November News: Recital Time

A MESSAGE FROM OUR OWNERS

We are heading into November and are so excited about the upcoming performance season and all the amazing talent we will have the opportunity to experience. We have Casual Concert Week, Winterfest, Crescendo Coffee House Concert, Silver Birch Lodge - just to name a few opportunities for our students and staff to showcase their amazing talent. See below for all the dates!

I'd like to take a minute to acknowledge all the hours of hard work and dedication our Crescendo students have been putting into practicing their music for our upcoming recitals. We can see huge improvements every week and are so excited about the upcoming performances.

As we approach our Christmas Recitals we encourage each student to create positive practice routines in the weeks ahead! Parents, we rely on your help to ensure students have a dedicated practice space and receive lots of encouragement for practicing and completing theory assignments. Both are instrumental in developing well-rounded music students and we absolutely value your support at home!

The more you practice your pieces and follow your teacher’s lesson plan for you, the better and more confident the performance will be. A few quick tips as you prepare for recitals:

Is your piece memorized?
Have you written out your introduction and practiced introducing yourself in front of family and friends?
Have you practiced performing in front of family and friends?
Are you practicing with your actual performance track at the correct speed?

We hope you have a wonderful Remembrance Day long weekend. Please note that the studio is closed Saturday, November 11 and Monday, November 13.

As a friendly reminder, there are no regular music lessons during the week of November 27 - December 2 as we hold our recitals throughout this week. Details on the recital process were/will be sent shortly. Please check your junk or spam folders and let us know if you have not received anything.

Thank you once again, for the amazing opportunity to have you as students and families of Crescendo Music Studios! I look forward to seeing you all at our upcoming recitals.

Warm Regards,

Leanne and Dean Cummings

Teacher/Owner of Crescendo Music Studios

LEST WE FORGET

On Saturday, November 11, please take a moment to honor all those who have served and continue to serve in defense of all Canadians. As a tribute to our fallen soldiers, our team put this video together (Esther Dueck is on vocals, Leanne Cummings is on piano/strings & Spencer Cummings produced the video). Please feel free to share with family and friends!

Crescendo pays respect on Remembrance Day

WELCOME TO

OUR CRESCENDO RECITALS!

The recital experience is an important part of our Crescendo culture. It provides a chance for students to get comfortable on stage and showcase the hard work they've put into learning their pieces, in an encouraging, family-friendly environment.

If you're new to Crescendo, you may be wondering what our recitals are all about. If you have been with Crescendo for a while, you may be familiar with the process, but maybe you have some questions as we get closer to our Recital Week.

Our owner, Leanne Cummings and our student, Jayda Gonie, put together this informational video that gives you an idea of what to expect at our Crescendo Recitals. You will learn about the venue, the layout of the recital, as well as some “preparation tips”!

Parents, we recommend you watch this together with your kids!

ALL ages and experience levels are invited to perform. We hope you will join us.

Friendly reminder...

With the wet, snowy weather almost upon us, please remember to remove soiled footwear and leave it at the front door. Thank you for helping to keep our studio as clean as possible during the mucky seasons!

IMPORTANT DATES

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

November

Saturday, November 4: Winterfest. 9am - 4pm. Crescendo students and staff will be performing at this FREE family event at the Agora. 401 Festival Lane, Sherwood Park.

Saturday, November 4: Songwriting Workshop. For ages 13 - 17. Saturday, November 4 AND 18 from 5 - 7pm. Friends and family are invited to attend a concert on the last day. A few years of music instruction/background is beneficial, but no previous songwriting experience is required. Registration required.

Sunday, November 5: Crescendo Coffee House Concert: 1 - 5pm. Crescendo students and staff have the opportunity to perform at the Rooster Kitchen on Whyte Ave. Sign up if you would like to perform. For ages 11+ with some experience (such as recital). Our Coffee House Concerts are always a "fan fave" and can be a great first experience in a "public" venue. All are invited to join the audience and enjoy some great food at the Rooster.

Saturday, November 11 to Monday, November 13: Crescendo will be closed for Remembrance Day Weekend. Regular classes resume Tuesday, November 14.

