Category: Charlotte NC Piano Lessons

Support a Music Festival and Volunteer

Posted on by Heather Brunner

This year I am chairing 2 different piano festivals.  Honestly, the amount of work doesn’t bother me.  The hours of paperwork, a whole lot of email, phone calls, it really isn’t that big of a deal.  The hardest part is getting volunteers. 

 

Now for both of these festivals it is mandatory, according to the festival rules, that participating teachers volunteer on the day of the festival.  The option is given to send a student or parent representative from your studio.  Some teachers are really great about being ready to volunteer and even sending students.  Many kids can get community service credit.  Other teachers really drag their feet.  There are very few legitimate excuses for not helping in some fashion, but you know from the paperwork that you submitted that volunteering is required.  So if you just had surgery or have been sick, please find someone to take your place.  If you are out of town, find someone to take your place.

 

Teachers who are only entering 1 or 2 students do have a little bit of a harder time, but it is right there on the paperwork.  Those one or two students still have to be checked in just like those students from the teacher who entered 25. 

 

It takes team work to make these festivals work.  Students don’t need to be harried because there aren’t enough grownups to keep things running smoothly. 

 

So call up your local music festival and see if they need some help.  I promise that they will probably be happy to see you.

Following Up on Adele

Posted on by Heather Brunner

Earlier this week, I posted about Adele and her vocal issues.  Last night I watch the clip of her 2012 performance at the Brit Awards.  All things considered, she sounds 100%  improved.  There seems to be some technical improvement as far as how she is approaching the higher notes.  More of a head voice instead of a a belting approach goes a long way to alleviating strain.  There also was a restraint to the overall performance.  It could be that she is just taking it easier and letting the mic do more of the work or she could be really working on learning better technique.  Which ever it is I completely applaud her efforts. 

Welcome to New Students

Posted on by Heather Brunner

I just want to give a big welcome to all my new students.  Brunner Studios is growing at a very steady pace.  I am excited that we added piano and oboe students to the roster this week.  Wednesday lesson times are now down to 1 available slot. 

 

Keep up the good work parents and students.  Don’t forget that you get a 10% referral discount for any new students that give your name.

 

And here is a funny picture.  This is so true.  Well, except for that time in college when I was so sleep deprived that I tried to play with my music upside down.  It still looked like the top example in that case. 

Piano Lessons In My Home

Posted on by Heather Brunner

I’m a member of several different websites that advertise piano lessons.  Parents can send in requests and the teachers can choose to respond to requests in their area that fit their professional goals.  So many of the requests on these boards and inquires that I receive through my website are parents asking for lessons in their home.

I do not teach lessons anywhere other than my home studio.  There are several reasons for this.

1.  It costs me time and money.  Lessons at Brunner Studios are $26.25 for a 30 minute lesson.  If I have to drive to your house, teach a lesson, and drive home.  That is costing a lesson time on either side of the scheduled lesson.  Also, gas and wear and tear on my vehicle.  Gas is approximately 3.50 a gallon right now.  That can eat into my fees quickly.

2.  There are great resources that I’ve spent time building at my studio.  There are keyboards, computers, bookcases full of music that can be loaned, workbooks, reward charts.  These are all things that can’t travel for a weekly lesson.  If the student needs a new book or supplemental material, I am almost guaranteed to have it on my bookshelf.  You won’t find it dragging around in the trunk of my car.

3.  You forgot.  Way back when I first started teaching (in college) there was a family that I went to their house to give lessons.  It wasn’t close but there were multiple lessons and at the time gas was around $1 a gallon.  The family was always forgetting about lessons and leaving me hanging.  If you forget your lessons and are taking at my studio, I can still get work done if you forget or get sick at the last minute.  There is a lot of time involved in teaching lessons other than the 30 minutes you are here.

4.  Student don’t take the lessons as seriously as in a different environment.  My studio is a dedicated space for lessons.  It is a environment set aside for education.  Your living room with the siblings running through and the door slamming just doesn’t allow the same focus. 

So there are a few reasons that I don’t advocate lessons in the student’s home.  Now this isn’t to say that it would never work, but for me from a professional standpoint, I want a dedicated music space for educational purposes. 

Festival Paperwork from the Other Side

Posted on by Heather Brunner

This blog originally was more for piano teachers than for students and parents.  Today I think I’ll hit a topic more for teachers.

