Category Archives: LSMS News

News and general information related to the Lake Shore Music Studio

July 2019 Newsletter | The Lake Shore Music Studio

Newsletter for Parents, Students, and Friends of The Lake Shore Music Studio, Piano Lessons for All Ages, Chicago.

View from outside the entrance to The Lake Shore Music Studio.

Summer is in full bloom at LSMS!
It is such a joy to look out on the beautiful plaza and step out between piano lessons for a bit of summer air or a casual chat with a Sandburg Village neighbor or an occasional surprise visit from an old friend.

Thanks Becky K. and other friends of LSMS for donations of music. Your contributions included some of our favorite collections including those Star Wars themes that keep surfacing!

SUMMER B TERM CONTINUES THIS WEEK

Summer C Term begins July 22.

Remember, we have piano lessons available through August 17, 2019. Set up your own personal schedule around your vacation needs. This is a good time to pass the word to interested friends to schedule a visit to the studio to get included into the fall schedule.

TEACHER TRAINING

One of my favorite things about summer is teaching other piano teachers about the Robert Pace Piano Method.

I am offering Music for Moppets/Kinder-Keyboard training July 16-18, 2019 and Level Two Pace Piano July 20-22. Please pass the word to any piano teachers who might like to know about these.

Using the ducks to illustrate steps and skips in music notation and drawing melody patterns on the Moppets Book Back.

LAST CALL FOR MUSICALS CAMP

Please let me know if you are interested in our Exploring Musicals Camp (August 12-16, 2019). We will close registration soon.

GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL

There is a wonderful line-up of classical offerings by the Chicago Grant Park Symphony Wed. and Fri. 6:30 and Sat. 7:30 through August 17 at the Pritzker Pavillion in Millennium Park.

You can choose to sit in the seats for an up-close music experience or pack a picnic and blanket and enjoy lawn seating.

The expectation is that people will refrain from talking during the concert but if you are bothered by a little friendly chatter in the picnic section go for the seats up front.

Learn more at www.grantparkmusicfestival.com/the-music/2019-season

WIZARD OF OZ MANY WAYS

Do you love the Wizard of Oz as I do? Here are some great ways to experience it this summer.

Shakespeare Theatre’s “Wizard of Oz” children’s production runs through August 25, 2019.

Attending the play will be included as a field trip as part of our Musicals Camp. If you don’t attend camp make plans to see it anyway.

This Wed. July 10, at 8:00 pm in Pritzker Pavillion, see the original movie with the Grant Park Symphony performing the score live.

Notice: They check bags upon entry, so try to go a little early to make sure you get through the security and settle in.

I always enjoy when my route takes me by our city’s own tribute to the Wizard of Oz – the endearing statues of the Tin Man, Lion, Scarecrow, and Dorothy, in Oz Park at Lincoln and Webster.

Did you know author L. Frank Baum lived in Chicago when he wrote the “Wizard of Oz” books?

Here is a video of a few of our adult piano students performing the Carol Matz arrangement of “If I Only Had a Brain” at our recent recital party.

Enjoy LSMS Director, Julie Lovison playing “Over the Rainbow” on one of the Pianos in the Park at Make Music Chicago Day in Washington Square Park.

Music Man is playing through August 11 at Goodman Theatre.

I hope you can make time to see this wonderful classic musical, that is one of my favorites, full of cute kids, beautiful singing, fun dialog, funny scenes, and great dancing.

BEACH FUN and Brush Up on your Note Names

Draw a staff in the wet sand, put stones or shells on individual notes. Then play a game like “Who can name the note the fastest?”

Draw the EGBDF lines and FACE spaces (or GBDFA and ACEG for Bass Clef). Practice making steps and skips on the staff with stones or shells.

Take a picture and send it to me.

Enjoy your summer.
Best Wishes,
Julie

Julie Lovison, Director, The Lake Shore Music Studio, 1460 N. Sandburg Terrace, Chicago, IL 60610 Phone: 312-335-8426

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Reflections on MTNA Music Conference 2017 Baltimore

by Julie Lovison

An action packed three day conference included two special concerts.

