What a Season!!! Spring 2023

I should update this more often, but as you can see, we have been busy! Here is a list of studio accomplishments this season.

  • Clara ~ Book 1 Graduation

  • Gabriel ~ Book 1 Graduation

  • Mary’s Eastview High Bravo Shows

  • Calvin’s Senior Recital at the University of Iowa

  • Our concerto lock-in

  • Kyrié ~ Book 4 Graduation

  • Micah ~ Book 3A Graduation

  • Kaiah ~ Book 3 Graduation

  • Calvin’s Graduation from the University of Iowa

  • Mary’s Eastview High Band Department Senior of the Year Honor and High school graduation

  • Studio Recital and CONCERTO EVENT ~ seven students performed concerto movements with a chamber orchestra at Sundin Hall! Congrats to all!

  • Úna ~ Book 7 Graduation ~ Welcome to the Wall of Fame!

  • Lena ~ Book 1 Graduation

  • Mary’s Senior Recital on clarinet and piano with many special guests

  • Red Pines Chamber Music Festival ~ 12 students had a great week of camp

  • Keyboard Days with Reed Tetzloff and Paul Wirth, Úna and Ford participated in St. Cloud and at the KPS.

  • Grayson ~ Colorado Suzuki Institute!

  • Úna ~ Young Artist’s World PIano Camp by the Wirth Center

  • I taught at the MacPhail Suzuki Institute

  • We had more families than ever at the Little Pines Lodge for an informal recital and recreation

  • Suzuki Piano Teacher’s Guild Duet Recital at the KPS

  • Grayson ~ Graduation from Book 3

  • ViRaj ~ Celebration Recital for Book 1

Winter Accolades 2023

We have been a busy bunch! Please take a look at the accomplishments of our long winter and let me know if I have overlooked anyones achievements!

Advancing Recital~ Isabella, Ford, Eshaan, Kryré, Sam and Ella performed expressively and showed such poise at the January Suzuki Piano Teacher’s Guild Recitals for Advancing Pianists. I was so proud of this show of excellence!

Chamber Music~We celebrated chamber music in February. it’s perennially valuable to have these experiences and such a special element of our studio. Thank you to Conor and Adrianna. (I’m missing a photo of one of the groups. . . sorry.)

Congratulations to Mary on her All-State Performance at Orchestra Hall, and her U of M Honor bands concerts! There are so many wonderful opportunities to work with wonderful conductors.

Parent Party~ I enjoyed meeting with parents and celebrating the highs and low of the year. Being a Suzuki parent is a long term commitment and it’s important to have friends and support along the way.

Welcome to our new students Kate and Sam! Sam was in the studio of my friend Annella who moved away, and Kate is ready to play too!

Ford performed his Book 5 graduation recital! What a wonderful achievement. And thank you to studio friends for being a wonderful audience. Ford worked very hard and performed a magnificent program.

Mary auditioned and was accepted as a clarinet major at the University of Iowa. She plans to double major in clarinet performance and creative writing, which the U of I is renown for. Congrats to Mary!!!

Congratulations to Zuzu on a stunning Book One graduation recital. She performed with beautiful balance, dynamics, and poise. She really got the message of Book One across to the audience. Congrats to Zuzu and her mother for the wonderful practicing.

Calvin is studio alumni, and of course he’s still my kid. . . so congrats to Calvin on his performance of Prokofiev 1 with the University of Iowa Orchestra. This mama’s heart was beating pretty fast. . . almost as fast as the boy’s fingers. Calvin's Performance on YouTube

I was invited again this year to be the guest clinician at the Iowa City Preucil School of Music. Working with Book 1 and Book 2 kids at workshops is one of my favorite things to do. I hope I gave them some inspiration.

Suzuki Association of Minnesota Graduation Recitals at Sundin Hall! I got many wonderful compliments on your graduation performances and I enjoyed reliving them on the archived video.

Catherine, Tyler Clara, Mary, and Zuzu also performed on the Festival Recitals. Congrats to all! I’m sorry I missed the day.

