What fun we had at our December 18, 2015 1st ever live internet concert! Folks tuned-in from all over to stageit.com and members of the piano studio performed fabulous arrangements of holiday music and Christmas carols. Students were "tipped" during the concert and the highest tipper received an original painting by the Painting Pugcassos! (Yes, pugs who paint!) Some students elected to donate their tips to Alabama Pug Rescue and Adoption. 

Studio Fall Gala
Sunday, September 7, 2014 
2:00 P.M.
Independent Presbyterian Church
Choir Room

What fun we had at this afternoon's gathering. Many thanks to students Durga and Meena for their help with the awesome video. It was definitely a hit and I enjoyed watching the audience laugh and be inspired! Congrats to all those students who attended! Your performances were amazing, too. And, super congrats to Desi, the winner of our Summer Repertoire Race ($100!)

What ironies. So much for that last post! I guess Mother Nature decided the last studio renovation of August, 2013 was not enough and felt it was necessary to get all new carpet once again! 

On Tuesday, July 15th, the studio was flooded thanks to a broken water hose on the washer machine. As 4 firemen came to my rescue (go City of Hoover!), I watched water cascading down into the casio keyboard, amplifiers, t.v. unit, Haddorff Vertichod, CD players, brand new $60 urtext scores of Debussy, Bach etc., and stacks upon stacks of music books.

Miracle of miracles, however, it seems that the water did not get into the grand piano, so the only damage to the Baldwin L grand seems to be aftermath of the humidity in the room (tightness in action, some issues with pedal, tuning etc.)

A kudos to Nationwide insurance for coming through for us and making it easy to get back into business. As a small tribute, I composed a little piece, appropriately titled "Paradise Ballade", which uses the motive from Nationwide commercial.  Hopefully there will be a talented teenage student who will perform this with the pathos it deserves!

It has been a long clean-up process .... we still need to install new baseboards, more ceiling tiles, and continue moving books and equipment back into the studio but, as I type this blog entry on August 1, I'm sitting in a room with new carpet, new amplifier, and a beautiful Baldwin piano is on the way from Piano Works in Atlanta to help fill the shoes of the Haddorff Vertichord piano while it searches for its restorer. I know my students will LOVE this Baldwin. Although its birthdate was 1994, it far surpasses most every new (and used) instrument I played in over 4 major music stores (except for the Boesendorfers!). 

If you are interested in my findings of this piano hunt, I highly recommend the following:
-my Baldwin from Piano Works in Atlanta (and, no, it's not for sale anymore, but come play it at the studio!!!!)
-a Kawaii and Schimmel at Ellis Piano in Hoover (David Ellis will know which ones; in fact, there were several instruments we liked)
-any of the new Estonia baby grands at Piano Works in Atlanta, or wherever you can find  them.  (You will be SO surprised ... it the best instrument for that price I found in this hunt)
-an INCREDIBLE Mason and Hamlin upright at Cooper Piano in Atlanta (new instrument with THE most amazing craftsmanship ... I was SO proud that an instrument of this caliber was made in the USA .... it has an incredible action, grand piano size keys, grand piano size sound, amazing bass. Truly a wonderful upright.) Ask for Silas.
-a magnificent (yet small!) Schimmel grand DOWNSTAIRS at Piano Works in Atlanta
-of course, the Steinways at Alabama Piano Gallery (and they even had some nice used uprights available that had been at the University of Tennessee)
-A Kingsburg upright at Cooper piano (while this piano is not a "tank", as they like to say, and will probably not hold up to years and years of intensive playing, it has an incredible bass. Interesting construction.
-If you are willing to pay money, I would check out a Mason and Hamlin grand ($90,000 price range, but he could probably get you that for much less) at Cooper Piano in Atlanta (it was in the back of the store)
-Any of the magnificent, new Boesendorfer grands at Piano Works in Atlanta (that would have been my choice if I had $90,000+)
-Some rebuilt Steinways at Piano Works in Atlanta (but look at Alabama Piano Gallery's new grands first)

After this afternoon's lessons, my piano tuner will be giving the Baldwin L some special love and attention and, (hopefully!), find no damage from all the humidity in the room during the flood. 

I'm looking forward to receiving the remaining fall registration forms from students and putting together the challenging puzzle of "the lesson schedule". 

A toast to the remaining days/hours of summer!