Igudesman and Joo are two young musical friends who have chosen to make a career out of poking fun at classical music while delivering thoughtful, real musical performances interspersed with the humor. Here is an example of their mashing up classical music with a “Russian accented version of I Will Survive”

Master Class and Concert by Leon Fleischer

Leon Fleischer is 88 years old and going strong as performer, conductor, master class teacher, and collaborator. In 1964, Leon developed focal dystonia, a curling in of fingers, which put an end to his concert piano career. Instead of giving up music, he transitioned into conducting, and returned to performing left handed literature only. After 40 years, through physical therapy and the use of Botox on his arm, he was able to regain much, but not all, of his right hand use.

His exquisite concert included the beautiful solos performances of Sleep May Safely Graze, Claire de Lune, Chopin Mazurka and Nocturne in D Flat, and duets with his wife, Katherine Jacobson-Fleischer. Leon also takes time to perform collaboratively with his son, a jazz singer in New York.

These two examples show that there are many avenues to making music beyond the traditional concept of solo artist, indeed a creative and musically open mind can experience many new and fulfilling areas of music making.

Here you can see how Mr. Fleischer despite the handicap of curled fifth finger, creates the sublime and intimate rendition of Bach’s Sheep May Safely Graze.

As usual Reno and I were on hand in the exhibit hall to represent Lee Roberts Music Publications and speak about the Robert Pace Approach.

Lang Lang at MTNA Conference Las Vegas 2015 | Julie Lovison The Lake Shore Music Studio

One musician who participated at the 2015 MTNA Conference in Las Vegas who has been doing a lot to introduce young people to the piano and hold their interest is Lang Lang. His boyish charm and somewhat flamboyant style makes him appear more accessible to a younger audience. Maybe in your day it was Liberace, or Van Cliburn but charisma has always played a part in musical performance though of course it must always begin with real skill or that elusive something described as “talent” to become a superstar.

In fact, speaking of superstars, a number of MTNA attendees took the opportunity to see Elton John, another consummate piano performer of the popular genre, who was appearing at Caesar’s which was the next venue over from The Rio where the conference was being held.

Though Lang Lang did not give a piano performance he did conduct a master class and a showcase session (both of which I attended) introducing his new piano teaching materials distributed by Alfred Publishing. I was lucky enough to pick up a copy of each of the Level 1-5 books and get a couple of them autographed.

Julie Lovison gets Lang Lang autograph at MTNA Conference in Las Vegas 2015

Lang Lang Autographed music book.

Summer Pace Teacher Training

One of the things I love most about summer is introducing teachers to the creative and far reaching ideas included in the Robert Pace materials, and the fun of working together, sharing ideas.

Narjes Soliman, director of DaffodilMusicStudio.com and Charapin Pongtornpipat, member of Chicago Area Music Teachers Association, participated in this summer’s Comprehensive Musicianship Teacher Training Seminars at The Lake Shore Music Studio, and received certification in Music for Moppets (pre-school) and Level I Robert Pace curriculum from the International Piano Teaching Foundation.

Julie Lovison waves the “magic wand” to turn white keys to black, and black to white, as Charapin Pongtornipat changes the D 5 finger pattern to Db on the magnet board (E-ZNotes.com), and Narjes Soliman finds the keys on the piano. Studying D and Db as opposite patterns helps in memorizing the scales.

This Magic Wand was hastily created from electricians tape wrapped around a rod, and fancy wrapping ribbon, but one could be found easily at Halloween time. The magic wand creates a playful element that makes learning fundamentals more FUN.

In this example, everyone in the group has a role to play, which rotates so students get a turn to experience from different learning perspectives (tactile and visual), and help check each other as well.

Students in the Pace approach learn to transpose to all 12 five finger patterns in the early levels of study.

Stay tuned for next summer’s schedule of teacher training seminars at LSMS.