Category: Just For Fun

Posts under this category are just for fun

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. 

My Favorite Things

Posted on by Heather Brunner

I’ve been totally slack on this blog thing.  Trying to get up 5 Christmas trees is taking a lot of time and then there was the Thanksgiving issue.  So here is a short list of my favorite Christmas music.  The first 3 are available in cd format and the fourth is a book of music. 

 

1.  Sandi Patty- O Holy Night

2.  Sandi Patty- Yuletide Joy

3.  Steven Curtis Chapman- The Music of Christmas

4.  Mark Hayes- Emmanuel

Student Performances

Posted on by Heather Brunner

I just added a new recording under the student performances heading.  Hopefully as we get ready for the recital on Nov. 12 there will be more great performances to share.  I will not be using student’s names to identify the performers, just the titles of the pieces.  So if you are looking for a specific recording, as the performer what their piece was.

Practice Pays

Posted on by Heather Brunner

In October, Brunner Studios ran a practice contest.  Students with perfect practice would get a gift bag.  As it turns out I had 2 students with all gold practice star for the month and 5 that tied for a 3rd place prize.  Since I only had 3 gift bags, I added up the total minutes of the students that were tied for 3rd place and awarded the gift bag to the student who had the most minutes. 

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In addition to Frank here, there was a ghost and a pumpkin.  The gift bags included pencils, note pads, stickers, notebooks and Halloween socks. 

Congrats students on the consistent practice!

BOO to You

Posted on by Heather Brunner

Between the Gershwin and Schubert things have been hopping around here.  This week Max, my mom’s dog is visiting.  So I’ll just pop in for a minute. 

 

This is the last full week of October.  In the studio this month we have been having a practice contest.  I made up some goodie bags that look like this:

 

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Well, the other 2 are a ghost and a pumpkin.  So the 3 students with the best practice records for the month of October will receive a prize.  Currently 2 students have perfect practice with 4 students tied for 3rd place based on the sticker chart.  If there is a tie on the chart, I will add of the actual minutes the students practiced so that the prize is fairly rewarded. 

Why Christmas Is Later This Year

Posted on by Heather Brunner

Well, that probably got your attention.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Christmas is still on December 25.  However, there is good news as well.  This year Brunner Studios will not be having the traditional December recital.  This means we don’t have to start practicing Christmas music in September and October.  Should I back this plan up and explain a little?

The past few years the winter recitals have taken place in December.  That means that high school students were starting Christmas arrangements in September and October.  Why so early?  No one wants to play music significantly easier than their standard repertoire at a big recital.  Also, you have to account for fall break, Columbus Day, Halloween,  Thanksgiving and any other number of random breaks and holidays that the school system might decide to throw your way. 

Then after all that hard work,  you start getting the emails and phone calls.  You know the ones I’m talking about.  Susie won’t be able to play at the recital.  That day is Great-Aunt Gertrude’s annual cookie swap.  Now, no offense to anyone’s Great-Aunt Gertrude, but these students work hard and I hate to have them miss a big recital. 

So to save myself a spike in blood pressure, and the kids a lot of what they will see as wasted effort, we are having the recital on Nov. 12.  Standard piano repertoire with a few fall pieces and *poof* one fall recital. 

The students will get their Christmas books at their next lesson and begin playing season appropriate music.  We might try to go and play at a local nursing home or arrange for a carol sing at a church, but those are come and go events. 

So see Christmas is arriving later this year.  Well, the music is anyway.

Saxophone Quartet

Posted on by Heather Brunner

So on vacation, I ran across a type of group that I had never thought of before.  A saxophone quartet.  The group was serenading the park visitors outside of Snow White Scary Adventures.  This ride might have a different name but has terrified me since I was 5.  I’ll stick with the original name. 

 

Of course they were playing Disney tunes.  My personal favorite was Be Prepared from The Lion King. 

 

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Back from Disney

Posted on by Heather Brunner

I spent the last 10 days at Disney World.  Over the next few days, I’ll put a a few pictures from the trip.  Disney has an excellent array of music to experience.  From Elliot Dyson at Port Orleans French Quarter to the saxophone quartet at the Magic Kingdom. 

 

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These pictures were taken at the Grand Floridian Hotel.  That is a Steinway and Sons piano.  The piano is in ok condition but the sound is a little bright. 

 

Notice the nice wrap that I am wearing?  I finished knitting it while on the trip.  Made for a great excuse to sit in the bar and listen to Elliot Dyson play some great tunes.