Valentine's Day Recital Dates
Friday, January 18, 2019 by Trevor Eisenman | Uncategorized
Save the Date!
The next Fun Music School Recital will be on February 10th from 3pm to 6pm. The location will be the same as the Christmas Recital: Universalist Unitarian of the Verdugo Hills at 4451, Dunsmore Ave, in La Crescenta.
As usual, a potluck follows, so please bring something to share. Valentine themed food would be great, but not required! We also ask that each family donate $5 - $10 cash to help cover the venue rental costs (to be collected on the day of the event).
This year each teacher will be writing an encouraging message to their students that attend (even if they don’t perform). The note will be placed inside a helium-filled balloon, with the student’s name on it. The kids get to pop the balloons after the performance to get the message. Should be great fun!
We had great feedback on this location, as it’s just the right size to accommodate our group with plenty of room to expand. If you’ve missed the last 2 recitals, here’s a photo of their sanctuary/performance hall.
The site also features a sizeable room for the potluck afterwards with 6 tables and a full kitchen. There is plenty of street parking nearby and it’s a central location for our group.
I like this location as the stage provides a more authentic performance experience. At the same, time, it’s not so large as to be too imposing for our young masters.
Recitals are not only a chance for children to show off what they have learned. It’s a chance to inspire them in a variety of ways! Even if your child prefers not to perform, we encourage simple audience participation. We have had children spontaneously ask to perform, even if they weren’t totally ready to perform their piece.
Benefits of attending recitals:
- Goal setting and accomplishment
Wish your children practiced more? Working towards a performance date can be a powerful motivation! Setting goals and achieving goals of any size is also an important life skill. Is your child learning those skills at school? I don’t remember goal-setting being on the list of classes when I was a young man. I had to learn that from the school of hard knocks.
I suggest encouraging students to set a goal of at least being ready to perform a selected piece, even if they elect not to perform this time. If they are inspired to perform at the recital, we will be happy to add them to the performers list.
- Gaining performance experience
It’s common knowledge that many people fear public speaking more than death itself. Learning to perform music at a young age can help people overcome that fear. Imagine how building up their confidence will translate into successful job interviews, better leadership skills and learning that life goes on, even after you mess up on stage in front of others.
- Inspiration by advanced performers
Ask any musician their inspiration to learn an instrument, and they will probably tell you it was watching another musician perform.
Sometimes our teachers perform, which can be inspiring, of course. But a child watching his or her peers perform can be just as inspiring and encouraging to take that leap.
- Sense of Pride
Performing on a stage acknowledges a student’s accomplishments. I remember performing a Bach Brandenburg Concerto for 2 violas in high school. I had spent months practicing, and only performed it once. I lost my place halfway through, and by some miracle managed to jump back in. No one noticed except my teacher. I never forgot the experience and learned some important life lessons from that one event (practice a LOT, for one!).
- Meet other young musicians
If your child’s school doesn’t have a music program, they may not have musical peers they can relate to for a sense of community. Recitals (and the potluck afterward) is an encouraging and friendly environment for our young musicians to meet and know they are part of a greater community.
- Joy of sharing music with others
Most importantly, music is about sharing a gift with others in a unique way. Performing music can bring joy and balance to one’s life and the lives of others. Amateur, professional or otherwise. Of course, there can be great satisfaction in playing music without performing. Playing to create joy and happiness in others is an exponential experience, however, and it’s so much fun!
I hope your young musician and your family will attend one or more of our recitals this year. With music programs being dropped from many schools, private instruction and recitals are important to support and provide for our younger generations. Register online by visiting the calendar through your Parent Portal, or email me back and let me know your child will attend. If you know the piece(s) they wish to play, include it, and I'll add them to the list!
Yours Truly in Music,
Trevor Eisenman
Managing Director
Fun Music School
Musical Intelligence & College Success
Wednesday, August 1, 2018 by Trevor Eisenman | Uncategorized
Cutting Music Programs vs. Getting into College
Most parents want their kids to have the best chance of succeeding in life. While there are many benefits to the study of music, there is an aspect of studying music early that directly relates to getting accepted into college. In an age where music programs are being cut from the public school curriculum, and the cost of further education mounts higher yearly, we hope to arm parents with knowledge that will help them not only get their children accepted into college, but succeed in getting through college and in life.
