All posts in “Voice Lessons”

April Newsletter

Make a splash this summer with music lessons at Houston’s premier music academy!

Fun and Motivating
Summer is the perfect time to break from the routine and learn music!

Greater Focus
Without the worries of homework, sports games and practices, you can devote time and attention to music. Better focus leads to better practice!

Time for Something New
Summer is the best time to try out a new instrument or two!

No Backtracking in the Fall
Stay ahead of the game and keep making progress through the summer!

Vivaldi Rocks, Strings and Choir Group Classes

You can jam to your favorite tunes with our new group guitar classes, Vivaldi Rocks! Our teachers will bring the tines and fun this summer.

We’re also slated to perform with the PIANO GUYS on August 25th, so summertime is the perfect time to brush up on your strings skills with our Vivaldi Strings program!

The Vivaldi Voices/Children’s Choir program offers Houston’s young vocalists, ages 6-10, an opportunity to light up the stage while learning the fundamentals of vocal technique.

Don’t miss out! Spots are going fast for the summer and we grow in enrollment! Call and enroll today at one of our convenient locations: West U: 713-858-9617 Bellaire: 832-404-2299

Vivaldi Music Academy Guitar group class - Vivaldi Rocks

Violin Group Classes at Vivaldi Music Academy

Vivaldi Music Academy's Group Voice performs at Houston's Children's Museum

Piano Lessons Houston - Young Musicians Showcase banner

Join us for Vivaldi Music Academy’s 1st Annual Young Musician’s Showcase

Thirteen selected Vivaldi students will showcase their musical talents at our first annual Young Musician’s Showcase. Come celebrate their musical achievements at Houston Baptist University’s Belin Chapel on Saturday April 22nd! The recital will begin at 7 pm.

Admission is FREE and open to all ages.

Free parking is available adjacent to the chapel.

Invite your friends and family!

Congratulations to Allison Lee, Austin Longoria, Bowen Ma, Chanya Methaprayoon, Eran Straub, Esther Li, Ian Dessauer, Irene Chen, Julia Nguyen, Julian Weaver, Nicholas Wong, Nikhil Erabellli and Reva Sinha!

Vivaldi Strings and Group voice perform at WUES art night in March

Our Vivaldi Strings and Choir had a great time participating in West Elementary School’s Art Night on Thursday March 30th! Great job everyone!

KENNEDY CENTER PERFORMANCE FRIDAY JUNE 23rd 2017!

Oh the places you’ll go! From Carnegie Hall in New York City to Vivaldi’s Church in Venice, Italy, Vivaldi Music Academy is always on the go with amazing performance opportunities. Next up – our debut at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC on Friday June 23rd at 7:30 pm. DC here we come! #vivaldigoestokennedycenter

From Venice, Italy to Carnegie Hall in New York City and Washington D.C. for the Kennedy Center - Performance opportunities

Musical Ladder System - Student Achievement Program

A special congratulations to all of our students who did an excellent job on their Musical Ladder Testing last week! Keep up the good work everyone!

Benjamin and Hannah

Lamees

Andrew and Daniel

Austin

SUMMER RECITALS JUNE 3rd, 10th and 17th at HOUSTON BAPTIST UNIVERSITY!

Summer recitals are coming up quickly – please talk to your teachers if you would like to participate! You must be approved by your teacher in order to participate

Piano lessons, Violin Lessons, Guitar Lessons at Vivaldi Music Academy

We know many of you have summer plans and we hope you have tons of cool adventures! Since Vivaldi Music Academy is open year-round, it’s a good idea to start thinking about summer now!

“How do lessons work in the summer?”
A. The Academy is open year-round, and we do not close in the summer.
“Do a lot of students quit in the summer?”
A. We actually grow in enrollment during the summer months! Some students withdraw, but we are getting a huge influx of new students for the summer and many continue into the fall.
“How full is the Academy?”
A. As of today, we have over 1300 students between our two locations and we are at capacity between the hours of 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm. These are prime-time spots!
“If we withdraw for the summer, can we keep our spot for fall?”
A. Lessons are first come, first serve; so if you withdraw for the summer, we cannot guarantee that we will have a spot for you in the fall, as we will open the spot to new students.

The big questions for all parents and students to consider are:

Do you want the same teacher, in the same time slot, in the fall?
Do you want to keep your Musical Ladder System level for the fall?
If the answers are YES, there are TWO WAYS to keep your teacher and spot!
Please talk to the front desk on how you can save your spot!
We’re here to help you!