Sunday, November 19: Rockin' at the Rec Room. Join us at the Rec Room (South Common) as our WeJam Bands, Staff Bands and advanced performers rock the stage. FREE. All are welcome.

Monday, November 20 to Saturday, November 25: Casual Concert Week. Join us in our reception area for impromptu student performances during lessons.

Sunday, November 26 to Sunday, December 3: Christmas Recital Week! No regular lessons during our Recital Week. Recitals will be held at Trinity Baptist Church on Baseline Road. Details to follow as we get closer to the date. NOTE: Group Musical Theatre and Musical Maestros for Little Ones (parented) have regular classes this week.

December

Saturday, December 9: Recitals will be held at Crescendo in the Concert Hall for those performers who prefer a smaller, more relaxed atmosphere.

Sunday, December 17: Senior Center Christmas Concert. Crescendo students and staff will be providing an afternoon of entertainment for the residents of Silver Birch Lodge.

Sunday, December 24 to Friday, January 5: Crescendo will be closed for Christmas Break. Regular classes resume Saturday, January 6.

January

Saturday, January 6: Studio open and regular classes resume.

Monday, January 15 to Saturday, January 27: During our Parent Weeks we invite you to join your child for the first 10 minutes of their lesson so we can talk about their goals for the upcoming year.

Click here to see the full year calendar

Winterfest

Join us on Saturday, November 4th, 2023, at Agora Centre, Sherwood Park, Alberta, for a day filled with joy and excitement!

Leanne from Crescendo Music Studios has put together an amazing entertainment lineup that's sure to keep you entertained all day long. Stay tuned for the full schedule of events! Click here to see the schedule.

More information about Winterfest

Operation Christmas Child

Christmas is less than 2 months away and Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes are at our Premier Way location and ready for filling! We are so pleased to be a drop-off location for these bundles of happiness for Samaritan's Purse Canada again this year!

What is Operation Christmas Child? The Samaritan's Purse project, Operation Christmas Child, collects shoebox gifts filled with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items, and delivers them to children in need.

In 2021 alone, more than 9.1 million Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts were distributed in more than 100 countries and territories.

Come in anytime to pick up your shoebox and start the packing fun! Please return filled boxes to Crescendo by the 3rd week of November. Thank you for your generosity!

Click here for details

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Elena Bell and the Crescendo Staff Band

Enjoy this short clip of a performance by Elena and the Staff Band at the Rec Room (South Common), playing Heart Attack by Demi Lovato in June 2023.

EASY WINTER SNACKS

Snowman String Cheese

These simple snowmen, made with string cheese, are an easy winter snack perfect for kids’ lunches or holiday parties. And, they're a great alternative to sweet treats!

Kids LOVE helping make these, and they come together quickly. You may even have everything you need to make them already at home!

Click here for

complete instructions.

PREPARING YOUR CHILD FOR A PERFORMANCE

“I enjoy reading about the lives of musicians and find many similarities in their ideas of preparation and their utter devotion to this great eternal language: music.”

– Jessye Norman, Opera Singer

Preparing for an upcoming performance can be daunting, both for the student and for the parent or family member who is dedicated to helping them! Preparation is perhaps the most important part of performing, as it is the determining factor for how successful the performance itself will be. Here is our list of the four best strategies that students (and parents) can use to ensure they are fully prepared, practiced and ready for “the big day”!

Set key goals for your piece, your practice and your performance.
Take the time to warm up every time you practice!
Communicate with your child and their teacher!
Be ready for the “performance nerves” and learn how to combat them!

Performing is a wonderful way to grow as a musician!

Click here to read the full article

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The Encore Music Foundation is focused on providing collaborative music education and experiences for underprivileged youth, and we're excited to be partnering with the owners of Origin Road in this endeavour.

The name "Encore" comes from our vision to help youth in our community:

ENgage with their passion for music!
COllaborate together to create music and opportunities.
REalize their artistic and personal potential through music.

Interested in learning more about Encore Music Foundation? Please click the button below to visit our website. We would love to hear from you!

Click here to learn more about ENCORE