Ella Book 5

Elleora Book 5

Eshaan Book 5

Ford Book 5

Isaac Book 1

Sam Book 5

Úna Book 6

Isabella Book 5

That is a lot going on! I’m so grateful for the tremendous commitment you all make toward piano and our studio. The next two months have a lot in store! Hold on tight, we have a bunch of graduations, we have a concerto event, studio recital, and I’ve got two kiddos graduating with parties and recitals. Blessings to all!!!

Fall Musical Memories 2022

What a wonderful Fall we have had! Fifty pictures are worth 1000 of my words! Please let me know what I have forgotten!

September: Recital and Masterclasses with Einav Yarden ~ Ella, Úna, and Mary

October: Schubert Club Tour

Mary’s Youth in Music Scholarship

November: Emmanuelle Book 2A Graduation

Tyler, Grayson and Kyrié with Caroline Fraser at the S.A.M. workshop

Calvin’s Concerto Competition Win!

Chamber Music!

Schubertiade/Pizza Party/Concerto fundraising

December: Winter Recitals and 75 Practice Day Winner!

Happy New Year! I’m sure 2023 will be full of musical magic!

Spring & Summer Activities & Achievements 2022

Well. . . I’m behind on my news, so I’ll have to just get caught up with some photos and a list of accomplishments! Enjoy!

Pruecil School & New Ulm ~ Sara is guest clinician in March and April

Composition Workshop ~ Catherine McMichael gave us a WONDERFUL experience!

Grayson ~ Book 2

Bravo ~ Mary’s Big High School Show

Studio Recital ~ At Sundin Hall!

Úna ~ at Sundin Hall

Tyler and Ella ~ at Sundin Hall

Peter ~ Senior Recital and last lesson

Isaac ~ Book 1

Red Pines ~ We found all the clues!

Eshaan ~ Book Four

Sam ~ Book Four

MacPhail ~ Sara is guest teacher and Ella, Tyler and Úna attend

Calvin ~ Calvin wins concerto contest and plays Prokofiev at Illinois Piano Institute

Clavin plays for Richard Goode in Masterclass in North Carolina

Mary shines at All-State Band Camp

KPS friends meet by accident at Mount Rushmore

Cabin Recital ~ Make new friends and keep the old

State Fair ~ Mr. Becknell invites Kyrié, Emmanualle, Tyler and Ella to accompany his fiddlers

What did I forget? Please let me know and send a photo.

Congratulation to the studio on a fine season.

So Many Graduations ~ Spring 2022

Congratulations to all the students who performed at the Suzuki Association of Minnesota Graduation Recitals on March 5, 2022. Amy, Catherine, Elleora, Ella, Evelyn, Ford, Haven, Kaiah, Kyrié, Micah, Peter, Preston, Samuel, Tyler and Katriel all received trophies for their graduations! Peter graduated from Book 7! Harper, Úna, Walt and Emmanuelle also shared performances at Sundin Hall that day. I’m so proud of how they represented our Kotrba Piano Studio.

I had to miss this year. I was teaching at a workshop at the Pruecil School in Iowa City. I got to work with about 60 students from books one and two. There are some other reasons I love Iowa City too! I got to hear Calvin warm up for his program which I will miss on April 3, when I am teaching at the New Ulm workshop. This has been a great workshop spring for me, I also got to work with kids from Tennessee in February. I will round up the season by teaching another Every Child Can class online at the end of April.

This weekend, we celebrated Harper’s 2A graduation at my house. Please, check out her fancy nails, which were almost as special as the music! Micah performed Book 2B, at his house, with a Zoom audience from Israel and Germany! He put his whole heart into sharing that program. Ella and Tyler shared their book 4 and book 2 programs with their grandparents at my house. Both children played huge programs at a very polished level. Having been crazy enough to have two of my own children graduate on the same day, and knowing the depth of preparation that goes into this kind of program, kudos goes out to Sarah P. for preparing both kids in heart, and mind and music, for a wonderful celebration.

Congrats to everyone who continues to work, parents and students alike, I appreciate your commitment! I am a lucky teacher to have such wonderful families in our program.

Winter Music Continues 2022!

