Music has a number of benefits for every student that walks through my door.  It can be a great emotional release.  It can be a solo or a group activity.  It can be a gift students share with others throughout their lives.  There are so many reasons, I can't list them all here.  However, this video shows why I stuck with music when I could have chosen other arts or activities:

This is also why music is not always an "easy" or "fun" activity.  It takes practice which is work.  It can be frustrating and progress can be slow.  It takes a good teacher or guide who can plan out how to achieve each step.  However, students who practice consistently on a daily or nearly-daily schedule will make progress and gain all the benefits of being a musician.

Thank you to everyone who responded to the Group Lesson Schedule Survey.  It was very helpful to see which times worked best for your families.

Here are the number of “yes” responses for each time:

Thursday 5 p.m.:         3

Friday 4 p.m.:              3

Friday 6 p.m.:              3

Saturday 10 a.m.         6

Saturday 11 a.m.         7

There was not enough interest in the Thursday or Friday times for a group lesson.  I do still need to even out the current group sizes, however.  Using a combination of the preferences given in the survey, student levels, and ages I have re-assigned students in the groups.  Rather than calling them Primary and Secondary (which no longer applies), they will just be called Group A and Group B.

Group A, 10 a.m. Saturday:
Group B, 11 a.m. Saturday:

The names of students in each group was included in the e-mail version of this announcement sent to Luck Studios Parents.  If you need the list of names for the groups, please contact me.  Thanks!

I have had messages from a few of you that you may need to miss particular Group Lesson dates.  Since the day of the lessons is not changing, I will assume that will still be the case.  To accommodate possible absences, one Group Lesson absence is built into the tuition schedule for each student. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about the new Group Lesson Schedule.  Thanks!

-Samantha Luck

I have made the following changes to the studio calendar online at http://www.luckstudios.net/calendar-of-events.html :

Federated Festival:

The Festival Performance Class will be Friday, February 20th, at 7pm. 

The Newport News Festival will take place on Saturday, February 28th and the Williamsburg Festival will take place on Saturday, March 7th.  (They are swapping weekends.)

Because of the spring break schedules of the schools we had to switch which event occurs first.

Studio Masquerade Recital:

Please also note that the Studio Masquerade Recital is on Sunday, October 26th.  I believe I had the 25th written incorrectly in the policy.  Correct day of the week, wrong date.  I have confirmed that the recital will be at William and Mary in their Recital Hall.

Group Lessons:

Usually I print out calendars for the student’s binders.  I will do that soon, but wait to do that until next week after I have made a decision about the group lessons so that the calendars reflect those changes.  I have received a few surveys from parents.  Thank you.  If you have not filled out the survey on-line please take the time to do so, even if you like the time you are currently in.  If no one tells me they like their current times, those times might just disappear!  The survey is at http://www.luckstudios.net/group-lesson-survey.html .

Thanks!

-Samantha Luck

Since many of the 10:00 group students could not come tomorrow,we will have just one group lesson at 11:00 with all the students who are able to attend.  Students do not need to bring their books with them for this group lesson.

Here's what we will be doing:

• Welcome and Introduction
• Getting to Know You Games
• Masquerade Recital reminder (be thinking about what music you want to learn for the recital!!  We need to pick out music very soon!)
• Oh, Look!  A Website!!!
• Practicing Contest Information
• Boomwhaker Compositions

Schedule confirmations are being e-mailed out tonight, 9/1/2014.  I apologize for the delay!  Some years the schedule goes together quickly and easily, and others it takes several days to contact people and figure out times. 

Please check your e-mail for your confirmation slip and, if there are any concerns about your time, contact me as soon as you can so I can correct the issue.  Thanks!

We are currently on break from lessons.  Lessons for the new school year will begin with the first Group Lesson on Saturday, September 6th.

Primary Students: 10 - 11 am
Secondary Students: 11 am - 12 pm

Regular individual lessons will begin on Monday, September 8th. 

Check out the calendar of events to stay updated!

I will send out confirmations of your regular lesson times in the next week as the schedule is finished.