Mark Your Calendars

Thursday April 6th 9:30 am: Vivaldi Seasons presents Preschool Play-House at Chick-Fil-A, Buffalo Speedway and Holcombe
Saturday April 22nd 7 pm: Young Musician’s Showcase, Houston Baptist University
Sunday April 23rd- Saturday April 29th: Musical Ladder Testing
Wednesday May 3rd 9 am: Sign-up Genius opens for Summer Recital (Sign-up Genius closes Wednesday May 17th at 8 pm)
Monday May 29th: Memorial Day – Vivaldi Music Academy CLOSED
Saturday June 3rd, Saturday June 10th and Saturday June 17th: Summer Recitals, HBU
Friday June 23rd 7:30 pm: Vivaldi Music Academy debuts at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington DC

REFERRAL REWARDS

Refer a friend and receive a FREE lesson! Or refer a friend for Vivaldi Seasons, receive $10 off! And your friend will receive FREE REGISTRATION (up to $45 value)

Friends of Vivaldi

April 10, 2017 / 0 0

February News & Updates

Join us at the Children’s Museum of Houston on Thursday Feb 23rd at 6:30 pm as our Vivaldi Strings and Choir class gather to perform for the Spotlight Performance series. Thursdays are also family night at the museum so admission is free!

Bringing our love of music to the community!

WUES International Fest - Voice and Violin

Our faculty members Josan, Emilio and Jenee participated in West University Elementary School’s International Festival on Thursday January 26th along with staff member Chardae – a fun time was had by all!

Vivaldi Seasons - Shares their love for Jazz this February

February the Vivaldi Seasons program is celebrating jazz and black history month! These fun-filled classes are for students ages 1- 6 years old! Every month, our teachers selected a theme related to the month! It will be full of jazz and history! Sign-up for a free preview today!

Winner of the iPhone7 Referral Contest is:

SAM T.

We love music project!

Express your love for music, your teacher and Vivaldi Music Academy with art work of your choice! Submit your artwork throughout the month of February that shows your love for music and we will proudly display your work at our schools. Any medium is welcome, as long as it fits within 8.5” x 11” space. We are looking forward to seeing all of our students creativity!

Vivaldi Music Academy’s Practice Journals

We are proud to announce the Musical Ladder System developed by our director’s colleague, Mr Marty Fort. The system is used throughout the United States and Canada to help students keep track of their progress through a rewards system that kids will love. The first round of evaluations will be held the last week of March. You will also be able to communicate and gauge your child’s lesson with our practice journals available for purchase. Please talk to the front desk and your teachers so you can get started!

Faculty Concert!

Vivaldi Music Academy Faculty Recital 2017

Arsh and John – Voice and Piano teachers at Faculty Recital

Congratulations to our faculty on their wonderful performances at the Faculty Concert and thank you to all of our students and Vivaldi families who attended.

February 9, 2017 / 0 0

January News and Updates

WISHING YOU A MUSICAL 2017 – HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Bellaire Grand Opening – Vivaldi Music Academy

We are celebrating our one-year birthday at our Bellaire location that opened on January 13th 2016! How time flies and we are grateful to our Vivaldi family with over 1200 students enrolled for music lessons between our two locations. An exciting 2017 is on the horizon with our John F Kennedy Center debut in Washington D.C., faculty concert at Houston Baptist University, and our first annual Student Showcase in April. Stay tuned for more!

REGISTRATION BEGINS 9 AM SATURDAY JANUARY 21st

Vivaldi Music Academy performs at the Family Theater, the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Friday June 23rd 2017. Join us for a once in a lifetime opportunity to perform at this prestigious venue in the nation’s capital. Registration begins 9 am Saturday January 21st by phone, email or in person at both of our locations on a first-come first-serve basis. We hope to see you there!

Join us for an evening of musical adventures with our talented faculty as they perform at Houston Baptist University’s Belin Chapel on Saturday January 28th. Starting at 7 pm the concert is sure to provide inspiration for students and admiration for the amazing faculty who bring music education to the forefront of our community. Admission is free, open to the public and all ages are welcome to attend. We hope to see you there!

WINTER RECITALS AT SHEPHERD SCHOOL OF MUSIC, RICE UNIVERSITY

We are looking forward to seeing our students perform on Sunday January 8th and Saturday January 14th. Please be sure to double check your recital time, date and directions for parking. Also, allow yourself plenty of time for parking and reaching the hall. Please let us know if you have an questions PRIOR to your recital day. Good luck!

Ring in the new year with music lessons at Houston’s premier music academy!

Celebrate 2017 with music lessons at Vivaldi – an educational benefit for growing and developing minds, as a hobby for an instrument you wish to regain, or as a new challenge this coming year. Set your goals today by calling us at West U (713-858-9617) or Bellaire (832-404-2299)!

Musical Ladder System offered at Vivaldi Music Academy

Vivaldi Music Academy is proud to announce the Musical Ladder System for student lesson engagement and progress. Developed by Director Zeljko Pavlovic’s colleague, music academy owner Mr. Marty Fort and used by music schools throughout the United States and Canada, the Music Ladder System will help you keep track of your child’s progress through a rewards program that kids will love. You will also be able to keep track of your lesson notes in our new practice journal available for purchase. Please talk to your teachers or the front desk so you can get started!

