Category: music

WXXI Connections with Evan Dawson interviews Ms. Haley with Dr. Kathleen Baynes and Herbert Smith!

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Hi everyone! I am absolutely thrilled to share this WXXI Rochester interview with you! It was an absolute treat to be on Connections with Evan Dawson on Tuesday along with Herbert Smith (RPO trumpet performer, teacher, and Eastman grad himself!) and Dr. Kathleen Baynes (M.D., child and adolescent psychiatrist, and director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Program at the University of Rochester Medical Center).

Dr. Kathleen Baynes, Lauren Haley, and Herbert Smith at WXXI
Photo credit: Robert J. Braden

As you’ll hear in our conversation, Herb’s enthusiasm for music bubbles over into literally EVERYTHING he says. Listening to Herb, you’ll definitely have an extra spring in your step when you head into the practice room! I would totally have been a trumpet player had Herb been my teacher. Come to think of it, maybe it’s not too late!

Dr. Kathleen Baynes’ warmth and her emphasis on helping families develop self-esteem and soft skills in young musicians made we want to reach across the table to give her a high-five every time she spoke. Y’all, I learned so much and just KNOW I’ll be quoting Dr. Baynes going forward! PS — She has two young musicians (ages 8 and 10) at home!

Evan Dawson, himself the father of an 8-year-old violinist (!) had the most relevant and insightful questions for us. He also highlighted a few favorite parts of #KidsArentLazy on the air! You can listen to our entire conversation here and tell me what ya think!

Many thanks to Dean Mary Ann Mavrinac (Vice Provost and Andrew H. and Janet Dayton Neilly Dean of the University of Rochester Libraries), Ashlee Huff, and Matt Cook at the UR, to Evan Dawson and Megan Mack at WXXI, and to Hebert Smith and Dr. Kathleen Baynes. Photo credit: Robert J. Braden

#Motivation #Talent #Music #Trumpet #Classical #Jazz #Psychology #Psychiatry #Teaching #Pedagogy #Parenting #SoftSkills #Speaker #EatSleepMusic #Meliora #AdolescentPsychiatry #ChildPsychology #UniversityofRochesterMedicalCenter #RochesterPhilharmonic #EastmanSchoolofMusic #URLibraries

Tune in to KUHF 88.7 FM!

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Photo Credit: Michael Hagerty

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

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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

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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!

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Photo & Design: Albertine Wang (River Oaks Bookstore, 2 February 2019)

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.

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Ananya in 2018 with her Outstanding Musicianship Award from Clements HS

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.

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Lauren H. (blue dress) and the rest of the Sugar Strings in 2018

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.

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LHS Collaborative Pianist & DMA Candidate (Eastman School of Music) Evelyn Lam

 

Event Photos from the River Oaks Bookstore

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It was amazing to meet everyone this past Saturday at the River Oaks Bookstore! We’re looking forward to hearing how everyone gets on reading Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation & Talent Through Music! Mobile users, click through to view the photos from Saturday’s book signing. Stay tuned to hear about our upcoming spring events! Photos & Design: Albertine Wang

River Oaks Bookstore, February 2019
Photo by Albertine Wang
Photo by Albertine Wang

New Article + Local Concert Picks!

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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!

https://thesugarlandmoms.com/music4/

Lisle Violin Shop to Carry Kids Aren’t Lazy at All 4 Locations

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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.

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Kids Aren’t Lazy Now Available at Gold Violin Shop!

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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.

LHS Studio Spotlight: Molly

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Molly H.

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.

Praise for KIDS AREN’T LAZY from the European String Teachers Association (ESTA) in ARCO Magazine, Fall 2018!

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“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

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ESTA UK Review of Kids Aren’t Lazy, Arco Magazine, 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.