Lesson EnhancementsMaking the Most of Your Musical Training!

Piano | Alexander Technique | Performance | Special Events | Misc. Programs |

FALL 2011/SPRING 2012 LESSON ENHANCEMENTS

NEW PROGRAMS

CANTORI SCOLARI – In response to the need for more singing and ensemble outlets for children and young people, a brand new, regional youth choir program is starting in October 2011! Envisioned by Susan Bonito, head of the IHM Voice Department, and led by Artistic Director Sandra LaBarge-Neumann, the choir program will offer training and performance opportunities for singers from age 8 through high school. Cantori Scolari (literally “singing scholars”) will be comprised of three groups –

Piccoli Cantori (“Small Singers”) for children age 8 through 4th grade
Coro Melodioso (“Melodic Chorus”) for students in grades 5-8
Coro Armonioso ("Harmonic Choir") for grades 9-12

The choirs once or twice a week for 15 weeks in each semester (Fall and Spring), with a number of concerts scheduled throughout the year. An audition is required for each student to determine skill level, interest, enthusiasm and learning potential. Auditions are brief and friendly, and no preparation is necessary. More info.

MUSIC THERAPY – We are happy to introduce the addition to our faculty of Romy Ikauniks Wilhelm, a Board certified music therapist. Romy is offering individual music therapy sessions and group classes on Mondays and Wednesdays at IHM. Music therapy is open to all ages and abilities. Some of the benefits of music therapy include: 1) increasing socialization; 2) stimulating cognitive and motor functioning; 3) facilitating movement activities and enhancing physical well-being; 4) increasing communication skills; 5) promoting feelings of independence and self-initiation; and 6) creating an outlet for emotional expression. More info.

COMING SOON! – New Programs for Adult Students – watch for details of new classes and ensembles coming this Spring – exciting new opportunities to learn and share music that fit your needs and lifestyle!

NOW AVAILABLE! – The Achievement Program – Last spring IHM became a testing center for the National Music Certification Program (the program has been renamed The Achievement Program). This year IHM faculty will have the option of offering coaching and instruction for the various levels of performance and theory certification. Talk with your teacher if you are interested in participating. Starting soon - IHM will offer theory classes for students preparing for the music theory certification levels. Watch for more details!

PIANO

PIANO PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS All Ages & Levels (some classes are level-specific)

Instructor: Heather Riley, Chair IHM Piano Department

Saturdays 4:30-6:00 pm (except where indicated)

IHM STUDENTS: $9 per session
$48 for all 6 Fall sessions
$56 for all 7 Spring sessions
NON-IHM STUDENTS: $13 per session

POLISH memorized pieces for a recital audition or competition
GAIN confidence
INCREASE concentration and focus
LEARN effective ways to practice for performance
DEVELOP stage presence and poise
EXPLORE deeper musicality and expression
DISCOVER more joyful performances
REDUCE & ELIMINATE nervous habits, memory slips and insecurity!

Register for a single class or the whole semester at a reduced price.
Play the same piece, or new pieces each time...or just come, watch and learn.

Classes held in Camilla Blackman Hall on the Steinway grand piano to simulate a "real" performance. Parents of young children are encouraged to be present so they may support further performance practice at home. Students must sign up in advance through the front office for each session date they select. Classes accommodate a maximum of 10 students. Students who do not study at IHM are welcome too.

FALL TERM - 6 Workshops
October 8
October 15 - 5:30-7:00 pm
December 10
December 17
January 7
January 14

SPRING TERM - 7 Workshops
February 18
March 3
March 10
April 7
April 28
May 5
May 19


ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE

Develop healthy practice habits at Indian Hill and at home! The study of music requires many hours of disciplined and repetitive practice. Musicians do some of the most complex and demanding physical movements of any profession. So, it’s essential that students do everything possible to prevent excess muscular tension and stress while practicing or performing.

Here at Indian Hill Music School, we support the healthy study of music by offering the Alexander Technique, a program with a long history of helping instrumentalists perform with less stress and the likelihood of injury. Lessons in this technique can greatly enhance the enjoyment and fulfillment of being a musician.

Experiencing excess tension while practicing or performing can lead to problems like backache, stiff neck and shoulders, or in the extreme, carpal tunnel syndrome or repetitive strain injury. Due to the pain and limitation that these conditions cause, free coordinated movement is reduced significantly and affects the musician adversely in all areas of life: physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually.

Lessons in the Alexander Technique involve sensitive hands-on guidance and simple conversation where students learn how to make changes in patterns of movement during practice time. They will also learn skills to reduce physical, emotional and mental tension, and fatigue during practice and performance as well as in everyday life.

Improvements are noted in: Coordination, Eyesight, Listening Ability, Posture, Voice Resonance, Breathing, Mental Alertness, Performance, Creativity

A number of prominent musicians have publicly endorsed the Alexander Technique: Yehudi Menuhin, Paul McCartney, Sting, Julian Bream, James Galway and the conductor Sir Adrian Boult, to name but a few. Besides Indian Hill, you’ll find Alexander Technique instructors at many other schools, including The Boston Conservatory of Music, the Juilliard School of Performing Arts in New York, The Royal College of Music in London, and The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

About our IHM Alexander Technique Instructor -- Jamee Culbertson is a graduate of Berklee College of Music and teaches musicians, performers, athletes, martial artists and people recovering from injuries. A former Board Chair of ATI (Alexander Technique International), she currently serves as Chair of the ATI Vision Mission Team. Jamee also teaches at The Ninth House Holistic Center in Arlington.

