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Hello Student Families,

I am excited to announce that the EMTA Ribbon Festival is back and registration IS OPEN!

There are 8 fun and educational workshops provided in 2 sessions, 9-1pm or 2-6pm, Saturday, April 20th at the Bear Creek United Methodist Church in Woodinville.  

 Registration Fee is $45. 


Follow these steps for registration: 
1. Go to the website, Eastsidemta.org and find "Student Events"
2. From the drop-down menu for "Student Events", click on "Ribbon Festival
3.  Here you will see a link for payment for the event.  You must pay for the event first through a credit card processor called, "Stripe". The fee is $45 per student for this 4 hour event.  Non members are $55. 
4. After payment is received, you must then email Holly Seneker at hollyseneker@gmail.com to receive an invitation to register since this is a private event.  
5.  You will receive an invitation via email from Holly Seneker.  Login from this email and schedule 4 workshops for your child, through an event app called, "Sched".  
6.  Download the "Sched" app to have access to your account and view your schedule. 

Don't miss out on this amazing music event sponsored by the Eastside Music Teachers Association! Let me know if you have any questions


Here is the Workshop INFO: 

 Ribbon Festival 2024 Events and Workshop Information

Student Prerequisite: All participants must be at least 6 years old, and have had at least one full year of private lessons by April 20, 2020. Ribbon Festival activities are intended for students 6-16 years old. Students 15+ years old are also encouraged to volunteer at the festival for community service! 

Teacher Volunteer Hours: All participating teachers MUST plan on volunteering on the day of Ribbon Festival for a minimum of four hours. 

Registration Forms and Instructions can be obtained from Holly Seneker, hollyseneker@gmail.com or on the EMTA website, http://eastsideteachersassociation.org

Handbells (ages 8-16) Workshop Leader TBA. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to be a part of a hand bell chorus! No experience necessary. By the end of the session, you will impress yourself by performing a piece with your classmates! Students also learn proper technique and how to care for the bells.

Guitar with Jamin Debu (ages 6-16) Classical, Acoustic, Electric and Bass?! There are many kinds of guitars, and so many ways to play them. Come get your inspiration to play this popular instrument from the Ribbon Festival’s guitar workshop leader Jamin Debu. You will get an introductory guitar lesson, and tips on how to find inspirational artists to listen to and where to find resources to continue your interests. 

Improvisation at the Piano with Luke Doubravsky (ages 6-16) In Improvisation to Composition, students will have a chance to create new music on the spot using the skills and foundations they have built through their music lessons. During the workshop, we will explore the elements of music, such as rhythm, melody and texture as a starting point for music-making and creating. No previous improvisation or composition experience required!

Music History “Beethoven’s World” with Alex Binz (ages 6-16) Beethoven the superhero composer changes music forever... at the same time another famous superhero gets busy changing the world forever! Learn about the powerful connections between politics and music, made entertaining and understandable for all ages. You will love this passionate teacher with a great sense of humor!

Rhythm and Drums (ages 8-16) with Conrad Ormsby. Get a chance to keep the beat on your own drum pad in this rhythm class! Learn to play new rhythms with a professional drummer and get great experience with making beats in a group setting. 

Music Art with Wendy Yee (ages 6-16) The theme is Rockin’ Rhythm! Wendy teaches an energetic class that is a fusion of a hands-on art project and ethnomusicology (world music).  

Baroque Dance with Anna Mansbridge (ages 6-16) You may have PLAYED a minuet, but do you know what one looks like? Step back in time to the early 18th century and come and learn the manners and social graces men and women were expected to know at the magnificent and powerful courts of Europe! Everyone who went to court was expected to dance such popular dances as the Minuet, displaying the necessary social graces, to the music of popular composes such as Handel, Bach and Campra. Anna will bring impressive costumes, teach you the Language of the Fan, the correct way to bow and curtsey, as well as some popular social court dances. This class is held in the Ribbon Festival’s biggest room and is ideal for both guys and girls! 

Math in Music with Bonnie Debu (ages 6-16) We often hear that music is mathematical, but WHY? This class explores the physics of sound and MANY aspects of music that can be represented by numbers, and how you can use physics and numbers to develop your knowledge of theory, your technique and practice strategies to become a stronger musician. You don’t have to be a math whiz to love this subject!  

Minute-to-win-it Scale Challenge: This is not a class, but an “extra” which can be done before class, between classes or after your session is done. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE on the lobby piano for this challenge. Prepare four different memorized scales of your choice for the scale monitor in 60 seconds or less (make them neat!). They must be at least one octave, must all start on a different letter name (not G major AND G minor) ascending and descending with correct notes and finger numbers, hands alone or hands together, majors and harmonic minors, and one of your scales may be chromatic if you wish! (for example, you could play C Major, A harmonic minor, G major, and an F chromatic scale)

Bonnie Debu



Video Lessons, Virtual Recital upcoming

Wednesday, March 11, 2020 by Bonnie Debu | Uncategorized

This last year and a half has been really eye-opening for me to see students take responsibility in musical growth. It is a different learning space online. Not ideal in the long run but a very good thing nonetheless: I am also able to check up on if students are set up well at home, and hear when pianos are needing a tune.

I have opened a YouTube channel called Sapphire Piano and students are sending me recital and competition videos to post publically. Congrats to the participants who are sharing their talents! Thank you so much. 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPlbMQlx2KaGX8V1PNrqF6g/videos

How to Cancel a Lesson

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 by Bonnie Debu | Policy

 STUDIO LESSON CANCELLATION INSTRUCTIONS – Updated August 2021 

  1. To cancel a lesson, login to https://bonniedebu.mymusicstaff.com/ not less than 5 days before the lesson you want to cancel. (Contact Bonnie for a login refresh.)
  2. Go to the calendar, click on the lesson and a message will pop up with more details about cancellations, then at the bottom, you will be given the choice to cancel the lesson.
  3. When you click YES, the system informs me of the canceled lesson by email, and you can click on the make-up class you want. (It will not allow you to register a 60-minute make-up class if your makeup credit is for 45 minutes: just ask for help if you need one.)

Below is an example calendar week: all the green time spots are available makeup spots for that week:  3:15 Monday is a regular open spot, but 6:00 through 9:00 Monday are spots students canceled on their own, leaving you with more options for that week. 

 

 

Ribbon Festival

Sunday, February 2, 2020 by Bonnie Debu | Ribbon Festival

The EMTA Ribbon Festival on February 1 was a great success! I worked hard on this project with some talented organizers. Together we offered a venue for students to perform in recital, to take classes in Guitar, Percussion, Baroque Dance, Art, Jazz, Improvisation, Physics of Music, and Handbells. Students could opt to take WSMTA Theory level exams, as well. Students and parents alike looked like they were having a lot of fun. This is a wonderful opportunity for student volunteers to get service hours for their schools volunteer requirements, and I had plenty of help from students and parents alike. I am SO grateful!