THE MUSIC TIMES - VOL. 77 - August 27th, 2019
Calendar & Upcoming Holiday Closures:  CLOSED Labor Day (Mon, Sept 2), OPEN Indigenous People's Day (Mon, Oct 14), OPEN Halloween (Thurs, Oct 31)
“Two things define you: Your patience when you have nothing and your attitude when you have everything.” - Imam Ali
What is the minimum number of musicians a band must have to be considered a "big band"?
SCROLL DOWN FOR ANSWER
Hello, Friend!
Here we are -Back to School, Back to Music, Back to Work!

At least the summer heat stayed? Either way, we're off and running with the usual Fall fun of students returning from vacation, and many new faces coming in for their first lessons and instrument rentals. It brightens our day to feel the energy of the kids and the parents that are just starting along that journey of music. Welcome, and welcome back! And if you've been here all along, congratulations for your perseverance!

It's going to be a great Fall,y'all.

With peace, love & music,
Anna
FEE INCREASE AS OF OCTOBER 1ST
“The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.” 
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau

To the wonderful community of music makers & supporters at Music Time: 

You understand the power of music to change people, and to change the world. Yet as we imagine a better future (and “it isn’t hard to do”), we also find many obstacles along our path towards making it reality. The rising costs of operating a business legally and fairly 
As of October 1st, 2019: 
Private Music Lesson Fees will increase by $10 per month. 

Based on our research of other private music lesson studios in the area, our new rates are in alignment with market standards. Our previous tuition increase was back in April 2018, (18 months ago) and was allocated primarily to instructors. 

With the new fee change, we will strive to be able to provide a higher quality experience through launching new programs, upgrading & repairing studio equipment, continuing to avoid performance fees for concerts, and much more to come!

We understand that a price increase is about as fun as 580 corridor rush hour traffic, so please allow us to express our gratitude for your understanding and support!Questions or comments about this (or anything else on your mind) are welcome anytime. Feel free to respond to this email or call our office at 925-456-3460. Thank you very much for your support in cultivating our musical community.

New Tuition Rates for Private Music Lessons, as of 10/01/2019*
Weekly, 30 min Private Lesson - $150/month
Weekly, 30 min Private Lesson (additional student) - $140/month
Weekly, 45 min Private Lesson - $210/month
Weekly, 60 min Private Lesson - $290/month
*If you are on a low income/discounted tuition, your rate will increase by $10/month, unless special arrangements are made directly with us. 
GET YOUR MAKE-UPS WITH GROOVE LAB!
Did you miss lessons this summer? Rather than worry about finding a time between your busy schedule and the increasingly fewer openings with our instructors, why not make it simple? You get an extra 30 minutes of music class, while also experiencing something new, fun, and exciting!

Groove Lab is open Mondays 3:30-6:30pm, adults (16+) only 6:30-7:30.
Please RSVP (reply to this email or call) or Drop-in.
FALL SESSION IS ON! MEET MUSIC IS FOR AGES 6 & UNDER
Fall Session has just started! It's not to late to give your Preschooler or Kindergartner A SOUND EXPERIENCE , or to have some aptitude-building & uninterrupted parent-child (or caregiver-child) bonding FAMILY MUSIC TIME. Sibling discounts! Drop-ins welcome!

Fall 2019 Schedule & Pricing:
Family Music Time: Tuesdays & Wednesdays @ 11am-11:45am
A Sound Experience: Wednesdays @ 6:30-7:15am
CALENDAR UPDATES
Please pick up or print our UPDATED 2019-2020 School Year calendars ! Notable changes:

Thanksgiving Break is Nov 26-30th
The Big Show 4.0 Date is SUNDAY DEC 15TH (NOT Dec 1, NOT Dec 8th. Yes, the calendars at the studio were misprinted.)
Meet Music Sessions: Aug 18-Nov 10 (Fall) & Nov 11-Feb 29 (Winter)
The Big Show 5.0 Date is SUNDAY MAY 31ST (NOT May 17th. Yes, the calendars at the studio were misprinted.)
TIPS WELCOME
Top Practice Strategies
A group of researchers led by Robert Duke of The University of Texas at Austin conducted a study several years ago to see if they could tease out the specific practice behaviors that distinguish the best players and most effective learners. There were three that were used by all three top pianists, but rarely utilized by the others. In fact, only two other pianists (ranked #4 and #6) used more than one:

1. The precise location and source of each error was identified accurately, rehearsed, and corrected.
2. Tempo of individual performance trials was varied systematically; logically understandable changes in tempo occurred between trials (e.g. slowed things down to get tricky sections correct; or speeded things up to test themselves, but not too much).
3. Target passages were repeated until the error was corrected and the passage was stabilized, as evidenced by the error’s absence in subsequent trials.

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON MUSIC
Think listening to music helps you block out distractions and be more productive? It can, but only under the right circumstances.

When you need to learn something new, when you need to develop or improve a skill, when you need to synthesize information, when you need to solve a problem... research shows that listening to music makes your performance suffer. The problem is what scientists call "irrelevant sound."
The next time you're tempted to listen to music, first think about the work you'll be doing. If it's a relatively mindless task, or one you can do so well that it's basically automatic, then by all means crank it up. But if you need to learn, or evaluate, or make decisions, or apply all your mental effort to whatever is in front of you... then make sure your environment is as quiet as possible.

