Lisa Griggs

by Lisa Griggs

From the student’s point of view, the idea of performing in a recital can be rather daunting. However, there are good reasons why instructors encourage students to perform.

Performing helps overcome fear. The fear of the unknown is very powerful. If a student regularly avoids recitals, this fear can build up far beyond proportion. The positive experience of “making it through” a recital builds confidence and helps students of all ages gain poise.

Think about all the situations in life where it’s a big advantage to be able to appear poised in front of groups. Music Arts recitals are fairly small and very supportive. Here’s a wonderful place to practice these skills!

Instructors send a vote of confidence to students just by telling them that they are ready to perform. Students achieve a sense of closure and accomplishment when the instructor says he or she is ready for an audience.

“What if I make a mistake?!!” the student asks. One of my vocal teachers asked all her students, “What will you do when you make a mistake?” While all of us may approach a performance with the hope of perfection, sometimes we make mistakes. Life is like that. We need to learn how to handle mistakes.

If you’re a student and haven’t been in a recital recently, ask your instructor. Parents, encourage your children to participate. If they’re afraid, let them know that action cures fear! By performing, they’ll find out that it isn’t difficult to do, and what’s more important: it really does get easier as they continue to participate.

We know that parents like to see their children in recitals. Among other things, this gives the folks physical proof that their money is well spent. It also indicates to them whether the instructor feels that the child is making headway. If the student appears in recitals, progress is being made in the lessons, and the proof is obvious.

Lisa Griggs, a very popular vocal instructor with Music Arts for many years, performs regularly and remembers her own jitters as a young student.

The Music Arts Drop Box

That bird that ate the house is still there, but we promise he/she won’t attack you if you’d like to drop off your payment in our Drop Box at our book-keeping office at director Nancy England’s home on the corner of West Outer Drive and Mississippi Avenue (driveway off Mississippi) in Oak Ridge. If you want to leave cash, call ahead (865-482-5614) to make sure we can be there to give you a receipt!

If you refer a new student (whose family hasn’t studied with us in the past four years) to any of our Music Arts instructors, you’ll earn one free lesson for every full quarter that the new student completes – up to two years! This could translate into 8 free lessons for you. Think of it – refer a dozen students and you’re Home Free for two years, no matter what your instructor’s rates are.

Pay your bill by the actual due date (the 5th of the month or posted by the 3rd) during the year, starting with Fall Quarter, and you’ll be eligible for a 10% discount on continuing Summer Quarter lessons. But remember that any payment received after the 18th (posted after the 16th) will earn you something, too – a late charge!

This information (and more) is in the Music Arts Student Guide. If you don’t have one, please ask your instructor for a copy. You may review the information in the Student Guide on credits and discounts at http://musicartsschool.org/html/studentguide2.html#Doyougivediscounts.

October 15th Recital

Our recitals are not grueling marathons! They’re designed to last about one hour, with smaller audiences. Everyone loves the Intermission Quiz, where students are rewarded with mystery prizes for correct answers to musical questions. Let your instructor know that you’d like to be included. And if you’re not quiiiiiite sure about appearing in one, come and be part of the audience. It should reassure you that we don’t make people miserable!

These students of Rudolph Nemeth, Ilia Steinscheider and Lois White were in our October 15, 2009 recital, and they seemed to have survived it!

Pictured are:

• Front row, left to right:  Madison Valentine, Mason Valentine, Claire Gibson, Matthias Brown, Peter Podak.
• Top two rows taken as one, left to right:  Meagan Kessell, Alyssa McCartt, Amy Douglas, Jessica Herwig, Catherine Albert, Alex Sample (in back), Rachel Sammons, Grace Magness, Melanie Fann.

We’d like up update these website pages, and would like to hear from you. What wonderful qualities does he or she have that might make you want to recommend your instructor to your friends? Write to us and let us know, are maybe your entry will be featured on your instructor’s website page (complete with photo, of course!).