr. Grinch. You have terrrrrmites innnn your smile!"

How cute is Grandpa?

Tooo cute!

I wish I lived closer so we could play duets more often.

Mrs. Woodbury

Hee Hee! Get it??

(double click the photo to make it bigger)

Kamuela Philharmonic

10/10/10 marked the start of Kamuela Philharmonic's 2010 Season. We performed the English composer Arnold's Flute Concerto and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 Pathetique (unfortunately it was Tchaikovsky's "suicide note" so it was a very heavy and sad piece) You will notice that the first violin section (I'm wearing a brown flower in my hair) had only 5 violinists! Normally it calls for at least 15-20! Violinist number 6 (who sits next to our concert master in front of me) FELL in the parking lot the day before the concert right after rehearsal and dislocated his shoulder. We are playing "Planets" by Holst in January (mom and dad, you will miss the concert by 2 days! Darn! I didn't think to plan your vacation around my symphony. BUT I would have had to spend all weekend practicing so that wouldn't be fun! I'll post videos of each planet for you!)

Life is so busy teaching 76 private students. I'm having a recital the last week of October and the students will perform wearing Halloween costumes. I will soon be preparing my school students for our upcoming winter production of Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Stay tuned!

Glee

Alex and I haven't had TV in our household for almost three years now. I don't know who Snookie or the Kardashians are, or why the Housewives are Desperate. I haven't watched Glee, but I'm hooked on the app "Glee" for my iphone/ipad! You sing karaoke or a capella and it adds harmony to your singing. Click HERE and HERE to here two of my songs I wrote about my dog Moki. The best part is that these small investments on apps are a tax write off! My students will love this program!