Congratulations to Sam, Isabella, Ford, Eshaan, Úna and Ella who participated in the Suzuki Piano Teacher’s Guild Recitals for Advancing Pianists on January 29 at Schmitt Music Brooklyn Center. I was proud of each of performer. SPTG invites students in book four and above to participate. Students submit videos in December to prepare for this high level formal recital.

Our annual parent party was at the end of January . We had a lovely turnout and I love sharing the ups and downs of the practicing parents. Accomplishments and frustrations are shared!

Congratulations to Haven upon her book one graduation recital in her home. The tradition of the family piano cake continues! Haven performed with poise and musicality! What joy!

Kaiah performed her Book 2B graduation at the February Schubertiade. She played so sensitively and with great polish. After she performed, the rest of the students shared their pieces. We share some social time in a reception after the event. Thank to the studio for supporting Kaiah and sharing your music.

Winter Celebrations 2021-2022

We have had a lot of celebrations and sharing of music so far this winter.

Congratulations to Kyrié upon her Book 3 graduation performance. All those thoughtful perfect repetitions paid off!

Mary has been busy and deserves a shout out for her work on the Eastview High Musical. She played piano and clarinet in the pit orchestra in the first live musical since 2019. Here she is leading the orchestra bow.

We got to have three live and in person Christmas recitals! What a joy! Each student shared a classical piece and a holiday piece. There were also some lovely duets and trios.

In January we had our first “Little Red Pines” weekend chamber music workshop. Each student had a masterclass, a chamber music session, craft with Mary and theory and analysis with Calvin. I loved every minute of returning to a normal workshop experience!

Congrats to Ford on a huge Book 4 program. Thank you to the studio friends who came to hear it. You were rewarded with a homemade special recipe brownie! Great job Ford!

Catherine shared her Book 2B program with family, and folks near and far on Zoom. And yes, there was amazing cake to accompany her amazing musicality.

Congratulation to my whole studio for continuing to practice through the pandemic! I’m so proud of your hard work and happy hearts!

Fall 2021 Congratulations to Úna, the Chamber Music Participants, Isabella and the Schubertiade Kids

There has been a lot of good music happening this fall. Úna performed her Book 6A recital. We added quite a bit of repertoire to the traditional Suzuki Piano Book 6 program, so we decided to split the recital into two programs. Congrats to Úna on a wonderfully musical program.

This Fall we had our first teen chamber music. I enjoyed gathering with the teens and then sharing their performances with their parents and eating pizza together. The rest of the studio had their sessions as well. Playing music with others, especially wonderful string clinicians is such an important part of our studio. Thank you to Conor and Adrianna for their creative and musical teaching.

Congratulations to Isabella, who performed her Book Four program at our Fall Schubertiade. She shared her lovely program and then the student audience members were invited to perform. We enjoyed the wonderful treats her family provided! It was the first Schubertiade since March of 2020 and I was delighted with Isabella and the gathering of the studio.

End of Summer 2021 Graduation Celebrations

August 11, these sisters had a combined graduation celebration. Amy and Kate each performed Book 2, and Elleora performed Book 4. They ended the program with a trio, Romp A la Mozart. It was a joy to see the poise and musicianship in these three developing artists. I did not get a picture of their family’s traditional piano cake, which has been served at recitals since their mother was a Suzuki student. Congrats to Amy, Kate and Elleora!

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Later that evening, August, 11, Matthew performed his Book 4 celebration recital. If you know Matthew, you know that he has fingers that absolutely fly! His Benda Sonatina, Kabalevsky Etude, and Bach Gigue were super exciting and expressive! Congrats to Matthew!

On Saturday, August 14, 2021, Peter performed his Book 6 graduation celebration recital. He performed Scarlatti, Mozart, Granados, and Mendelssohn. One of the highlights was the duet accompaniment with his mother on the first movement of K. 545. Peter will be a senior this year. He hopes to graduate from Book 7 this year, and he plans to continue piano lessons in college. Congratulations Peter, you are playing so beautifully.

