April 2012 Newsletter Happy Springtime!Piano Performance Party and Competitions: Please take special note of our Competitions dates, times and place! We have maps with directions available-ask Judy.Piano Performance Party (Preschool through 2nd Grade) is Sat. May 5 at 10:00 AM at Bethel AuditoriumJunior Division Competition (Grades 3-4-5) is Sat. May 5 at 1:00 PM at Bethel AuditoriumSenior Division Competition (Grades 6 thru 12) is Sat. May 19 at 1:00 PM. At Jacobs Music in Willow Grove, PA (see map)Be sure to join us for this exciting day of beautiful music. Competition is a “dress-up” occasion. Shirts with collars for the young gentlemen (ties preferred); conservative dresses for the young ladies. Thank you for your cooperation! Each performer will need three copies of their songs with the measures numbered. Bring the copies to Competition. You give one copy to each judge. There is a $7.00 fee per song that helps to pay our judges. Please include with April or May tuition. Come early to warm up on the big piano and avoid the last second rush. Our Competitions are well attended but there will be seating for many visitors. So invite all your friends, neighbors, relatives—there will be lots of room and refreshments! Summer Changes: Please keep in mind that we do not have Group Theory in the Summer months of June-July-Aug.—so be very faithful these two months of April and May. Also, all Saturday students will be scheduled for weekday lessons in the summer. Violin/Viola String lessons continue on Tuesdays with Paul McIntyre and Voice lessons with Mrs. Geiger! KinderKeys—our Preschool Musical Kindergarten for ages 3-4-5 will begin Thursday Sept.13th. Classes are limited so be sure to register now! Keyboard Adventures begins Thursday Sept. 13th at 5:30. Be sure to ask about our exciting group program for ages 5-6-7. This is a fun, interactive program for those younger children completing the KinderKeys program but not quite ready for one-on-one individual lessons. Summer is a time when great progress can be made at Piano with no school responsibilities. More practice time is available and young people need good ways to fill in free time. Plan on having fun at the piano this summer! Choose a challenging Competition piece as a project to motivate and occupy idle time. Recitals Our student, Miss Ashley Pancoast is having her Senior Recital here at the Studio on Sunday May 20th at 2 PM. Everyone is welcome and invited to enjoy the beautiful music! Music is exciting and fulfilling. Be a part of it!Thank you for your confidence in us. Happy Easter! Enjoy the warmer weather! Judy and the GrandStaff GrandStaff Piano Studio APRIL 2012 KinderKeys NEWS www.grandstaffpiano.com We have been very busy this past month. We’ve learned a new composer every week, listened to his music as we colored his picture and learned interesting facts about him. Our little students are also enthusiastically learning many musical concepts on many various instruments and in many different ways We had lots of fun with our “cat” metronome, clapping fast when vivace and presto were the tempos—then clapping slower when the tempos were andante and moderato—and clapping very slowly when the tempos were grave, largo, and lento. We pronounced the Italian words for the tempos, dynamic levels and marched to them with our Rhythm Band. We trained our ears with the MerryMusicMaker Harp and Omnichord—and we practiced the names of the lines and spaces of the Bass and Treble clef on our floor staff. At every KinderKeys class, each student receives a piano lesson and a violin lesson. We read stories, listen to tapes, and watch videos that encourage our interest in music and musical instruments, terminology and technology. At snack-time we learn our flashcards and do our finger exercises. Please note: Our KinderKeys Program semester will conclude Thursday April 26, 2012. Discounts for early Fall registration for KinderKeys or Keyboard Adventures will be through Friday June 1st.. We love teaching your children. Thank you for letting us have part in your child’s music education. Happy Easter! Mrs. Judith Clark, Director Bryan Griffith Student Assistant