Wednesday, September 1, 2021 by Therese Porter | Uncategorized

Welcome back to our returning students and hello to our new students!

New school year start dates

The new academic year starts today, Wednesday, 1^st September in East Glendalough School, Wicklow town and on Monday, 6^th September in Newcastle Parish Centre. There are 32 weeks of lessons in EGS and 34 weeks of lessons in NPC.  The Musical Theatre course begins on 1st October and runs over 29 weeks in NPC.

All instrumental tuition is running ON-SITE.  But I hasten to add that our students/parents must agree to a default of online delivery should lockdown conditions return.

New Musical Theatre course

We have an exciting new Musical Theatre course this year.  The course will build confidence in stage acting and vocal expression.  Activities and exercises are designed to draw out the individual in a safe, nurturing, and happy environment.  The course provides an opportunity for participants to learn techniques that preserve the voice and develop natural resonance across all of the individual vocal range.  It will provide practical training to prepare for the Leaving Certificate Practical Voice and for 3rd level courses in the Performing Arts.  This course is more suited to students aged 12 years and older.  For more information log onto our website.  

New tutors

Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to Maura as she has taken on a full-time assignment in Bray this year.  We were so blessed to have her and wish her the best in her new venture. However, we are delighted to announce our two new tutors.  

Darragh Hennessy will be taking the Wednesday schedule. Darragh is a mild-mannered and very warm person who has trained in classical technique and completed a degree in Jazz performance at the Newpark School. 

Eoin Fallon will be taking the Saturday schedule.  Eoin comes from Westmeath and is a keen and passionate musician.   He has been a music teacher for the past six years and has experience in both piano and flute tuition.  Eoin was the recipient of many scholarships from both the RIAM and UCD Symphony Orchestra.  Eoin offers tuition in Piano, Musicianship, Ensemble and Composition.

Competition

We are launching a competition soon for enrolled students with the winner receiving a massive €200 discount from Term 2 fees.

School Community and Workshops

As a member of our community, you have access to workshops, concerts, end-of-term assessments, access to a library of books, access to the school software which allows you to check your scheduled lessons, payments made to the school, check attendance, use of the Practice log, the opportunity to interact with your tutor through notes, to name just a few benefits. 

We have two FREE (for enrolled students only) online events planned for Term 1 so far. 

·           Parenting and Music Practice – a discussion with parenting mentor Anne Brannick (this event ties in with our fabulous new competition, more details to follow) and 

·           Musical Expression with RIAM examiner and WSMD tutor Rachel Factor. 

More details will follow on these two events.

Registration

Don’t forget to logon to our website, review our Registration conditions and sign the Registration form – we need an up-to-date form for each student before lessons can commence.

Best wishes everyone!

Kerry & staff

Monday, July 19, 2021 by Therese Porter | Uncategorized

With the summer season under way, it is now time to pre-enrol for September.  We take your decision to enrol yourself or your child very seriously.  You are not just a name or number – you are a valued member of our music community. 

As a member of our community, you have access to workshops, concerts, end-of-term assessments, access to a library of books, access to the school software which allows you to check your scheduled lessons, payments made to the school, check attendance, use of the Practice log, the opportunity to interact with your tutor through notes, to name just a few benefits. 

We have two FREE (for enrolled students only) online events planned for Term 1 so far. 

·           Parenting and Music Practice – a discussion with parenting mentor Anne Brannick (this event ties in with our fabulous new competition, more details to follow) and 

·           Musical Expression with RIAM examiner and WSMD tutor Rachel Factor. 

Our tutors have many years of teaching experience and are all seasoned performers.  They tailor lessons to each student; whether the student is learning for their own enjoyment, or they wish to pursue exams with RIAM, ABRSM or Trinity College London.  We have excellent results from all exam boards.  

Fees for 2021/22

A 30-minute individual lesson costs only €25.  If you have reached grade 6 standard you are required to take 45-minute lessons at a cost of €37.50.  Longer lessons can also be arranged.

Our Annual Registration fee is €40 which is reduced to only €5 for second or subsequent family members. Note: when you prepay a full year’s fees, the administration work is reduced and as a result you are not charged for it – see Special Offers below. 

We offer a 5% discount on music fees for third and subsequent family members.