PROJECT STOP! COLLABORATE & LISTEN: INSPIRATIONAL VIDEO OF THE MONTH
After performing Stevie Wonder's song, "Superstition," Stevie himself surprised everyone and came up on stage and performed the song with me while teaching me the words. This was captured at the 2017 NAMM show in Anaheim, CA on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017.
STUDENT OF THE MONTH
Javier Rodriguez
INSTRUMENT: Guitar
TEACHER: Stewart
AGE: 18
SCHOOL: Las Positas College
STARTED LESSONS: February 2019
HOBBIES: Weight Lifting, Working, Hiking
Javier's excitement for music and the electric guitar caught Stewart's attention.

"I showed him an intro riff to a new song, then he came back the next week having not only practiced it, but also researching every chord in the song, and drawing the diagrams in his notebook!" - Stewart

Wow! No wonder he stood out. Let us all have some of this curiosity, desire for knowledge, and genuine love of learning, like Javier. Thank you for the inspiration, and keep it up, Javier!

"I am driven to learn as much about playing guitar as I can. I improved a large amount since joining though I know I still have a long way to go, but I am heavily committed!" - Javier
AUGUST ANNIVERSARIES
5 YEARS:
Minta Akin
Luke Awabdy
Heather Dickerson
Kian Hwang
Alyssa Raj

3 YEARS:
Gracia Brabhu

2 YEARS:
Owen Brabec
Tanisha Deka
Alana Dreon
Megan Gonzales
Bobby Hamm
Ella Mapagu
Konrad Owczarek
Matthew Teo

1 YEAR:
Adrian Becerra
Barry Bruce
Michael Egan
Audrey FajardoIsha Kona
Rachel Miller
Mason Moore
Martin Olsson
Lucy Watts
OUR CONCERT PICK
THE NATIONAL
at Frost Amphitheater in Stanford
Sunday, September 1st at 6:30pm
Both individually and collectively The National’s members have been involved in countless artistic, charitable and socio-political pursuits. The group released “A Lot of Sorrow” documenting their collaboration with installation artist Ragnar Kjartansson, that took place at MOMA’s PS1 and saw the band play their song “Sorrow” for six hours in front of a live audience. They are behind the Red Hot benefit albums Dark Was The Night and Day Of The Dead, and the compilation boxed set titled 7-Inches for Planned Parenthood.
FEATURED TEACHER
Raymond Teefy
Introducing the latest addition to the team of folks up front, Raymond! Although his position is in the “administrative” genre, Raymond comes to us with a long, perhaps complicated, yet most certainly passionate, relationship with music – sound familiar? After all, what would a relationship be without a little turmoil.

YOUR TEACHERS, LIVE:
Saturday, Aug 24th - Radiokeys (Stewart) at Iron Door Saloon in Groveland
Saturday, August 24th - Mama Foxxy (Anna, Mike M & Judy) at Nu Ray’s in Martinez
Saturday, August 24th - UnOriginals (Tim & Xavier) at Johnny Foley’s in San Francisco
Friday, August 30th - UnOriginals (Tim & Xavier) at Retro Junkie in Walnut Creek
Saturday, August 31st - UnOriginals (Tim & Xavier) at Nu Ray’s in Martinez
Tuesday, September 3rd - West Grand Brass Band (Adam) at People in Plazas in San Francisco
Wednesday, September 4th - Timmy G (acoustic) at Meenar in Danville
Friday, September 6th- UnOriginals (Tim & Xavier) at Meenar in Danville
Friday, September 13th - Timmy G (acoustic) at the Fourth Bore in Orinda
Friday, September 13th - West Grand Brass Band (Adam) at Jupiter in Berkeley
Saturday, September 14th - Hoopty (Anna) at Capitola Art & Wine Festival
Saturday, September 14th - Timmy G at Eight Bridges Brewing in Livermore
Sunday, September 15th - Radiokeys (Stewart) live at Lagunitas in Petaluma
Sunday, September 15th -  West Grand Brass Band (Adam) at Peri’s Silver Dollar Bar in Fairfax
Wednesday, September 18th - Timmy G (acoustic) at Meenar in Danville
Friday, September 20th - Timmy G (acoustic) at Swirl on the Square in Livermore
Saturday, September 21st - West Grand Brass Band (Adam) at Harvest the Arts Festival in Yuba City
Saturday, September 21st - UnOriginals (Tim & Xavier) at Johnny Foley’s in San Francisco
Friday, September 27th - West Grand Brass Band (Adam) at Woods Bar in Oakland
Friday, September 27th - The UnOriginals at Maggie Mcgarry’s in San Francisco
Saturday, September 28th - Timmy G at Monica’s in Livermore
Saturday, September 28th - Hoopty (Anna) at Boulder Creek Harvest Festival
Saturday, October 5th - UnOriginals (Tim & Xavier) at Johnny Foley’s in San Francisco
Friday, October 11th - The UnOriginals (Tim & Xavier) at Vinnie's in Concord
Friday, October 18th - Fast & Vengefully (Tim & Belinda) at Johnny Foley’s in San Francisco
Saturday, October 19th - Timmy G (acoustic) at the Fourth Bore in Orinda
Wednesday, October 23rd - Timmy G (acoustic) at Meenar in Danville
Friday, October 25th - The UnOriginals at Maggie Mcgarry’s in San Francisco
Saturday, October 26 - Room For Dream (Nick LW & Luna), Xavier and Timmy G.at Red Hat in Concord
ANSWER: 10
Thank you for reading, and for your continued support of music education in Livermore.
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