Yesterday was our first Ensemble Class!  It was super fun and I can't believe its taken me this long to get them started.  It was a small group which was nice to start off with.  We played Cannon in D by Pachelbel, Nearer My God to Thee, After the Battle of Aughrim (fiddle), and the Irish Washerwoman.  

Playing together in a group is a lot different than playing on your own--you have to be accountable for your part and that means counting, staying in tempo and playing in tune, in addition to listening and blending with the group!  

I wish I had Livestreamed it on YouTube :( Next time I will, or at least take a picture!!  I'm SO excited for the next one.

FYI ensemble classes are at the Plymouth Meeting Mall Church on the Mall and are $35 to participate.  

Last Sunday, June 18th was our summer recital! So proud of everyone's performance...nothing like seeing the fruits of everyone's labor!!  I'm a very proud teacher : )

Today we had a long day of rehearsals for the recital which is next week and it was wonderful to see everyone play with piano (some for the very first time!).  Everyone has been working so hard on their repertoire, sharpening up the intonation, memorizing and going over the music with a fine tooth comb to catch the snags.  It's incredibly detailed work, and I'm so proud of everyone.

When I was growing up my first teacher, who I loved so dearly, helped me grow not only as a player, but also as person.  I wish I could remember how she would address the problems I had and how she would help me to understand what I was doing.  I always felt that she was bringing something out of me rather than making me into a cookie cutter person.  I felt encouraged and safe to make mistakes, as long as I learned from them.  I felt like I had the reigns, but that I was being lead in the right direction.

In many ways, being able to do something is more about having the right mind set than anything else.  I'm really guilty of unconsciously and (consciously!) thinking in negative patterns, its only when I wake up enough to question my beliefs that I can stop the wheel from turning.  The problem that I've faced, is that the negative patterns create negative actions, which creates negative experience, which then creates evidence that my negative mind set was correct.  Its like a weird equation.  For example, you can really psych yourself out in the wrong way before a performance and walk on stage with your nerves wayyyy over active, to the point where you're too nervous to perform at all, perform badly and then believe that performing is not only scary but that you will mess up.  Whereas, if you would psych yourself out in a way that would allow you to relax, to feel confident, to feel inspired, you would walk on stage a completely different person, probably have a different experience and consequently enjoy playing and expect to have a positive experience.  We are creatively interpreting the world around us, and we can be "existing" in a heaven or hell.  Its a clique now, but I feel that its just something that we all, especially as performers can relate to.  Its truly a mind game.
 

Last Sunday we took a trip as a studio to Linvilla Orchards to pick strawberries!  It was such a happy day and I have so many precious memories being out in the sun with my students and their families.  Our studio recital is coming up soon, and I wanted everyone to get to know each other.  Afterwards, I went to the Russian grocery store with my friend and studio accompanist, Elvira.  We had a little picnic and went for a lovely long walk.  I felt so happy and can't wait for the next studio outing!

Here is some very basic tax advice for anyone self employed...things I've learned by making mistakes for 2 years as a private music teacher. 🙈🎻🎶

#1 open a business checking and savings account. (FYI Bank of America has $15 monthly maintenance fee)

#2 put 30% of your monthly income into the business savings account, and use the business checking to deposit checks and pay business bills (or use a business credit card for that) and don't forget to pay yourself in your personal checking account. You should also try to save around 10% of your income after taking the 30% out for taxes...you can put that into your personal savings account.

#3 buy 2 13 pocket folders. One for taxes and one for medical.

Your tax categories are:
Advertising
Car expense
Parking/tolls/fees
Insurance
Legal and professional fees
Office expenses 
Rent/lease equipment 
Rent/Lease other
Repairs/maintenance 
Taxes and Licenses 
Travel
For the medical folder
Prescription 
Insurance
Long term care
Insurance reimbursement 
Miles traveled medical
Lodging
Doctors
Hospital
Labs
Glasses

#4 keep an envelope in your purse or bag to keep receipts for the month. At the end of the month put the receipts in the correct file in the folder.

#5 if you're a music teacher I'd recommend getting Music Teachers Helper software...it does many helpful things including tracking your income and expenses. I can't live without this software, it's the best.

#6 in the music teachers helper software under Expenses, create the same file names that are in your folders so that you can log each expense as it comes. At the end of the year you can print out a spread sheet with the totals in each category.

#7 get your taxes done in January, because if you end up owing more than you think, you'll have time to save up and not get caught at the last minute with a huge bill that will leave you completely broke.

#8 get an accountant to help you set up your quarterly tax payments, a SEP account to help you save money for Retierment and while getting a cut on your taxes, and who can help you do your taxes in January. If your looking for someone in Philadelphia, I'd recommend Isdaner and Co.

#9 don't forget to keep track of the miles you travel for business as well as the miles you travel for personal reasons, you'll be needing both

Good luck! This is some basic information to help you get started, I'm not a professional, these are just the things I've learned over the years.  I hope it helps some of you out there.

For those of you who are complete beginners : ) I'm hoping to have 10 videos in this series, so stay tuned for more to come!

