Alas, another Q4 is already upon us!
Didn’t I just put the Christmas tree away?
I’m 3 months deep into my 6 month sabbatical and the fog of burnout is finally starting to lift. I’m back with some updates on how we’ve expanded our programming here at your friendly neighborhood violin school.
(A teaching sabbatical doesn’t mean I haven’t been scheming on bringing our awesome Suzuki programming to more people!)
ICYMI: Pay What You Can Available Now
This fall we started a Pay What You Can track for new families. Under PWYC, you choose a rate from a selected range. Every tier covers the same 5-6 lessons per month and the same quality of instruction. No questions asked, no paperwork to "prove" you "qualify." If you can afford to pay more to help support the school’s growth, awesome! If you can’t, no problem, whatever you pay still helps compensate our stellar teachers. Every contribution is valid.
Read more about why we launched this or click here to fill out an interest form. Slots are limited to teachers’ availability, but we'll try to make room for ya if you're interested!
Little Twinklers: One Week Left to Enroll
Our FIRST EVER six-week intro to violin for ages 4-7+ starts in just over a week. Classes are small (5 kids at most) so every child gets real attention, and caregivers join in on the learning, too. Kids start on our beloved "mac and cheese box” violins and finish by playing recognizable rhythms on a real instrument. No experience or instrument of your own required.
If you've been wondering if music lessons are a good fit for your child, Little Twinklers is a low-pressure way to see if Suzuki fits your family. Attendees will get a special intro rate on private lessons in 2027, and we may expand Little Twinklers into a lower-cost, ongoing program in the future if turnout is good!
P.S. The Level 2 session was originally intended for ages 6-7. The class is currently empty 😢. We'll take anyone who's interested and available - ages 6+ welcome!
Click here to register for Little Twinklers.
Our biggest programming experiment yet: Flipped Lessons, Piloting February-April 2027
Have you heard of the "flipped classroom?"
The idea is that students prepare for classtime by reading materials, listening to podcasts, and engaging. in dialogue with their peers online.
Time in class with the instructor is used to problem-solve and expand on the learning done independently.
In our ongoing efforts to make Suzuki-based music education accessible, we'll be launching a pilot run of a Flipped Lesson model this winter. Students will attend bi-weekly lessons, then review video assignments in their off-weeks to prepare for deepening their skills at subsequent lessons.
This pilot program will run from February to April 2027, with the option to extend if all parties feel it's a viable route for learning. Tuition will be $80/month. This program will be available for only 4 students at this time, and is best suited to kids ages 8+ with parent supervision, or 14+ without parent supervision.
We are now accepting applications for our February launch - click here to apply.
Did you know I'm available for gigs?
Weddings, showers, holiday parties, any event where you want to add a little extra class with a live violinist.
I also book the much-beloved Violin Storytime for ages 3-7 for birthday parties! There's a holiday story in the rep if you want to book some extra fun for your littles while you host your friends and family this holiday season. Violin petting zoo included!
Click here to read more and inquire about your event date.
P.S. I'm now on Substack musing about all things early childhood education. If you're hanging out on the Stack because you're sick of Meta platforms, subscribe for free!
I hope you have a happy and safe Halloween, and I hope to see you in one of our classes soon!
Harmoniously,
Nissa
Owner and director of Anderson Music
