The Write Notes
The Newsletter from the St. Joseph Arts Academy

Dear Students and Families,

I’m sure the countdown to the end of the school year began a while ago. We are really getting down to it now.
Wishing everyone the best in the last days of the 2018/2019 school year!

Hope it has been a really great one. Who’s ready for summer!?

Summer is a special time at the Academy.
Lots of our students choose to take longer lessons (or try a new instrument), we get our summer vacationers coming in who are staying with family here, summer time festival performances and more.

Quite frankly, we work a little harder in summer (and we play hard too).

We hope it will be a great season for your whole family.

Mother’s Day – To all of our amazing moms, hope it was a great spring day for you and your family. Thank you for all you do for us and for the musicians you love.

Summer Vacation is fast approaching! –
We know (and expect) that everyone will have a great summer. We stay on schedule at the SJAA through the summer. Let us know when you will be out on vacations and we’ll work with you the best we can for reschedules or make-ups. Talk to your teacher about the possibility of taking a longer lesson during the summer or maybe trying a new instrument. We have a few fun summer time festivals ahead of us too! Welcome to our out of town students (back in St. Joe to stay with Grandparents for the summer) who will be joining us for “vacation” music lessons. The SJAA is a real, summertime destination! Thanks for referring your friends and family looking for fun and constructive summer time activities. Spaces are limited.

New Violin Openings –

After some serious begging with our excellent strings team, we are opening a few new violin times starting in June. The violin is one of our specialties at the SJAA with master coaches trained in Suzuki methods, classical and fiddle repertoire.

Early Childhood –

We’ve recently added some very important early childhood music specialists to our team here. Private music courses for parents with babies, toddlers and Pre-K are available nearly every morning and on Saturdays. The benefits of music on the developing child are exponential and early exposure is simply one of the greatest gifts you can give these littlest ones.

Special Events –

Stay tuned for some new, fun, informative and engaging extensions of our programs. Clinics and Masterclasses on specific topics, interests and instruments are coming soon.

Coloring Contest –
Rain, Rain Go Away! Looking for a rainy day (or inside) activity in the first days out of school? Show us your coloring skills! You don’t have to stay in the lines either. This coloring page with plenty of details is not for the faint of heart. For students and their grown-ups too. Our teaching team will choose one of our favorites and the artist will receive a $25 gift card. Contest runs from May 22-June 22. Download the page here…music accomplished SJAA color page or pick up a copy at your lesson. Sharpen those crayons and colored pencils and show us what you can do!

Welcome to our NEW Students and families!!

Shannon, Owen, Lucy, Jace, Mary, Maddox, Elsa, Phoebe, Anna, Scott, Basil and Matt.

#MusicAccomplished

MO State Music Contests –
Congratulations to our students receiving “Gold” ratings at the Missouri State Music Contest in Columbia last month. We are extremely proud of your dedication to your instruments and all the hard work you put into your preparation.

Jack Wing – Violin Solo
Ella DeWeese – Violin Solo
Jackson Meyer -Violin Solo
Georgia, Dani & Hayleigh – Clarinet Trio
Georgia Riley – Clarinet Solo

Thanks and congratulations to their teachers, Mr. Brock, Mr. Holmes and Mr. Maxwell.

Jack Wing – Violin Solo, Ella DeWeese – Violin Solo, Jackson Meyer -Violin Solo (not pictured) and Mr. Brock.
Georgia, Dani & Hayleigh – Clarinet Trio
Georgia Riley – Clarinet Solo

Student of the Month

Our April “Student of the Month” is…

Eh Naw Naw!!!

We are so lucky to have Eh and her family with us at the SJAA. Besides being an excellent student, she is also a very disciplined young musician with a great attitude who is always prepared for each lesson.

We’ll celebrate Eh with an iTunes gift card for her!

Thank you, Eh for referring your friends and family to the Academy.

Congratulations!!!

To be considered for Student of the Month, be sure to talk to your teacher about all your musical and extracurricular activities, share pictures and refer your fellow musicians to the academy.

Special of the Month! Hamilton Music Stands – We have a limited number (only 10) of these fold-able, adjustable music stands. Great for any music space and they fold-up and include a carrying bag for the upcoming tour. A music stand is a professional necessity for every practicing musician or music room. We offer these at a discount to SJAA members.

Just $15 (you save $10.99).

Books!
Is your student ready for new books? We carry a very limited supply of instructor approved titles. Talk with your teacher about your next books and we’ll get them ordered.

MORE News…

Welcome to our newest guitar coach, JC Dirks! JC is an amazing musician, family man and musical director at his home church in Maryville. He’s been a long time friend who we’ve handpicked as a perfect addition to our teaching team at the SJAA.

