Welcome back to all my students …

I am very blessed as a music educator and string teacher/coach to have an amazing group of dedicated students (and supportive parents) who are progressing well on their instruments and becoming wonderful performers in a broad range of music styles: from Classical to Celtic, Jazz to Rock. I love teaching and passing on this amazing art form.
This week, it has been great to welcome my students back to a new fall term of music instruction. I would like to mention the accomplishments of two of my students: Alena Bruulsema and Rajan Anderson, who used their music this summer in some exciting ways …

Alena Bruulsema joined me in concert this summer in Stratford on a duet. She worked hard to learn a cut off of my 5th String BLVD. CD and played it wonderfully to a very receptive audience.

Alena with a trophy she won last Spring for the highest mark in the Junior Strings division of the Stratford Kiwanis Festival.

With her proud teacher!

Rajan Anderson worked very hard this summer to learn a challenging concert set of Metis fiddle songs to perform at an outdoor Musical Theater Production in Batoche – a national historic site on the South Saskatchewan river. What a wonderful way to learn of his Metis heritage while playing the Seven Step, Heel and Toe Polka, Waltz Quadrille, Red River Jig, Drops of Brandy and many other traditional songs! To help in preparation, Rajan recorded some of the songs in my studio. I also arranged and recorded some sound tracks for him to perform to. It was a very successful project and I am very proud of his accomplishments …

Rajan, playing for a group of dancers outside of the church and rectory of the Mission of St. Antoine de Padoue.

Serenading a wedding couple on the church steps …

I am looking forward to another wonderful year of music with my students. The new 39 Fairmeadow home teaching and recording studio location will provide many more opportunities for them to explore new styles of music and modes of expression. TD