Keys & Strings Music Studio

Please take a moment and watch this video of a young musician...... You might have had lots of different thoughts going through your mind as you watched.  Some pitches were off.  Her rhythm was stalled.  She herself made a face at the end of the song. That's not what I saw.  I saw a student who has struggled to read music while playing keep her eyes on the page more than her violin. I saw a student start to recognize when to use her fourth finger.  Was it in pitch all the time?  No.  But she saw when she should use it, and she tried. I saw a violin start to fall and this young lady lifted it back up without my reminder. I corrected her once.  Later in the song she made a mistake and self corrected, without my reminder. I saw a musician.  I am quite proud of this young lady. Taking lessons does not a musician make.  Following and retaining directions does. Ms. Sandie

A great big thank you to Carrie S Moore, home-schooling parent of 5 children plus the caregiver to darling husband Nate, a favorite dog and dozens of chickens. When our daughter showed interest in learning to play the violin we realized that seeking outside lessons was about putting our faith and trust in an expert of that instrument.  Though my husband has a substantial background in music, he isn't knowledgable in this particular instrument, so we put our trust in Ms. Sandie. We went in realizing that our  daughter wasn't going to be an expert of the instrume nt over night, but that it would take time for her to be proficient at the instrument. As a homeschooling mother of five, I know that practice makes perfect. Just as you need to practice your math facts to master them, so you need to practice your instrument to master it. Allowing our child to struggle in its challenges, ...

A thirty year dream for my students was realized today.   A wonderful family at the studio clued me in to the news that their church (St. Peters of Cheshire CT) was looking to give away their Baby Grand.  I have been actively looking for the last 3 years.  We have played some beautiful looking one's that sounded awful.  This one has been well loved, but still sounds lovely.   We plan on having it refinished. Great big shout out to McCabe Movers of Southington CT.  This is the second big move they have done for me.  Very qualified and cordial company.  I am looking forward to lots of solo recitals and grand performances to come.  Cannot wait to see my accompanists face tomorrow when he walks in for ensemble rehearsal.

Not many people can say they love what they do.  99.9% of the time I cannot wait to get to the studio.  That other .1% is usually stressful days such as pre recital, pre Rock N Bows, creating a program list.  Not bad odds of having a great day. In the past week (August 11-15) I hosted my seventh annual Rock N Bows Intensive.  16 violins, 2 cellos, 1 viola, 5 guitars, 1 bass, drummer and keyboardist.  Special flute member and a vocalist too! I don't do this alone mind you.   The bass player and two guitarists are teachers and pro musicians.  RNB has progressed to the level it has become because of all of their input and expertise. We had a planned set list for months.  I started to give some of the students the sheet music about four weeks prior as this music was harder than previous years.  Enter Sandman, Don't Fear the Reaper, I Love Rock N Roll, Wonderwall, The Big Bang, Satisfaction, Applause, The Fox. We had to make changes, a...

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Recital News to Know June 22, 2014 Church of the Resurrection, Pond Hill Road Wallingford Arrive between 12:30 and 12:40.    We will start promptly at 12:45 If you need to reach Ms. Sandie for an emergency situation do so via email keysandstringsmusicstudio@gmail.com Do NOT call the studio number, email will go directly to her cell phone. Musicians will sit in the far left rows starting in the first row. Graduating Seniors and their guests have been reserved the front center row.  A sign will be posted on their row. Please have your musician bring their instrument (string musicians only), music if needed, a stand if in ensemble. Please wear something nice.  No jeans/shorts/tshirts/sweatshirts/sneakers please. Please be a respectful audience.  You want people to listen, cheer and clap for you.  Please do the same for our other musicians.  We ask that you do your best to be engaged for the entire event....

One of the words that I (and my co-educators) find ourselves using more and more is patient.  Be patient we say to our students who want to move on to a new song before they are ready.  It's a hard process, to learn an instrument and techniques in a song...............moving on before we have accomplished our current goals will prove for frustration later. Play it again!  And AGAIN!   Response we hear most often?  I just played it.  Repetition is the key to learning any new skill.  A practice routine of redoing sections will help 'learn' the challenging sections quicker.  BE PATIENT! In today's society, with Google, texting and Wikipedia we have learned instant information.  Why spend time looking at a dictionary or an encyclopedia (what's that?) when we can get the information with a few clicks?  Why walk over to a friends house or even to the kitchen when we can text to find out what the homework assignment was, or what's for dinne...

I always knew I wanted to teach.  In a preschool, an elementary school, a private elementary school, a private music studio, my own home, and then my own private music studio.  I've taught in all of these situations.  As for any teacher (regardless of subject or age range of students) all of these different locations have their pros, cons and struggles. The hardest part I believe, is balancing our dedication to our students (the reason that we do what we do) their parents/school administrators (who pay us to teach their child) and ourselves.  It's a fine line to do what is best for the student, while pleasing the parent or our bosses, and keeping our own lives balanced. I personally get vested in each family.  Even if I do not teach their child myself.  I try to know every student at Keys & Strings, to greet their parent or family member.  To know a bit about their lives, culture and customs.  I've adjusted lesson plans to in...

Learning an instrument takes commitment. Commitment from the student (to apply their newly taught techniques at home)  It takes 10,000 hours to master any new skill.  That's a lot of music making. Commitment from the parent.  Bringing the student to their lesson weekly, on time.  Giving their student a comfortable, well lit place to practice.  Helping their young musician be patient, learn time management, apply reading of pitch and addition/subtraction of rhythm counting. Just as importantly, commitment from their teacher.  Commitment to be there, waiting with a smile.  Commitment to be prepared, and attentive.  Commitment to CONTINUITY.   To be a good teacher takes talent, knowledge and skill.  To be a GREAT teacher, you must always make it about your students first. Commitment to the students, is what Ms. Sandie, Ms. Joanna, Ms. Doreen and Ms. Stacey are all about.

MY CHILD ISN'T PROGRESSING (POST HOLIDAY SLUMP) Post holidays, I heard from a lot of parents (both of my students and other educators students) that they were thinking of 'taking a break' because the children were not progressing, or fighting them to practice at home. My reply, (questions) were always the same.  Did you maintain your usual routine during the holidays? (No)  Did you stay out late, have house guests, excitement over tree decorating, Nutcracker performances, Church Pageant rehearsals (Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes). Of course they aren't progressing.  Your teacher is hoping to just maintain during changes in home life, whatever the reason.  Please give it the rest of the month and try this routine before you 'take that break' and completely stall your child's (or your own) music progression. For young musicians, go back to playing each assigned (tabbed) piece of music their age each day.  This means if your musician is five they should p...

This is Erin, the Office Manager at the studio. Recently we have been asked by some families to reschedule lessons for various reasons i.e. illness, weather, participation in other events. I feel the below article, written by a Suzuki mom who is also a economist, gives a very articulate view on our way of thinking.  The educators at Keys & Strings (especially the head teachers) rarely miss lessons, to make it a point to not inconvenience their students who have chosen a specific lesson time and day weekly on their schedules. We feel the teachers are paid to be available to each family at their designated time with the obligation of being at the studio for their assigned teaching days/times, and prepared for each individual students needs.  We appreciate that our families pay for the month in advance according to their agreement with our studio, and would like to help them understand that they are paying for a time slot with their chosen teacher, during which time they ...