Awesome work this past week, all of you guys.  An excellent fresh start to the new season.

Mazin

Practiced 2 hours the day before today’s lesson — GOOD JOB!!!  Excellence only comes from determination and hard work.  Remember to keep your CORE ENGAGED (tummy muscles) at ALL TIMES, engaging more (tummy crunches) on the strong beats.  Doing this allows the finesse and coordination required to articulate varying sounds in both hands.

Daniel

Great first lesson with the piano, Daniel!  Keeping CORE ENGAGED and shoulders relaxed, experiment with the different timbres and colors you can get with the pieces you play as you articulate keys on finger pads or fingertips, moving to the rhythm with your ENTIRE BODY.

Brian

Excellent third cello lesson, Brian!!  Remember to ENGAGE YOUR CORE and keep your shoulders relaxed AT ALL TIMES while playing the cello.  MOVE to the rhythm of what you’re playing, feeling a tummy crunch on every strong beat.  The left P.A. (playing apparatus) should always maintain an ARCH, directing the arm weight into the playing finger.  Practice the L.H. (left hand) first position on all of the strings, pizz[icato] (plucking) the strings, then with bow.  You can do it!!

Olivia

Good practice this week, dear.  Remember to always ELECTRIFY the hand and fingers that are playing the melody.  The other hand (the ‘accompaniment’) should always be less engaged/active than the hand playing the melody.  Read the music as you practice your song, and watch for rests!!  Rubato = ‘robbing time’ like Robin Hood robs from the rich, then gives to the poor (however much you speed or slow down the tempo from one melodic note to the next, the tempo has to equal out – be steady – in the end).