Category Archives: Reminders

Spring ’22 Solo Recitals Info

Hello Everyone! 

Ms. Kirby and I are looking forward to a wonderful afternoon of music with you all on Sunday, May 1.  Here’s everything you need to know for our Spring ’22 Solo Recitals:

  • Recitals will be held at St. Louis Chinese Gospel Church, 515 Meramec Station Rd.  
  • Please check your email for your recital time assignments.  Students and their families should plan to arrive 15 minutes before their recital’s start time to unpack, tune, and settle in.  Please note that these lists do not reflect program order, and families should plan to be in attendance for their child’s full recital. 
  • Dress code for students is “dress casual.”  Slacks, khakis, dress shirts, polos, dress shoes, and loafers are acceptable for boys.  Dresses, dress pants or skirts, blouses, and dress shoes or loafers are acceptable for girls.  No jeans, t-shirts, or tennis shoes, please! 
  • Please refer to the Parent Volunteer Sign-Up Sheet in your email for your particular recital to sign up to help set up or clean up, or bring snacks or drinks for your recital’s reception.  We’re looking forward to returning to our regular post-recital reception format and as always appreciate your help in making it happen! 
  • Masks are recommended for all in attendance.  Students may take off their masks while performing

We’re looking forward to this afternoon with you all.  Students, keep up the good work of practicing and preparing!  And we’ll see you all in lessons this week 🎻

Spring Festival ’21

Hello WCS Students & Families!

With our Spring ’21 Solo Recitals behind us, the next big thing we have to look forward to is our Spring Festival ’21. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Who: students who have been regularly participating in Tuesday-evening group classes throughout the semester.
  • What: a group performance in Suzuki “play-in” style, beginning with the most advanced repertoire and working down until we finish with everyone playing Twinkle.
  • Where: the Amphitheater at Schroeder Park, 359 Old Meramec Station Rd. Manchester, MO 63021
  • When: dress rehearsals from 5:15-6:15 p.m., with the concert at 6:30 p.m.
  • How: as the Amphitheater has lawn seating, this event will be weather-permitting, and will be B.Y.O.C. (bring your own chair!)

For dress rehearsals, students Book 4+ should please arrive at 5:00 to tune, and students Pre-Twinkle – Book 3 should arrive at 5:30. Attire should be semi-formal, but comfortable for outdoor weather. Please see the list below for the concert repertoire, which we’ll be focusing on polishing in group class this week!

Reminder: ’20-’21 Registration Due August 15!

Hello WCS Families!

The end of summer is flying by and the start of the school year is rapidly approaching!  We’re looking forward to seeing you all for our ’20-’21 school year, which will run from August 24, 2020 – May 29, 2021.  Registration for the school year is due by August 15th, so this is the last week to sign up! 

We’re planning on starting the year with private lessons on Zoom, but we hope to be able to transition back to in person lessons just as soon as possible when we see a decline in COVID-19 cases in St. Louis County specifically, and are able to asses how schools reopening affects the student body, teachers, and the population at large. We’re thankful that Zoom lessons have been working so well for so many students, but if your child isn’t one of them please contact your teacher as soon as possible to discuss alternatives.

We’re also planning to start the year with outdoor in person group classes on Tuesday evenings, as weather allows.  Group is so vital for retaining review repertoire, developing artistic, expressive playing of pieces, and building the ensemble skills that allow students to engage and succeed in a wide variety of musical endeavors.  Plus, small class sizes in an outdoor space will allow us to have students socially engage in a time that they need it more than ever!

Due to registration being pushed back 15 days this year, we have a quicker turnaround time before the start of the school year than ever before.  If we receive everyone’s registrations by the end of registration, we’re generally able to create a schedule that comes very, very close to giving everyone one of their preferred times.  However, if we receive your registration after August 15th, we may have already assigned all of your preferred times to other families – and we don’t want that to happen!

As always, let us know if you have any questions, and we look forward to hearing from you soon!

Reminder: ’20-’21 Registration Due August 15!

Hello WCS Families!

