Happy New Year! I hope that you had a wonderful holiday season filled with friends, family and joyful celebrations. The new year naturally leads us to reflect on the past year and the events that made it spe-cial. We also imagine the new possibilities of 2012 blooming from our wishes, dreams and goals.

In this month’s lessons, we will spend some time talking about our goals for this coming semester and make some musical resolu-tions. Is there a particular song that you

want to learn? Would you like to move up to the next level of your lesson book? Would you like to study to take the Texas Music Theory test for your level?

No matter your musical goal, the one criti-cal thing you need to accomplish it is prac-tice. You will not achieve your goal if you don’t practice even if you have everything else in your favor. Take some time to reflect on when, how much, and how frequently you practice and whether or not you are tracking your work with your practice

record. Would a resolution to improve your practice habits be of benefit to you? If so, consider setting some small practice goals. As always let me know if you need help. I have some tricks and techniques that can help you stay motivated and on target to make your goals.

Looking forward to sharing 2012 with you!

Beth Hotchkiss Owner & Instructor

This month I’d like to introduce you to Darby. She is an eight-year-old piano student who has been taking piano for a year-and-a-half and started lessons with Beth in October. Darby sat down for an inter-view on January 3rd to talk a little about New Year’s resolutions and practicing daily.

Darby has managed to do something that seems almost impos-sible – she has practiced every single day since December 13th – that’s three weeks! When I asked about her practicing secrets, Darby said that she practices for 20 minutes every day, even on the weekends. To help her remember on the weekends, she practices after lunch. During the week, she likes to practice after all of her homework is done.

She really doesn’t have a set practicing routine, but she always starts with her favorite song of that week. When talking about her theory work, she said that it varied every day but she always does it during her practice time. Darby is definitely being rewarded for all her practice. She is learning her songs a lot faster lately, and she doesn’t get as many songs assigned to review as she did before practicing every day. Her progress has been remarkable; at her last lesson, she was able to pass off four etudes!

When Darby is not practicing she is active in Girl Scouts. She loves horses and dogs, and wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. One of Darby’s musical goals this semester is to learn more about composing her own songs. She loves to take time after practicing to experiment by playing her own, made-up music.

What is your current practice schedule like? Are you like Darby in that you like to have a set time every day to practice? Do you have a specific order you use to practice your music, or do you skip around like Darby does? Whatever your current practice habits, I encourage you to spend some time reflecting on what your prac-tice goals are for the New Year.

Darby – Practicer Extraordinaire

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Inside this Issue

Composer Spotlight – 2

Brahms

Instrument Round-Up – 3

Classical Guitar

Industry Insights – 4Instrument Builder

Newsletter January 2012 • Volume 2, Issue 1

Upcoming Events – 5Local Classical Music

Resources – 4Online Tuners

1

Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms achieved fame and renown as a composer both during his lifetime and after his death. He was once called “music’s greatest hope for the fu-ture” by fellow composer and music critic Robert Schumann. He is often grouped together with Bach and Beethoven as the “Three B’s” because he is so revered as a composer.

Brahms worked hard to uphold the Classical period’s (~1750 – 1820) orga-nized traditions while at the same time embracing the Romantic period’s (~1820 – 1910) new expressionism. This balance gave his music the emotion common in the Romantic period while still being highly structured and planned as in the Classical Period.

Brahms’ entry into the musical world was anything but traditional. For hundreds of

years, most professional composers and musicians entered the profession because their fathers and grandfathers were also composers and musicians. They would of-ten study with well-known and respected composers and musician as well as tour Europe performing concerts.

While Brahms’ father was a musician, he was less than successful, and could not provide his son with the best musical education. Young Brahms helped his fam-ily earn money by playing piano in restau-rants and taverns. His talent soon brought him attention from other composers and performers who were able to mentor him.

Robert Schumann was one of his greatest mentors and friends. In fact, Brahms was a great friend of the entire Schumann fam-ily, and when Robert fell ill during the last two years of his life, Brahms went to live with the family to help them during that difficult time.

Brahms was such great friends with Robert’s wife, Clara Schumann, that many people speculate that they secretly fell in love; but I happen to believe that they were just devoted friends and fellow musicians.

