Hello Everybody!

We’re nearing the craze of the Holiday season, so take the time to carefully plan your musical calendar, as well.

Recital

Here is the latest schedule of who is playing at what time.  Individual performance order is not yet set.  Based on current registration it is unlikely that we will be adding any more times.  Get registered by Wednesday evening!

12:00 – Leslie attending – 4 spots remain

  • Kollel
  • Emet
  • Gabby A-L
  • Mazin
  • Claire M
  • Taï
  • Carmen French
  • Rock Band I (Colin’s)

1:00 – Tim, Abigail attending – 4 spots remain

  • Zoë A
  • Ahaan
  • Gerardo
  • Simon K
  • Chantal
  • Kate V (?)
  • Rock Band I (Colin’s)
  • Rock Band II (Leo’s)

2:00 – Sarah attending – 2 spots remain

  • Kate V (?)
  • Josh G
  • Madeleine B
  • Madison S
  • Chiara R
  • Nate M
  • Osten
  • Eliana S
  • Nathalia
  • Rock Band II (Leo’s)

Recital Etiquette

A few notes to review as a family about being a good audience member, and good musical colleague:

  1. If you are playing, arrive early.  If the previous recital is still on, don’t enter, you will distract the performers.
  2. If you are playing, but watching while you aren’t playing, be sure to treat the performer with the same respect you would want.  Support them with your applause.
  3. When you go up to play, don’t go too fast, and be sure to smile.  Take a bow before and after you play.  Smile even if you made a mistake – no one knows if you did unless your face tells us so!
  4. If you are going to take pictures, test your camera without flash first, with some other performer.  Flash can be distracting to the performer, and most cameras have great settings for taking lower light photos (we’ll try to have bright lighting on).
  5. If you arrive late, have to leave early, or during the recital, the best time to move is right after someone has played, while there is applause and set up for the next person.  Be considerate and avoid leaving while someone is playing.

Make-up Week

The Make-up week runs from December 17th-23rd, inclusive.  After the recital we will be organizing schedules for make-ups.  Not all teachers will have make-ups, for a variety of reasons, usually because there are not enough to warrant them coming in at this time.  Your make-up will be used at a later date.

IMPORTANT: If you do not confirm your make-up time (by phone), or indicate that you are not available, you may lose one of your make-ups, because the times are assigned to teachers’ schedules when you are notified of them.  Please check your email carefully for this information, and call us to confirm.

Holidays

Our Holiday Break is from the 24th of December through the 2nd of January, inclusive.

Early Start!

Our lessons begin after the break on January 3rd, which is earlier than the public school calendar this year.  Please take note and inform us if you will not be here for your lesson.

Fight the Fatigue!

As we enter the holiday and post-holiday season there is a general fatigue that is partly due to the start of the school year, partly the after-effects of the holidays, and partly due to the weather.

For students this is a crucial and delicate time, which can make a real difference to their development over the course of the rest of the school year.  It is very easy to let good practice habits slide, and for growth to stall.

We strongly urge you to take a few minutes to think about and discuss the potential for this slump with your young students, so that you can have it in your mind early, with a goal of avoiding and working against it.

Fundraiser Featuring Jay Danley

ABC Guitar Teacher Jay Danley and his Ethic-Jazz band will be collaborating with People to People Canada to host a fundraiser in support of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia.  For more information click here.  Also participating as a member of Jay’s band is ABC’s very first Saxophone Teacher, Elena Kapeleris, one of Toronto’s finest Saxophonists and Singers.  Check out this video of Elena in action.