2022-2023 Calendar and Schedule Including Recital Dates
Tuesday, July 19, 2022 by April Davis | Announcement
Fall Semester
Begins: August 8, 2022
Ends: December 15, 2022
Dates off: November 21-25 (Thanksgiving Week)
Holiday Recital: December 16, 2022
Spring Semester
Begins: January 9, 2023
Ends: May 25, 2023
Dates off: March 13-16 (Spring Break)
Spring Recital: May 25, 2023
Welcome Back!
The school year and a new semester of piano are upon us! I missed you all this summer and I hope that your summer was filled with fun and memorable moments!
Above, I've outlined the most important dates for the upcoming school year. More information will be available on the recitals as the date draws near.
You can claim your weekly lesson spot for the school year via this link: https://calendly.com/davispianostudio/schoolyear.
Tuition of $135 per month will be due starting in August. There will be no tuition in May. Here's the math: 36 lessons over the school year (August - May), 9 months of tuition (August - April) is an average of 4 lessons for every month of tuition paid.
Studio policies have been updated for the new year. Nothing much has changed, but you can view them on the website here.
Students worked hard last year to learn composition. All students are invited to submit their compositions to the Austin Music Teacher's Association in September for consideration. The competition is judged by age range.
I look forward to seeing you all in August! We're going to have a great year!
2022 Spring Recital
Monday, February 21, 2022 by April Davis | Announcement
Our spring recital is the most formal and students spend a lot of time in preparation. To that end, it is a moment of great celebration! We honor the focus, hard work, and achievements of each student. Certificates are given for every method book completed over the course of the year. Awards are given to recognize specific achievements: composition, participation in MTNA competitions and tests, and dedication and hard work displayed mastering challenging pieces for the recital.
The 2022 spring recital will be Thursday, May 26, 2022, at 7pm.
The location has not yet been set. It will either be at St. Julian of Norwich Episcopal Church or Chandler Creek park. Both locations are in Round Rock. This post and other event postings will be updated once the location has been successfully booked. Both locations offer wi-fi, so the hope is that we will be able to stream the event this time, so family who cannot attend in person will be able to watch online.
Streaming Information:
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/cys-pnxp-ogj
Or dial: (US) +1 617-675-4444 PIN: 450 224 098 5197#
Why Your Child Should Take Piano Lessons
Friday, October 30, 2020 by April Davis | Uncategorized
Piano lessons were once a standard part of a child's education. Things change and increasingly parents have more choices available to supplement their child's education. Here are 6 reasons why piano lessons are still an amazing opportunity, if not the best choice, for your child.
1. The study of piano teaches your child a practical skill they can always utilize. Your child will be able to teach beginner piano to neighborhood students while they are in high school and expand their teaching while in college. Whether your child chooses piano teaching for their career or not, the option is always there and the pay is better than babysitting or working at a local restaurant or retail establishment. Musicians can also earn money playing for churches and playing gigs at restaurants, malls, and bars.
2. The study of piano can win scholarships for your child to achieve their higher education aims. Working with a teacher who belongs to MTNA (Music Teacher's National Association) and other guilds allows your child to participate in contests to win money and scholarships. Additionally, auditioning for schools can lead to scholarship opportunities. Their are private scholarships available for pianists even if their major is not music related.
3. Piano is the best first instrument to learn. If you have a child who aims to play another instrument, piano is the best place to start. Little fingers can manage piano keys easier than guitar or violin strings. It doesn't require the lung capacity that brass and woodwind instruments need. But, it does teach children to read both music staffs, bass and treble clef, which prepares them to play any other instrument: many of which only utilize one or the other. It also helps them develop finger independence and strength which is key to playing any other instrument. The study of piano also lends itself to music theory more comprehensively than any other instrument. Piano can develop perfect pitch or even something near perfect pitch which can help any musician join in on queue in an ensemble and create clearer tonality in any singer.
4. The study of piano has been proven by neuroscientists to positively impact brain development. These improvements can be seen at any age, but are most effective when started young. It creates more connections between the right and left hemispheres of the brain which leads to faster processing of information, more balanced right/left brain strengths, and ambidextrousness.
Professional musicians have been found to have greater than average gray matter in motor, auditory, and visuospatial areas, differences in white matter architecture, stronger asymmetry of the planum temporale, and increased corpus callosum (Schlaug et al., 1995; Schlaug, 1995; Schmithorst and Wilke, 2002; Gaser and Schlaug, 2003). These anatomical differences are thought to be due to long-term acquisition and training of musical skills. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that there is a strong correlation between high musical activity during the lifespan and preservation of non-verbal memory, naming, and executive function (Hanna-Pladdy and MacKay, 2011).
5. Playing piano releases endorphins, the hormone responsible for our feeling of joy. It can help pianists work through any emotion and express any feeling. The positive effects on the brain mirror meditation or running long distances.
6. The structure of music teaches your child complex math and raises their IQ. Students of piano score better in Math, Science, and English than their non-musical peers. The language of piano is Italian and Latin roots and pre-fixes which helps with the SATs and other standardized tests.
Now you know how beneficial piano lessons are to your child, let me tell you why Davis Piano Studio is the best place for your child to learn in Round Rock, TX, and the surrounding Austin area! My studio has the most advanced setup in the Austin Area: the best equipment and learning tools, low-stimulus environment, one-on-one support, recording studio, and supplemental technology. All books and supplemental materials are included and provided at key developmental times. The waiting area is in full view of the teaching space and parents are able to attend all lessons. As an instructor, I am fully available to students outside of lesson times. Students do not need to wait until their next lesson if they are struggling with some concept or music piece as I can be reached by text and video call at all times. I have a passion for students with ADHD and ASD. I work closely with parents and therapists to achieve the best results with these students.
Schedule your first free lesson now.