Introducing Vivaldi Music Academy’s NEW Practice Journals for students to keep track of lesson notes! The journal can be purchased at either location – talk to the front desk to get your practice journal!

iPhone 7 for Vivaldi Music Academy Contest

WINNER OF THE iPHONE 7
REFERRAL CONTEST TO BE
ANNOUNCED
JANUARY 15th!

REFERRAL
REWARDS

Refer a friend & receive a FREE lesson! Or refer a friend for Vivaldi Seasons, receive $10 o! and your friend will receive FREE REGISTRATION (up to $45 value).

January 17, 2017 / 0 0

December News & Updates

Vivaldi Music Academy Goes to the Family Theater at the Kennedy Center

We are pleased to announce our summer debut at the prestigious John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Family Theater on Friday June 23rd, 2017. Registration will begin Saturday January 21st at 9 am. Please see https://www.vivaldimusicacademy.com/kennedy-center-2017/ for more details on how to register!

Introducing the Musical Ladder System

Vivaldi Music Academy is proud to introduce the Musical Ladder System for student lesson engagement and progress. Developed by Director Zeljko Pavlovic’s colleague, music academy owner Marty Fort and used by music schools throughout the US and Canada, the Musical Ladder System will help you keep track of your child’s progress through a rewards program that kids love. More details coming soon!

REMINDER

Winter Recitals 2016-2017

We are looking forward to seeing everyone perform! Please be sure to double-check your recital time and date and directions for parking. Please allow yourself plenty of time for parking and reaching the hall.

WHEN IS THE RECITAL?

Sunday December 11 2016
Saturday December 17 2016
Sunday January 8 2017
Saturday January 14 2017

WHERE IS IT?

Shepherd School of Music, Rice University
*Students must be enrolled in the Academy at the time of the recital in order to participate
Please let us know if you have any questions prior to your recital day*

WINTER RECESS

The Academy will be closed for the holidays Monday, December 19th-Sunday January 1st. Classes and lessons will resume Monday January 2nd.

For current students only:

Please remember that lessons are billed on a 48-week year with 4 weeks of holidays built into the schedule. You receive an average of 4 lessons per month. When you have 5 lessons in 5 week months, we do not charge you more and when you have less than 4 lessons we do not charge you less. No make-ups are required for holiday closures.

Upcoming Events

December Student Winter recitals:

Sunday December 11 2016
Saturday December 17 2016

Winter Recess

Monday, December 19th-Sunday January 1st.
Classes and lessons will resume Monday January 2nd.

January Student Winter Recitals

Sunday January 8 2017
Saturday January 14 2017

Kennedy Center Registration

Saturday January 21st 9 am

Faculty Concert

Saturday January 28th 7 pm
Houston Baptist University

Student of the Month: Addison C.!

What school do you currently attend?
- Lovett Elementary, 5th Grade
What do you like most about playing violin?
- How much I have been able to improve in the last few years. I started a bit later than everyone else in my school since I began learning on a wind instrument before switching to violin. I was struggling to keep up at first but over the last couple of years I have made great strides and have been playing in the top orchestra at school.
When did you start taking violin lessons?
- I started in 2nd grade
What advice do you have for those who would like to take violin lessons?
- Listen to you instructors. They can teach you techniques and music pieces that will make you a top player.
Tell us about auditioning for All City Orchestra.
- I rode a bus to a different school. There was a judge behind a curtain so he or she could not see me or any of the students auditioning. We, of course, could not see the judge either. They did that so only the way we played would count. Nothing about how we looked or whether the judge knew one of us personally would come into play. They gave us three pieces to learn 10 days ahead of the audition. They were harder pieces than I usually play. I practiced a great deal for the 10 days I had.
- There were students from all over HISD and even some homeschoolers auditioning. They gave us all codes so they would not use our name when calling us so the judge would not know the name of the person on the other side of the curtain. I played the songs I had practiced intensely for the last week and a half. The next week, I went to my after school practice like I do every week. My orchestra teacher had posted the list on the wall. I saw my name highlighted and my teacher made an announcement about all who made it into the All City Orchestra!
When you found out you were selected, how did you feel?
- I felt great for accomplishing something with all of that practice. It was hard to concentrate for after school practice that day because I was so happy. I cannot wait until spring when we start practicing as an All City Orchestra.

addison-c – Violin Student at Vivaldi Music Academy

November 28, 2016 / 0 0

November Newsletter

VIVALDI MUSIC ACADEMY GOES TO THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER!
REGISTRATION BEGINS 9 AM, SATURDAY JANUARY 21ST

Vivaldi Music Academy is pleased to announce our students’ summer debut at the prestigious John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Family Theater. The Kennedy Center, located on 17 acres overlooking the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., is America’s living memorial to President Kennedy as well as the nation’s busiest arts facility.

