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2023 24 TERM DATES

Wednesday, September 20, 2023 by Frances Philpot | Uncategorized

2023- 2024 KEY DATES for your diary

	Lessons	Workshops	Concerts
AUTUMN 2023	Mon 11^th Sept – Sat 14^th Oct Mon 30^th Oct – Sat 9^th Dec	Sat 25^th Nov Choose your time on portal	Sat 16^th Dec Lime Grove Care Home
SPRING 2024	Sat 6^th Jan – Sat 10^th Feb Mon 19^th Feb – Sat 23^rd March	Sat 20^th Jan Choose your time on portal	~
SUMMER 2024	Tues 16^th April – Sat 25^th May Mon 3^rd June – Sat 13^th July Bank Hol Mon 6^th May	Sat 22^nd June Choose your time on portal	Sat 13^th July Guildford Institute (TBC)

Key dates Summer Term 2023

Sunday, April 23, 2023 by Frances Philpot | Uncategorized

Piano Lessons Key Information Summer 2023

Thank you, as always for your support throughout the Spring term. I am so proud of how well everyone is progressing – so much evidence of effective practice, even when available time is tight! I have never given out quite so many certificates, prizes, badges and trophies as this term, so well done and keep up the great work of supporting your children with their music.

Please help your child to maintain the habit of playing the piano – one of your most important jobs as a Piano Parent. Creating the time, space and expectation is the very important first stage, but enjoying time together to explore, be curious and have fun is undoubtedly the best part! Even if you feel you are not sure what exactly to do, being there (depending on age, not necessarily every minute, but being aware) and asking the right questions shows you are interested and invested in the whole process. Please email to let me know if you would be interested in a Piano Parents’ Workshop to help with how you can help – I have a feeling there is plenty of scope for this!

In the Summer Term, there is a lot happening, as always. Monday and Tuesday pupils will have to have their wits about them as there are several weeks when they will need to bring their books in on the ‘opposite’ day to accommodate school visits/ balance out the number of lessons impacted by Bank Holidays. I have sent an email with the dates listed for each individual - please contact me if you have not received this.

The Coronation has quite an effect on the term as well. I have decided NOT to teach on Saturday 6th May so that we can all soak up the historic event.

Our Workshops on Saturday 17th June will include games and activities focussing on Performance skills in preparation for our 2nd Grand Piano Concert. This will be held on Saturday 8th July in the beautiful Assembly Room at the Guildford Institute, complete with grand piano and afternoon tea refreshments. This will be by invitation to all pupils who are showing they are putting effort into their practising ;-) Please note that normal lessons will still take place on this day, before the concert. Do ensure both these dates are in your diary and sign up on the mms portal to secure your child’s place. I have to confirm numbers with the venue well ahead of time.

Finally, thanks to all of you who have embraced the Student Portal of mymusicstaff. I hope you have appreciated being able to view Lesson notes, keep track of your child’s repertoire, check emails, upload files, see calendar information at a glance and even track your child’s practice time! Do let me know if you would like a login email to get started or reset.

As the Summer Term has a habit of racing away with itself, here are the key dates for you to put in your diary.

	SUMMER 2023
First day of piano lessons	Sat 29^th April
Half Term	Sun 28^th May– Sun 4^th June	Notice needed by half term if planning on stopping lessons for September
Workshop	Sat 17^th June 9.15am - 10.30am, 11.00am - 12.15pm	Sign up on portal
Concert at Guildford Institute	Sat 8^th July 4.30 for 4.45pm (NB There are normal time lessons as well)	Sign up on portal
Last day of lessons	Mon 10^th July
Summer holiday lessons	Book a block of lessons to keep everything ticking over. Dates available in July and August	Sign up on portal – from half term

fpmusic SUMMER CHALLENGES

Thursday, July 14, 2022 by Frances Philpot | Uncategorized

fpmusic SUMMER CHALLENGES ~ 20 ideas to keep up interest and explore your piano playing!

Stay friends with your piano – make sure you say hello and spend time together every week of the holidays!	Be creative with your favourite pieces - play Hands Together an octave apart, then in all the different octaves	Try transposing a piece - start in a different position then play it so it still 'sounds right' - you may have to explore using some black keys...	Try new pieces independently (ask me if you would like some suggestions for suitable pieces)
How many consecutive days can you play?	How many different people can you play the piano to?	How many pieces can you still play from Piano Safari Unit ...?	What would happen if… I play this with both hands/ I swap ta rhythms for ti-ti or twoo for ta ta etc
How would you play this piece if you changed its name? How else could you change this piece?	Rhythm Swing app - ideal for anyone who can read rhythms ta, ti-ti, twoo	Flashnote Derby/ Noteworks apps - ideal for anyone who is in PS Book 2 upwards	Book some summer holiday piano lessons
How many pages of your theory book can you complete?	Create videos of you playing all your favourite pieces – then organise your video library	Create your own piece to play - use patterns of notes or a beautiful phrase that inspires you	Create a demonstration video to teach someone how to play one of your pieces
Listen to piano music by famous composers ~ Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, Gershwin, Pam Wedgwood, June Armstrong, Ben Crosland	Listen to lots of performances of the same famous piece – which do you prefer and why?	Go to a live piano concert	Enjoy looking back at videos of you playing a term or a year ago – see how far you have come!

2023 24 TERM DATES

Key dates Summer Term 2023

fpmusic SUMMER CHALLENGES

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