Recital at the Little Pines Lodge 2021

Our 2021 cabin recital was a great success! The rain held off for the most part! Twelve students performed on the honkytonk piano at our cabin outside Nisswa, Minnesota. After the recital we took boat rides, and played tennis and ping pong. We had a potluck and grilled hamburgers and hotdogs. Later we had a bonfire with s’mores and jam sessions. Calvin and Mary missed the recital because they were at Mary’s Minnesota All-State Orchestra concert, but they got back in time for dinner and they serenaded us to sleep with improvised hymns on clarinet and piano. This is truly one of my favorite weekends of the year. Sunday morning we had pancakes and folks got on the road after some hair braiding for the girls! We welcomed two new families to the event this year! Make new friends, and keep the old! I hope that memories of piano events, even when, well, especially when they are mostly recreational, will stay with us and encourage us to keep practicing and enjoying music together.

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Congrats to Grayson!

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Congratulations to Grayson upon his Book 2A graduation recital. He performed the first seven pieces in Suzuki Piano Book 2 and also we added the piece Angel Fish by Anne Crosby Gaudet. He performed very expressively and the supplementary piece gave him a chance to add the colors of the damper pedal. I loved how he expressed such gratitude to his parents and grandparents and to me after the recital. It was a lovely event. Congrats to Grayson!

Unit Two Teacher Training Complete!

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Yesterday was the completion of my first teacher training class! I had an amazing time doing the research for Unit Two and organizing my thoughts about this challenging level. Our class was a mix of highly educated and experienced teachers! We had a lot to share, including two major blizzards. I'm humbled by this experience. I don't aspire to be one of the mentors that I learned from, those legendary mothers of Suzuki piano in the United States. On the contrary, I come only armed with a great, great love of this method, the mother tongue approach, and a deep commitment to further its quality and usefulness in my community. Thanks class! Where love is deep, much can be accomplished. 

Spring Chamber Music Festival

This weekend 22 students had the opportunity to play in trios with Conor and Adrianna in our semiannual Chamber Music Festival. Each student had a rehearsal of his or her pieces with the string accompaniments and then we had an informal performance at the conclusion of each session. I'm amazed and inspired by watching the children smile and communicate about the music with the clinicians. Conor and Adrianna made the children comfortable, while also encouraging them to dig deeper into rhythm, phrasing and dynamic contrasts. This is a remarkable event and I'm so proud of each and every student who had the courage to get up there and share. Some pieces were polished and some were more fresh, but everyone took home new insight and experience. These kids are growing up with ensemble experience that is priceless. Congratulations to everyone and thank you Conor and Adrianna for your patience and expertise. Can't wait for our summer Red Pines Institutes! 

Summer Stories

This summer was the busiest ever at the Kotrba Piano Studio. I've never had more committed families. Kids were playing in recitals, going to institutes around the country and at home, graduating from book levels and just putting a bunch of time in. Here is a bit of a journal style entry!

Our studio recital was at Sundin Hall on June 3rd. What a lovely event!

The first ever Red Pines Chamber Music Festival, with Conor, Adrianna and myself as faculty, included 12 students (Ella, Úna, Ford, Walt, Kate, Amy, Elleora, Sam, Carly, Mary, Eshaan and Justin) and was a great success! We had classes and lunch and alumni recitals and ice cream. Good kids, good memories. 

Matthew and Ella were featured in the Colorado Suzuki Institute Solo Honors Recital. Congrats to them on representing Minnesota and the Kotrba Piano Studio so proudly! 

Preston, Ella, Úna, Kyrié and Walt attended the MacPhail Suzuki Institue. We had a great week! 

Calvin had his first week at the Young Artist World Piano Festival, fondly nicknamed Wirth-o-rama, at Bethel Univeristy. He was selected to play a masterclass with Horacio Nuguid. A highlight was the two hour solo piano rectial of Ann Schein. Calvin also played a sophomore recital at our house in May, to celebrate a year of study with Dr. Wirth. 

Walt, Kyrié, Moses, Haven and Eshaan celebrated their Book 1 Graduations with recitals. See the pictures below. Sorry there is no picture of Walt's recital. Ford, Matthew and Úna each performed his or her own Book 2A recital, each one very different and special. Úna invited Mary to play on her recital and Mary played highlights from Book 5. 

In May, Peter celebrated gradaution from Book 3! What an exciting time is in store for him--in Book 4 there are so many choices of wonderful repertoire. 

