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…
Whether performing newly learned material or playing pieces they have known for over a decade, CYM students truly reveled in the rapt attention of their audiences during three separate recitals over the last few months. They played violin, cello, piano, and guitar. They said, “I want to do that again!”, “We sounded so good!”, “I…
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…
Have you been working on a new piece of music for a while now and really want to share it with your music friends? Maria Constantine will host the February Recital at CYM Sewickley where the school’s historic Steinway will be available for students to hear and play. This Concert Grand was the first instrument…
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…
What difference does it make you ask? to set out to practice constructively for 30 days, to be honest about it and not miss a day, and to gain the momentum of stringing together focused and enjoyable sessions? It makes the difference between “yawn” (monotonous practice) and “calm” (confidence building practice). Setting, whittling away at,…
Ms. Leah’s student, Sophie, performed her Suzuki Book 1 recital for friends, classmates and neighbors on Friday afternoon. Sophie is a student of Ms. Leah and a member of the Suzuki Violin Book 1 Fun and Book 2 Crew group with Mr. Chris. Congratulations on a job well done, Sophie!
CYM has plenty of events planned over the next few months. And if you are a student at CYM, make sure you subscribe to the weekly Take Note newsletter for even more information. This month, CYM has two events that are so good, they’re scary! First, Mr. Mark is holding a second outdoor Guitar Play-In…
CYM’s Young Artist Certificate Program recognizes 7th-12th grade students for their instrumental mastery, commitment, and refined characters. Each level asks students to challenge perceived personal limits and engage with fellow students and families at CYM and in the community at large. There are three levels of the Young Artist Certificate Program: Scholar, Ambassador, and Mentor….
The Fall season kicked off with a bang at this past Saturday’s “September Serenade”! As a prelude, Mr. Erich shared paintings from the Romantic Era, one titled “Serenade”, as well as a funny clip from Tom & Jerry showing Tom the Cat singing a serenade. The student performers each played three pieces of various types,…
Three months of the year are designated as Practice Challenge months, October, February and May. During these months, your child is challenged by the school to practice his or her instrument every day for the length of their lesson. A school Practice Challenge Calendar is used to track the days, and each week the teacher…
Many people who live in group home facilities have been cut off from those they love because of the pandemic. Would you like to provide a video or audio of your favorite and most-polished pieces so that they can be included in a DVD collection that will be given to senior care facilities in the…
If you have not selected to meet with your teacher in person for a while and you would like to have your stringed instrument tuned, consider dropping by the school to have it checked. Call 724-935-0505 or email rentals@youngmusicians.org if your instrument needs to be tuned and you will be contacted for the best time…
Listen in as Mr. Erich talks about the performance training which helped him broaden his musical reach and a concert that added perspective: Thank you for joining us today Mr. Erich! Please describe a performance that made an impression on you. Thanks so much for having me here! I’ll highlight my first experience performing as…
Play-Ins provide a chance to get together, have fun, and play shared repertoire. The best way to prepare is to make sure you have as many of your Suzuki pieces polished as possible. Be ready to call out your favorites – we will take requests! Students need to bring their guitar, a seat, and footrest….
In the Suzuki world, instrumental students learn their pieces so thoroughly that they are memorized for life and can be recalled in any circumstance – truly committing the literature to heart. On Saturday, September 26, Guitar students who know how to play any of the Suzuki songs, even if only a few, are welcome to…
Chris Sforza, Ryan Ash, and Amy Rucker are happy to announce new CYM Course meeting times! “Mr. Ryan’s Music Games 2” with Mr. Ryan, features the best songs, movements, and games drawn from a wide range of curricula. Students intuitively learn musical flow, pattern recognition, improvisation, pitch and rhythm reading, vocabulary, and writing. Experienced students…
During the month of August, some of the music school’s students met in “Learn to Play the Blues”: Aarnav, Carson, Elijah, Riya, and Sara, on the guitar, and Audrey and Hanna on the piano. Students improvised using the pentatonic minor scale in a new key each week and played 12- bar blues accompaniments. Mr. Mark…
Ms. Lindsay is back at it again with a new and exciting installment of CYM Practice Points! This time, Ms. Lindsay is taking some time to explain one of the different registers of a person’s voice: their “chest voice”. Be sure to check out the whole video to learn what exactly “chest voice” is and…
Did you know that starting music lessons with an infant supports a baby’s developmental process through body awareness, bilateral movement, steady beat, and language acquisition? Ms. Amy took a few moments to provide a fun song and activity from her class, Family Music for Babies by Musikgarten, to show you how easy it is to…
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