Congratulations to Ryder J., who this week won a spot in the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra! Ryder is a freshman at Travis HS and will join LHS violinist Anna M. in performing with the FBSO in their upcoming Russian Fireworks concert on Sunday, October 6th at 2pm. Works will include Tchaikovsky’s Symphony #2, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Russian Easter Overture, and Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain. We are exceptionally proud of Ryder’s musicianship, dedication, and awesome speedy progress over the past two years! Way to go, Ryder!
Category: high school
LHS Violinist Anna M. Accepted into the Fort Bend Symphony!
Huge congratulations to LHS violinist Anna M. on her successful audition for the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra!
Anna’s first performance as a violinist in the FBSO will be the orchestra’s “Russian Fireworks” concert on Sunday, October 6th at 2 pm at the Stafford Center. Click here to get tickets to this performance, which will feature works by Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov!
Congratulations, Anna! We’re so proud of your awesome work!
Tune in to KUHF 88.7 FM!
Tune in to 88.7 FM KUHF on Thursday, August 1st at 12 and 7 pm to hear Ms. Haley’s interview with Michael Hagerty for Houston Matters / Houston Public Media!
To learn more about Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation & Talent Through Music, join violinist Gary Levinson (Senior Principal Associate Concertmaster, Dallas Symphony, and Artistic Director, Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth), pianist Baya Kakouberi (Artistic Director, Blue Candlelight Music Series, and Lauren Haley at Kawai Piano Gallery Houston on Saturday, August 3rd from 1 – 3 pm!
This masterclass and workshop is generously sponsored by Kawai Pianos and will be free and open to musical families (and teachers!) of all ages and instruments.
We are especially excited to welcome young musicians from Virtuosi of Houston to the masterclass for a special performance in collaboration with Baya Kakouberi! Many thanks to Karen Needham for facilitating Virtuosi’s performance.
LHS Young Musicians Earn 23 Grade 1 Awards at Solo & Ensemble Competitions
Congratulations to LHS young musicians on last week’s stunning Solo & Ensemble performances! It’s thrilling to see everyone reach new levels of confidence and skill.
Special congratulations to players who performed Grade 1 pieces by memory. We look forward to their upcoming performances at State! We’re extra proud of everyone who competed in the ensemble category and earned an additional 1 there as well.
Studio News
We’re excited to announce that Fishburn Violin Shop will carry Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation & Talent. Fishburn has shops in both The Woodlands and Tomball. We’re so happy to partner with them to make KAL available locally to more Texas families!
Congratulations to Ananya B. (Clements HS), who has won a concertmaster solo for her Clements HS orchestra performance at Carnegie Hall on Monday, March 11th! We’re thrilled for Ananya and wish her the best for a fabulous performance.
Congratulations to Lauren H. for winning the J.S. Bach Musical Leadership Scholarship (a merit-based award) at Patrick Henry College in Washington, DC! Join us in celebrating Lauren at her upcoming senior recital on Saturday, April 13th.
We’ll see everyone soon at the LHS Winter Showcase Concert at Virtuosi of Houston on Sunday, February 24th at 6:00 pm! We’re thrilled to welcome back pianist Evelyn Lam to collaborate with LHS young musicians. Performances will feature works by Bruch, Walton, Lalo, Schumann, Kabalevsky, and others, and will be followed by a special performance by Ms. Lam. All are invited to join us for a reception following the recital.
New Article + Local Concert Picks!
Our latest article for @SugarLandMoms is full of tips for attending orchestra concerts with the whole family. Click through to find must-see local performances, too!
Lisle Violin Shop to Carry Kids Aren’t Lazy at All 4 Locations
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.
Announcing the February 2019 LHS Winter Showcase Concert!
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!
LHS Studio Spotlight: Molly
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.
LHS Musicians Make Region, Perform this Weekend!
We’re proud to announce that LHS violinists and violists will be performing tomorrow in ALL FOUR Region groups! (Mobile users, click through to website to view concert details.)
Special shout-out to Lizzie (6th grade, Dulles MS) for winning the Concertmaster spot (and solo!) in the MS Philharmonic. Musical leadership runs in the family — Lizzie’s twin sister, Catherine, will perform as Principal 2nd Violin in the MS Symphony!
LAUREN HALEY STUDIOS 
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