Join the SYSO Concert!

Please note the date, and check it. We would like the Enduring Strings kids to perform on this concert. I will be sending a letter about this home with all our musicians this week. Watch for it.
Here is a download link for a PDF of this flyer. Please print a couple and help us wallpaper the community with them. 
DEF

We're Under Way

Happy 2019-2020 school year. Enduring Strings is underway, bigger and better than ever. The kids you see above are the veterans. They are a group we're calling Euphony - look it up. Yes, an expression of hope on my part. As you can see, they are a calm, quiet, and low-keyed kind of bunch. And shy, too.
When I get around to it, we'll get Miss Jen to write something about her beginning group.
I'm writing today mostly to remind parents of our Monday nights. At 5:00 on Mondays I am at CUMC to give our kids a chance to work with their instruments on things they need to practice. I have already invited Miss Jen to send her beginners to take advantage of Monday nights. One of the reasons I started doing this is that every kid needs to make, let's call them getting acquainted with the instrument noises. Just not when their instructor is trying to do something else. Monday nights are for that, plus maybe a little extra help.
If you are a beginner, I promise I will never step on Miss Jen's toes. Before I offer any genuine instruction, which may somehow inadvertently conflict with Miss Jen's instruction, I will always begin by asking, "Show me how Miss Jen wants you to do it." I try to be more supervisor and caretaker on Monday nights.
Check back here soon. I am learning how to make some of our music and work available for download, and will post some other things that are designed for parents and kids at home.
Peace,
Mr. David

Going Forward

It's my shoe on a dirty floor. You try and come up with an appropriate picture that isn't the same old back to school cliche. 
Anyway, I can't believe we're so close to beginning another school year. June, the washout that it was, has made it seem that we're in the middle of summer instead of the beginning of school season. I have tried to make use of the summer the best I can - with some success, yet - and I hope your summer has been what you needed.
There are big changes coming to our program this year. The biggest change is that we will be adding a teacher. Her name is Jennifer Venutolo, another local many of you might know already. I asked her for a bio/blurb, and here it is.

JenniferVenutolo has been teaching string instruments for 16 years.  Her primary instrument is violin and she plays professionally at various engagements throughout the year.  She earned a Bachelor’s Degree from DePauw University in Music and Business, and a Master’s Degree in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter and puppy dog. 

Jennifer will be taking on the new beginners, while I will be carrying on with the veterans. (Hah! "Veterans." Yet some have been playing for a long time, now.) We will have Euphony Ensemble - that's their official moniker now - Monday through Thursday from 7:30 to 8:15. Friday is their day to please themselves. I will also be doing some lessons on Mondays at 4:00, and we will continue to make time for instruments to be in use with less insisting from me, at 5:00 - 6:00. I think of that time as time our kids can come learn to practice, do some practicing, or just make instrument sounds.

Beginners will meet with Jennifer on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 - 8:15.

A bigger program means more space. The beginners will continue to meet in the music room we have been using. Euphony will be in the space between the cafeteria upstairs and the old sanctuary. It's a good space, and it will feel normal in no time.

Watch this space.

Really.

More info shortly.

DEF

Pics from May Performance

A while back, in May, we gave a performance to wrap up our year. The photos I'm posting come to me from Miss Kathy. (She's got a guy.) From the pictures you can barely tell that our performance had some characteristics of a chaotic, anarchic, free-for-all. (Noted and put at the top of the "never again" list.) What they did was fine, we're going to work on how we present ourselves.

I saw a lot of pictures being taking at the Tea, and I ask that you please share them here.

Enjoy. Maybe I'll get around to labelling or captioning them sometime. At least you can see them.
Last day of classes for us tomorrow. Whoopdedoo!

Enroll for 2019-20 - INFO

Thank you, Miss Kathy

Greetings. There's a chance you found this blog because your  child  brought home a promotional keychain after seeing some of our students perform during their last school assembly of the year. Welcome.
Enduring Strings is a cooperative effort between the Suburban Youth Symphony and the Crete United Methodist Church Before & After School Program, which is run by Kathy Carter Young. (As you can see, we believe in long, hard to type names around here.) To enroll your child in Enduring Strings you must contact her, Miss Kathy.
New students will have class on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 AM to 8:15 and head to school from CUMC. We start September 10th and go to the end of the school year. Instruments and materials are provided.
Our program is evolving and growing, and now is a great time to join. The very first post on this blog will give you a little more information about the program, and you can always contact me through this blog at enduringstringscrete@gmail.com. (This goes for parents with kids already in the program, too. Go on, send me an email - just to reassure me.) I will be glad to answer any questions or give any explanation you might need.
But to enroll your child, you must contact Miss Kathy. Do that by calling (708) 672-8353. That's right, call Miss Kathy. She's great, and she will be able to help. And we would love to have you join.

Absence Makes the Posts Bigger

I am still new to being an incredibly busy person. I remember hearing that it's the busy people that get the most done. Maybe, but they fail to tell you that the busy people also end up with the longest lists of things they haven't done yet, too. 

I understand that blogging is about creating content. It's on my list.

So today - meant to get to it yesterday - I am writing one huge post filled with both information and entertainment.

It's important that you know we have changed the date for our end-of-the-year performance/tea. It is now happening May 18. More information will follow, but please get that Saturday afternoon on your calendar.

I want to remind you about Monday nights. At 5:00 on Mondays in our room at CUMC we do an after school hour of violin. Extra help, a chance for the kids to do some practice or some unstructured playing, a lesson for/with Mom or Dad, a chance to talk to me about anything at all. That's what Monday nights are for. Take advantage, please.

Then there's this.

Please consider coming. Yes, I know it's kind of late. It was on my list.

And finally, some examples of the hard work the students do. Or future blackmail material. ("Are you sure you want to do that? Maybe you want me to post your River Dancing to your feed. Maybe you want your friends to see that.") Either way.

It all started with this

And you have to admit that if you encountered that, you'd decide to record it, too.
Of course, once an opportunity to perform for a camera appeared everybody had some performance to share.
That meant we got this reply to the River Dance above.

That led to this.  And as I say during the video, I blame my duo partner Mindy. I was horrified to learn that they are happy to sing every one of the billion "verses" of the thing.

And finally, when you must do something because you can't get your elaborate plans off the ground you resign yourselves to French Folk Song.

So, there's some content for you.
I should be practicing. It's always on my list. And Sunday is coming fast. I hope to see you there.