It’s February, so my thoughts are naturally turning toward LOVE. Valentine’s Day may celebrate romantic love, but there are many other kinds of love as well. I had a student come in this week after her first ever Cavalcade rehearsal, and with shining eyes announce, “I LOVE Cavalcade!” That made my day, since I love it too. I saw lots of smiling faces and giggles during our rehearsals this week. I had a student come in after seeing two school friends in his rehearsal, saying, “I didn’t even know they were taking piano lessons!” I’ve been hooked on ensemble music since my first day of 6th grade band. Working together with others, combining our talents to make something bigger and better than any of us could do alone really fills my soul. It’s exciting to see that same LOVE being passed on to another generation of music students.
Our January general meeting was another occasion when I heard teachers after the meeting exclaiming, “Oh, I loved that!” Hearing other teachers share their experiences and knowledge was a great blessing to me. I truly enjoyed hearing so many different teachers share their thoughts. It reminded me that although I may feel very solitary in my own studio, there are lots of other teachers who really understand me and the challenges (and rewards) I get from teaching. I LOVE the sense of community, even though we have different backgrounds and styles. Thank you!
One of my students came in this week with two pieces he had been practicing. He played the first pretty much correctly, just a couple of rhythms to go over. We discussed dynamics and how he could use them to help shape a phrase and make music, instead of just playing right notes. Granted, he is only 9 years old, so even after demonstrating and playing along with him, the piece still sounded a little “meh”. We moved on to his second piece, Streabbog’s “The Orphan”, and I could not believe the difference! He played with as much sensitivity as I’ve ever heard from him. As I scraped my jaw off the floor and applauded, I asked him if he felt the difference. He said simply, “I liked that one.”
Russian author Leo Tolstoy wrote, “Music is the shorthand of emotion.” I would second that idea. My most powerful, moving experiences have almost always been during the performance of music. It reaches a level beyond words, a part of me that can’t express the depth of my feeling. My poor piano has survived me banging out anger and frustration, or improvising a fun, lively tune for the grandkids to march around the room, or in my quiet alone time, pouring out tender and spiritual feelings. I LOVE music for that very reason, and I’m very grateful we each have the opportunity to pass that LOVE of music on to new generations of students.
Lorri McHardy
DVMTA President
Read the full February 2025 Newsletter
Our January general meeting was another occasion when I heard teachers after the meeting exclaiming, “Oh, I loved that!” Hearing other teachers share their experiences and knowledge was a great blessing to me. I truly enjoyed hearing so many different teachers share their thoughts. It reminded me that although I may feel very solitary in my own studio, there are lots of other teachers who really understand me and the challenges (and rewards) I get from teaching. I LOVE the sense of community, even though we have different backgrounds and styles. Thank you!
One of my students came in this week with two pieces he had been practicing. He played the first pretty much correctly, just a couple of rhythms to go over. We discussed dynamics and how he could use them to help shape a phrase and make music, instead of just playing right notes. Granted, he is only 9 years old, so even after demonstrating and playing along with him, the piece still sounded a little “meh”. We moved on to his second piece, Streabbog’s “The Orphan”, and I could not believe the difference! He played with as much sensitivity as I’ve ever heard from him. As I scraped my jaw off the floor and applauded, I asked him if he felt the difference. He said simply, “I liked that one.”
Russian author Leo Tolstoy wrote, “Music is the shorthand of emotion.” I would second that idea. My most powerful, moving experiences have almost always been during the performance of music. It reaches a level beyond words, a part of me that can’t express the depth of my feeling. My poor piano has survived me banging out anger and frustration, or improvising a fun, lively tune for the grandkids to march around the room, or in my quiet alone time, pouring out tender and spiritual feelings. I LOVE music for that very reason, and I’m very grateful we each have the opportunity to pass that LOVE of music on to new generations of students.
Lorri McHardy
DVMTA President
Read the full February 2025 Newsletter
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