It’s been great to hear from even more of you in the past week, and to start to see the “class” of ’20-’21 at West County Strings begin to take shape!  Registration for the ’20-’21 school year is open through August 15, at which point Kirby and I will sit down to make our teaching schedule for the year incorporating all of your lesson time requests so that we can get those out to you as soon as possible before the school year starts on August 24!

As a reminder, Kirby and I plan on starting private lessons for the ’20-’21 school year on Zoom, at least until we are able to assess how schools reopening affects the Coronavirus situation at all levels.  At that point, we will be happy to continue offering lessons on Zoom for all those who remain more comfortable with them until Coronavirus is a thing of the past, while progressively reintegrating students who would prefer lessons in person as the situation allows.  If you would prefer to start the year out with lessons in person, please contact me or Kirby so we can discuss those options with you.

As I said in our Zoom “Home Concert” this past Saturday, Summer ’20 has certainly been unlike any that I imagine any of us have ever lived through.  But the adaptability and resilience that our students have displayed, and the progress that they have made in the midst of difficult circumstances gives us great hope, and joy, and encouragement.  We look forward to what will undoubtedly be a unique school year, but what we also have every confidence will be an exceptional school year with each of you!

Summer ’20 Kicks Off Monday, May 25!

Thank you all to everyone who participated in our Spring ’20 Solo Recitals via Zoom this past Sunday.  What a wonderful, joy-filled experience that was, and we’re looking forward to offering more community building performance opportunities this summer!

Lessons for the Spring ’20 Semester extend through this Saturday, May 23.  So, we look forward to seeing you all for the last time of the ’19-’20 school year at your regular times before we move on to the summer.  What an incredible school year this has been, in spite of the difficulties.  In fact, I think the difficulties have challenged us to learn and grow in new and unexpected ways, and we’re so proud of each of our students for their perseverance and dedication.

The Summer ’20 Semester will kick off on Monday, May 25, and we look forward taking on new projects, applying new approaches, and taking the next steps with all of our students.  You all energize, invigorate, and inspire us to reach new heights as teachers, and we can’t wait to continue this journey together!

– Mr. Brad & Ms. Kirby

Halloween ’18 Group Performance & Party

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Halloween is just a week away, and with it comes one of our favorite events of the year – the Halloween Group Performance & Party.  Here’s what you need to know in order to come and enjoy this event with us this year:

Who: All West County Strings students who have been regularly attending group classes (or have been routinely checking their review repertoire in private lessons in the case of Tuesday evening schedule conflicts).  Please invite friends and family to join you.  The more the merrier!

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What: An informal performance highlighting this semester’s work in group classes, followed by Halloween-themed musical games and treats for all to share!

When: Tuesday, October 30 from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Where: The Parish Hall of Good Shepherd Church, 1166 S Mason Rd.

Why: We’re capping off our group class meetings for this semester and getting ready to move into our focus on solo material for the solo recitals in early December.  The past few months of rehearsals have been an incredibly special time, which we want to celebrate.  Plus, who needs an excuse for music, games, and treats?!

How: Polish your review repertoire (see the list below), find your favorite costume (COSTUMES HIGHLY ENCOURAGED!), and sign up to help set up, to bring your favorite treat or drinks, and/or to help clean up.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Pre-Twinkle
Old Brass Wagon
Paw Paw Patch
Chicken Variations
POP Goes the Weasel
“Body” Lucy Locket
“Body” Hot Cross Buns

Violas
Hunter’s Chorus
Andantino / Rocky Mountain
Perpetual Motion (Wipe-Out)

Ensemble
Oh How Lovely
Above the Plain
Ashoken Farewell
Vive Le Compagnie
Coleraine

Circle of Fifths – G Majors – A Majors
Seitz 2 III
Becker Gavotte
Martini Gavotte
Minuet in G
Witches Dance
Minuet 1
Allegro
Go Tell Aunt Rhody
Song of the Wind
Lightly Row
Twinkles (D and A Strings)

Spring Festival ’18

West County Strings’ 2018 Spring Festival is set for the afternoon of Sunday, April 29.  Dress rehearsals will run from 1:00-3:00 p.m., and the concert will begin at 3:30 p.m.  Reception to follow.  All events will be held at Chesterfield Presbyterian Church, 15037 Clayton Rd.  Read on for everything you need to know about the day!