Our Concert (subject to COVID restrictions) fees remain at €10 per family per term (max. two terms).  The concert fees cover all family members – parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.

We offer a monthly Standing Order payment option which spreads the cost of tuition throughout the academic year.  A 5% charge applies to Standing Orders to cover the associated bank fees.  If you wish to avail of this payment option, please contact the office as soon as possible.

New Musical Theatre course

We have an exciting new Musical Theatre course this year.  The course will build confidence in stage acting and vocal expression.  Activities and exercises are designed to draw out the individual in a safe, nurturing, and happy environment.  The course provides an opportunity for participants to learn techniques that preserve the voice and develop natural resonance across all of the individual vocal range.  It will provide practical training to prepare for the Leaving Certificate Practical Voice and for 3^rd level courses in the Performing Arts.  This course is more suited to students aged 12 years and older.  For more information log onto our website.  

Competition

We are launching a new competition over the next few days for enrolled students with the winner receiving a massive €200 discount from Term 2 fees.

Special offers

·          Pay for the year in full by 1^st August and avail of NO Registration Fee, NO Concert fees, NO Exam administration fees and protection against any fee increase during the year.
  Availing of this offer will also give you first refusal on your existing time/day/tutor, subject to tutor availability.

·          Pay for Term 1 in full by 1^st August and avail of a 50% reduction in the Annual registration fee.  You will also get first refusal on your existing time/day/tutor, subject to tutor availability.

·          Pay €100 deposit to secure your place in September.

Any times not already secured by payment in full for the year or Term 1 by 1^st August will be open to all other students.

New school year start dates

The new academic year will start on Wednesday, 1^st September in East Glendalough School, Wicklow town and on Monday, 6^th September in Newcastle Parish Centre. There are 32 weeks of lessons in EGS and 34 weeks of lessons in NPC.  The Musical Theatre course begins on 1st October and runs over 29 weeks in NPC.

Registration form 

Don’t forget to logon to our website, review our Registration conditions and sign the Registration form – we need an up-to-date form for each student before lessons can commence.

NB: COMING SOON - STRIPE for online portal payments!!

Saturday, August 22, 2020 by Kerry Anderson | Uncategorized

Well here we go folks.   

Just hours after I had posted our new socially distant schedule, the government announced further restrictions on groups.

So a recap of all that has changed since the advent of 'lockdown'

Both of our Musical Theatre Tutors have decided to change direction.  So a very fond farewell to Caroline Hill and Clare Dixon - words are not enough! But I know we'll meet again one COVID-free day!  Caroline and her husband John were an absolute powerhouse of production and I will miss those heady days of panto magic!  Caroline is moving into film set design and we all wish her well on her road to success!

We'll miss Clare's fun-and-games apporach to tuition.  She got great results from the team of singers and we wish her all the best as she goes further into choral directing (such as it is right now!!).

Now we have intimate theatre to look forward to with Maura Flynn.  Maura has produced many, many shows and jumped at the chance to work on this new course.  She's preparing the details as I write this and will feature on the website page shortly.

We've advertised 10 in a group; now we will reduce that to 5 and see how the COVID situation unfolds.  Praying that the virus has modified itself (as they are want to do) into something more in line with common flu.  In the mean time, I will be taking zinc supplements and D3 as the winter months approach.

Note the musical theatre course is now running each Saturday at 3:30 in Newcastle Parish Centre (A63X782) in the enormous Hall and their giant doors will be wide open until the cold sets in...

We are offering Musicianship ONLINE for beginner to grade one standard each Saturday at 2:00pm.  I will run these classes, and a curriculum will commence in October, but the class starts in September.  This means that in September we can get established as a small community, sharing our taste in music, and establishing what we already know and need to work on.  There is room for up to 12 students, and I am hoping to have something prepared for our virtual Christmas concert.  

Maura is running the intermediate Musicianship course each Saturday morning at 8:15-9:00am. Students are teens and are at grade 2 to 4 instrumental standard.  This course is on-site in East Glendalough School.

All instrumental tuition is running as usual ON-SITE.  But I hasten to add that our students/parents must agree to a default of online delivery should lockdown conditions return.

In the world of opera Pagliacci, the sad clown, sings 'Vesti la Giubba!'  On with the show! 

But let's not be sad.  

Best wishes everyone!

Kerry