This year I’m chairing 2 different festivals and they both require copious amounts of paperwork.  Teachers send in their teacher information, check, registrations forms and certificates.  The state organizations send me forms, forms and more forms to fill out and certificates.  We are starting to talk a paper avalanche here.  Now the good thing is that I don’t mind paperwork.  I like organizing and creating schedules and making processes more efficient.

What I don’t like is illegible handwriting and disorganized lists.  What can you do to help your festival chair and make the job a little easier?  First up is to write legibly.  If that is an issue or if English isn’t your first language, find a computer and go to town with some typing.  I can always transfer the information to an official form if need be.  However, if I can’t read your writing, a number of problems could occur.  Your student’s name could be spelled incorrectly and that could affect any number of thing.  I could misunderstand what piece they are playing.  That would be a serious disaster.  I might not be able to read your phone number or email address to get in touch with you to correct the above listed issues.  So write neatly or type.  It saves a lot of time on my part.

Now, if you are reading this blog, you probably have email  Surprisingly enough, there are quite a few teachers who don’t.  If you know your teacher doesn’t email.  Offer to be an ambassador for them.  There are items that I email to most teachers and thereby save time and money.  You get your playing times sooner and paperwork without creases.   

Keep your paperwork organized.  If you are entering students in a festival with categories, when you starting filling out the paperwork, keep the students grouped together.  Groups A and B shouldn’t be intermingled.  That is just a problem waiting to happen.  As careful as organizers try to be, accidents happen sometimes.  Help keep things working smoothly by keeping your paperwork as organized as possible. 

These are just a few ideas to help your festival organizers out.  These events are a lot of work and it takes volunteers to keep them running.  Be nice to the volunteers!

Success with the Carnegie Hall Achievement Program

Posted on by Heather Brunner

Congratulations to Rohan who received a score of First Class with Honors on his Level 4 examination that he took in December.

Rohan looks forward to taking his Level 5 practical and theory examinations. 

 

Sign up begins tomorrow 1-24-12 for the spring examinations.  It isn’t too late to sign up for lessons and take your first examination this spring.

Starting Piano Lessons or Any Type of Lessons in January

Posted on by Heather Brunner

So you or your child or your spouse received a keyboard or piano during the holiday season.  Now what?  It’s time to find a piano teacher. 

Is it ok to start lessons in January?  The answer to that is yes.  New Year’s resolutions aside there is no reason not to start lessons now. 

Your schedule is established.  The kids have the hang of the school year and all of those sports schedules are pretty much known for the time being. 

Go ahead and call around.  Teachers should be willing to have a free trial lesson or meeting with a prospective student. 

Find the teacher that is right for you and get started.  There is no time like the present. 

 

Here at Brunner Studios in Charlotte, NC, I am looking for a few new piano, voice and oboe students.  Most teachers will have a few mid-year opening in there schedule.  There is still time to get started with lessons and participate in spring recitals and festivals. 

Festival Deadlines

Posted on by Heather Brunner

This is just a reminder to all the local teachers that there are several registration deadlines this month:

 

NCMTA District is due on Jan. 21, 2012.

NFMC Non-Scholarship and Scholarship are both due on Jan. 14, 2012.

 

The paper work for these festivals states there are NO EXCEPTIONS on the deadlines.  Please plan accordingly.

NCMTA Piano Contest-Festival Registration Form

Posted on by Heather Brunner

Hello to all my fellow teachers in North Carolina.  If case you have lost your registration forms for the spring contest, you will find them at the bottom of the Resources pages of www.brunnerstudios.com

 

https://www.brunnerstudios.com/resources

 

Good luck to everyone this spring.  The registration deadline is January 21, 2012.

The Carnegie Hall Achievement Program

Posted on by Heather Brunner

I just want to say congratulations to Rohan who participated in the Achievement Program in Atlanta, GA this past weekend.  We are now waiting on pins and needles to hear how you did.  You were well prepared and worked very consistently in your lessons while preparing for this event. 

 

A big thanks to Rohan’s mom who drove him to Atlanta and back in one day.

 

I would like to encourage teachers in western North Carolina to participate in this event so we can earn a testing center here in Charlotte!  Visit www.theachievementprogram.coorg for more information.