May Violin Class

Dress rehearsal information for Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at the SPCO Center

Dear Students and Parents,

I’d like to start at 6:00 p.m. with Aidan, Will, Hugh, and Lydia. I encourage you to stay to listen to the others, but I also know that it is a school night, so we are trying to have the youngest kids finish first.

6:15 Saturday duo kids: Alec, Leo, Katia, Imala, Clara, Ethan. The duos and Hungarian Dance will be followed by the solos from each of these students.

At 7 p.m. we will proceed with the Thursday crowd: William, Alex, Nick, Maia, Katie Bach.

I’m really looking forward to hearing all of you!

Cheers,

Lucia

Hi Students and Parents,

Its time again for our performance classes this Saturday, May 17th at the house.  Please remember that there is no Thursday etude class, and no Saturday duo class. We will meet as usual for private lessons on Saturday. This involves Leo, Imala, Hugh, and Alec.

Since most of you will be playing, we’d like to divide the class in two. The youngest kids can come at 1 p.m. and end at 2:30. This will be a very full class because I’d like to have the kids play through their duos, and there will be barely enough time since everyone will play their solos. This group includes Katie Lalo, Leo, Ethan, Katia, Clara, Hugh, Lydia, Will, and Aidan. After Katie Lalo, we’ll have the beginners next, and then the duo kids. Imala and Alec can join us at 2:15 to lead the Duos, Friss, and Brahms Hungarian Dance.

The second group can begin at 2:45. We can go until 4 p.m. with Alec, Imala, Nick, Kate, Maia, and Alex. Imala and Alec can also play their own Bartok duos.

I believe that I’ve accommodated those of you who had time preferences. If I have forgotten something, please let me know.
Please sleep well Friday night and have a big breakfast.
I’ll see you soon!
Lucia

Hi Everyone,

This Saturday group class, May 3, will begin at 10 a.m. because of some cancellations.  This includes Leo, Clara, Katia, and Ethan.  We will work on all 3 Bartok duos, the Brahms Hugarian Dance, and the Friss Czardasz, all of which we’ll be performing memorized.

Here is the breakdown of parts:

Slovakian Dance  Firsts: Alec, Clara, Leo;  Seconds: Imala, Ethan, Katia

Summer Solstice  Firsts: Imala, Leo, Ethan; Seconds: Alec, Katia, Clara

Teasing Song  Firsts: Alec, Katia, Leo; Seconds: Imala, Ethan, Clara

Friss: (be careful, the melody looks like a second part) Melody: Alec, Leo, Ethan; Harmony: Imala, Katia, Clara

Its hard to believe, but our performance class on Saturday, May 17 is just around the corner.  Claudia will use our Saturday, May 10 group time at my house from 11 to 12 for rehearsals of all kids under book 4:

Aidan–AEA

Will–AEA

Lydia– O Come or Rhody

Hugh–Twinkle

Leo–Becker Gavotte

Clara–Seitz concerto movement

Imala and Alec will work with Claudia that day from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at my house.

There will be no private lessons that day; we will be in New York with the SPCO.

JUNE PROGRAM NOTES 

I would like to assemble a booklet for our June concert with bios and artwork from the kids.  Could you please have the kids email or give me a short bio in five lines or less?  They can mention their music or anything they enjoy such as pets, other activities, etc.  Also, I know that there are some whiz bang artists out there who might like to share drawings or paintings for the program.  Our loose “theme” is Hungary since we have several Czardasz and Bartok pieces on the program.

Take care, and keep practicing!

Best,

Lucia

Hi Students and Parents,

In January we changed our format to include theory lessons and rehearsals with Claudia. We think this is an excellent way, as mentioned earlier, to give the kids a more well rounded musical education.

One point that I need to clarify is that even if your kids are not ready to schedule a rehearsal with Claudia, they should still be making appointments for theory lessons with her. Waiting until you schedule the next rehearsal makes too big a time gap between theory lessons to be useful. Please schedule these and your rehearsals with her as far in advance as possible, keeping in mind that you don’t need to know if a piece will be ready for a rehearsal in order to meet.

Thanks,

Lucia

Hi Everyone,

Our April 12th class is just around the corner.  The class time this Saturday, April 5, (11 to12) will be used to rehearse the kids who don’t go to Claudia’s for private rehearsals.  That includes Lydia, Hugh, Katia, Clara, Leo.  Aidan and Will can have a chance to hear them.

 Imala, Ethan, and Alec will play only in their lessons.

 For the Performance Class on April 12 at 2 p.m. (just one class) we will add Katie La Folia.

 Alex, Maia, and Nick need to contact Claudia immediately.

Our Saturday 11 am class will not take place on the day of the April 12 class.

William and Katie Lalo will not be attending class.

Okay, I think that covers it all.  Please check your email for individual questions I have for a few of you.

Have a great week,

Lucia

Hi Everyone,

I thought I’d let you know about this upcoming event that would be useful to those of you of Middle School and High School age.

There will be several students taking mock auditions who will receive advice and feedback.  Taking auditions is a skill, and like any other, requires practice.

Audition Masterclass
with Nancy Oliveros and Bernhard Scully
Sunday, April 6 at 2:00pm
Lutheran Church of the Reformation, St. Louis Park           Free and open to the public

Take care,

Lucia

Hi Everyone,

Renowned violinist, founder of the Julliard Quartet, and teacher Robert Mann will be in the Twin Cities next weekend. He will be giving a master class on Saturday, March 29, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the MacPhail Center for Music, 501 South 2nd Street in downtown Minneapolis. This class is sponsored by Claire Givens Violin, Inc.

He will also be performing on Sunday, March 30, at 4 p.m. at the Minnesota History Center, 345 Kellogg Blvd, W. in St. Paul. He will be presented by the Chamber Music Society of Minnesota. This concert will feature pieces written by Mr. Mann and a documentary of him.

I urge you all to attend if you can. Mr. Mann has been a legendary figure in the violin world since the 1940’s.
That’s all for now,

Lucia

Hi Everyone,

Claudia and I will be holding one class this Sunday, March 16, from 1:00 to 3:00. Here are the students who are scheduled to play:

Kate Haydn, William, Maia, Imala, Katia, Katie, Alec, Alex.

I’m looking forward to it!

Take care,

Lucia

Hi Everyone,

Here are the class times for Sunday, Feb. 17.  We’ll start the second class at 2:15 because of a number of absences.

1:00 p.m.
Nick, Katie Haydn, Katia, William, Aiden observing

2:15
Maia, Imala, Katie Bach, Alex, Alec

See you tomorrow!

Hi Everyone,
Congratulations to all of you for an excellent recital!  You have all made terrific progress and I hope you’re very proud.  I certainly am.

We’ve worked out more dates for you to mark.  Please schedule your private rehearsals with Claudia.

These are the performance classes that we will have at the house:
Sunday, Feb. 17
Sunday, March 16
Saturday, April 12
Saturday, May 17

We will divide the class in half again.  I’ll assign you to either a 1:00 class, or a 2:45 class.  Both will be 90 minutes.

Dress rehearsal will be Tuesday evening, May 27 at the SPCO Center.
Our recital will be Sunday, June 1, at the SPCO Center.

I will be out of town from Feb. 26 to Feb. 28.  That will be a Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, so please mark this change.

See you soon, and congratulations again,
Lucia