Growing up, music theory confused me so much.  I just didn't understand what was going on, and there was nowhere I could go to get help.  When I got to college, I relied a lot on my own ear and remembering what I had learned from scales and the pieces I had studied.  It kind of was enough, but I'd never let any of my students go to music school with no prior knowledge of theory.  Its why I'm such an advocate of ear training, learning intervals, counting rhythms and practicing scales.  However, I've realized having access to a class would be really helpful! 

So, I've decided to hire a doctorate student from Temple University to create an online music theory course, which will be accessible to anyone in the world.  So it doesn't matter if you live in the middle of nowhere, you'll still have access to the best in music education.  We are starting small, but eventually, if there is enough demand, you'll be able to take absolutely any level of music theory.  So if you're a beginner or if you're a college grad needing a refresher for your entry exams, we'll have you covered.

Our first course will be for the complete beginner, however, you will need to know how to read treble clef and recognize simple rhythms (for example quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes).  In addition to theory, you'll also be honing your ear training and rhythm dictation. There will be three sessions, each eight weeks long.  You will meet once a week for an hour lesson via www.gotomeeting.com.  Each lecture will be recorded if you missed the lesson, and you'll have access to online office hours once a week.  There will be weekly assignments and a final exam. Essentially, this will rival a college course, except you won't have to pay the exorbitant fees or have to leave the comfort of your own home!

Session I will begin in mid January.  If you'd like more information about the course, please send an email to AmberReed_93@msn.com or leave a comment below.  If there is interest, a Music History class will also be offered.

Click the link to register https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3711203966571969027

Music takes all of you.  It takes your focus, your energy, and all of your heart.  We think it has to be a struggle, and that you won't get anywhere if you don't struggle.  Lots of us are struggling out there.  Does water struggle though, as its pouring over a fall? Water seems to take the easiest path...the path of LEAST resistance.  And that's what I'm realizing in my practice.  

This week I've been inspired to incorporate my body into my practice.  I've always been on a spiritual path since I don't even remember when, so that's usually my focus.  Until I suddenly remember during the day that I have arms and legs and a physical body! That remembrance is usually during my practice!   Its funny, my boyfriend said to me a few weeks ago, "I didn't think you're religious." to which I confusingly replied, "I'm not."  But I have never done anything in my life without leaning on Spirit.  

It is something I don't share with others.  Its between me and whatever you call it...the Great I Am, The Universe, Love, Spirit, my Higher Self? I don't know, but I think it is important to look after your spiritual self, you have to have something good to lean on.  But anyway, I digress (there I go forgetting the fact that I decided to focus on my body this week).  Basically, I am now taking care of my body, physically, and including it as part of my spiritual practice. There are a few things I have begun to do.  Yoga, cycling, massaging my feet, noticing what it feels like in my body....I have A LOT of tension everywhere, that I just randomly hold for no reason...because that makes sense somehow?? And at this moment I'm realizing our body is the subconscious mind.  Great.  Aaaand after this realization I'm still holding tension in my body.

So the thing with me is that I'm an introvert.  Someone who is pretty much completely happy by themselves, except for the few, very, VERY important people in their lives.  However, the past few years, I've realized that I have many incredibly special and important people in my life, and they are my students.  I literally love every. single. one. of my students with all my heart.  Its a different relationship than that of my family or my handful of best friends, but its becoming much more important to me as time goes on.  I've talked a little bit about that in previous blogs.  But what I am trying to unsuccessfully say, is that these beautiful, talented and interesting people are special to me, and have been the catalyst for a huge span of personal growth for me as a teacher, a person, and infinite being.  That is priceless.  So, in return, and this is the big thing for me, I am beginning to share myself as a person a bit more with my students through the medium of social media (Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube)  That's new for me, as I don't usually share myself as a person, even with my own boyfriend! He's still trying to figure me out.  But I'm sharing my spiritual journey of Mind, Body and Spirit with others, which I think is also a hugely important thing for me to do, as a mostly closed off, and introverted person. Perhaps we can all inspire and uplift each other along our own personal journeys.  Maybe its weird.  But I'm a weird person, so I'm excited about it.  So you guys, lets inspire continue to inspire each other! Thank you for your presence in my life, you are all so special. Please always know that. 

Eating healthy

Music is one of those things that allows you to connect with others in a way that language can't.  It really can create a strong bond between people.  My music teachers have been some of the most influential people in my life.  I've learned values, life skills, habits, recipes for success, learned to think for myself through their encouragement and so much more.  My music teachers made me feel felt important and cared for through my adolescence and college years.  They were there every week whether I was in a good mood or not.  Its a unique experience to have a person like a music teacher that expects the best from you, who believes in you, and who works with you in such a personal way. Now that I find myself as the music teacher, I love not only being able to provide that positive influence, but also seeing the result of it.  We work hard in lessons solving problems, trying to understand how to use the body, learning how to focus on listening to sound, intonation and phrasing, and how to allow ourselves to express the music in our hearts.  At the end of the day its extremely satisfying to know that you have learned something new and become better. I'm truly blessed to have wonderful students who are dedicated to learning, who are smart, intelligent and interested in life.  Love you guys!