For more information or to sign up for individual instruction in the technique, call (978) 486-9524 x114.


PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES

Acoustic Cafés - The Guitar and Jazz Department presents several open mic performances for adults each year. Artists 18+ years of age (non-IHM students too!) are invited to get on stage and share their music in a relaxed, cabaret-style setting in Blackman Hall. The Music School provides a sound system for the Cafés. There is a $10 suggested donation at the door for the Acoustic Cafés which are open to everyone. Watch our website www.indianhillmusic.org for dates and sign-up details.

Jazz Jams – Instrumental and vocal jazz musicians of all ages and levels can get together once each semester for the opportunity to play in a fun, casual setting. Assisted by our professional faculty rhythm section, students can play their favorite tunes or learn new charts with their fellow musicians. The Jams take place in Blackman Hall which is set up cabaret-style. There is a $10 suggested donation at the door, and participants are encouraged to bring snacks to share. Watch our website www.indianhillmusic.org for Jazz Jam dates in January and June.

Performathon – Each year Indian Hill Music hosts a Performathon, a marathon series of concerts by students and faculty to raise money for the Scholarship Fund. Students enlist family, friends, neighbors, etc. to sponsor their performance. Donations can be secured in person or online through the FirstGiving website. By sharing their time and music at the casual and fun Performathon concerts, students are giving the gift of music education to someone else. The Performathon will be held March 30 and 31, with a variety of other fundraising concerts being scheduled throughout the month. Information for student participation is distributed several months in advance.

Piano Department Workshops and Recitals – The Piano Department offers a wide range of performing opportunities through the year, including Piano Performance Workshops and themed recitals. The Performance Workshops are held 13 times throughout the school year on Saturday afternoons from 4:30-6:00. These classes offer on-stage practice for students preparing for recitals, auditions, juries and competitions with expert comments and observations from department chair Heather Riley and other piano faculty. Visit the website for a list of workshop dates (click on Music School, then Lesson Enhancements.)  In addition to the end of semester recitals, students may also perform on the themed piano recitals – Halloween (October 30), Holiday (December 18), Performathon (March 17), Honors (March 31, by auditions on March 25), and Bravo! Recital (TBA, by teacher nomination).  Contact your teacher for information about signing up for these special recitals.

Recitals – The Music School offers numerous opportunities for performance. In addition to department recitals, a formal recital time is held at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters. In January teachers schedule studio recitals and in June students may perform in combination recitals (combined studios, instruments or musical styles). Studio recitals may also be scheduled anytime throughout the year. The faculty receives schedule options several months in advance of the January and June recital periods, and they will inform students promptly of the recitals they have scheduled. The faculty will also take care of gathering and submitting information for recital programs. 

IHM provides a number of staff accompanists free of charge (for up to 45 minutes of practice and performance) for students who need a pianist for their performance. Accompanist schedules are available through the Front Office. Students are encouraged to dress nicely for these public performances, and should plan to arrive at least 10-15 minutes early to check in and take care of tuning and other necessary preparations. Student families should bring treats to share for the recital reception. While recitals are not required, we encourage every student to perform at least once per semester.

Voice Department Soirees – Four times a year the Voice Department hosts cabaret-style performance opportunities for voice students. The audience sits at tables and enjoys drinks and snacks provided by the faculty and students. The concerts are coordinated and hosted by the voice faculty, and are fashioned around various themes, for example songs about water, life or love, or works of a particular composer or musical period. There are a limited number of openings for each soiree. Faculty will provide a form to fill out and submit to the front office in order to reserve a spot on a soiree. There is a $25 fee for participation which covers the rehearsal and performance time with an accompanist. Dates for this year are: October 28, December 16, March 23 and May 11. The Friday soirees run from 7:30 to 9:00 pm in Blackman Hall. There is a $5 suggested donation for admission to the soirees which are open to the public.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Bach's Lunch Faculty Concerts – The third Thursday of every month we present mid-day concerts in Blackman Hall featuring a soloist or ensemble from the Music School faculty, musicians of the Orchestra of Indian Hill, and the occasional guest artist. The hour-long programs are presented at 11:00 am and 1:30 pm. The audience sits at tables so they can enjoy the free concert in comfort. Coffee, tea and cookies are provided. Bring your lunch! Past performances have ranged from Renaissance consorts to eight-hand piano ensembles, the music of Bach to Brubeck, and a delightful variety of blues, folk, jazz, standards and holiday favorites. Concerts are scheduled from September through June.

Fall Kick-Off Concert and Ice Cream Social – Each year, as a celebration of the start of a new school year, student families are invited to a FREE concert and ice cream social. In the past we have enjoyed fascinating presentations from brass players, handbell choirs, jazz ensembles, drumming groups and makers of unique instruments. Afterwards, audience and performers alike will top off the evening with some delicious birthday cake and ice cream.

