November 2014 Newsletter | Harris Academy of the Arts

inspiring creativity through the arts

2935 Pine Lake Road, Lincoln, NE 402.423.7121 harrisacademyofthearts.com

HAA Newsletter

November 2014

Christian Bishop Demyan Burgoon Gregory Burroughs Olga Chernyy

Ian Eyun Haleigh Fitzsimmons Dylan Frederick Judith Grabow

William Hind Anam Khan Burkett Johanns Emily Pike

Welcome: Guitar Instructors

Garrett Hope teaches guitar, string bass, composition, and theory at Harris. Born into a family that valued and practiced music daily, he studied piano, clarinet, guitar, and bass as he was growing up. Though he tinkered with sequencing and song writing, it wasn’t until he began studying composition at university that he found his musical passions – composition and teaching.

Garrett has graduate degrees from the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. He has taught composition, music theory, music technology, and ear training as adjunct faculty at several institutions, but after completing his DMA, Garrett taught as a Visiting Assistant Professor in Pennsylvania.

Returning to Lincoln after teaching in Pennsylvania has allowed Garrett to focus on composing new music and also to teach at Harris Academy of the Arts. When it comes to teaching, he offers a wide repertoire variety – including rock, pop, alternative, blues, jazz, religious, and much more.

Lee Heerspink teaches guitar and string bass at Harris. He is a rare multi-talented musician and educator. He earned his music education degree from Hope College in Holland, MI. Jazz became such a passion that Lee continued his education at the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL. After completing his master’s degree, he spent time teaching and performing in West Michigan. In 2010, Lee auditioned and accepted a position playing guitar in the US Air Force Heartland of America Band in Omaha, NE. For 4 years he served as musical director for multiple Air Force rock and top 40 bands providing high-energy, morale-boosting concerts to troops both stateside and overseas. After being honorably discharged in the fall of 2014, Lee and his wife Bethany moved to Lincoln, NE, where they now reside. When not teaching or playing music, Lee and Bethany enjoy cooking, watching Detroit Tigers baseball, and hanging out with their English bulldog Edward.

New Students ♫

INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT

Katie Morris

Originally from the small town of Utica, NE, Katie Morris grew up in a musical home. Her mother played piano and encouraged singing around the house, and even influenced Katie’s decision to play the flute. (She wanted to play the French horn instead!) From a young age, Katie has come to value music education for its ability to teach the importance of hard work and other life skills. “To help students realize what they can accomplish in music and life is what makes teaching worth it,” she says. Before the move to Lincoln and coming to Harris Academy of the Arts, Katie completed a degree in music education from Doane College in Crete, NE and then taught K-12 vocal music for Plainview Public Schools. Now, she has a long line of teaching duties at Harris: voice, flute, piano, Kindermusik, Treble Maker Show Choir, and Children’s Music Academy. Read more about Katie on our website: harrisacademyofthearts.com/about-us/instructor-spotlight

We are very pleased to welcome two new instructors to Harris: Garrett Hope and Lee Heerspink.

We are excited about the experience and talent they will share with students!

Help us welcome these new musicians to Harris:

2935 Pine Lake Road, Lincoln, NE 402.423.7121 harrisacademyofthearts.com

Adult Music Classes

Student of the Month: Doug Atkin

At Harris Academy of the Arts, we know that music is something that lasts for life. And we’re proud to be the musical home of numerous adult students, all of varying levels and playing various instruments, who embody that fact. We’re thrilled to count Doug Atkin as one of them.

Doug is a civil engineer by trade, an outdoor enthusiast, an amateur beer brewer, and a piano

student at Harris Academy of the Arts. He has studied piano with Heera Jang for three years, but he has been playing a total of 40 years, taking lessons off and on. “Doug is a very nice pianist with fine technique and good musicianship,” shares Heera. “I have been amazed at how well he practices his pieces (very advanced ones!) in the midst of his busy life as a successful engineer.”

Doug’s goal with music is simple: to become a better pianist. We have had the privilege of hearing his success in reaching that goal during every student recital since his time at Harris. Congratulations, Doug, on being our November

Student of the Month!

