Best wishes to Olivia for her conducting debut tonight at 7 pm at Baines MS! Olivia will be conducting the top Baines orchestra (Honors) and then performing in the orchestra (viola, first desk!). Olivia has also been chosen for a special duet performance this evening. Congratulations, Olivia!
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.
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.
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!
“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.
Happy Fall, Y’all!
HS Region Auditions will be this Saturday, October 13th, and MS Region Auditions will be next Saturday, October 20th. To celebrate these exciting auditions and help everyone prepare, I’ve teamed up with the Sugar Land Moms Network for an article sharing my audition prep tips! https://thesugarlandmoms.com/4-easy-ways-to-boost-audition-performance-for-orchestra-kids/
Sugar Land Moms is a new go-to site for families and is a chapter of The Local Moms Network, https://thelocalmomsnetwork.com. It’s a great resource for everything from local event calendars, arts and activity resources, and parent interviews to deals from nearby businesses.
In LHS news this week, we’re extra proud of Anika, who as principal viola in her Dulles orchestra will perform a solo in tomorrow’s orchestra concert. We’re also absolutely thrilled for Jordan, who (in the top group at Travis) has started coaching viola sectionals for a lower ensemble and has her own principal viola solo coming up!
Congratulations to Hamsini, who last night received the Director’s Choice Award at Fort Settlement Middle School! Hamsini is in the top orchestra at FSMS and in December she performed the concertmaster solo for Fantasia on Greensleeves (Ralph Vaughan Williams).
Congratulations to Ananya for receiving the Outstanding Musicianship Award from her orchestra at Clements High School! A few weeks ago, Ananya led her orchestra to Sweepstakes at DC Fest with her fantastic concertmaster solo for Pavane (Gabriel Fauré).
Happy Fall, Everyone!
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.
Ms. Haley
LAUREN HALEY STUDIOS 
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