It was natural for both Brahms and Clara to tour together promoting the compositions of both Brahms and Robert Schumann. In fact, they both toured until Clara’s death in May of 1896. Brahms died less than a year later in March of 1897 of liver cancer.

Brahms composed music in several genres including symphonies and cham-ber music, but the majority of his work was composed for piano. He is best known for his Academic Festival Overture, and Hungarian Dances, which are both for symphony orchestras, and “Paganini” Variations and Variations on a Theme by Handel for piano.

Composer Spotlight

BandStar Musical Instruments is pleased to work with the families in the Sharing the Love of Music Studio. Bandstar allows you to rent a full-range of instruments online and have them shipped to your home or school. Bandstar also has a full service location in Kyle.

Their rental program includes the follow-ing features:

• Second month free • Rental payments go toward

purchase • Exchange or cancel at anytime

with no additional fees

BandStar Musical Instruments402 South Old Highway 81Kyle, Texas 78640(512) 393-1258www.bandstarmusic.com

Know Someone that loves Music?

You can receive a $20 credit for referring a new student or family.

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Johannes Brahms

(1833 – 1897)

Source: Wikimedia Commons

2

ClassiCal Guitar

While guitar-like instruments date back at least 3,400 years, the instrument that the modern guitar descends from did not show up until the 14th century. The classical guitar is often forgotten among today’s steel-string acoustic and electric guitars that have a great hold on our culture’s imagination. This oversight is unfortunate because the classical guitar was an important mile-stone in instrument design and has a distinct sound that separates it from its decedents.

The classical guitar’s strings create a quiet, warm tone. Its strings were origi-nally made of catgut. Despite the name, no cats were ever harmed in the mak-ing of catgut. Instead it came from the intestines of sheep, goat, cattle or even horses. By 1940, nylon strings for gui-tars were born and livestock the world over breathed a sigh of relief. Today, a classical guitar’s top three strings are nylon and its bottom three strings are steel wrapped wire.

By contrast, the strings of modern guitars are made of steel. Their strings consist of a steel core wrapped by a bronze- or nickel-plated steel wire. These strings produce an edgy, metal-lic tone that is much striking than the warm tones of classical guitar’s nylon strings.

A classical guitar is also shaped differ-ently than modern guitars. The neck or fingerboard of the classical guitar is wider than that of the steel-string gui-tars. This additional width is necessary in accommodating the thicker nylon strings. This wider neck also allows for extra room for the performer to pre-cisely pluck each note directly with his fingertip or fingernail in an often com-plex part. This style of playing is called fingerstyle technique or fingerpicking.

In contrast, many acoustic and electric guitar players often play individual notes using a technique called flatpick-ing, which uses a very thin piece of plastic called a pick to strum the string. Flatpicking requires no extra space to accommodate the performer’s fingers and so the neck is narrower to ease strain on the performer’s left hand.

Modern guitars are commonly used for a wider variety of music styles including jazz, rock, folk, blues, heavy metal and R&B. On the other hand, classical gui-tars are typically reserved for flamenco music and classical compositions. But the classical guitar’s versatility has led to many instrument builders designing new styles that play in new ways. One such neo-classical guitar is the Brahms guitar, invented in 1994. It was created specifically to play Brahms’ piano com-position Theme and Variations Opus 21. The Brahms guitar has eight strings and is played upright, just like a cello.

Instrument Roundup

NeckFretboard

&Strings

Tone Hole

Body

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Sharing theLove of

www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com • (512) 660-3149

The Guitar PlayerPainting by Vermeer

(c. 1672)

Source: Wikimedia Commons

3

instrument Builder

While I was researching information about classical and Brahms guitars, I was a little overwhelmed with information about cus-tom-built guitars. It really got me thinking about the folks behind all these amazing musical instruments.

A musical instrument builder/designer must be an extremely creative person and talented musical performer with a great ability for handcrafts. A career as an instru-ment builder and designer is very unique

and specialized so it is easy to wonder where someone learns the skills neces-sary to enter this trade. The answer to that is somewhat confusing, because, while there are a few schools that offer courses in guitar construction, none of them are traditional colleges or universities.