Read the full feature on our website: harrisacademyofthearts.com/current-students/student-of-the-month

Many classes, like the String-A-Longs senior violin class (a story all in itself that has been featured in several Lincoln publications and television programs), had their roots in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNL (taught by volunteer HAA faculty) and continued on after the initial 6-week course to make their home at Harris. One such class, Adult Beginning Piano, currently meets on Tuesday afternoons in Studio 12. Susan Musick is one of those budding pianists. She played flute from 4th grade through her sophomore year in college, and watched her children progress through piano lessons, but never took the time to learn piano herself. “I have always wanted to learn to play the piano,” says Susan. “It is on my bucket list!”

Just ask Google, and you’ll find that music lessons benefit adults just as much as they benefit children. Music lessons offer adults a social outlet and a mind-sharpening activity. In fact, in some ways, adults taking on lessons are at an

advantage compared to children. Adults are internally motivated to learn music; their parents aren’t pushing and persuading them to practice. They also have developed critical thinking skills and can understand complex concepts more easily, meaning that leaning music theory and analysis happens much faster than it does for children. Combine that with developed emotions, an increased attention span, and the ability to read easily, and adults sure seem to have the upper hand. (Read more: http://www.key-notes.com/adult-piano-lessons.html)

Naturally, music lessons come with their fair share of challenges, as well, but they provide an even greater reward—a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Susan knows this well and finds it most difficult when learning a new piece. “I’m not very good at sight reading music,” she says. It’s also a challenge to find enough time at home to practice, something every adult can relate to. But, when asked what she considers to be the

best part of taking the class, Susan replied, “Accomplishing one of the pieces that I found really challenging!”

Susan has this encouragement to share with adults who are still on the fence about taking lessons. “I would recommend [music lessons] to any adult. It is so satisfying to learn something new and really enjoy playing music for fun!“ And for those already in the thick of lessons, who perhaps need a little “chin up”: “Stick with it. Time and practice really pays off and it is so rewarding to learn the music, and to make it sound like it was written!”

Ready to start your lessons? We would love to talk with you about instructors, class options, and convenient scheduling in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings! Call (402) 423-7121 to learn more.

It’s a fact at Harris that many of our students come from the elementary through high school age range. However, what you may not know is that almost 10 percent of our student base is made up of adult students, and that number is growing. This isn’t Trix, silly rabbit, music lessons aren’t just for kids! Some adult students are developing skills they have nurtured over the course of their lives (just read about our November Student of the Month), while others are shaking off the dust of musical training they laid to the side years ago. Still others are taking the plunge into something fresh and learning to play a new instrument or even experiencing music-making for the first time.

“I’ve always wanted to learn to play the piano.

It fascinates me as I watch people play with

their fingers flying across the keys!”

-Susan Musick, adult piano student

Share the gift of music with your

loved ones!

Gift Certificates for music lessons and/or merchandise

(available in any denomination)

And More:

Frozen Sheet Music: Piano, Voice & Violin

Metronomes

Music Stands

Musical Gift Items

HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS

2935 Pine Lake Road, Lincoln, NE 402.423.7121 harrisacademyofthearts.com

Student Performances

Instructor Availability Colt Ballou (voice, piano, organ, beginning trombone): Monday—1 opening Tuesday—7 openings Thursday—6 openings Friday—4 openings Saturday—5 openings

Jentry Barrett (violin, viola): CLOSED

Sherri Brouillette (flute, beginning piano, beginning woodwinds): Monday—10 openings Tuesday—3 openings Wednesday—4 openings Thursday—4 openings

Mai Butler (piano): Monday – 3 openings Tuesday – 3 openings Wednesday – 3 openings Thursday – 1 opening

(Mai Butler con’t) Friday – 1 opening Saturday – 11 openings

Vicki Harris (piano, violin): CLOSED

Lee Heerspink (guitar, bass) Monday—10 openings Tuesday—10 openings Wednesday—14 openings Thursday—11 openings

Garrett Hope (guitar, bass, composition) Monday—11 openings Tuesday—14 openings Wednesday—6 openings Thursday—9 openings Saturday—4 openings

Josh Huls (voice, guitar, piano, percussion): Monday – CLOSED Tuesday – 3 openings Wednesday – CLOSED Thursday – 1 opening

Heera Jang (piano): Monday – 1 opening Tuesday – CLOSED Wednesday – 4 openings Thursday – 1 opening Friday – 1 opening

Jeff Kuhl (voice, piano, beginning trumpet): Monday – 1 opening Tuesday – 5 openings Wednesday – 2 openings Thursday – 1 opening Saturday – 2 openings

Katie Morris (voice, piano, flute): Monday— 4 openings Tuesday—3 openings Wednesday—CLOSED Thursday— CLOSED Friday—CLOSED

David Pratt (violin, electric violin): Monday—8 openings Tuesday—9 openings Wednesday—10 openings Saturday—9 openings

Cristina Vlad (piano): Monday – 5 openings Tuesday – 2 openings Wednesday – 1 opening Thursday – 4 openings Friday – 1 opening Saturday – 4 openings

Our instructors’ schedules are changing daily. New students can enroll in private lessons any time during the year. Call 402-423-7121 today to enroll! If your ideal time is not available, call or email to get on the respective instructor’s waiting list.

