Term: 1 | Issue 2 | Date: {{date:MMMM d, yyyy}}
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Alex Hiebert started playing clarinet at age of eleven when he joined the grade 6 band at his school. Clarinet was Alex's first instrument. When asked what he loved the most about the clarinet, he said, "It was the fact that it had most of the melody". (Continued on Pg.2)
As we move into another school year, we look forward to growing and seeing all our students reach another level of musicianship never thought possible. We are so proud of all our students' ability to focus and to continually grow amongst challenges and to adapt to new learning platforms. This further proves our ability to continually learn and grow despite obstacles. We look forward to breaking new ground and continue to build a solid foundation for our students to stand on and grow from. Keep up to date on our performance opportunities, scholarships and talent search projects!
This year we will be offering various holiday programmes for young ones to take part in. Halloween Haunted House October 31 - 4pm - 7:30pm Free admission & treats:) Drop & Shop - Christmas Event First 3 Saturdays in December December 4, 11, 18 - 1pm-4pm $20 per child. Includes snacks and entertainment. Music, dance, crafts outdoor play hot chocolate and more!
ga hero
From The Editor
October 11 - Thanksgiving No Classes October 31: Halloween Visit our Haunted House November 11 - Remembrance Day Open at 4pm Drop & Shop First 3 Saturday's in December. 1pm-4pm Christmas Break Closed Dec.22- Jan. 3 Classes Resume Tuesday January 4.
Holiday Programmes
8 Practice tips
Groove Academy Hero
Groove Academy Hero Alex Hiebert: Clarinet
Here is our interview with Alex. What was your parent's involvement like? They really supported me. They paid for my lessons and of course my instrument, but they never really had to motivate me to play. I just always loved playing. At the beginning they told me..."If we're going to be paying for this, you better be practicing". And that was it, that's what we agreed on. Who were some of your first musical influences? It was definitely, I'd have to say Shannon, from Groove Academy. I was really fortunate to have her. I would also say Mr. Johnson from high school. But especially Shannon, I would say she is the biggest influence for me.
1. Choose a place that is quiet and where you are able to concentrate without distractions. 2. Pick a time of day that can be consistent throughout the week. 3. Create a practice routine, (time/place), and stick with. 4. Listen to examples of the music you are trying to play. 5. Put in as much emotion and feel into the music as possible, even if you are just playing scales. 6. Focus on the hard parts first. 7. Don't get into the habit of always starting from the beginning. Try starting from different places in the music. This will work on your ability to just jump in and sight reading. 8. The parts that give you the most difficulty, are the parts that will make you grow more.
What drove you to become a better musician? That's the strange thing. I didn't really have specific goals, I just loved playing clarinet. Through Shannon, she just motivated me to keep going and she new when it was time for me to get onto the next level of music or for the next step. She just told me...."I think we should move up a level and do this song or"this"...." and it just kept going. How has being involved in music shaped your life? Well, I still play once in a while, not as much as I'd like, due to my new career, but, (and I know this sounds cliche), but music is a universal language. There's just some words you can't express without music. There's a whole different emotional level with music. It's just nice having music to come back to because it's really relaxing to play, and I can shut my mind off and just play and it's really peaceful for me. It is very therapeutic for sure. If you're having a stressful day, you can just play, and it's very relaxing. What was it like playing for the Aikins Memorial Trophy? Looking back on that, I just couldn't believe I made it this far...."how did I get to this point". I just couldn't believe that I could achieve that big of an accomplishment. I guess it was just one step at a time. I was even playing against university students that were there. I was actually roofing at the time, and after I was done work I would go home and practice. I couldn't believe I got there, but I performed and it went really well, I was really happy with the performance. I didn't win of course, but I was just so happy to play there. What mostly contributed to you getting to that point? I think it was putting in the time every day, or at the very least 5 times per week. I would practice anywhere from 45min to 2 hours every time I practiced. Also, taking it step by step and having Shannon there keeping me on track and tweaking what's going on. Definitely staying with it and being constant with it. How important do you think it is to have a good teacher or mentor? I thinks it's very important. Because sometimes when you're playing you don't hear certain things. And a good instructor can critique you and tell you "you have to crescendo "here", do "this", or the fingerings or rhythms are incorrect. So it's very important to have an instructor, especially to keep you motivated and on task as well and to keep you going in the right direction. Alex Hiebert is now working towards becoming a paramedic. Al
Shannon Giancola
“He doesn’t want to practice” This is comment I get from concerned parents at least once a month. A child taking music lessons should definitely be practicing at home during the week to build skills, but with this concept comes several questions: How much should we practice? How long? How do we make it fun when he/she doesn’t want to? It’s a battle, etc. One thing is for sure: Children are not born with the discipline to go and practice themselves. What child is going to want to practice after a long day at school, when they have the option of playing with toys or watching a screen? It is up to us, the parents, to see that practicing occurs. Tips to try and ease the struggle: Firstly, routine is everything, especially when first starting lessons. Try and pick around the same time each day to sit down with your child and have them practice. Right after dinner is a good option, as they won’t be hungry. They say they don’t want to? Well, no screen time until it is done is the policy in our home. Remain firm if it is a struggle-they will eventually give in once they see they do not have the option of doing anything else.
For Young Children
Tips for home practice
How long should we practice for? As for how long/how much, I wouldn’t stress the amount of minutes, especially at first. Look over what the teacher has assigned: Two one page pieces? They can practice each of those three times each day. That is sufficient for most students in the beginner books. It will probably take your child five minutes to get through that if they focus. Not long! Done the practice? Now they get their show, toys, etc. Trying to get them to practice during the middle of their show? Good luck! Timing is definitely important. Positive incentives are a good method too. You can record with your child the days they have practiced by using stickers. Do they have a sticker on every day of the month? Maybe that earns a trip to get ice cream or to the dollar store. Eventually, practice will become routine for your child. My son who is nearly 8 will still groan, but he knows it’s expected, and loves when he can play his pieces without much effort. Seeing the satisfaction on your child’s face once they have achieved something difficult is so rewarding, for you and for them! It teaches focus and discipline, skills they will use for the rest of their lives. Don’t give up, Persevere through the difficult days. It’s worth it!
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