Happy Autumn 2003, Students and Parents! Welcome to all new kids, and welcome back “old” kids. This newsletter is your reference guide to all events that I have specific information about. As more dates can be confirmed, for instance, our class recitals, master classes, and rehearsals, I will update this. Competition applications are also not all available. Please take a few minutes to read this over carefully. There could be a quiz.

The sole reason that I will encourage most of you to enter competitions is for the performance benefit of polishing a piece and performing it under formal circumstances. I am uninterested in your “winning”; I hope you will agree that the healthiest motivation is to improve upon your own playing. I also hope you understand that competitions and auditions can impede progress, and that you may be better served under some circumstances to not enter.

The State Solo Competition will take place on Sunday, Nov. 2, at Augsburg College, from 12 to 5 p.m. Also reserve the winners’ recital, which will be Sun., Nov. 9, 7 p.m., at Lake Harriet United Methodist Church. There is an application attached to this newsletter. I’ll encourage some of you to enter. The application deadline is Sept. 26.

***Please, please search your homes for some of my missing materials. I cannot lend CD’s and music to other students when they haven’t been returned! Among missing items are a number of my Barbara Barber CD’s and duets.***

It is a daunting task to browse through all of the upcoming concerts in the Twin Cities to choose some to recommend; however, I’ve tried to list a few very special ones by date. Check out the enclosed discount letter from the MN Orchestra.

Sept.11-13
The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
Dale Barltrop, violin
Vivaldi “Great Mogul” and Locatelli
Thur. Ordway 8 p.m.
Fri. Ordway 10:30 a.m.
Fri. Woodale 8 p.m.
Sat. United Church of Christ 8 p.m.

Oct. 9-11
The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
American Music Week (very limited tickets)
Brubeck and Corigliano
Thur. Southern Theater 8 p.m.

Reich and Adams
Fri. and Sat. Southern Theater 8 p.m.

Oct . 10-11
Minnesota Orchestra
Steven Isserlis, cello
Fri. and Sat. Orchestra Hall 8 p.m.

Oct. 12
The Chamber Music Society of Minnesota
George Crumb Concert
Sun. 3M Auditorium, MN History Center 4 p.m.

Oct. 31-Nov. 1
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Thomas Zehetmair, conductor and violinist
8 p.m. Ordway

Nov. 9
Minnesota Youth Symphonies
Sun. Orchestra Hall 2 p.m.

Nov. 21-22
Minnesota Orchestra
Jorja Fleezanis
John Adams Violin Concerto
Fri. and Sat. Orchestra Hall 8 p.m.

Dec. 5-6
The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
Steve Copes, violin
Concertmaster’s Collection
Fri. Ordway 10:30 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Sat. Ordway 8 p.m.
P.S. Please keep a spare set of strings in your case at all times. Remember, too, that new strings are usually needed about every three months.

P.S.S. Parents, I’ve just read a great book. Wish I had read it years ago! It is Parent Effectiveness Training by Dr. Thomas Gordon (Nobel Peace Prize Nominee)