At the end of the summer, we celebrated with music at the Little Pines Lodge, the Kotrba cabin. Each student played her piece and then jumped in the lake. We had great weather and great fun. We had 35 folks there and 25 spent the night and enjoyed peach and chocolate chip pancakes in the morning, before heading back to Eagan. 

I really can't believe how busy we were but something really special kept me going this summer--at all these events, the children all came out and supported each other. Thank you to all the families who showed up over and over to listen to your friends and cheer them on to the next level! It's really remarkable. I'm so thankful for these wonderful families and community they create. 

Congrats to everyone and thank you for an awesome summer! 

 

Spring Highlights

Congratulations to Britta who performed her Book Three recital at my house! I'm so proud of Britta and her beautiful playing. Book 4 here we come! 

Last weekend Sondra Tamman was here from New York to give the Suzuki Piano Teachers Guild some teacher training and to give masterclasses to our students. We had two full days of music and fellowship and learning at my house. I was especially tickled when Beatrice got to play the Schumann A Minor Concerto on Doris's piano with her mom accompanying her on the Kawai. I also got to follow along in Doris's score, it was very special to see her notes in the score. Britta and Mary were selected to play master classes from our studio. Mary played the Daquin Cuckoo and Britta played Spiritoso. At the last minute there were openings and Calvin and Úna were able to get ideas from Sondra as well. Sondra worked with Dorothy Taubman for thirty years and specializes in helping students play musically with ease. Everyone took away inspiration and ideas. 

Today I got the news that Ella and Matthew have been selected by audition to play at the Vilar Center in Beaver Creek, for the Colorado Suzuki Institute Honors Recitals. Congrats to both of them for working hard to make beautiful vidoes to turn in. You can see their playing on my YouTube chanel. 

April News

Group Lessons are this Friday, April 21! Thank you for letting me know if you will not be there. 

There are no lessons next week, April 24-28.

This weekend, April 22-23, the SPTG is having an all weekend workshop with Sondra Tamamm, a Taubman teacher from New York, in our studio. Mary and Britta will be playing masterclasses with her. 

Calvin is playing drumset and piano in the Eastview Bravo show. This is a glee-like student show featuring the vocal department, the jazz ensemble and dancers. There are eight shows, and the talent is remarkable! Shows are from April 20-28 at Eastview Highschool. 

The summer lesson sign-up is in the studio. I'm delighted with all the students who are participating in the Red Pines Chamber Music Festival and other institutes this summer. These are wonderful investments in music and memories. 

The last group lesson is May 19. 

Our studio recital is June 3 at Sundin Hall at 1:00.  

Recital at the Cabin is August 12! 

Congratulations Ella!

Sweet music, sweet memories! 

Ella performed her Suzuki Piano Book One Recital this weekend. She played at her house for her family and friends on Friday night, followed by burgers and cheesy potatoes and cupcakes. She played for family and studio friends on Sunday afternoon at my house! She played with so much love and had beautiful echos and such a sweet tone. Congrats Ella! 

Congratulations to Elizabeth!

Beautiful girl, beautiful music! 

Beautiful girl, beautiful music! 

Elizabeth performed her Suzuki Piano Book Two A Recital this weekend at my house. Here is her program. . . 

Twenty-Four Little Pieces, Op. 39 ................................. D. Kabalevsky (1904-1987)

Cradle Song

A Little Scherzo

Quick March

The Clown

 

Écossaise............................................................................... J.N. Hummel (1778-1837)

 

The Happy Farmer, Op. 68, No. 10.................................. R. Schumann (1810-1856)

 

Minuet in G Major, from Klavier Suite in g minor............................ J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

 

Minuet in G Major,  from J. S. Bach’s Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach.......... Anonymous

 

Minuet in G Minor, from Klavier Suite in g minor................................................. J.S. Bach

Congratulations, Elizabeth! I love how you play with such beautiful tone and from your heart! I look forward to helping you with Book Two B! 

Beautiful cake! 

Beautiful cake! 

Beautiful Hearts. Beautiful Music. Teach first for the love of the child, second for the love of music.