 

Who Have You Invited?

For the past few years, we have been grateful to be welcomed to hold our Spring Festival at Chesterfield Presbyterian Church.  The space is awesome.  It is also large!  Your children have all worked so hard this semester to prepare for this concert, and we want them to have an audience as wonderful as their playing! So,

***We’re asking every student, every sibling, and every parent to invite at least one friend, classmate, colleague, or neighbor to come***

It will be a great afternoon of music, and there’s food and drinks to follow!

Now, I know you might be thinking, “Other families will invite people, I don’t need to do it.”  If that’s you, then this message is specifically for you!  Bring someone along.  It’s always a wonderful time.

Dress Rehearsal Schedule

– 1:00 p.m: Vivaldi 4 Seasons
– 1:20 p.m: Bach Double
– 1:40 p.m: Violas (Lully Gavotte, Musette, Etude, Swanee River)
– 2:00 p.m: Humoresque, Boccherini Minuet, Hunter’s Chorus
– 2:30 p.m: Gossec Gavotte, Minuet 2, Perpetual Motion, Allegro
– 2:45 p.m: Song of the Wind, Lightly Row, Twinkles, Chicken on a Fencepost, Old Brass Wagon, Paw Paw Patch

***Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled rehearsal start time in order to allow time to unpack, tune, and be prepared to begin right on time!***

Performance Attire

We ask that all students and their families wear their “Sunday best” for all performances.  This means no jeans, no tennis shoes or sandals, and no t-shirts.  Ball gowns and tuxedos are certainly not required, either!  Dress slacks, button-down shirts, and dress shoes are suitable for boys, and tasteful dresses or skirts/dress pants and blouses are appropriate for girls.

***All students whose performance requires sheet music must have their music in a black, 1/2-inch, 3-ring binder, preferably in plastic sheet protectors.***

Parent Volunteers

Do you have a favorite treat that is your specialty?  A punch recipe that is to die for?  Are you able to pick up a box of cookies or crackers or a bag of fruit on your way?  If so, we would love to have your contributions to this year’s reception.

***You can sign up online, or in the studio during your lesson.***

We are extremely grateful for your help!

Still Wondering… ?

Not sure if you know all the pieces you’ll be playing?  Check out the Spring Festival ’18 Repertoire List.  If you have any other questions at all, don’t hesitate to ask your teacher in your lesson or Mr. Brad at group class.  Speaking of group class, we only have classes the evenings of 4/17 and 4/24 left to prepare!  So we hope to see you there!

Halloween Performance & Party

Every fall, we look forward to our Halloween Group Class Performance and the Party that follows.  Here’s what you need to know for this year’s installment:

Who: Any and all of Mr. Brad and Ms. Kirby’s students.
What: An informal performance of selected Suzuki repertoire and other supplemental pieces, followed by snacks and games.
Where: the Parish Hall at Good Shepherd Church, 1166 S. Mason Rd., Town & Country, MO 63131.
When: Tuesday, October 24, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
How: Wear a costume, invite your friends and family, and sign up to help set up, tear down, or bring treats.

Here is the repertoire list that we will be focusing on in group classes for the next few weeks to prepare for the performance:

Ensemble
Sadness, B. Tours
Fugue in Two Parts, C. Dancla
Coleraine (Irish Jig)

Pre-Twinklers
Chicken on a Fencepost Variations (A, C, E)
Paw Paw Patch
Old Brass Wagon

Violins
Seitz 2:III
Gavotte in g minor (w/ violas)
Old Joe Clark
Witches’ Dance

Violas
Handel Bourree (w/ duet)
Chorus from Judas Maccabaeus (w/ duet)
French Folk Song (w/ duet)

Violins & Violas
Etude (w/ viola duet)
Rhody Variations
Song of the Wind
Twinkle Theme & Variations (A, C, Theme)