Recording Challenge

I hope my students are all recording themselves making music at home during this time! It doesn't have to be fancy, but I would love if you would share it with me!

In fact, I challenge you to send me a video of yourself making music!  If you do, I will record myself practicing or performing something and share it here.

In the meantime, I thought I would share some videos of my kids making music in our home and links to their teachers.

This is my 15-year-old son Caeden practicing Guitar before an online Zoom lesson April 2nd with his teacher, Michael Hull. 

You can also check out Mr. Hull's YouTube Channel. He is an amazing classical guitarist and teacher!  We are very fortunate that Caeden has been able to study with him for over 7 years now.

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In February, my daughter Sylvia competed in the Bloomington Normal Youth Symphony Howard Rye Concerto Competition playing the Haydn Cello Concerto and won! That meant she would perform as the featured cello soloist with the orchestra on their concerts in May.  We are so proud of her, and so sad that she will now not have that opportunity, as the orchestra's spring concerts have been canceled due to the shelter-in-place order.

Here is Sylvia practicing the Bach Cello Suite (No. 2) at home, April 6th. 

Sylvia has studied cello with Dr. Adriana La Rosa Ransom for 6 years (after studying violin for 5). Dr. Ransom is Professor of Cello and Director of String Project and the Community School for the Arts at Illinois State University, and has been a wonderful teacher for Sylvia! 

In 2017, Sylvia and I attended an Illinois State University Symphony Orchestra concert conducted by Dr. Glenn Block. Dr. Ransom was the featured cello soloist for the world premier of a piece by Carl Schimmel called "There Was, and There Was Not" for solo cello and full orchestra. You can read about and watch this performance here: There Was, and There Was Not

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My daughter Annah is a college freshman studying Music Education. This year she has been at Greenville University studying voice with Caitlin Hadeler. Since she is not on campus now for the last quarter of the year, she had to record a performance of one of the songs she's working on in her voice lessons to be used in an online recital. We have really enjoyed listening to her learn this very difficult piece while at home: The Beauty Is from A Light In the Piazza.

I am so happy to be working with Annah some again while she is at home, and am excited to do both piano and voice lessons with her this summer before she begins school at SIUe--hopefully this fall!

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Remember, the point of this post is my challenge to you, my students!
I challenge you to send me a video of yourself making music!  If you do, I will share your video with permission, and also record myself practicing or performing something and share it here!  Maybe we can have our own virtual recital soon!

Online Music Resources

Here is a short list of websites for you to check out from home. Some are just cool performances to watch, others are fun music games to play, and some are fairly in-depth tools for you to use to deepen your musical skills and knowledge. Please feel free to ask if you have any questions about which sites and sections of sites would be best for you and where you are in your own personal study!


Note Naming Game

Chrome Music Lab - Music Experiments for Kids

Music Tech Teacher - Cartoon story music quizzes!

Classics for Kids - music games

The Remarkable Farkle McBride - video/reading of the book by John Lithgow

Sight Reading Factory - test your sight reading ability by playing along

The Ryhthm Trainer - test your rhythm knowledge by hearing and notating what you hear

5 Crazy Piano Performances You Have to See to Believe

Music Theory.net - music theory lessons online (iOS apps available)

From the Top - an independent non-profit organization that celebrates the passion, dedication, and personal stories of the nation's outstanding young classical musicians

Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration

teoria.com - music theory lessons/tutor

Khan Academy - music basics

Jazz Piano Tips

Update on Lessons During Stay-At-Home Order

Hello dear students and families,

I miss you SO much!  I miss making music with you, seeing your faces, and having you in my home every week and in my life!  I want you to know that you are all so very special to me, and bring such joy to my life!  It is really hard for me not to see you regularly. 

How are you doing?  Have you been using your gift of music during this time? I have to admit, I am struggling sometimes; I feel very "non-essential." But, I do find that when I make time to sit down and sing, play, practice, or even just listen to music, it helps me feel much better.  I hope you have been doing the same, and using your music to help you get through this time.

I have been thinking of all my students, praying you are well, and trying to figure out a way to continue making music with you... I have tried a couple of live online lessons with one student, and I have to say it's not great. With my husband working from home, a college student and 2 high school students doing all their schooling from home, and 15 devices in our home that can connect, our WiFi signal is very tired.  It is just not feasible for me to try online lessons in real time with all 16 of my students right now, which makes me really sad.