Our students have been taking their love of music all over Lincoln. Have you taken advantage of the great

performance opportunities? In September, students serenaded the active folks during the Streets Alive!

event. In September and October, they had the opportunity to perform in the Lied Center lobby before a

Lincoln Symphony Orchestra concert. Just recently, if you explored the Old Cheney Farmers Market, you

might have heard them near the eating area. Here’s a few photos of our wonderful performers!

November 14 & 15

Student Fall Recital, Zion Church (5511 S 27th St)

November 24-29

Thanksgiving Break (no lessons or classes)

December 20 & 21

Student performances at Gateway Mall

December 21-January 4

Holiday Break (no lessons or classes)

DATES TO NOTE ♪

PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES

December 20 & 21 Student performances at Gateway Mall. Details coming soon!

Pets of the Month

Do you have a furry friend?

Now accepting submissions for the December Pet of the Month!

Send your entries to: [email protected]

Meet Sapphire (top photo), Cloudy (bottom photo, left) and Snowstorm (bottom photo, right). They belong to piano student Nate Pribil and family. Nate’s mom, Jennifer, shares: Cloudy is our boy and quite the handful. He has made it up to our ceilings with his agility jumping from the floor to counter, to microwave, to ledge and all the way back down again. Snowstorm is a girl and laid back, only watching her brother get into mischief. They both turned one on October 4th and give Sapphire, our girl husky, trouble as soon as she walks in the door. Sapphire is

anxiously waiting for that first snow again so she can bury her head and roll around with the kids.

Photos, left to right: Rebecca Gross performing at the State Capitol during Streets Alive! in September; Jesse Hansen (left) and Noah Kohl (right)

performing in the Lied Center lobby prior to a Lincoln Symphony Orchestra concert; Abby Steele performing at the Old Cheney Farmers Market

Professional Charles Dickens Carolers to perform at your special event

Earn $20 For every new student you refer to Harris!

Here’s how it works:

Refer a friend to Harris Academy of the Arts.

Be sure to tell them to include your name as a referral on their registration form!

After your friend completes their 3 month commitment, you’ll receive a $20 credit toward lessons and classes.

REFERRAL PROGRAM

Openings available in these classes:

Kindermusik Imagine That (3-5 yrs) Tuesday 5:30-6:10pm

Kindermusik Our Time (10 mos-3 yrs) Friday 5:10-5:50pm

Suzuki Strings (up to 13 yrs) 1st Saturday of each month

Treble Maker Show Choir (7-12 yrs) Thursday 5:05-5:55pm

Young at Heart Keyboard (ages 55+) Tuesdays 1:35-2:25pm

GROUP MUSIC CLASSES Holiday Carolers

“Guests loved the Christmas caroling. The singers were

excellent and the costumes were great!”

-Kathy, event planner

Bring the sights and sounds of the holidays to your holiday party! Harris

Academy of the Arts’ Charles Dickens carolers will serenade your guests with

classic and contemporary carols in four-part harmony, dressed in authentic

costumes. Their yuletide cheer will relax and entertain guests in any

atmosphere.

To inquire about rates and availability, please call (402) 423-7121.

2935 Pine Lake Road, Ste. C

Lincoln, NE 68516

402.423.7121

harrisacademyofthearts.com

Spring Class Schedule

Something for everyone! Classes start in January.

Adult Beginning Guitar

Beginning Piano (8-12)

Beginning Violin Improvisation (all ages)

Children’s Music Academy (3-7)

Kindermusik (newborn-7)

Songwriting 1 (all ages)

Ukulele Workshops (all ages)

And MUCH MORE!

Door Hangers Ages 14 and up. A terrific income opportunity for high school students and adults! Earn money while exercising and distributing literature about HAA. For more information, contact Kelsey at: (402) 423-7121 or [email protected]

JOB OPPORTUNITIES