By: Renee Bordner
NWE Music Studio Director

What is a metronome? 
met·ro·nome
/ˈmetrəˌnōm/ 

noun

1. a device used by musicians that marks time at a selected rate by giving a regular tick. per the Oxford Dictionary.


2. It is a useful tool for students of all ages and stages to practice keeping a steady beat.

If you do not already have a physical or virtual metronome, please take the time to ensure that your student has one.  Please also talk with your teacher about how to use it as each of our students should be practicing with a metronome.  Each instructor has preferred metronomes, but if you need a little help, here is a good list of metronome apps https://prodigies.com/10-best-digital-metronome-apps-for-musicians/  

Happy counting!

​Musically yours,
Renee 

By: Renee Bordner
​NWE Music Director

​Music can ease hearing loss.
We have all heard about how learning to play a musical instrument can help children increase their math skills, vocabulary, etc.  There are studies about how playing a musical instrument can help older adults with confusion and dementia.  Self-esteem and confidence are also skills we know that musicians can develop.  Here is a study link to learn about how music can help ease hearing loss!  Check it out for yourself! 
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/05/31/530723021/like-brain-boot-camp-using-music-to-ease-hearing-loss?sc=17&f=1128&utm_source=iosnewsapp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=app

Musically yours,

​Renee 

By: Renee Bordner
NWE Music Studio Director

​A mom of three of our terrific students sent me this link.  We all know about how music lessons can increase students' math and reading scores.  We all know about how music lessons can teach students about discipline, time management, etc.  However, this article has a different message about how valuable music lessons are for our developing children.
Please take a few minutes to read this and let me know your thoughts.
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/16/03/music-lessons?utm_source=SilverpopMailing

Musically yours,

Renee 

By: Renee Bordner
NWE Music Studio Director

I often hear from parents that they do not feel their child is "ready" to participate in a performance event with our studio.  Unfortunately, I usually do not agree.  When a student can play a piece as simple as "Hot Cross Buns" on the instrument and feel good about it, the student is ready! Students who are uneasy about performing in front of a large formal audience can start by performing for family and friends over a video chat in their home.  Teddy bear recitals at home for students' stuffed animals can be a terrific way for students to start performing.  Personal recitals for family and close friends are also a very safe and supportive environment for shy students.  We love to hear about how students create tickets, programs, and even refreshments afterward for their recitals.  We also encourage students who are extremely hesitant to perform to attend our events as our guests.  Seeing other students like them performing can be an incredible inspiration.

I believe in offering our students multiple performance opportunities throughout a calendar year.  It is important to me that we offer a variety of casual and formal events.  We have also added competitive events for our students who are motivated by competition.  Our Winter Holiday Recitals are very special as they are our most formal event that is open to all of our students.  We welcome our beginner through advanced students to perform and celebrate each other's successes.  Our spring outdoor music festival, Note-worthypalooza, is a light-hearted event with musicians performing at different stages simultaneously.

I encourage all of our instructors, students, and families to have conversations about performances throughout the year.  We find that many students are motivated by performing while some are inspired by dressing up, and others are motivated by the family celebrations after.  As an educator, I believe it is my role to help students discover their motivators and use them to help students achieve the next big goal!  Performance skills can easily be applied to future situations a student will encounter. Students can use this knowledge to identify and cope with performance anxieties to job interviews and presentations to coworkers or classmates.

If you musician has performance anxiety, please reach out to your instructor and me.  We would be honored to help create a plan for your musician to have a successful performance!

​Musically yours,

​Renee

By: Renee Bordner
​NWE Music Studio Director

​note·wor·thy
ˈnōtˌwərT͟Hē/
adjective

1. interesting, significant, or unusual.

I have been asked many times over the years why our studio name is Note-worthy Experiences.  Honestly, there is not a significant story or explanation.  I simply wanted our lessons and recitals to be more of an "experience" than a task that is crossed off of a list.  Our  lessons are something more than just learning about the notes.  I have always thought that puns are truly fun!  Having  Note-worthy as a part of the name seemed appropriate since the definition is "interesting, significant or unusual" and of course there is the implication of a musical note.  In summary, the studio name is simply a cute way to imply an interesting musical experience.