There are online resources out there, but music is so personal...I feel like there is no real replacement for one-on-one in-person lessons. However, I feel like there are some ways we can try to connect and move forward with your personal music study if you would like to. Please contact me if you would like to try some different kinds of lessons.

Above all, I pray you are safe, healthy, and enjoying some of the blessings that are coming along with this strange time in life. I know I am truly am happy to have my whole family at home every day, around the table more in a week than we have been in months. I am thankful for time to rest and relax, read, pray, be creative, and catch up with friends on the phone since we are not running, running, running here and there like we usually are. I'm grateful for the coming of spring (even with today's return of winter!) and I look forward to spending more and more time outside in the fresh air.

I would love to hear from you--whether you want to try some kind of continued music lessons or not.  I would love just to hear how you are doing and what you are up to. Feel free to contact me anytime, via email, phone call, text, or social media. 

I miss you and am praying for you!

Taryn

Lessons Canceled Due to COVID19 Stay-At-Home Order

Dear students and families,

I’ve been thinking of you all so much and praying for you as our world navigates the threat of this virus. For now, I’ve decided to cancel all lessons. I’m very sorry, and I hope we will be able to resume soon. If you have questions about my decision, please feel free to ask. 

I truly hope you are well, and will really miss you and making music with you in these next weeks. 

God bless you! 

Taryn

P.S. - If you might be interested in trying lessons online, I’d appreciate hearing from you as I consider if this is something I want to offer in the future. A 2-way lesson would require me to be able to clearly see and hear you at your piano and you to see and hear me at mine via FaceTime, Skype, or another video app. If that’s something that might work for you, let me know. 

Piano Tuning

*Click here for some good tips about having your piano tuned.*

Many of my students' families have asked me to recommend a good local piano tuner. I have been pleased with the services of Sam Strakovsky, and would recommend him to anyone in the Bloomington-Normal, IL area.

Mr. Strakovsky offers cleaning, regulating, repair, and tuning of all types of acoustic pianos. He will always let you know about additional repair your piano may require beyond a basic tuning, and gives you an estimated quote before doing any work other than what you initially request. His base fee for a 1st or Master tuning is $80, which is pretty standard. If you are outside the Bloomington-Normal area, as customary, he will charge mileage at about $.50/mile as well.

His contact information:

Sam's Piano Service

Sam Strakovsky2210 Parker Avenue
Bloomington, IL 61701

Office phone#: (309)-828-7066
Mobile phone#: (309)-242-7267

e-mail: samspiano28@gmail.com

Please visit me at my new website

Thank you for visiting my blog!  I no longer update here, so please visit me at my website:

http://sites.google.com/site/tarynlopshire/

Success!

Congratulations to Addie, Paige, and Kriegh, for great performances in our Spring Studio Recital this evening! I'm so proud of each of you for working hard, practicing, learning so much, and growing in your knowledge of and love for music! It is my privilege to be part of helping you grow musically!

Addie, you did a great job on both your piano pieces! You are always well prepared!


Paige, I was so proud of you I almost cried! Way to overcome your fear and play perfectly!


Addie, you sang so sweetly! So many people told me they enjoyed "that little girl" and her sweet song.


Kriegh, you did Beethoven proud, bud! I'm so glad to have you back each week!


Way to go, each of you! Let's keep up the good work!

Spring Recital is Coming Up!

Our Spring Studio Recital is coming up!
You've been working hard, and it's time to showcase your talent!
Here are the details:

Friday, May 1st, 2009
6:30pm
Bloomington 1st Church of the Nazarene

Invite your grandparents, aunts and uncles, neighbors, friends...

The recital is in conjunction with the studio of my friend Lisa Davis,
and all of her students will be performing as well.

Please arrive by 6:00 p.m. so students can warm up in a classroom near the sanctuary.
(Lisa and I will be there to greet and direct you!)

Don’t even think about being nervous; just come to have fun!
Everyone is going to love hearing you play!!

Students, wear dress clothes that will also feel comfortable while you’re performing.

Bring your music – whether it’s memorized or not!

Group photographs will be taken right after the recital ends.
And parents, feel free to video-tape the performances!

There will be a reception following the recital.
Please RSVP to me with how many will attend from your family.

If you would, please bring 2 dozen cookies per student (homemade or store-bought) pre-arranged on a serving plate to share for the reception.
When you arrive, just unwrap and place them on the table in the Fellowship Center/Gymnasium.

Click here for directions to Bloomington 1st Church of the Nazarene.