My arms are a little sore, but I managed to climb back up from falling off the face of the earth - phew!
Seriously, though - who knew life could get even more crazy than it already was?!
Anyway...hello, dear friends. I hope this finds you and yours well and enjoying what's left of summertime.
Here are a few highlights from the months I was MIA:
- June - Charlie's birthday (ha)
- July - was honored to be the Maid of Honor in a wonderful friend's (absolutely stunning) wedding; lots of trips south for special family time (one for my grandpa's beautiful memorial service); calling 200+ churches across the state to schedule the 14-15 Nebraska Brass season
- August - trip to the farm to see Grandma and Grandpa; still calling churches to schedule the Nebraska Brass season...
We started another term at the studio at the beginning of this month, and therefore, I started my fifth year of teaching there. Crazy, right?! I did the math about 4 times, because I really couldn't believe it's been that long, already.
In honor of my quinquennial year (don't worry - I had to look that one up), AND in honor of Harris Academy of the Arts' 10 year anniversary (wohoo!!), I have a few student stories for you:
One of my brand new students this year is a precious 4-year-old boy with dimples and melt-your-heart big blue eyes. Not only is he adorable, but he's also doing a way-above-average job, so far! We put tabs on the pages he's supposed to practice in his books, and when I asked him what color of tab he wanted the other day, he flippantly replied, "Eh, orange, whatever" with a shrug of his shoulder. His mom, who was also in the room, gaped at him and gave me a shrug. It happened again for the next page, too - I asked what color of tab, and without missing a beat, he responded, "Blue, whatever." His mom just shook her head. I proceeded to ask him what his favorite color was, and he said, "Orange...and blue." No "whatever" about it. ☺
There's a vocal instructor teaching in the room next to mine this year, so my students are getting used to ignoring all the vocal warm-ups and beautiful crooning coming from next door and focusing on their own playing, instead. While listening to the instructor lead his student through warm-ups with the piano, one 6-year-old girl had to stop and ask what was going on over there. I told her there was a voice lesson taking place, and she proceeded to ask, "How did someone learn how to sing like a piano?!" It took me a second to realize she didn't know there was a piano in the room, and thought the notes being played on the piano were actually coming out of someone's mouth. She kind-of laughed to herself when I told her there was actually a piano in the room, too.
We're a couple weeks into the semester, now, so the rust is wearing off, and now that school has started, everyone's really getting back into the swing of things. It's always touch-and-go at the beginning of the year, as you can imagine. When they come into their first lesson after summer break, I semi-jokingly ask my students if they've touched a piano since I saw them last. The reactions to that inquiry range from deer-in-the-headlights to a-chuckle-followed-by-a-"no" to confusion to of-course-I-have's, and many in between. I was very impressed by one student in particular last week, though, because not only had he practiced ALL of his assigned pieces, but he also learned the words...and sang them in an opera-style voice! I told him we need to get him in for a lesson next door, sometime!
That's all I've got, for now.
To all you students and teachers out there, here's to an awesome school year ahead!
As usual, thanks for reading! ☺
Enjoy the weekend,
Kensy
Favorites of the day:
sleeping with the windows open in the middle of August - what?!
strawberry pretzel salad
garden-fresh produce
