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In This Issue
The extra dividends of having a studio pet
Pass on these pets
Professionals Unite!
Flute Flash
Upcoming Events
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Music For Life Books

For lots more ideas on becoming a successful entrepreneur with a reliable income,
check out  

Chapter 27:
Establish Your
Private Studio
and Develop a
Business Plan 

and
Chapter 28:

Get Paid What
You're Worth
in  

Making Music and Enriching Lives:

A Guide For All 

Music Teachers 

 

 

Order now  

for concrete solutions to your everyday problems and ideas to get more satisfaction from the
best job in the world!

 

The Funnies
Smiley Face
The Real Lyrics to O Fortuna 

 

 
August 2012

Greetings!
 
Today is a sad day for my family as we had to put our black lab, "Angie the Flute Dog," to sleep after her battle with bone cancer.

Angie had been at every lesson since the first day we got her. When she heard a student playing a scale from the music room, she whined at the top of the stairs until we both "went to work." One day I was listening to several CDs and, when I played a student competition CD that started with a scale, she raced downstairs. That dog was tuned in! 

Some may think that having an animal in the lessons is unprofessional and distracting but, if it is the right animal, they can be an "adjunct professor."

 


Why have a studio pet?

 

Music lessons may seem a little scary or frustrating at times and a pet can make your studio a friendlier place.  

 

My students would always greet Angie enthusiastically -- "Angie! You're such a good dog! You're so cute!" -- before they would say hi to me. (Why doesn't anyone ever say, "Bonnie, you're such a good teacher"? Or even better, "Bonnie, you're so cute!") A pet can be an outlet for your students' emotions and keep them calm and happy.

 

A pet can also give you a laugh or two. When Angie would lie on her back with all four feet in the air, I would point to her and laughingly say to my student, "Look! You killed my dog!"  

 

She was such a favorite that I could get the younger students to work for dog biscuits to feed her.

 

When is a pet an intrusion in the studio?

Cats that shed or claw can not only leave clothes a mess but also cause allergic reactions. Any animal that jumps up can be scary, and dogs that howl are only cute for a minute so only well-behaved pets need apply.   


 Angie The Flute Dog

 

 
Practice Pointer

 

Help for syncopation:

  1. Tap eights and play out inner eights (quarter note becomes two eights)
  2. Tap eights and play as written
  3. Tap quarters and play out inner eights
  4. Magic: Play as written

 

 It's August

 

   Don't forget to take a break, or you won't have enough energy to start the new teaching year.   

                          

Flute Flash

Flute To capture the feeling of raising the air stream during a diminuendo (and not letting the pitch fall) tell students to imagine their air stream hitting the wall then gradually going higher and higher until they hit the ceiling. 
 

Bonnie's Speech Calendar
Stop by and say hello!
 

2012 Speech Calendar

   



Attention all flutists:  
Are you going to the
National Flute Association Convention this year? Want a waiting list of students eager to pay top dollar to be in your studio?

 

 

Learn common mistakes and proven strategies to become a respected, well-paid professional with a fulfilling career at my presentation (and be sure to clap and laugh loudly!)

 

   

August 9, 5:00 p.m. 

Speech: "Attract dream students, have fun in your studio, and start getting paid what you deserve -- today!"

LOCATION: Octavius 15-18

Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas!

 

 

August 9-12

Book signing

NFA exhibit hall Caesar's Palace

Carolyn Nussbaum booth

 


 

October 9, 11:00 a.m. 

Olympia Music Teachers Association 

 

October 20, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

All-Day Workshop

Wenatchee Music Teachers Association 

 

March 2013
MTNA national convention
Get Paid What You're Worth 

April 2013
Gig Harbor Music Teachers
Topic TBA

 


If you've found this newsletter fun and helpful, please forward it to your friends, teachers and colleagues. I'd love to hear your comments and any ideas or suggestions you might have about content; we can always learn from each other.

Look for more tips, tricks and stories in the coming months.

And don't forget to check out my website.

Sincerely,
Bonnie Blanchard
bonnieblanchard.com