The Center, which opened on September 8, 1971, continues its efforts to fulfill President Kennedy’s vision by producing and presenting an unmatched variety of theater and musicals, dance and ballet, orchestral, chamber, jazz, popular, world, and folk music for all ages. Each year, the institution that bears President Kennedy’s name brings his dream to fruition, touching the lives of millions of people through thousands of performances by the greatest artists from across America and around the world. The new 324-seat Family Theater provides a new home for world-class performances for the nation’s youth and continues the Kennedy Center’s commitment to performing arts education for adults and children alike. “This new venue” said Michael Kaiser, former Kennedy Center President, “expands the Kennedy Center’s ability to produce and present excellent works for young people.”

John F. Kennedy | Vivaldi Music Academy performs at The Kennedy Center 2017

“I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.”
President John F. Kennedy

Don’t miss out on signing up for Vivaldi Music Academy’s Student Winter Recitals at Rice University!

Don’t miss out on signing up for Vivaldi Music Academy’s Student Winter Recitals at Rice University! An essential part of any student’s musical development, playing in recitals builds confidence and is great motivation to take your playing to the next level. Recitals give students:

Something to work for
Performance Experience
Inspiration from advanced performers
And of course, a great sense of pride and accomplishment!

Remember: Students must be enrolled in the Academy at the time of the recital in order to participate. Sign up Genius closes 8 pm November 4th!

Shepherd School of Music at Rice University

Sunday December 11 2016
Saturday December 17 2016
Sunday January 8 2017
Saturday January 14 2017

Winter Recital Sign-up link: https://www.vivaldimusicacademy.com/winter-recital-2016/

Student of the Month: Matthew F.

Matthew Huntington Fisk attends St. Anne Catholic School and is in the first grade. Matthew began piano lessons at the age of three.

I like playing the piano because when I move my fingers across the keys it feels like home. My favorite artist are Beethoven, John Legend and Michael Jackson. My advice for those who want to take piano lessons is to practice, practice, practice and then you will take fun trips to Carnegie Hall and Italy! I enjoyed playing at Carnegie Hall and Vivaldi Church because I was able to play in halls so many famous people played in before me.

TIS THE SEASON TO GIVE THANKS!

We are thankful to all of our Vivaldi Students and Families! During the month of November, your referrals will earn you a $25 Target gift card and a free lesson when your friend registers with us for music lessons. Your friend receives free registration. AND you both are entered into a drawing for an iPhone 7!! WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED ON JANUARY 15th!!

Thank you to all of our students for sharing their amazing, spookiest, funniest, outlandish, and cutest Halloween costumes for our annual costume contest! The winners of our drawing are:

Julian Weaver – $50 | Miriam Afouba – $25 | Sophia Willis – $25

Vivaldi Strings performs at Hermann Park in October 2016

Congratulations to our Vivaldi Strings and Choir on their remarkable performance for Hermann Park’s Student Performances in the Park series! Our Vivaldi students even enjoyed a train ride through Hermann Park afterwards!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Fall Recess:

Wednesday November 23rd-Sunday November 27th.

Classes and lessons resume Monday November 28th.

Please remember the Academy runs on a 48 week year with an average of 4 lessons per month and 4 weeks of holidays built into the schedule. When you have 5 lessons, we do not charge you more. When you have less than 4 lessons we do not charge you less. No make-ups are needed for holiday closures.

We understand many of you have travel plans beyond the days of the Academy closures for the Holidays. If you love your teacher and your preferred lesson day/time, please be sure to utilize our generous masterclass make-ups/workshops to guarantee your spot when you return.

FACULTY CONCERT

Vivaldi Music Academy invites you to our highly anticipated Winter Faculty Concert!

Join us for an exciting evening of musical performances by our director, violinist Zeljko Pavlovic, talented faculty members and special guests on Saturday, January 28th at 7pm at Houston Baptist University! Admission is free and open to the public. The concert is a wonderful and motivating experience for students to see their talented teachers perform on stage! We hope to see you there!

Important Dates:

Fall Recess:

Wednesday November 23rd-Sunday November 27th.

Classes and lessons resume Monday November 28th.

December Winter Recitals: Rice University Shepherd School of Music

Sunday December 11 2016

Saturday December 17 2016

Winter Recess:

Monday, December 19th -Sunday, January 1st.

Classes and lessons resume Monday, January 2nd.

January Winter Recitals: Rice University Shepherd School of Music

Sunday January 8 2017

Saturday January 14 2017

January 15th, 2017: Winner of iPhone7 referral contest announced!

