Happy New Year from Your Friends at CYM
Few CYM students learn to play their chosen instrument well and leave it at that. They use weekly private lessons as a springboard for all of the other wonderful things they decide to do with their talent.
For example, one pianist plays as accompanist for her school chorus. One student plays in a guitar club and another joined a jazz band. A cello student sings solo with a local children’s choir. Many CYM kids organize mini-zoom-recitals for distant, elderly, or sick family members.
They participate in festivals, and in youth and school orchestras. They attend adjudications and music camps, like those hosted by the Greater Pittsburgh Suzuki Institute https://www.pittsburghsuzukiinstitute.org/and the Ithaca Suzuki Institute https://www.ithaca.edu/suzuki-institutes each summer. Students play in the neighborhoods where they live or travel further to meet collective goals. Some compete to play with the best musicians in the state and nation. You can find CYM instrumentalists and teachers participating in many of the organizations listed at the youth music alliance called UniSound https://unisound.us/ – a lively Pittsburgh hub! Public concerts are listed monthly.
CYM Faculty and Associate Instructors celebrated the holidays with students at the Aspinwall Presbyterian Church http://www.aspinwallchurch.org/, the Edgeworth Club, the Benedum Center https://trustarts.org/, and the Sweetwater Center for the Arts https://sweetwaterartcenter.org/. They connected with various populations throughout the city and surrounding areas, spreading good cheer, good will, and sharing good times.
This year again, CYM students performed in concerts to benefit those seeking respite. They collected items for The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank https://pittsburghfoodbank.org/ before recitals. They won Practice Challenge Medals, demonstrating their work ethic. They earned Good Citizen Awards and Young Artist Certificates, showing their dedication to technical advancement and service to others.
Maybe you are between 13 – 19 year old, are looking for an extra-curricular that doesn’t cut too sharply or too often into weekends, and you are building a portfolio for work/college applications. Check out the Young Artists Program at https://craftyourmusic.com/register/bronze/ You do not need to take lessons with a CYM Faculty or Associate Instructor to participate. Our team works directly with you, your music teacher, and your parents. We help you strengthen your applications, and highly recommend Jason Vallozzi’s personalized high school to college transition services at https://campustocareercrossroads.com/
If you know of an audience looking for a musical lift, call at 724.935.0505 to discuss your community’s needs and choose a concert date. Parents looking to invigorate a child’s practice, can do so by becoming a Craft Member at https://craftyourmusic.com/account-registration/ Join like-minded families whose kids perform musical community service together. For more information about the program, reach out to support@craftyourmusic.com
At CYM, victories are measured by how students and teachers use music to extend their influence and make a positive impact. Thank you for a great year!
We look forward to creating more opportunities with your family. Let’s all have a safe and prosperous 2023!