Recently I met an expert who has helped student after student get into college, and I asked him to write an article on the advantages of a music education in terms of getting accepted into college. I hope you find his insight helpful! Without further introduction, here is Daniel Mehrabian of EduProsUSA:
For two decades I have had the privilege of guiding students in being accepted into the some of the highest-ranking universities in the world, including universities in the USA, China, Korea and Europe. Some of my US students have been accepted to Cal Tech, Stanford, Ivy League universities and the UC system.
In addition to success in academically rigorous classes and high standardized test scores, there’s another area which the universities are looking for when they evaluate suitable candidates, and that is what they have done outside of their school curriculum – their extracurricular accomplishments. In a recent discussion I had with admissions reps from Yale, Harvard and Princeton university It was once again stressed that they are looking for students who are accomplished in areas more than their grades and test scores.
One extracurricular area that is highly prized by elite universities is music. Students who have been playing music since elementary school up to when they apply for college have a tendency not only to perform better than their peers academically but also are more prized by the colleges since they have taken their time to pursue and develop a life-long talent.
What are some of the advantages of developing your musical intelligence? Researchers at the University of British Columbia found that high school band students have higher achievement scores in English, math, and biology than students who are not in band classes. Scholars from the University of Kansas, evaluating the Music Makes Us program in Nashville, found graduation rates 20 percent higher for students with at least one year of music, and 30 percent higher for those with more than one year of music. In addition, a longitudinal study from the University of Maryland found that for each additional year of arts education, students were 20 percent less likely to be suspended from school. Finally, A study by neuroscientists at the University of Toronto found that students who received “early extensive and continued music education showed greater fluency and competence in learning a second language when compared to non-music students.
As you can clearly see, the student’s who develop their musical intelligence early are correlated to better performance as they go through primary and secondary school which then translate into more successful matriculation rates into the more selective universities in the country. I have also found students with musical or art skills to be more confident overall in school than students who have not picked up and developed in the performing or visual arts.
About Daniel
Daniel will be our guest speaker at the next Fun Music School Open House & Potluck, which will take place on August 24th from 6pm to 8pm. Come have some fun, food, listen to students and teachers perform and meet Daniel in person! No RSVP required.
Trevor Eisenman
Managing Director
Fun at the July Potluck (with Photos and Video!)
Tuesday, July 31, 2018 by Trevor Eisenman | Performances
Learning to play music is it's own reward; performing music for a crowd is a reward AND a thrill! Performing in public is important as it build perseverance, competence, encourages practicing more and a discipline that the show must go on - all of them important life skills. And performing can be lots of fun, too!
With that in mind, increasing performance opportunities is of foremost importance at Fun Music School. In addition to 4 "official" recitals, we've started hosting open houses for students (and teachers!) inspired to share their gift with family, friends and neighbors. Casual fun in a casual setting!
Sheila and Eric Zimmermann performed "A Million Dreams" from The Greatest Showman movie, and Ella W. had a special flute duet surprise for her dad, who didn't know she'd picked up flute recently, in addition to piano! In addition to being one of our most popular teachers, Sheila and her husband Eric have a wedding and event music company in Altadena, with a history of superb event/music services.
Joshua Tate performed on piano and guitar, treating us to his unique (and amazing) covers of Coldplay, Adele and his original compositions.
Special Guest Speaker
I'm all about added value! Life has a way of connecting the right people together, and I was excited to invite Amy Harms from the Chesterton School of Liberal Arts in Pasadena to come give us a brief introduction about this new school. America wouldn't be America without options, and considering how government school funding can skew the public school system's emphasis (and not onto the right areas), Chesterton brings a breath of fresh air to the educational community. Imagine a dedicated group of parents who step up to create the modern educational platform of their dreams, and you have the essence of Chesterton. Parents were excited about what they heard, so don't miss them at the next potluck in August!
NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT: Fun Music School is the official music instruction service for Chesterton! We'll be starting music classes for them in the 2nd Semester (January 2019) as well as providing individual instruction, band, orchestra, etc. to collaborate bringing music back to a standard elementary and high school education.
The next Open House & Potluck Performance will be at the end of August, on Friday the 24th, from 6-8pm. Existing students can register (if they want) on the school's online calendar. No RSVP needed, but please bring your favorite drink, snack, side dish or entree to share!
Join us at the next potluck!
Wishing you joy in music always,
Trevor Eisenman
Managing Director
Potluck Still Photos
