We’re excited to let everyone know that Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation & Talent Through Music will be available from all four Lisle Violin Shop locations! Lisle has stores in Houston, Pasadena, the Northwest, and Katy. Mobile users, please click through to view the details.
We’re thrilled to announce an upcoming collaboration in San Antonio with violinist Matthew Zerweck. It’s a delight to work with Mr. Zerweck, an exceptionally well-respected performer and teacher, to bring principles from Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation & Talent Through Music to San Antonio through our upcoming workshop and masterclass! Save the date for Saturday, March 9th from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at the Steinway Piano Gallery. All are welcome to attend this free event. Mobile readers, click through to your browser find the details below.
From Mr. Zerweck:
“In San Antonio, one of the greatest challenges I’ve faced as a private teacher is effective parent education and culture building.
Until now, there hasn’t been an effective resource for parents seeking the very best for their children.
If we had a giant pre-college program where students took lessons and chamber music classes, or a prestigious non-profit music school, parents would get together and chat more about musical plans for their children, and best practices for motivation and development.
I’ve been recommending Lauren’s book highly, because I think it has the potential to help fill that gap in parent education (and it expresses current best-practices, staying far away from the shame-based approach many of us grew up with).
How do we deal with potential failures at recitals and competitions?
How can I best support my child in their musical journey?
Why am I supporting my child in their musical journey?
How can we better plan for the pitfalls of balancing a busy schedule?
These are topics that are important for any serious family investing time and energy into music lessons.”
Lauren Haley Masterclass and Q & A Session
Saturday, March 9th, 2019
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Steinway Piano Gallery
1201 North Loop 1604 West, Suite 107, San Antonio, Texas 78258
We’re thrilled to invite everyone to the upcoming book signing for Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation and Talent Through Music at the River Oaks Bookstore on Saturday, February 2nd from 3 – 5PM.
Mobile subscribers, please click through to your browser to view the full event details. See you there!
We’re delighted to announce that Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation & Talent Through Music is now available from Gold Violin Shop in Houston, Texas. It’s an honor to partner with Philip Gold, a highly respected luthier whose string instrument shop has been a Houston staple for decades. Read more about Mr. Gold and his shop in the Houston Chronicle, HERE.
Kids Aren’t Lazy is also available from Barnes & Noble, Amazon (Kindle and Paperback), Amati Violin Shop, Cardiff Violins, Johnson String Instrument, Carriage House Violins, The River Oaks Bookstore, and the Sugar Land Art Center and Gallery. To read the recent review of Kids Aren’t Lazy in the European String Teachers Association (ESTA UK) Magazine, Arco, click HERE.
Happy New Year!
We’re excited to invite LHS musicians, families, and friends to the 2019 LHS Winter Showcase Concert on Sunday, February 24th, 2019 at 6:00PM in the Virtuosi of Houston Studio. We’re thrilled to welcome back pianist Evelyn Lam to collaborate with LHS young musicians. All are welcome to join us for a reception following the performances. See you there!
With all the approaching excitement (is it Christmas yet?!), it can be a bit tricky to maintain musical momentum and get in that holiday practice! I’m delighted to share my recent article, Top Tips to Spur Musical Progress Over the Holidays, in collaboration with The Local Moms Network (Sugar Land).
Happy practicing, everyone!
We’re thrilled for everyone’s amazing performances this past Saturday at the LHS Evening of Chamber Music at the Virtuosi of Houston Studio! From Seitz to Lalo to Brahms (with a little bit of Twinkle!), LHS musicians performed both solo works and ensemble favorites.
As this semester comes to an end, we’re so excited to reflect on the leadership we’ve seen from LHS young musicians. From concertmaster solos (Jessica, Lizzie!) to principal viola solos (Jordan, Anika!), from coaching younger orchestras (Olivia, Jordan!) to leading ensemble performances in the community (Sugar Strings!), from being first chair (Morgan, Jessica, Jordan, Anika, Lizzie, Amanda, Christian…we’re surely missing a few young musicians in this list, let us know!), to performing in the Houston Youth Symphony (Christian, Archana, Catherine, Elizabeth!) from making region (LHS violinists/violists in ALL FOUR region orchestras!) to teaching lessons themselves (Molly, Lauren!), we have seen everyone grow tremendously.
This week, we send lots of luck to Seline (violin) and Dhruv (viola). Both are traveling to Chicago this week as members of the top orchestra at Austin HS. Dhruv and Seline will be performing in their orchestra at the Midwest Clinic. Have fun, guys!
This week we’re speaking with Molly H. on what it took for her to make the top HS Region Orchestra (Symphony) just one year (!) after starting viola. Molly began playing the violin at age 6 and often leads The Sugar Strings in their performances around Sugar Land. In addition to playing violin and viola, Molly runs her own piano studio for young musicians.
You study three instruments in addition to your academic subjects! What’s your best piece of advice for other young musicians who want to pursue multiple areas of expertise?
Enjoy it! Don’t let your music just become a grade or a requirement. I feel the most accomplished when I can share my skills and bring joy to others!
How do you balance nerves and confidence in auditions and performances?
Before the region audition, I put positive affirmation statements on notecards, to tell myself I was prepared and would do well! At the audition, tried to block out all the other players and focus on being mentally prepared. At performances, I try to enjoy the music as much as I can and trust my muscle memory and all the hard work I put in!
Leading up to your audition, what was your practice schedule like?
When the music first came out, I made goals to have much of the music memorized fairly quickly. About a month from the audition, I increased my practicing to at least two hours a day. It was definitely challenging, but I found a drive within me. I had worked so hard, I couldn’t just give up! I knew that every minute I worked could be the difference of getting in or not.
Does your viola have a special story behind it? Tell us your favorite things about your instrument and why you chose it.
I really like my viola’s rich tone and, since it is only 14 inches I can switch between violin and viola. It’s an antique made in 1893 and I enjoy thinking of all the people who have heard it played!
What new pieces are you looking forward to adding to your repertoire this year?
I am looking forward to adding both viola and violin peices this year! I am currently preparing Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata on my viola.
“This book is absolutely brilliant…a must read for every teacher and music parent in the land…I shall be recommending it to all I know – go buy, now!!!”
-Vivienne Blumfield for Arco magazine (European String Teachers Association, UK), Fall 2018
We’re over the moon to share the European String Teachers Association review of Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation & Talent Through Music from the Fall 2018 issue of Arco, which hits mailboxes today. For mobile readers, click through to your web browser to view the full review.
LAUREN HALEY STUDIOS 
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