Saturday January 21st 9 am : Registration for Summer 2017 Recital at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts begins

Saturday January 28th 7 pm : Faculty Concert, Houston Baptist University

November 11, 2016 / 0 0

October Newsletter

Enrolling Now!

October is the perfect month to begin fall music lessons. Don’t miss your chance to join our phenomenal Academy with amazing teachers and performance opportunities. Call 713-858-9617 (West U) or 832-404-2299 (Bellaire) and ENROLL TODAY!

Vivaldi Stings and Vivaldi Voices – Performance

Congratulations to our students who performed at the Tahiri Justice Center Gala last month! We can’t wait to see the Halloween performance of our Strings Group and Children’s Choir at Hermann Park on Saturday October 29th. Please come out to the Lake Plaza in Hermann Park at noon to view the performance and support our students!

Where will Vivaldi Music Academy go for the Summer 2017 performance?

Hint: It’s the busiest performing arts facility in the United States!

Stay tuned for our November announcement!!

Costume Contest!

Show us your best, spookiest, funniest, outlandish, and cutest costumes from October 1st to November 1st. Share your photos with the hashtag #VivaldiHalloween on your social media or email us your pictures to info@vivaldimusicacademy.com.

Participants will be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card!

Winter Recital

Vivaldi Music Academy will be holding our Student Winter Recitals at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music on Sunday December 11 2016, Saturday December 17 2016, Sunday January 8 2017 and Saturday January 14 2017. Participation in recitals boosts confidence, provides goals, and builds new skills for students! Please speak to your teachers to ensure you are ready to participate.

New Seasons Class Time!

Our popular Winter class for 4-6 year olds has a new time slot on Saturdays at noon. Sign up today and ensure your child has a head start in music education and great preparation for private lesson!

Student of the Month

Stella started her musical adventure with guitar in January with teacher, Sam Perez. At the summer recital, Stella took the stage with her performance playing “Shake it off” by Taylor Swift – who is also her favorite musical artist. The advice she has for those who are interested in guitar, “play music that makes you the happiest!”

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

October 1st – 10 am Nov 1st : Submit your entries for Vivaldi’s Costume Contest via email or hashtag #VivaldiHalloween on social media

Monday, October 10th at 9 am: A link to Sign Up Genius will be emailed to students to sign up for the Winter recital

Saturday, October 29th at Noon: Vivaldi Strings and Choir perform at Hermann Park Lake Plaza

Friday, November 4th at 8 pm: Sign Up Genius for the Winter Recital will close.

Fall Recess: Wednesday November 23rd-Sunday November 27th. Classes and lessons resume Monday November 28th.

October 11, 2016 / 0 0

Musical Journeys: Bonnie’s Path to Success

It’s never too late to start playing violin! Vivaldi Music Academy violin teacher, Bonnie Diggs, started her incredible musical journey around age 13 when her grandparents gifted her family with a violin. Most professional violinists begin at a much younger age however Bonnie’s curiosity and love for learning led her to a professional level in an incredible few years. At age 14 she taught herself the basics of how to play the violin and worked through the Essential Elements for Strings book on her own.

As she progressed, she realized private violin lessons would bring her playing abilities to the next level. After 6 months of lessons, her teacher suggested that she audition for the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra (GNOYO). Much to her surprise, she ended up in their top orchestra! Before she could take her place in GNOYO, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina forced Bonnie’s family to move to Florida.

In September of 2005, Bonnie received a letter from GNOYO informing her they were rebuilding the orchestra and invited her to rejoin them! She spent hours practicing every day and by December 2005, Bonnie had conquered multiple songs. After her first concert she was inspired to dedicate her time to mastering the violin. When the famous violinist Midori was not able to make it to a rehearsal Bonnie stepped in to play the soloist’s Mendelssohn violin concerto on short notice – an amazing feat! As she auditioned for three universities to continue her studies, Bonnie received a full scholarship to each university. Bonnie chose to attend Loyola University and for the first two years she was principal second violinist. She pushed herself to practice more until she became concertmistress!

Bonnie loves to mentor beginners as well as teen and adult students who pursue the violin as it reminds her of the age at which she started playing. She encourages her students to never shy away from performing. She believes music teaches students to build character, confidence, and self-esteem, and looks forward to being a part of your very own journey on the violin!

September 21, 2016 / 0 0

News & Notes – September Newsletter

Join the fun with Vivaldi Strings Performance Program and the Vivaldi Voices Children’s Choir! Sign up today!

The Vivaldi Strings Performance Program serves as a perfect adjunct to private lessons in string instruments, exposing string students to the chamber music (small group) setting to develop self-sufficiency as well as teamwork through peer interaction. Focusing on various aspects of musicianship and designed to reinforce students’ learning in private lessons through collective musical tutelage, each student is motivated to practice as a valuable ensemble member.