New Music – Congratulations to Guitar/Piano/Uke/Vocal Coach, Brent Isom on the debut of his very first solo CD, “Eternity”! They’ll be celebrating with a CD release concert at the Manic Snail (618 Francis) on June 1, 3-6pm along with Stephanie Gummelt and Tom Keller. Make sure to ask Brent where you can get his new record!

Pomp and Circumstance – Our own Vocal/Piano Coach, Monica recently completed her 2nd music degree! Adding to her BA in vocal performance from Truman State, Monica received her BME in Music Education from MWSU. Congratulations, Monica!

Congratulations to all 2019 graduates!

Jett T. – Savannah
Alexis P. – Savannah
Caleb C. – St. Joseph
Francesca L. – Atchison

Hope it’s the greatest summer ever and can’t wait to see what you will do next.

Minnie & Sydney & Mickey!

Ok, Ok… You get the week off of practice if you send us photos of you meeting celebrities! Looks like a great time at Disney. Thanks for sharing, Lovejoys!

SJAA’s Summer Festivals
6/15 – “HawkFest” Coleman Hawkins Jazz & Blues Festival, SJAA – 1230pm, Coleman Hawkins Gazebo Downtown (June 1 deadline)
7/17 – Silver and Gold Banquet, Word of Life Church, 1130-1245
8/31 – “JoeStock” – SJAA – time TBA – Coleman Hawkins Gazebo Downtown

Upcoming Recitals

SJAMTA Recital Calendar Coming Soon!

“The Summer of 2019”

Summer is the best time for outdoor music and music festivals.

St. Joseph has an amazing culture for live music all summer long with FREE concerts like “Parties on the Parkway”, “Sounds of Summer”, “Hawkfest”, “JoeStock” & “Imagine Eleven”.

I always look forward to this busy season at home and on the road with our steel pan, party band, Soca Jukebox! The band is celebrating it’s 17th season this summer. It’s awesome to be able to play fun music with fun friends.

If you haven’t seen this act… COME SEE US! The music is lively and fun with incendiary guitar playing and all out drum wars. “Let’s get together and feel alright” in the summer of ’19.

http://www.socajukebox.com

Early childhood music classes!
(Coming Soon)

2 and up – mommy and me class – infant to one year olds – large class setting.

Musical, vocal and dance playtime and games.

The benefits are developing musical abilities on an appropriate age level, developing creativity and imagination, all motor development, and music have been proven to help improve language, literacy, and social/emotional development.

Email jason at jason@stjosephartsacademy.com for more information.

Auto-Payments

While we are still accepting VENMO, cash and checks, the SJAA is moving closer to convenient auto-drafting from credit cards or your bank account. Ask you teacher for a form or feel free to follow the link to fill the authorization, bring it to your lesson and we’ll get you set up.

https://stjosephartsacademy.com/auto-payment-authorization/

Thank you for reading “The Write Notes” – Newsletter from the St. Joseph Arts Academy!

It’s going to be a great month.

Thank you for encouraging the advancing musicians in your life and in our community. We are making the world a better place through music.

Here’s to YOUR music success!

Jason Riley
Director
jason@stjosephartsacademy.com
8162944856 (personal cell)
Here to help! Call or text if you need anything at all.

Referral Program – We have a great family of students and teachers at the SJAA. We are extremely discerning in selecting the very best coaches and students when growing our family. We want great students just like you. The SJAA is now able to offer a FREE lesson for referring new students who register for lessons. Thank you for referring your friends and family to be a part of our SJAA family.

Does Your Teacher Have Openings?

Jason – Full
Terry – Full
JC – Mondays, 3 & 330
Andrew – Tuesdays, 245 & 715
Emily – Monday 730, Friday 530 & Saturday (newly open)
Monica – Wednesday 430 & 7
Brent – Tuesday 4 & 630, Thursday 330 & 7

SJAA Classes/Courses – Guitar, Piano, Violin, Voice, Uke, Early Childhood

TeacherZone is our on-line platform for our students and our teachers.
https://teacherzone.com

Free Wi-Fi – SJAA password “MusicAccomplished”

Academy Mission

Our mission at the St. Joseph Arts Academy is to provide the highest quality musical instruction and performance opportunities to beginning and advancing students in the Midland empire. We use our patience, enthusiasm and loyalty to encourage, inform and entertain others to happily share their skill and talent in love and gratitude to make the world a better place.

OUR MOTTO…

Music Accomplished!

Our mailing address is:

St. Joseph Arts Academy

2027 N. 36th Street

St Joseph, MO 64506

http://www.jasonriley.com
https://stjosephartsacademy.com
http://www.socajukebox.com