April 2026 Fall Studio News

SCROLL DOWN for:

1.    April Invoices

2.    No Lessons March 30-April 9

3.    Performance Masterclass #8

4.    Performance Attendance

5.    Kudos to Stellar Students!

6.    Upcoming Performances – Students

7.    Upcoming Performances – Mrs. Fall

8.    Interesting Links

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1. APRIL INVOICES 

April tuition invoices were sent by email today. For some students, there may be additional charges for music and/or supplies already received, or to be received soon. During the school year, payments are due on or before the first lesson of each month.

Tuition payments can be made by check or using the PayPal or Venmo payment services. If using PayPal or Venmo, please send as a payment to a friend. If you choose to send payment for goods or services, the additional 3.5% fee will be passed on to you.

Please contact Mrs. Fall if you have any questions about tuition and/or billing.

2. NO LESSONS MARCH 30-APRIL 9

Mr. & Mrs. Fall will be on a 2-week spring vacation, traveling to Argentina during the FCPS spring break and the following week. Lessons will resume on Monday, April 13th.

3. PERFOMANCE MASTERCLASS #8

We will begin each Performance Masterclass with performances by students preparing for upcoming Solo & Ensemble Festivals and competitions.

As time allows, students will perform new music in progress.

Performance selections and order will be emailed to around a week before the classes. This document will also be posted on the studio website calendar page.

Sunday, April 19

Group B (Violas)

5:00-6:30pm

Alex

Nathan

Jinger

Evelyn

Jason

Donnovon

Group A (Violins)

7:00-8:30pm

Rebecca 

Eilin

Noah

Jaden 

Emily

4. PERFORMANCE ATTENDANCE

Jinger and Rebecca have each exceeded the Performance Attendance requirement!!

Rebecca has attended SIX concerts! Stellar!!

Jinger has attended FIVE concerts! Outstanding!

Evelyn and Alex have each completed the Performance Attendance requirement!! They have each attended THREE concerts! Exceptional!

Don’t stop now – keep attending concerts!

Eilin, Jason and Jaden have each attended two concerts! Way to go!!

Noah and Emily have each attended one concert! Woo-hoo!

For Performance Attendance credit, bring a program or ticket stub to your lesson. If there is no program or ticket stub available, bring or send a selfie photo of you at the concert.

Remember: In order to maintain a place in the studio, all students are required to attend a minimum of 3 concerts/performances performed by professional musicians of their instrument during the school year. Students are, however, encouraged to attend as many concerts as possible!

5. KUDOS TO STELLAR STUDENTS!

ALL STUDENTS received Superior ratings from BOTH judges at the March 6^th Spring Festival! The judges’ comments were helpful and positive. They were very impressed with your performances!!

Alex and Jinger each performed brilliantly at the March 1st NVMTA Honors Recital.

Alex, Jaden, and Nathan each performed beautifully at the the March 22^nd NVMTA Judged Recital.

Bravi tutti!!

6. UPCOMING PERFORMANCES – STUDENTS

The coming weeks are full of performances!!

Sunday, March 29 – NVMTA General Recital

Evelyn will perform movements 2-3-4 of Suite in D Major by GP Telemann

Emily will perform Romance in F Major, Op. 50 by L. van Beethoven

Eilin will perform movement 1 of Concerto in E Minor, Op. 13 by L. Portnoff

Saturday, April 18 – NVMTA Strings-only Judged Recital

Rebecca will perform In a Persian Market by A. Ketèlbey

Alex will perform Hopak by M. Moussorgsky

Jinger will perform Elègie by H. Vieuxtemps

Jason will perform Allegro Appassionato by F. Bridge

VBODA Solo & Ensemble Festivals!

District 12 - Friday, April 17

Jason will perform Allegro Appassionato by F. Bridge

Alex will perform Hopak by M. Moussorgsky

District 10 – Friday, April 24

Donnovon will perform the Prelude from Suite No. 1 in G Major by JS Bach

District 11 – Friday, April 24

Evelyn will perform movements 2-3-4 of Suite in D Major by GP Telemann

Emily will perform Romance in F Major, Op. 50 by L. van Beethoven

Eilin will perform a movement of Concerto in E Minor, Op. 13 by L. Portnoff

Rebecca will perform the first movement of Concerto in A Minor by A. Vivaldi      

Jaden will perform the first movement of the Winter Concerto by A. Vivaldi      

Jinger will perform Elègie by H. Vieuxtemps

Noah will perform Introduction and Polonaise by C. Böhm

Nathan will perform movements 1-2 of Five Old French Dances by M. Marais

Break a leg!!

7. UPCOMING PERFORMANCE – MRS. FALL

Fairfax Symphony Orchestra

Sunday, March 29 | 5pm

GMU Center for the Arts

Rick Steves' Europe: A Symphonic Journey

Best known for his acclaimed PBS series and bestselling travel guides, Rick Steves invites audiences on a different kind of journey — A Symphonic Journey.

Alexandria Symphony Orchestra

Saturday, April 25, 7:30pm

Sunday, April 26, 3pm

James Ross, conductor 

Alexander Kerr, violin

PROGRAM:

MISSY MAZZOLI    Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres)

BRUCH             Violin Concerto No.1 

SIBELIUS          Symphony No. 2

8.  INTERESTING LINKS The most interesting and helpful links that have come across my radar this month:

How 3 Top Players Warm Up for Concerts

Warming up can prevent injury, improve performance, and help you get on the same page with others in your ensemble. Learn how the pros do it.

Seven Reasons Why You Should Practice Technique

VCU Violin Professor Susanna Klein posted seven Instagram posts to support why practicing technique (aka training) is so important to becoming an advanced musician:

Reason #1: Maintenance

Reason #2: Learning Efficiency

Reason #3: Automacity

Reason #4: Find Your Sound!

Reason #5: Skill Expansion

Reason #6: Warm Up/Calm Down

Reason #7: Neurologic Variability

Post-Event Reflection: How to Bounce Back Stronger from Subpar Performances

This is a great article discussing how to evealuate one’s performance after an audition or performance. Highly recommended!

How To Master the Legato Bow Stroke (Hint: It’s Harder Than You Think)

The basic “legato” bow stroke is crucially important—and deceptively difficult—to master. Legato is an Italian word that means “tied together.” In stringed-instrument lingo, it signifies smooth and connected bow strokes, which can be connected by slurs or by smooth bow changes. Artistically speaking, legato holds the key to bringing out the best tone and most melodious tendencies of the instrument. 

Just for fun….

2 Set Math!

“Kids…if you’re watching this, you better study at school!”

Keep Practicing!! Remember Fall’s Law!!

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