One only needs to look outside (or step outdoors!) to know that Fall is here in full swing!

Cooler days, windy days, and the return to daylight savings time serve to remind us that another season is here! I always enjoy the changing of the seasons - each one is welcome when it arrives. I cannot imagine living in a state that does not experience four distinct seasons.

Yes, we have to rake them up, but the changing color of the leaves is one of nature’s best beauties. This beauty in nature has found its way into music many times. I have been playing Autumn Leaves as performed by Roger Williams lately - I inherited an old copy of the piano sheet music from my last piano teacher before going to college. I used to play it at church sometimes too! This song reminds me of my teacher/mentor/friend, Ruby Fisher. She once told me she had adopted me as her granddaughter - which I thought was a huge compliment. She and I played piano and organ duets from her many, many books - we spent hours and hours practicing these at her home. I now have them, and have “played them forward” by making arrangements of the organ parts using various instrument sounds on the Yamaha Clavinova to play while I played the piano part on the Yamaha piano at church. I think of her often and know she would be proud to know what I’ve done with her music to carry on her love of hymns, of performing, and of teaching students. Her legacy lives on in me, and in all the other students she taught. I try to remember this, as well as valuable lessons I’ve learned from my college professors, as I think about and plan lessons for my own students. I am sure each of you has a similar story as well. Sadly, she passed away in November of 1984.

Our studio students have several opportunities this Fall thanks to the dedication of our many teachers.   I hope your students are going to participate! The Classical and Pop & Jazz Recitals were well-attended (virtual) on October 25. AIM for levels 1-4 is on November 15, and the upcoming Beethoven’s Festival on December 1 (virtual) will keep us all busy learning and trying to perfect the use of technology! We are not only learning our music, but learning more about doing the best we can with virtual lessons and recitals. We love a challenge, don’t we?