The Vivaldi Voices program offers Houston’s young vocalists, ages 6-10, the opportunity to light up the stage while learning the fundamentals of vocal technique. Our group voice faculty coach young singers to utilize their voices safely while singing popular songs from musical theater to the classics as well as today’s pop hits! The Vivaldi Voices look forward to performances in our biannual recitals as well as numerous performance opportunities throughout Houston.

We have exciting performances lined up for Fall 2016! Join the fun today!

Vivaldi Music Academy is proud to participate in the Tahirih Justice Center’s Gala on September 17th. Our Vivaldi String Performance Group will have the opportunity to open for this charity event for women and children in need

From August 24th - 31st, we partnered with The American Red Cross to provide disaster relief for the 20,000 families displaced by the Louisiana flooding. This means that for one week, your check-ins helped support people affected by the flooding. If you would like to help more, please visit the American Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org/.

Mark Your Calendars for the upcoming Winter Recitals!

We are excited to have our students perform and see their amazing progress for the Winter Recital! Please discuss with your teacher if you or your child will be ready. Students must be approved by their teacher and enrolled in the Academy at the time of the recital in order to participate.

The Winter Recitals will be held at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University on the following dates:

Sunday December 11 2016
Saturday December 17 2016
Sunday January 8 2017
Saturday January 14 2017

Please be aware of the following additional dates:

Monday September 26th: Details including schedule and expectations for the recital will be emailed to students

Monday October 10th at 9 am: A link to Sign Up Genius will be emailed to students in order to sign up for the recital. Students will be able to sign up for their teacher’s designated day/time slot(s) or any other day/time slot you prefer.

Friday November 4th at 8 pm: Sign Up Genius will close.

Where is Vivaldi Music Academy going next?

Stay tuned for our big announcement in October of our special Summer 2017 performance venue!!

#VivaldiGoesTo…

Congratulations to our Gold, Silver and Bronze Olympic referral winners in the month of August!

Thank you to: Natalie N. (Gold), Hannah & Benjamin T. (Silver), and Rohan P. (Bronze)!

WEST U
3914 Gramercy St. Suite B
Houston, Texas 77025
713-858-9617

BELLAIRE
5305 Bissonnet St.
Bellaire, Texas 77401
832-404-2299

Upcoming Events

Winter Recital – Shepherd School of Music, Rice University
Sunday December 11 2016
Saturday December 17 2016
Sunday January 8 2017
Saturday January 14 2017

Faculty Recital: Houston Baptist University
Saturday January 28th 2017

Refer a friend & receive a FREE LESSON! Or refer a friend for Vivaldi Seasons and receive $10 off and your friend will receive a FREE REGISTRATION (up to $45 value)

September 7, 2016 / 0 0

August Newsletter – Back to School Edition

Vivaldi Students' Summer Adventures

Venice, Italy | Vivaldi Music Academy Summer 2016 | Piano and Violin

Our students and faculty travelled to Venice, Italy for a recital of a lifetime at the Santa Maria della Pieta also known as Vivaldi’s Church!

Our West U and Bellaire locations are reaching capacity fast! Stay ahead of the game and book your back-to-school lesson times before all the popular after school times are gone!

WEST U
713-858-9617

BELLAIRE
832-404-2299

Stay tuned for the October announcement of where Vivaldi Music Academy goes next summer!

Check out how some of our students also spent their summer vacations:

A cultural experience as Arianna and Sebastian attend the Vienna State Opera!

Keeping cool in the Texas heat, Anisa and Reva spent time with their family!

Max had a blast at Legoland!

Simran is all smiles in the San Diego sun!

Franciska was in California! She was excited to meet Mickey and Minnie at Disneyland!

NEW Sunday Classes for Seasons! Check out our new website for our early childhood music classes.

To accommodate our youngest students, new Sunday classes are being added to the schedule in August. Check out our brand new Seasons website
www.thevivaldiseasons.com
and sign up for a FREE PREVIEW!

Back to School Tips for your Child's Music Education

the back to school season can be hectic! Sometimes simply getting back into the swing of things takes some preparation. Here are some easy tips to ease the transition:

Lock down your schedule
Most kids respond well to consistent schedules, so use a calendar to ensure everyone knows what activities are expected each day. This includes both lessons and practice times! Also, consider including a reward system to help make the connection to consistent practicing and hard work.

Set expectations for practicing
Make sure everyone is on the same page!

Stay organized
Come to music lessons with all the essentials! If your child is especially forgetful, consider creating a checklist and posting it on the door.

Befriend your child’s music teacher
Our teachers encourage parents to sit in on at least the few lessons, which will help ease the anxiety and also allows you to get a feel for their teaching style. Communication is key, for everyone involved!

Don’t forget the practice journal
A practice journal can be an incredibly valuable tool, when both student and teacher are using it effectively. Sit down with your child and review the journal each week.

