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!
