Skip to main content

Join the Holiday Stroll Ensemble 2024

 We are planning a string ensemble (woodwinds can join as well) for the Holiday Stroll 2024 in Wallingford.  Rehearsals will be held on Wednesdays at 7 pm starting on September 16, 2024 for 30 minutes each week (Not Thanksgiving Week) until we perform on Friday December 6, 2024.   All students, all levels are invited to participate.  We will make sure you have a part at your skill set so that you are feeling confident and valued.  As this is a community service (service hours forms for students will be signed) and outreach event there is no charge for being a part of this program at Keys & Strings. 

Why join an ensemble you ask?


Playing in an ensemble can be such a rewarding experience for young musicians! Here are some reasons why it’s so beneficial:

  1. Teamwork and Collaboration: You learn how to work with others, listen carefully, and blend your sound. It’s all about coming together to create something beautiful, and that’s a fantastic skill to have in life.

  2. Musical Growth: Being in a group helps you develop important skills like timing, rhythm, and dynamics. You get to follow a conductor or lead, which really sharpens your musical interpretation.

  3. Making Friends: You’ll meet fellow musicians who share your passion. This sense of community can be incredibly uplifting and makes rehearsals a lot more fun!

  4. Building Discipline: Regular rehearsals and performances teach you responsibility and commitment. These traits are valuable, not just in music, but in everything you do.

  5. Exploring Different Styles: Ensembles often play a mix of genres, exposing you to new music and ideas. It broadens your musical tastes and can inspire your own playing.

  6. Boosting Confidence: Performing with others can really help you build confidence. You’ll get to express yourself and share the spotlight, which is an amazing feeling.

  7. Critical Listening Skills: You’ll become better at listening and assessing your own playing in relation to others, which enhances your overall musicianship.

  8. Encouraging Creativity: Working with a group often sparks new ideas and interpretations, allowing you to express yourself in unique ways.

  9. Gaining Performance Experience: Regular performances help you get used to being on stage, manage performance anxiety, and develop your stage presence.

Overall, playing in an ensemble not only enriches your musical journey but also helps you grow as a person. It’s an experience that’s truly hard to beat!

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What recital means to me.........

Today's the big day. I never sleep well on 'Recital Eve'. Where'd the stands go, who took the pedal? We forgot to get the programs done? (Promise, they are done, and they are bigger than ever!) Recital to me is so many different things. I always have flashbacks to four years ago when I was so afraid it was my last recital with my 'kids'. Or the triumph of three years ago (I'm still here!). I remember Jay M's first recital, with his crouch like bow and huge smile. Jillian's realization that she did a GREAT job and then how it was even better for me when she invited me to her Christmas Pagent and she played the organ just a few short months later. Or the time Rachel stopped half way through....the entire time I was thinking that has the phrasing but doesn't sound exactly right............and she FLIPPED THE PAPER from top to bottom. Oh how we all laughed on that one. In my mind, there are 130 different stories just like this one. I have been blesse
1 comment
Read more

Back to School Limited Time Deals at Amazon

 I don't know if it's the teacher in me, but I always like to see what's new in back to school shopping.  I loved being a student, so that may be part of it too.  So I was looking at all the back to school deals, and here are some I would like to share with you.  I am an Amazon Associate, so if you were to purchase through one of my links (at no cost to you) I would get a small percentage.   What teacher doesn't need a box of  Pre-Sharpened pencils ?  Limited time deal 150 pencils for just $12.00! Every class subject needs their own  color folder Get prepared for the next decade with 100 folders just $16.00!  Limited Time Deal Pre School Teachers Alert! A 36 pack o f playdoh  just $19.99! Limited Time Deal Got to have more erasers, those tiny pencil erasers do not last long.  Limited Time Deal,  12 Eraser  box for just $5.54 What teacher, student or musician doesn't need s heet protectors ?  Limited Time Deal, 200 for just $9.60 An amazing price on  Graph Paper Amaz
Post a Comment
Read more

Commitment

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.
1 comment
Read more