The December 2015 LHS Recital will be held in the Virtuosi of Houston Studio at 5:30pm on Saturday, December 12th. Student performances will feature works by Rimsky-Korsakov, Massenet, Vivaldi, and more!
Special performances by Ms. Haley and pianist David Sedgwick will conclude the program. All are invited to join us for a reception following the recital to celebrate LHS students’ accomplishments. See you there!
Lauren Haley Studios announces its affiliation with the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. This affiliation brings on board pianist Evelyn Lam, an Eastman D.M.A. candidate, for recitals, collaborations, and lessons.
Evelyn will perform regularly with Ms. Haley as well as with LHS students in upcoming recitals beginning in February 2016.
Evelyn’s degrees include a B.M. and M.M. in Piano Performance from Eastman. Evelyn is also looking forward to her first Carnegie Hall performance on November 29th, 2015.
Evelyn Lam, B.M., M.M., Eastman School of Music. Pianist, Lauren Haley Studios
Last week Paige M. performed as concertmaster for the Dulles HS Sinfonietta (conducted by Michael Isadore). Paige is in her first year at Dulles High School and performed as concertmaster of the highest orchestra at Dulles Middle School last year. Keep it up, Paige!
This Saturday, Ayushi had some wonderful news — the most recent chair test placed her as concertmaster in her Philharmonic class at Sartartia Middle School! This is her first concertmaster assignment, so we’re all so excited for her.
Enara R., 6th grade, keeps the good news coming with another major grade of “100” in her orchestra class at Sartartia. Sounds like her practicing spree is really paying off!
Isaac R., 6th grade, moved up to the first violin section in the Dulles Middle School Sinfonietta. He happily announced today in lesson that he is the only 6th grader in the section!
Sophie V., 10th grade, qualified for the top orchestra at Clements thanks to the results of her region and area auditions! Sophie will join Chris, also a sophomore, in the highest Clements orchestra.
All opinions are by Lauren Haley and all original content is copyright 2015 Lauren Haley Studios.
Fall is officially here, and with it, a season of exciting audition and concert success! Today’s congratulations go to Sharon, who not only made region this year but was also chosen for one of the two highly coveted violin spots in the award-winning Sartartia Symphony. Sharon, currently in seventh grade, began LHS violin studies in the summer of 2013.
Sharon and Lauren, February 2014. Photo by Sue ChangSharon performing the Eccles Sonata in G Minor
Congratulations to Sophie V. and Chris J. for making region this past Saturday! Both violists are sophomores at Clements High School. Well done, Sophie and Chris!
Back by popular request, our fifth and final middle school region workshop will be this Saturday, October 17th at 2pm. With just one week left before auditions, it’s exciting to see how much everyone has accomplished! Remember to RSVP at 832-600-5338 to reserve your spot.
Lauren and Thomas smile during rehearsal with DavidThe daring program included the Franck Sonata, Debussy Sonata, and Brahms Trio in B MajorPretzels are always a good ideaOnce a Suzuki Parent, Always a Suzuki Parent. Lauren’s father sets up audio recording devices during rehearsal.David warms up before tackling the Franck SonataThomas takes on a soaring cello melody in the BrahmsThirsty, anyone?Lauren listens as David takes it away in the BrahmsUp-bow it is then!All together now!Smiles during intermission — is it the cookies, or the music?David chats with LHS Woodlands violinist Frances after the performanceLauren is overjoyed to see her dear friend John (trumpet)Take a bow!
Lead the way, David!Thomas Fortner, cello, poses with two of his former teachers
Asher, Rooh, Enara, and Rubina — all smiles as Thomas tells a story and Ayden, 3, spies the camera!Thomas with his parents and brother on his father’s birthday. PS — it’s Debussy’s birthday too!Asher, violin, congratulates Ms. HaleyThomas chats with audience membersJim Haley congratulates the Winston TrioOut for another bow!The Winston Trio
We loved seeing everyone at our concert on Saturday! Many thanks to our lovely audience, to our photographer Albertine Wang, and to Virtuosi of Houston for hosting.
All photos copyright 2015 Albertine Wang
For more photos, see https://albertine.squarespace.com/the-menagerie/2015/8/24/the-winston-trio-82215
An active soloist, collaborator, and conductor, Thomas Fortner is the Founder and Director of the Iowa Great Lakes Music Festival. With a Master’s in Cello Performance from McGill University, Thomas has performed in and led concerts internationally. Thomas plays a cello by American luthier Raymond Joseph Melanson and will begin conducting studies at Peabody Conservatory this fall. http://www.iowagreatlakesmusic.org
David Sedgwick
David Sedgwick, piano
With a Master’s Degree in Performance from Rice University and a B.A from UCLA, David performs on both trumpet and piano. His other passions include composition, philosophy, kinesiology/reflexology, and visual art. Hailing from California, he draws inspiration from the natural world and intends to share his art throughout as many countries as possible.
Lauren Alexandra Haley
Lauren Haley, violin
Lauren Alexandra Haley earned a degree in Violin Performance from the Eastman School of Music, where she studied with Oleh Krysa. Accepted into both the violin and viola performance programs at Eastman, Lauren also studied violin with the late Zvi Zeitlin and viola with Phillip Ying (of the Ying Quartet). Lauren performs on a 1750’s Thomas Smith violin and 1930’s François Lotte bow. Her studio enrolls over 50 dedicated musicians on violin and viola.
As summer winds down, I’ve been reflecting on my favorite topics from Juilliard’s Starling-Delay Symposium on Violin Studies. Kurt Sassmannshaus presented two dynamite pedagogy classes on technique, but his advice on practicing is what I’d like to discuss today.
The most frequent question I’m asked by parents is how they can help their children grow to be independent thinkers who practice effectively on their own. Parents worry that if they guide their children’s practice, their children will become dependent. However, the largest advantage Suzuki offers his followers is the positive and constant relationship between the student, parent, and violin.
Thinking of the families in my studio, I asked pedagogy expert Kurt Sassmannshaus (Dorothy Richard Starling Chair for Classical Violin at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music) how long he prefers parents to continue practicing with their children. “Until age 25!” he joked.
Kurt Sassmannshaus and Lauren Haley at Juilliard’s 2015 Starling-Delay Symposium on Violin Studies
“The involvement of the parent is synonymous with talent.” Sassmannshaus confirmed. He mandates that parents be present and engaged for 100% of all practicing and lessons, insisting that one parent or caregiver must work with the student for 30 minutes each day or there will be no admittance to his studio. Affirming this incredible dedication of parents to their children, he reminded everyone that “there’s never a question of unconditional love.”
Kurt Sassmannshaus’s website, violinmasterclass.com, is an excellent resource for those seeking advice on technique, videos, lessons, musicality, and pedagogy.
All opinions are by Lauren Haley and all original content is copyright 2015 Lauren Haley Studios.
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