Summer can be a really busy season filled with camps, part-time jobs, and reunions. Even with those fulfilling activities already afoot, perhaps your family is searching for ways to extend itself to others directly. Without the strain of school year calendar and commitments, you can more easily choose how your unit spends a couple of…
These days, it is easy to sometimes become lonely. Kids who do not play with others regularly may not actually have many music friends. Deliberately connecting with others is an effective way to interrupt feelings of isolation. A few ideas about how to do that are explained here. One way to reach out is to…
The Greater Pittsburgh Suzuki Institute’s Musical Spring Fling! is coming your way! This community building event will be held at the Rhododendron Shelter in Highland Park on Saturday, May 13 and includes an afternoon/evening of musical fun for local Suzuki families. CYM students who are candidates for the Young Artist – Ambassador can assist at…
It’s so beautiful outside! How are you going to keep progressing as even nicer weather arrives? CYM’s practice challenges help you organize efforts towards consistent improvement and enjoy the camaraderie of music friends once your goal is met. Talk to your teachers about advancing technique through the upcoming practice challenge and don’t miss a beat…
The spacious First Unitarian Church in Shadyside will be the site of CYM’s April Recital, scheduled for Saturday the 29th at 12:30 pm. Back in the recital rotation by popular demand, this location provides amazing acoustics, room for extended family and friends, and a lovely inner courtyard garden to enjoy. A limited number of Performer…
You sit down at the piano bench to practice. You listen to recordings of the music you are studying to practice. You follow the directions of your individual teacher closely, as you practice. Have you ever considered a mini piano practice session that is a little like a “work out”? One that is accomplished while…
A dad, who was listening to his kids play this past weekend at our school in Sewickley, was among many parents who shared how much their family appreciates CYM’s varied performance opportunities. “This was so great!” he said, referring to the musical selections and Q and A presented by students from Duquesne University and CYM….
What’s to gain by practicing your instrument each day for 30 minutes or longer, for a month? Stamina and measurable progress. “Practice puts brains in your muscles”, says Sam Snead. Take it from anyone who has excelled in their chosen field, if advancement is sought, there is no replacement for “time in” the proverbial practice…
So you have worked hard, learned a piece by heart, and really love to play it. Awesome! The next step is to test what you know, and shorten the gap between what you expect to hear when you share the piece with someone new, and what you actually play. Since music is a language that…
His trove of “101 Ways” is worth its weight in teaching gold! This month, faculty member Mark Marston will show you how you can perform repetitive tasks in home practice, more enjoyably. Offered several times by Mark over the last two decades, this session demonstrates that making immediate and sought after improvements in instrumental technique,…
Maybe you play an instrument because you like the feeling you get when you are working out a musical passage. Or maybe you really like the instrument’s sound. Maybe you play because of the excitement before a concert or you love the praise that performing well brings. To all of you, whatever your reasons, and…
Your teachers are eager for you to demonstrate your musical skills outside of the lesson room! Regular attendance at CYM Events demystifies the performance process; let’s get your child ready to bring out their best through repeated and positive experiences! Here are just some of the events that have been proposed for you at CYM…
CYM Faculty create their own schedules and lesson breaks are determined through conversations between students and teachers. When you have a schedule request, plan, or limitation, please talk to your teacher. We hope you communicate about changes in your schedule as soon as you can. If you need to cancel or reschedule a lesson, please…
“Students perform well and enjoy their studies more when motivated and relaxed: consistent attendance relates directly to improved skill.” – CYM Community Guide Are you going out of town for a holiday or taking a break from the routine to host family? Maybe you want to increase the number of lessons you take over the…
At CYM, students share the love of music at every stage of their lives, and in every season. This month, instrumentalists will play holiday and classical music in many Pittsburgh neighborhoods. We hope you have time to come and listen! If you do attend, consider bringing a donation for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank….
When signing up for music lessons, students can expect to attend a weekly lesson, to practice regularly at home and to repeat this process every week. Knowing that this requires many hours of commitment, new families often ask why I encourage my students to participate in additional music activities outside their regularly scheduled lessons. Aren’t…
CYM Families appreciate a good work session and love a great performance! Reserve tickets to upcoming Events on the Craft website, as they become available next week. Safety will remain everyone’s first priority and the number of tickets available will reflect the capacity of each performance space to keep families socially distant: August – Masterclass…
Lessons at CYM continue next week, as the next academic year begins August 1st. If you are unsure about your new lesson time and/or teacher, please call or email, and as a suggestion, double check with your instructor to review lesson schedules and family calendars. If enrolled at CYM, your and your teacher agree upon…
On Saturday, July 17, CYM students returned to indoor performance with an afternoon Community Concert at the Edgeworth Club in Sewickley. This opportunity was made possible by a parent and we so appreciate that the kids could get together in such a calm and spacious setting! Six students each performed two pieces in the beautiful setting. Student…
CYM offers individual lessons in Wexford, Sewickley, Shadyside, and Aspinwall. Group instruction in Musikgarten is led in each of these locations and Suzuki groups gather at Wexford (and at other locations upon request). Tap this link to see Individual Lesson availability listed by instrument, time, day, teacher, and location:View Individual Lessons Tap this link to…
Another amazing young person, having used music to build a network of friends and a habit of sharing with others, begins her transition to college. Congratulations Reka! We are so proud of you and appreciative of your family’s support of your endeavors in music! CYM Grad Reka answers a few questions here: What is your…
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