Happy New Year!

Welcome back after a much needed long winter's nap. The days are getting (perhaps imperceptibly) longer, and we are now in Spring term. Here are some New Year's resolutions, dates and announcements about many upcoming events, and also reminders about how my studio runs. 

Resolutions:
This time after the parties, the celebrating, then resting after the holidays is a new beginning. My focus in the studio for this year is personal and musical expansion by each student.  We will start off the year discussing goals for each student, through the year there will be more emphasis on highly musical performances, and I will provide more solo (but casual) performance opportunities. Our spring term will be the same with a piano accompanied solo recital and federation. The summer and fall terms will look somewhat different from previous years with recitals or performance classes offered.  I will announce on email and the google calendar when these will be coming up. 

Spring Term Calendar:

*Lessons start back on January 6.

* SAU Graduation: this will happen on February 8, with rehearsals for book 5 - 10 the week before.  The SAU Graduation process changed drastically this year, and only the students who were a whole book ahead of their graduation piece and who also made recordings will play in the recital. Talk to me if you are unsure. Times and places are on the google calendar.

* Spring Recital Reheasal:  There are large blocks of time on the Calendar for Group class during March so everyone can rehearse with the pianist to be ready for the Spring Solo Recital and Federation. You pick one hour from those blocks that works for you, and stay for the whole hour to have some rehearsing time and to support the other students as they rehearse as well.  The weeknight rehearsals (2/28, 3/6, 3/7) are especially for students in book 4 and up who may need more than one practice session.  For everyone else the rehearsal day is Saturday March 8. 

* Spring Recitals: EVERYONE will play a piece on one of these recitals on March 8 and 9. There will be three different recitals, and you decide which one works best for your schedule. 

* Federation: March 15, University of Utah School of Music. This is the one where students play two pieces and are given comments from other cello teachers. If you desperately need a specific time, let me know soon. 

* Spring Break:  Dates for different school districts are conflicting this year. Davis and Granite are one week (March 30 - April 5), and Salt Lake is two weeks later.  I will be teaching the week of the Davis and Granite spring break, but I will have two make up days on Friday Mach 18 and Saturday March 19 for anyone who was traveling during their spring break week. We can also work out trades. 

Reminders:

* Spring term is January 6 - April 26.

* Everyone gets ( averaged through the 4 month term)  one group and three lessons per month. 

* I don't do make up lessons. If you have a foreseen conflict, many parents have found success emailing the whole studio to look for a trade.

* Since there is occasional unforeseen sickness and car trouble I give 13 lessons through the term in stead of just 12.  

There it is! Your eyes are helpful editors, so if you have questions, please let me know since many others are probably wondering the same thing. 

Happy Spring Semester!