Congratulations to our faculty members on their recent promotions!

Matthew Gutwald (Director of Piano Pedagogy) and Sam Perez (Director of Guitar Studies) share their philosophies on music education and why they enjoy teaching at Vivaldi Music Academy.

Matthew Gutwald
DIRECTOR OF PIANO PEDAGOGY

On the first day of school, my 3rd grade teacher would play piano for our class to wake us up. I remember getting home from school that same and telling my parents that I wanted to learn how to play the piano. My grandparents gifted me the family piano, and I have not stopped playing since. Lessons and practice have taken me so many places I never thought I would get to experience. When I was given the privilege to perform at Carnegie Hall, I had truly achieved my dreams.

I absolutely love teaching piano because it is such a versatile instrument. Students are able to explore, experiment, create, and imagine infinite styles, sounds, and melodies. My philosophy for teaching piano is to build strong, well rounded fundamentals and habits that can be used universally for any genre of music that interest the students. Being trained as a classical pianist, I strive to expose my students and their families to music that they may not have heard, ranging from Bach to Prokofiev. My favorite thing about this job is the fact that every lesson is different. I get to be outrageous and make people laugh while they learn, build rapport, and see people grow and progress into artistic musicians.

Sam Perez
DIRECTOR OF GUITAR STUDIES

My relationship with guitar began with my wonderful parents. When I was 8 years old my parents surprised me with a guitar from a Sears catalog. From that day on, my life has been an amazing adventure taking me to places I never thought possible. My perspective as a teacher is that the guitar is a very unique instrument, it is challenging and rewarding at the same time. Playing the guitar teaches children to think differently. I enjoy teaching kids to play the “classical” way because there are many developmental benefits. While harvesting fine motor skills, my students have learned to play anything from Taylor Swift to Bach. I emphasize sustainable playing by teaching students and parents that having healthy habits in our musical education will positively influence the rest of our lives. My favorite thing about my job is seeing people young and old grow in confidence as their skills develop on a weekly basis.

REFER A FRIEND

Refer a friend & receive a FREE LESSON! Or refer a friend for Vivaldi Seasons and receive $10 off and your friend will receive a FREE REGISTRATION (up to $45 value)

Our Vivaldi family is growing!
Welcome to our new staff and a new baby!

I am so incredibly happy to join the Vivaldi Team! I’m excited to be around such talented individuals!
– Amanda

I’m excited to join such a talented and creative staff, it’s great to be surrounded by like-minded people!
– Gina

I’m so happy to be a part of the Vivaldi team and looking forward to meeting everyone! Let’s rock N’ roll!
– April

Congratulations to our wonderful piano/guitar teacher, Dr. Colin Davis and his wife, Jenny, on their little bundle of joy, Adeline!

This August, you can help build a school for children in developing nations by checkin gin on Facebook at Vivaldi Music Academy! We’ve partnered with Causely and buildOn to help fight poverty by providing access to education. Remember to add #bricks4schools when you check-in! For more information about this month’s charity, visit buildon.org For every check-in the Academy donates a portion to this month’s charity.

Vivaldi Music Academy is happy to announce our partnership with the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra

Upcoming Events

Winter Recitals – Rice University
Dec 11th and Dec 17th (2016) & Jan 8th and Jan 14th (2017)

Faculty Recital – Houston Baptist University
January 28th, 2017

September 5, 2016 / 0 0

Venice Edition – July Newsletter

Check out our hashtag
#VivaldiGoestoVenice
on social media for a glimpse of our Venetian debut!

VIVALDI GOES TO VENICE

Congratulations to our students and faculty on their Venetian debut!

Students and faculty arrived on June 23rd for a recital of a lifetime by water bus (vaporetto), water taxi, train and on foot through the canals and streets of Venice at the Santa Maria della Pieta (Vivaldi’s church). The Pieta hosted a gathering of family and friends to celebrate an early evening of music, music education and our namesake Antonio Vivaldi. Tourists and locals joined the audience to enjoy our students’ performances along with faculty performances that included pieces from an Italian favorite, Cinema Paradiso.

Vivaldi, the famous Venetian composer and master of violin, wrote countless compositions during his time as a music educator at the Santa Maria della Pieta from 1703-1740. While rising to the rank of concertmaster, Vivaldi directed the children’s choir and all-girls orchestra through the church’s orphanage at the time, the Ospedale della Pieta. Established in the fourteenth century, the Ospedale now operates as the Instituto Provinciale Per L’Infanzia, a charitable institution that provides education and assists children and mothers in need. All proceeds from our recital benefited this charity for children and women.

