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Welcome to Kittyko Music! This newsletter contains all you need to know to get started making music with me. You do not need to have all these supplies before we start. We'll talk about them during our first lesson.
GUITAR STUDENTS
Supplies may include (we'll talk about it during our lesson):
- Books
- A folder for handouts
- a few picks
- a tuner (plan to pick one up within the first month or so)
I have some materials available for students, and there are many resources online. These handouts are at no charge to you.
PIANO STUDENTS Supplies may include (we'll talk about it during lessons):
- Books
- A folder for handouts
- A metronome of some kind to use at home. Phones have metronome apps, too. There's no hurry for this; we will start using one within the first month or so.
UKULELE STUDENTS Supplies: I use materials available on the web and write my own curriculum for ukulele students. DRUM STUDENTS Supplies:
- A folder for handouts
- Please bring sticks to the lesson
We will discuss possible books and materials during our first 2 lessons.
BASS GUITAR STUDENTS We will discuss possible books and materials during our first 2 lessons.
ALL STUDENTS (guitar/piano/drums/bass/ukulele)
will receive additional materials (songs printed, etc.) for free during the lesson.
ADDITIONAL free OPPORTUNITIES
RECORDING
With a brief explanation, students will co-engineer their own projects. Students will learn the importance of playing to a steady beat, playing with confidence and clarity, and the basic components of all musical pieces: strong beginnings, endings, volume, dynamics, mood, and what to do about mistakes.
Recordings may be featured on my website, Kittyko.com and/or on my Kittyko Students YouTube channel (using first names or nicknames).
COMPOSING
All students at Kittyko Music will compose some of their own pieces.
Using free software (links below), the student plays her/his composition to a click track (metronome) and it is transcribed onto sheet music. The sheet music can be printed, emailed, and shared.
PERFORMING/RECITALS I regularly perform in the Bis-Man area, and whenever possible, I invite my students to join me on stage for a song or two. Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities, especially in the summer.
We hold "recitals" but Kittyko student recitals are more like community shows--with trivia, little prizes, food, and fun.
ALL ABILITIES ARE WELCOME FOR RECITALS!!
PODCAST: Kittyko Radio Check out the podcasts/internet radio shows featuring Kittyko Music students! https://kittyko.com/kittyko-radio TV PROGRAM: Kittyko and Friends Kittyko Music students and other children in the community are joining Kittyko for a program about and for children on Dakota Media Access. To view Kittyko and Friends episodes, click here for our most recent episode.
MUSIC VIDEOS
Students will have the opportunity to select photographs from free photo sites, such as pics4learning.com. These photos (all family-friendly, of course, such as nature or animals) will be assembled into a slideshow which will contain audio from the student's recordings.
Slideshows will be uploaded to the Kittyko Students YouTube account or featured on my website, Kittyko.com.
LINKS
These links offer FREE downloads for programs that we will use extensively during lessons. I encourage you to explore these links and download the programs you feel comfortable with so that your child can continue to work on projects at home between lessons. The three notation programs listed below (ScoreCloud, MuseScore, and Finale Notepad) are all great. Feel free to choose one or download all. These downloads are not required for music lessons, but they are fabulous learning tools!
Audacity (for recording)
MuseScore (more notation software)
Finale Notepad (a free, simplified version of the famed Finale software used in some schools)
Practice chart I've created:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Attendance:
For in-person: Lessons are held at 910 N. 15th Street in Bismarck, which is close to Hillside Park. Please enter through the door at the end of the driveway...without knocking...and come down the stairs. To reduce congestion in the small stairway, please come in a minute or two before your lesson but no earlier; there is no waiting area. :) Online lessons are held via Zoom, FaceTime, Messenger, Google...pretty much anything!
Please note: I have immune system issues. For this reason, please do not come to lessons with a cold or illness symptoms, even if it's minor; what's minor for someone else can often be major for me.
If the student is ill but still up for a lesson, instead of coming in person, we can do that lesson online that week or credit the lesson. Thank you for your consideration.
Make Ups Please let me know as soon as you know if your child will be unable to attend a lesson so that I can perhaps find a good make-up time. I will do the same in the case of absence on my part.
If I your child misses a lesson (and you have notified me as much in advance as possible), I will do my best to find a make-up time.
There will be no make-up lessons or credits for "no shows" or last minute cancellations.
Payment
Lessons are $59 per month for weekly 30-minute lessons if paid by cash or check. The rate is calculated at $14.75 x 4 weeks. If there are 5 weeks in a month, the 5th week is a free/bonus lesson as a "thank you" for paying monthly. :) Venmo, PayPal, etc. are available, but the rate for those is $61.50 per month (vs. $59) because of online fees. For those who may be taking a shorter lesson, we will figure the rate based on the above rate. Unfortunately, there will be no credits for a no-show or last minute cancellation. But if you do need to adjust your payment and have let me know ahead of time that you will not be able to make a lesson, you can figure your payment using the in-person or Venmo pay rate. Just divide the figure by 4 for the per-lesson rate. Please send your child with a check or cash on her/his first lesson of the month OR you can find me on Venmo or PayPal on the business tab as Kittyko Music OR via Apple Pay. Checks can be payable to Kittyko Music. Thank you--and if you have any questions, please feel free to call, text, or email.
Question? Comments? Suggestions? Feel free to email me at kittyko@kittyko.com or call/text, 701-516-3415. Let's stay in touch!
Thank you for choosing Kittyko Music for your child's musical explorations and accomplishments. I look forward to working with all of you!
-Kittyko (Kris) Just a bit from my bio: Kris "Kittyko" Kitko holds a North Dakota elementary education teaching license and has a master's degree in education and instructional design/technology from the University of North Dakota. She is passionate about using music and sound to teach absolutely everything, from music itself to science and language arts. She believes that active, hands-on learning creates a meaningful experience that fosters a love of learning in all realms. Kris is also pursuing post-graduate studies in stress reduction/management and the effects of sound and music for relaxation and stress management. Some of her "Gentle Instrumentals" can be found for free download here.
Visit kittyko.com for more about Kittyko Music!CONTACT INFO:Kris (cell): 701-516-3415email: kittyko@kittyko.comor kriskitko@gmail.com
Kittyko Music Studio: 910 N. 15th Street
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