Most students who wish to learn about instrument design and construction will need to have an apprenticeship with a more experienced master craftsman. Prior to that, some experience in woodworking and/or metalworking is usually needed,

and it can be gained by taking a wood-working or metalworking course at a local community college.

Once an instrument builder or designer has completed their apprenticeship, they have a few career options available to them. They can work for a factory, shop or company to continue honing their skills or even work on their own to create custom instruments. Most who have worked hard to become qualified do find that it takes many years to become a skilled master craftsman.

Industry Insights

Online TunersThis month we again turn to the wonders of the internet and its many resources for musicians. My favorite part about all of these practical, useful resources – they are all free!

The world of online tuners is relegated mostly to guitar; however some online tuners such as those on the Jamplay website will provide the option of choosing either a digital or chromatic tuner that will work for any instrument. Either tuner will work for any musician as long as they have a microphone or line-in on their computer.

Online Guitar TunersSure, in a perfect world we would never lose our tuner, the batter-

ies would never die, and we would never accidentally drop it and then watch helpless as it shattered into broken shards of the tuner we once knew and loved. Until then, there are several guitar tun-ers available to use online for just these moments. Unfortunately, there are no available digital chromatic tuners for exclusively for woodwind or brass instrumentalists. However, the digital tuner offered by Jamplay will work for most instruments.

www.gieson.com/Library/projects/utilities/tunerwww.get-tuned.com/old_online_guitar_tuner.phpwww.guitarforbeginners.com/onlinetuner.htmlwww.howtotuneaguitar.orgwww.jamplay.com/tools/online-guitar-tuner

Don’t Forget:February tuition for Sharing the Love of Music is due on the 1st. You can pay online using your family portal at www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com.

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Upcoming EventsBelow are just a small number of upcoming classical music events in-and-around Austin. Check out www.classicalmusicaustin.org for more listings.

January

Thales Smith on Classical Guitarwww.cpcaustin.org/worship-and-music/music/thursday-noon-concerts

• January 12, 12 p.m.Central Presbyterian Church

Shawn Colvin and Lyle Lovett in Concert for Marathon Kidswww.austintheatre.org

• January 13, 7 p.m.The Paramount Theatre

The Austin Symphony Presents Emmanuel Ax on PianoAustin Symphonywww.conspirare.org

• January 13 and 14, 8 p.m.Dell Hall

Susan McDonald on Classical Guitarwww.cpcaustin.org/worship-and-music/music/thursday-noon-concerts

• January 19, 12 p.m.Central Presbyterian Church

Two to TangoFeaturing Raul Jaurena on bandoneon and Michelle Schumann on pianowww.austinchambermusic.org

• January 21, 7:30 p.m.First Unitarian Church

Jody Talbot: Path of Miracleswww.cpcaustin.org/worship-and-music/music/thursday-noon-concerts

• January 20 and 21, 8 p.m. • January 22, 3 p.m.

St. Martin’s Lutheran Church

Whitacre & Lewis: New Year’s Specialwww.cpcaustin.org/worship-and-music/music/thursday-noon-concerts

• January 21, 5 p.m.St. Martin’s Lutheran Church

Salon Concertwww.salonconcerts.org

• January 22, 4:30 p.m.Location TBA

• January 23, 7 p.m.Location TBA

• January 24, 6 p.m. Rush Hour Concert at the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center

UT Faculty Artist Recital featuring Rick Rowley on Pianowww.utexas.edu/know/events/20120123/e18573

• January 23, 7:30 p.m.Bates Recital Hall

Nicolas Reynolds on Pianowww.cpcaustin.org/worship-and-music/music/thursday-noon-concerts

• January 26, 12 p.m.Central Presbyterian Church

Johannes Möller playing classical guitarwww.austinclassicalguitar.org

• January 28, 8 p.m.Northwest Hills United Methodist Church

FeBruary

Julie Ann Fiore & Jeanne Sasaki – Singer & Pianistwww.cpcaustin.org/worship-and-music/music/thursday-noon-concerts

• February 2, 12 pmCentral Presbyterian Church

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