NEW class times for Early Childhood Development Music Classes – Vivaldi Seasons

Our popular early childhood music classes are filling up quick – so we have added new class times! We are brimming with new ideas and can’t wait to share our new classes with you developed by our very own faculty. Our Seasons program and classes will focus on overall musicianship, introduction to instruments and serve as the best music preparatory program for your child to enter into private instruction.

Winter

ages 4 – 6

Thursday at 5pm – BELLAIRE

Summer

ages 2-3

Monday at 10 am – West U

Vivaldi Music Academy is proud to announce our partnership with River Oaks Chamber Orchestra!

ROCO is a professional chamber orchestra of 40 select musicians from Houston and all over the world, creating and collaborating together in a way unlike any other chamber orchestra in the country. ROCO instills a culture of creative collaborations that result in varied programming and a range of interpretations. Yet it is always presented in the unique ROCO style, approachable, conversational, and personal. Benefits for Vivaldi students and families will be announced in the fall…stay tuned!

REFER A FRIEND

& RECEIVE A FREE LESSON!
or refer a friend for
Vivaldi Seasons, receive $10 off!
and your friend will receive
FREE REGISTRATION
(up to $45 value)

Upcoming Events

Summer Recess 2016
Saturday, July 2nd – Tuesday, July 5th
(classes and lessons resume Wednesday July 6th 2016)

September 1, 2016 / 0 0

Call Us Text Us

All posts in “Voice Lessons”

Vivaldi Rocks, Strings and Choir Group Classes

Friends of Vivaldi

Bringing our love of music to the community!

We love music project!

Faculty Concert!

REGISTRATION BEGINS 9 AM SATURDAY JANUARY 21st

WINTER RECITALS AT SHEPHERD SCHOOL OF MUSIC, RICE UNIVERSITY

Ring in the new year with music lessons at Houston’s premier music academy!

WINNER OF THE iPHONE 7 REFERRAL CONTEST TO BE ANNOUNCED JANUARY 15th!

REFERRAL REWARDS

Vivaldi Music Academy Goes to the Family Theater at the Kennedy Center

Introducing the Musical Ladder System

REMINDER

Winter Recitals 2016-2017

WINTER RECESS

Student of the Month: Addison C.!

VIVALDI MUSIC ACADEMY GOES TO THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER! REGISTRATION BEGINS 9 AM, SATURDAY JANUARY 21ST

“I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.” President John F. Kennedy

Don’t miss out on signing up for Vivaldi Music Academy’s Student Winter Recitals at Rice University!

Student of the Month: Matthew F.

TIS THE SEASON TO GIVE THANKS!

FACULTY CONCERT

Enrolling Now!

Where will Vivaldi Music Academy go for the Summer 2017 performance?

Costume Contest!

Winter Recital

New Seasons Class Time!

Student of the Month

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Join the fun with Vivaldi Strings Performance Program and the Vivaldi Voices Children’s Choir! Sign up today!

Vivaldi Music Academy is proud to participate in the Tahirih Justice Center’s Gala on September 17th. Our Vivaldi String Performance Group will have the opportunity to open for this charity event for women and children in need

Mark Your Calendars for the upcoming Winter Recitals!

Where is Vivaldi Music Academy going next? Stay tuned for our big announcement in October of our special Summer 2017 performance venue!! #VivaldiGoesTo…

Upcoming Events

Vivaldi Students' Summer Adventures

Stay tuned for the October announcement of where Vivaldi Music Academy goes next summer!

Check out how some of our students also spent their summer vacations:

NEW Sunday Classes for Seasons! Check out our new website for our early childhood music classes.

Back to School Tips for your Child's Music Education

Congratulations to our faculty members on their recent promotions!

Matthew Gutwald DIRECTOR OF PIANO PEDAGOGY

Sam Perez DIRECTOR OF GUITAR STUDIES

REFER A FRIEND

Our Vivaldi family is growing! Welcome to our new staff and a new baby!

Upcoming Events

VIVALDI GOES TO VENICE

NEW class times for Early Childhood Development Music Classes – Vivaldi Seasons

Winter

Summer

Vivaldi Music Academy is proud to announce our partnership with River Oaks Chamber Orchestra!

REFER A FRIEND

Upcoming Events

WINNER OF THE iPHONE 7
REFERRAL CONTEST TO BE
ANNOUNCED
JANUARY 15th!

REFERRAL
REWARDS

VIVALDI MUSIC ACADEMY GOES TO THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER!
REGISTRATION BEGINS 9 AM, SATURDAY JANUARY 21ST

“I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.”
President John F. Kennedy

Where is Vivaldi Music Academy going next?

Stay tuned for our big announcement in October of our special Summer 2017 performance venue!!

#VivaldiGoesTo…

Matthew Gutwald
DIRECTOR OF PIANO PEDAGOGY

Sam Perez
DIRECTOR OF GUITAR STUDIES

Our Vivaldi family is growing!
Welcome to our new staff and a new baby!