Musically yours,

​Renee

By: Renee Bordner
​NWE Music Studio Director

The retailers have been telling us for weeks that it is going to be back-to-school season soon!  Usually, families receive a checklist from the teacher of items needed for the student to be successful throughout the year. These lists are often checked multiple times and the supplies are carefully labeled with each child’s name (in hopes that the child can hang onto the items for the entire year).  In our family, this ritual of purchasing these supplies and labeling them was a symbol of a fresh start for a new year. One of hope, promise, and excitement to start a new adventure. 

Most people think of crayons, glue, scissors, and paper as back to school supplies.  At Note-worthy Experiences Music Studio, our back to school supplies also include staff paper, music stands, metronomes, tuners, rosin, cork grease, instrument repairs, and even new instruments!  We want our musicians to have that same sense of hope, promise, and excitement as they dive into new music and or audition for a new role in their band, orchestra, or chorus! We want our music students to begin the year with confidence that they can accomplish lofty goals and chase big dreams.  Sometimes it might be a new piece of music or a fresh assignment notebook that can spark this energy. However, it can be very challenging for students to keep this excitement going if they are working on a broken, untuned instrument or one that they have outgrown. Please be sure to check in with your child AND your instructor to make sure that they are using the proper instrument for the child to take their music to the next level. 

​Piano students should be working on weighted action digital piano with a pedal or an acoustic piano. Viola, viola, and cello students should be working on an instrument that coordinates with their height. Drum students should work with full sets and guitarists should work with a youth or full-sized guitar. In some situations, it is more cost-effective to rent an instrument until the child reaches the full-sized instrument size and level.  Our instructors can assist in answering many of your questions about which instruments and other supplies to consider adding for your musician.

​Musically yours,

​Renee
​

By: Renee Bordner
NWE Music Studio Director

​I often am asked if our students should memorize music for performances.  For our students who elect to participate in adjudications or auditions, they are required to memorize the music.  I do not ask our students to memorize their music otherwise for our informal and formal recitals.  Since this question so frequently comes up, I thought I would sit down and research and write a massive blog entry about the evolution of how memorizing music came to be and the benefits.  In my efforts to research this popular topic, I discovered that this article already had everything I wanted, plus it had links to listen to beautiful music.  Please take a few minutes to read, listen and share your thoughts with me.  I want to know if you prefer to hear and see a musician perform memorized music or not.

https://mattixmusic.com/why-memorize-music/


Musically yours,

​Renee

By: Renee Bordner
NWE Music Studio Director



It is hard to believe that we are officially halfway through 2021!  We have truly enjoyed watching all that our students have accomplished so far.  Some of our students and I are still working on our New Year Resolutions!

We are working on our fall schedules and adding additional instructors to our team to be able to offer your family even more musical opportunities.  Let me know if you would like to see a specialty workshop take place or if you would like to join a band or chamber group.  We are here to help you with your musical goals.

This month, Note-worthy Experiences will turn fourteen years old!  I am humbled by all that we have accomplished together.  When I started teaching my son and a few friends' children, I told myself that I would always put the students first and then figure everything else out.  Fast forward fourteen years and we are still putting our students first and we love watching them accomplish their musical goals and setting new ones!  Thank you to all of you who have supported NWE in the past 14 years, I truly appreciate each and every one of you.

Musically yours,
Renee

By: Renee Bordner
NWE Music Studio Director

June marks the official start of summer!  It also marks our one year anniversary of outdoor lessons!.  Your support for outdoor lessons throughout all sorts of weather has been appreciated.  

Thank you to all of our musicians, families, volunteers and instructors for your support of our first ever Note-worthypalooza.  Please mark your calendars for a tentative Note-worthypalooza #2 on May 1, 2022.

Congratulations to all of our high school graduates, Piano Guild Members and NWE Scholarship Competition Finalists.

Welcome to all of our new students and instructors, we are thrilled to have you be a part of our NWE Family.

We wish those of you who are traveling the safest of trips.  We cannot wait to hear about any new and different music you hear along the way.

For those of you who need to adjust your autumn schedules, we are scheduling lessons now.  We are happy to help with your schedule.
Thank you for your continued support of Note-worthy Experiences Music Studio.

Musically yours,

Renee