Open Rehearsals – The Orchestra of Indian Hill, directed by Maestro Bruce Hangen, invites all students of Indian Hill Music to attend a rehearsal free of charge. Come see our professional musicians in action as they work through the process of creating a concert. The orchestra practices and performs in the auditorium of the Littleton High School (56 King Street) which is right next to Indian Hill Music. Open Rehearsal dates this year are: October 20, November 17, January 19, and April 12. Rehearsals start at 7:30 pm, so please plan to arrive 15 minutes early to receive information about the concert which the orchestra is preparing and instructions about etiquette at the rehearsals.

Threshold Choir Workshops – Started at IHM in Fall 2007, our Threshold Choir members visit the homes and bedsides of people struggling with living or dying, to provide the comfort of music. Kate Munger, founder of the Threshold Choir movement, joins us each year in October for two workshops for those beginning this work (to acquaint them with the intent of the group, the style of singing and repertory) and for singers of all levels of experience currently singing with a choir.  Fee is by donation. Our choir practices from 7:00-9:00 pm on the 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday of each month.


MISCELLANEOUS PROGRAMS

Competitions – Students age 8-21 are eligible for our two annual competitions – the Side-By-Side Competition which allows students of string instruments to play in a string chamber ensemble alongside professional musicians of the Music School and the Orchestra of Indian Hill; and the Concerto Competition which provides an opportunity for students of exceptional ability to solo with the Orchestra. Details, forms and Side-By-Side repertory are available from the faculty and in the Front Office at the beginning of the Fall semester.

The Side-By-Side auditions will be held January 24, and the concert is scheduled for Sunday, March 4. The Concerto Competition preliminaries will be held February 13 and the finals on February 14. The Preliminary round is judged by musicians of the Music School and the Orchestra, and select local artists. The Final Round is judged by Artistic Director Bruce Hangen, and one of the principal players of the Orchestra of Indian Hill. Repertory for the Concerto Competition should be chosen from standard orchestral literature. The winner will play with the Orchestra of Indian Hill on its Saturday, April 14 concert.

Ensemble Program – In addition to regularly scheduled ensembles like the Big Band, A Cappella choir and Jazz Standards Band (see our website for a complete list of Ensembles), we also offer custom ensembles for students interested in learning and playing in a group setting. Ensembles run from 8-15 weeks once each week, for 60 or 90 minutes. Students interested in this opportunity should fill out the Ensemble Program Questionnaire which is available on the website and from the Music School Office. Each group works with a faculty coach at a mutually agreed upon day and time. Some of the group possibilities include brass quintets, string quartets, Baroque trios, jazz combos, voice and instruments, and mixed ensembles of all kinds.

Open Studios Month – Each year our teachers are encouraged to think outside the box, and open their studio doors to allow other students, faculty and families in for collaboration and sharing. April is Open Studios Month. While schedules will mostly remain the same, students will be encouraged to interact with others in a variety of ways. Students may work with others in the same studio, perhaps in an over-lapping 15 minutes of two lessons; or they may be taken to visit the studio of a different teacher or an entirely different instrument. The idea is to take advantage of what we can offer as a community, to break down the barriers and work together to make music. Special workshops and presentations are also scheduled in Blackman Hall during one week in April.  These programs are also open to all students, families and friends of Indian Hill Music. Many exciting ideas have already come out of past Open Studios sessions, and new ensembles and partnerships have been formed to aid in the music education experience.

Scholarships – Indian Hill Music is committed to providing music education to as many students as possible, regardless of financial circumstances. Need-based scholarships are available for all school programs three times a year – Fall, Spring and Summer. Scholarship forms are available from the office or on our web site. The deadline to apply for each semester is the 15^th of the month prior to the start of the semester – August 15, January 15 and June 15. When applying, student families should submit a registration form, a scholarship form, and a $50 deposit which will be applied to tuition. Funding for scholarships is provided by the Albert and Elizabeth Stone Scholarship Fund, the Charles Lincoln Gagnebin Memorial Fund, the Linda Marley Forrest Scholarship Fund and donations from our annual Performathon.

Student-Teacher-Parent Sessions - STEPS are held annually in the Spring for private lesson students. The main purpose of these conferences is to give students the opportunity to describe and evaluate their own music learning process. Students are encouraged to talk about their music, technical abilities and challenges, practice habits, goals and successes. The secondary purpose is for students, teachers and parents to form an on-going, communicative, working relationship. Prior to the conferences, parents receive basic info and a STEPS schedule card (sessions take place during the regular lesson time) to help in preparation. Teachers are also given a support packet to aide this process, particularly to help students understand their role in the session.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Indian Hill Music School reserves the right at any time to cancel a class due to insufficient enrollment. We will make every effort to hold all classes offered. In the case of a cancellation, those effected will be notified as soon as possible and a full refund will be issued if another suitable class is not available.

QUESTIONS? CALL THE OFFICE AT (978) 486-9524.