Virtual Lessons
Thursday, March 19, 2020 by Caitlin Peach | Uncategorized
Hello Students and Parents!
With all of the changes happening this week with my school movement to virtual classrooms and with the virus happening, I am canceling the remainder of my private lessons this week. For the next two weeks (until Friday, April 3rd), I am moving to a virtual private lesson studio. What this means for you:
1. All lessons for the next 2 weeks will take place virtually via Skype or Google Hangout. I will set these lessons up through a shared Google Calendar to which you will need to JOIN your lesson at your scheduled time.
2. All students and parents need to be able to have access to their online portal so that they can receive new music, resources, recordings, etc. from me through that medium. If you cannot access your portal, please let me know so I can resend you a set up link.
3. All lesson payments will need to be made virtually via PayPal, Venmo or Cash App.
4. Set your child up with a quiet practice space and schedule a time that they are practicing their instrument every day. 15-20 minutes daily is worth more than an hour in one sitting. They should plan to use this same space when they are at their virtual lesson.
Because I am having to maintain a virtual classroom from 7:30-3pm, lesson times are going to need to stay the same. We will start virtual lessons on Monday. Please respond back to this e-mail and let me know which format will work the best for you AND ensure that I have the right information needed to set you up with me under that format.
I strongly encourage everyone to not take these next two weeks completely off from lessons if you can avoid it, as lessons will help your child to keep moving forward in their progression on their chosen instrument as it provides that extra push to practice at home and keeps them accountable by having that check in. I understand that this may not be possible for everyone, so please do let me know one way or the other on your plans for lessons for these next 2 weeks.
Before April 3rd, I will contact you all again to let you know if we are able to go back to in-person lessons or if virtual will continue for a longer period of time.
I appreciate you working with me and for giving me the opportunity to teach your child! I can't wait to get back to "normal"!
Thank you! - Ms. Peach
Ringing in the New Year!
Monday, January 6, 2020 by Caitlin Peach | Uncategorized
Happy New Year Everyone! I hope that you all enjoyed your holiday celebrations with your families and that you're all ready for a fresh start to the new year!
I'm hoping in your New Year goals and resolutions are plans to continue to grow as musicians. I know that I personally have set some goals for myself that I want to accomplish this year as a musician, including some new pieces of music that I want to conquer, some new techniques I want to try out, and expanding my performance opportunities this year. What are some goals that you all have?
With any goal we musicians set for ourselves, it always starts with small steps in progressing our abilities.
Which of course comes down to one word . . . PRACTICE!
I know that with the holidays, I definitely enjoyed taking a break from everything . . . which included practicing. Now that school is starting back up, it's the perfect time to get back into the swing of things and revise my practice schedule. I want to encourage you all to do the same - as the only way that you can grow as a musician is to have a consistent practice schedule. I strongly recommend the following practice schedule for my students:
Elementary School Age (Kindergarten thru 5th): 10-15 minutes, 5 days out of the week
Middle School Age (6th thru 8th): 20-30 minutes, 5 days out of the week
High School Age (9th thru 12th): 30-45 minutes, 5 days out of the week
I'm always realistic - life happens and practicing every day is not always an option. I base my practice schedule around a 5 day plan, as I know that I can find 5 days out of the week that I can fit time in to practice. The big thing about practicing is, just like you have lessons scheduled every week, you have to schedule your practice time into your day. Set aside the time now that you're going to dedicate to practicing for your 5 days, put it into your schedule, and stick to it.
PARENTS: It helps if you are a part of your child's practicing - especially in the creation of the schedule and sticking to it!
Make practicing a goal for yourself for this year! Lessons will be more enjoyable (because we can keep moving forward in your progression as a musician), you will master more music and techniques (maybe even get to that piece you're really wanting to play), and you will become a better musician. Remember, you can track your practicing in your personal portal. I check the portal daily to see how everyone is doing - I'd love to see more students taking advantage of the resource. Plus, it's a great way to keep you accountable for your practicing.
I look forward to seeing everyone back in lessons this week!
Ms. Peach
Keeping the Music Alive In July
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 by Caitlin Peach | Uncategorized
I don't know if you guys are like me, but it seemed like I blinked and it was suddenly July! My summer break is half over! I know I certainly have not completed everything I had hoped to by now on my list for summer, so I'm setting weekly goals for myself this final month before school starts back up of things to complete. In doing so, it got me thinking about how beneficial this would be for my students, as well. It is so easy in the Summer to truly take a break from everything, but in doing so our skills tend to fall behind and we have to spend extra time in the Fall catching up to where we left off at the beginning of Summer. So here are some tasks I'm giving all of my students this week and some ideas to keep involved in music in some way during what is left of our summer break!
1. I'm going to be asking all of my students next week for one goal for the month of July. This can be a piece they want to complete, a technical skill they want to master, a set number of minutes that month they want to practice, faster note reading, a stronger focus on theory, mastery of scales, etc. We are going to write down everyone's goals for the month of July and put together a weekly game plan to keep everyone on their targets. I encourage all of my students to start thinking about this now!
2. One thing I LOVE about the summer are all of the opportunities there are to go see musical performances. Check out some of your local groups. I have included some below with links to their website and/or Facebook pages. Go out and catch a live performance! Nothing encourages me more to want to grow myself as a musician than going and seeing others perform. Check out a live musical, too! There are so many opportunities out there for us musicians beyond a symphony setting, I know for myself, I LOVE performing in a pit orchestra for musicals. Not only are you getting the chance to see different types of performing groups, but it'll expose you to different types/styles of music and performances that are out there. Here are just a few of the opportunities I know that are out there - I will continue to update this list as I find more - so keep checking back! You can click on the name and it'll take you directly to more information about the group and a performance schedule.
Illinois Groups
Alton Municipal Band - FREE - Concerts on Thursdays and Sundays
Edwardsville Community Symphony - FREE - Concerts on Sundays
Riverbend Theater - Drowsy Chaperone (Musical)
Alton Little Theater - The Wizard of Oz (Musical)
Carollon Concerts at Gordon Moore - FREE - On Sundays - Walk through the garden or bring a blanket and listen to the bells being performed
Missouri Groups
St. Charles Symphony Orchestra - Lots of FREE concerts
The Muny - You can get FREE seats if you arrive early!
Whitaker Music Festival - Held at the Botanical Gardens
Jungle Boogie at the STL Zoo - FREE - Held on Friday evenings for all ages
Chesterfield Summer Concert Series - FREE - At Faust Park on Tuesday Evenings
Grooving in the Garden - Held at the Magic House - FREE with Museum admission
Chesterfield Amphitheater - Check out the Gateway Festival Orchestra - FREE concert in July!
Union Avenue Opera - Candide, La Boheme and Glory Denied
3. Play for your friends and family! I know with my family in the summer, we have a lot more family gatherings. With those, this is the perfect opportunity to perform for or with your family! Look up some easy popular songs that you can play for your family and friends and have them sing along with you. Not only are you getting a chance to practice and your family and friends get to hear you play, BUT you'll be working on your sight reading skills AND on your performance nerves, which will pay off around concert/audition/solo and ensemble time - it's a WIN-WIN situation!
Summer doesn’t have to be a time of year when your musical endeavors are put on hold –
it is an opportunity for adding extra music to enrich your summer activities.
I hope you all have a GREAT 4th of July and enjoy whatever celebrations you have planned!
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at their next lesson!
Ms. Peach
