 It's no secret that this year has been a year we don't ever want to return to. 2021 HAS to be better, right? But, it's got me thinking a bit these past few weeks as I've been working on our Winter Un-Recital Recital. I want to end 2020 on a high note! I've been working on holiday pieces with most all of my students. I say every year that the best part of playing piano is being able to play holiday music! It's the one time a year that I personally make time to sit down and just play the piano. It fills my home with beautiful music, it makes me happy, and it never fails that I sing along while playing! This year, as I'm teaching my students their holiday piece(s), it feels different. It feels different because so much has been taken away from us. Last week, while watching the CMA Awards, Eric Church accepted his award and really spoke to so many of us:“This award this year, at least for me, has been about the loss of this year. Loss of life, loss of playing shows, loss of freedom, loss of kids being in school. You know what the win is? The win is we were all here tonight together in person, live, not on zoom,” he went on. “It’s going to be music that brings us out of this. That is the one thing that is going to save the entire world. Politicians are about division, music is about unity. And I promise you, it’s going to take everyone in this room to unite.” I think he's very right. The other day, as I was teaching a preschool music class, I stopped and just watched the kids singing, smiling, and happy without a care in the world during a world-wide pandemic(!). This is proof that there is still so much happiness out there (especially in our children) and that music can bring a smile to anyone's face. It brings us together all year long, but especially in the holiday season.  This year, more than ever, I am thankful for what I have. I want to enjoy the little things like playing Christmas carols, teaching them, spreading my love of them to my students. I think all of the teachers are feeling this right now. Normally, this is a stressful time for us as we pick pieces, memorize, and spread all of the carols out among recitals. But, we have thrown those rules out the window and it is so gratifying to say "Yes! Let's learn another carol!" even if 5 other students are playing the same one. As we enter this holiday season, take time to listen to music! Fill your hearts with family and music because it's the one thing that cannot be taken away. Let's really end this 2020 year on a high note! 
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-Meredith Manley Our May Awards Recital is always something we all look forward to at the end of each school year! Due to the circumstances, our May recital this year looks a little different: instead of performing for a live audience, our students are submitting a recorded video of themselves performing at home. They have been working so hard on their recital pieces, and we wanted to give them a chance to still perform in the safest way we could. We will be putting together the videos to make virtual recitals and sending them out to all of our families! At the end of the May recital, we call up students one by one and present them their bag of yearly awards. Most families head home with their awards, but don’t always understand what they are for or how their child earned them. So I thought this blog would be a great way to explain all the different types of awards students can earn!
 Our last category of awards has to do with how long a student has been studying their instrument. Awards start at half a year of study all the way through their senior year.
Our intention is never to hurt anyone’s feelings if they didn’t receive many awards. We know how challenging it is to earn some of these, and we feel that students who achieve them should be recognized and celebrated. Reflecting on the quality of a student’s work is a valuable lesson no matter the outcome because it shows them how far they’ve come in the last 9 months, and shows them what could be improved so that they earn a certain award next year. We think awards are the perfect way to end the school year, and we really are so proud of all of our students!   Recitals are a very special event for students and parents! It is a time when we come together to celebrate the accomplishments of the student! Here are a few things to keep in mind for a recital: FOR PERFORMERS:
FOR THE AUDIENCE
 -Stathia Orwig  Recitals are a very special event for students and parents; it is a time when we come together to celebrate the accomplishments of the student! Here are a few things to keep in mind for a recital:
FOR PERFORMERS: • Performers should wear appropriate attire. Girls in appropriate-length dresses or nice pants, and boys in dress pants and polo or button down dress shirt. Please no flip-flops or athletic footwear. Please do not wear dangling, jingling jewelry. • It’s a great idea to practice in your outfit, especially with shoes included. • Once it is your turn, rise quickly and walk up to the piano. Adjust the bench, pause and collect your thoughts, and begin when you are ready. • Performers bow at the end of the performance. We will practice bowing properly a few lessons before the recital. • Arrive at the requested time in order to learn where you are to sit and receive instructions for the performance. AUDIENCE • Please arrive a little early (about 15 minutes prior to recital start time) in order to find a seat and help your child find their place. • Turn off all cell phones and any electrical devices that may produce sound. • Once the recital begins, please listen and be quiet. Crying babies should be taken out. They are not happy, and neither is the audience or the performer! • The soloist will bow and your response is to applaud politely! • Please stay until the performance or event is completely over. If you have other obligations or matters to attend to before the recital is over, please do not attend. -Stathia Orwig  Recitals are a very special event for students and parents! It is a time when we come together to celebrate the accomplishments of the student! Here are a few things to keep in mind for a recital:
FOR PERFORMERS: • Performers should wear appropriate attire. Girls in appropriate-length dresses or nice pants, boys in dress pants and polo or button down dress shirt. Please no flip-flops, or athletic footwear. Please do not wear dangling, jingling jewelry. • It’s a great idea to practice in your outfit, especially with shoes included. • Once it is your turn, rise quickly and walk up to the piano. Adjust the bench, pause and collect your thoughts, and begin when you are ready. • Performers bow at the end of the performance. We will practice bowing properly a few lessons before the recital. • Arrive at the requested time in order to learn where you are to sit and receive instructions for the performance. FOR THE AUDIENCE • Please arrive a little early in order to find a comfortable place to sit. • Turn off all cell phones and any electrical devices that may produce sound. • Once the recital begins, please listen and be quiet. Crying babies should be taken out. They are not happy, and neither is the audience or the performer! • The soloist will bow and your response is to applaud politely! • Please stay until the performance or event is completely over. If you have other obligations or matters to attend to before the recital is over, please do not attend. -Stathia Orwig Yep- it’s that time of the year! Recital time! As teachers, we always get the parents and students who are not sure they want to participate in end of the year recitals. Want to know why your student should prepare and play on a recital? What’s the big deal? Well, there are a lot of amazing things that happen from preparing and participating in a recital. Here are just a few:
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