JANUARY 2016

Dear Parents and Students,

It's hard to believe that January is mostly done. I remember - vaguely - taking a trip to Halifax for Christmas, and I remember coming home, but what happened between those two things is a blur. However, I did learn something new, and eat something new. Who knew that Halibut have "cheeks"? Not only did I cook them (which was somewhat of a challenge) but ate them - delicious. At any rate, we are now into "festival and exam mode" so I thought this was a good time for an update.

We did a concert on January 10th, at Tera Losa seniors' residence, and there were many positive comments. Check out "The Brag Rag" page for more details and pictures.

Before the end of this month, we need to be registered for the St. Albert and Kiwanis Festivals. Everyone should have the class numbers and all the information they need to register on-line. You must go to both websites - St. Alberta Rotary Festival and Edmonton Kiwanis Music Festival - and complete the registrations as soon as possible. Waiting until the end of the month is not advisable, as things get clogged and registrations are not received properly. If there is a special request (specific days and times that must be avoided, etc.) you must send a separate email, addressed to the co-ordinators of each festival. For Edmonton Kiwanis it's Heather Bedford-Clooney, and for St. Albert it's Maryan Threndyl. Please advise me as soon as registrations are complete, and I will check your child off my list.

The next important thing on my list of "pass on this information" is that we will again be going to Jamaica this winter, but not during Spring Break. We will be gone from March 11th until March 21st. That means that everyone will miss 1 lesson during the week of March 14th to 17th. Here's how they will be made up:

1. If you are going to be in Edmonton during Spring Break, and wish a lesson during that time, I will teach a couple of days in the middle of the week to accommodate that.
2. If you wish to have an extra lesson prior to the 3 festivals, there will be weekend dates for those lessons. Anyone doing duets at the festival will have more than enough extra rehearsals to make up for this lesson lost, and need not schedule any others.
3. FOR STUDENTS OF SUZUKI CHARTER SCHOOL, since you are the only school with two weeks break, during the first week there will be regular lessons. Since this studio runs on the Edmonton Public School calendar, that week will be as usual. The school will be open during that time for STE teachers as well, so nothing needs to change.

Please indicate your preference for make-up lessons - there will be a schedule available during the first week in February. Please be aware that if a make-up time is offered and refused, the lesson will be forfeit.

The last item on the list is the Calgary Festival. The dates of the festival are May 6th and 7th. The Friday evening will be the big guitar orchestra and the string / guitar orchestra, and Saturday will be the solo and group classes (for the younger students). Classes will be done by 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and we can travel home. We will have a new adjudicator this year - Daniel Srugo from Ottawa - and I'm quite looking forward to it. The registration won't take place until late March or early April, and we have been promised music for the orchestra pieces by the end of January. As soon as I have it in my hot little hands, I will be assigning parts and we can begin work on the two pieces. I am hoping we can have at least one rehearsal together before leaving for Calgary.

I can't think of anything else that needs to be discussed at this time. Here's to working hard on festival and exam repertoire!!!!

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DECEMBER 2012 NEWSLETTER

FALL 2012 NEWSLETTER

SPRING 2012 NEWSLETTER