Volume 19 Issue 1 November 27, 2019

Christmas RecitalsThe School of Fine Arts Christmas Recitals will be held December 7 and 8. Family and friends are invited. Please come to celebrate our students’ achievements with us!

Mark recital dates and times on your calendars!

There will be a celebration reception following each recital in room 269. SOFA families are asked to bring something to share at the reception; fruit or vegetable platter, cheese and crackers, baking, etc.

Please be mindful that the school is a nut free environment.

Saturday, December 7 Studio of Karla Fillion 10:00 am Room 270Studio of Jason Wiebe 11:30 am Room 270 Studio of Julianna Enns. 12:45 pm Room 270 Studio of Carolyn McLean 2:15 pm Room 270Studio of Nikita Labdon 3:15 pm Room 270 Studio of Lori Jede 3:15 pm Room 270 Studio of Tyler Pollard 3:15 pm Room 270 Studio of Cadence Penner 3:15 pm Room 270 Studio of Carolyn Scholz 4:00 pm Room 270Studio of Michael Scholz 4:00 pm Room 270

Sunday, December 8 Studio of Margot Sim 2:00 pm Room 270 Studio of Gary Brenner 3:30 pm Room 270

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SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS 877 Wilkes Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3P 1B8

Phone: 204.799.0875. Email sofa@lindenchristian.org www.lindenchristian.org/about/#6

PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS

PIANO

GUITAR

VOICE

VIOLIN

VIOLA

CELLO

FLUTE

VOICE/PIANO COMBO

DRUMS/PERCUSSION

THEORY

TRUMPET

CLARINET

BAND STUDENT MENTOR PROGRAM

GROUP LESSONS

ART CLASSES

INTRO TO MUSICAL THEATRE

MUSICAL THEATRE

To register contact sofa@lindenchristian.org

SOLFEGGIETTO School of Fine Arts Newsletter

Volume 19 Issue 1 November 27, 2019

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“THE ZOO” MINI-MUSICAL Thursday, November 28 4:30 pm, Room 270 Presented by INTRO TO MUSICAL THEATRE GRADES 2 - 4 It's been high-energy fun teaching Theatre fundamentals to this lively group of 12 budding performers known as “The Safari Squad”. We began with some name games, animal charades and animal walks and learned the terminology for the stage grid. Our warm-ups include stretches, vocal patterns and learned right vs. left when facing an audience. We’ve learned that vocal volume in theatre arts is known as “level” and ‘Performance’ voices are allowed and encouraged when on stage! We’ve learned about text pacing and know that a cast is an interconnected team that depends on one another for cuing into the next line and action on stage. We had fun with my furry, improvisation ball “Spot” for “on the spot” speaking in the middle of the cast circle. Our mini-musical relies on the team work of these talented girls and boys (Grades 2 to 4) and will be performed entirely by memory. Confident communication, teamwork and memorization are life-skills that go beyond the musical theatre class!In joyful song, Miss Margot (Director)

MUSICAL THEATRE CLASS CHRISTMAS PRESENTATION Tuesday, December 10 4:15 pm, Room 270Students will be performing two short musicals: a look behind the scenes at Santa’s workshop and a humorous reminder that Jesus is the reason for the season. We hope to see you there on December 10th!  Nikita Labdon (Director)

SOFA STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Congratulation to these SOFA students on completing their RCM Practical and Theory Examinations in June and August

Abigail H. Level 6 Piano First Class Honors

Isabelle G. V. Level Prep A First Class Honors with Distinction            Leo S. Level 5 Piano Honors

Skylar K. Level 5 Piano Honors

Sierra K. Level 3 Piano Honors

Anine V. D. H. Level 5 Piano Honors

Kayla A. Level 6 Piano Honors

Grace A. Level 8 Honors

Lauren H. Level 6 Piano Honors

Uyen N.  Level 4 Piano Honors

Thao N. Level 4 Piano Honors

Adam K. Level 7 Theory First Class Honors with Distinction

Daniel P. Level 5 Piano Honors

ART CLASSES JANUARYART CLASS GRADES 1-4 Instructor LISA MENDIS WEDNESDAYS 3:45 pm – 5:00 pm $185.00 ART CLASS GRADES 5-8Instructor LISA MENDISWEDNESDAYS 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm $185.00 Starts JANUARY 8, 2020 10 weeks SOFA students will learn a variety of different mediums throughout the class to enhance and refine their artistic skills. Each student is encouraged in developing their natural style, while embracing new techniques in each medium they explore. We will look at the influence of various artists and draw inspiration from them. Together we will engage in drawing activities that use pencil, pastel, watercolour and India ink, developing characters, making comics, playing with collage posters and other mixed media projects. Students are encouraged to think creatively as they work independently as well as collaboratively with one another. This is a continuation of the class that started in September. Registration forms for Art Class here.

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INTRO TO MUSICAL THEATRE CLASSES JANUARY

INTRO TO MUSICAL THEATRE GRADES 2 - 4 Instructor MARGOT SIMTHURSDAYS 10 weeks 3:45 pm - 4:45 pm Starts January 9, 2020$185.00

This is a beginner’s course in communicating on stage through songs, poems, dialogue, gesture and staging. Fun and creativity with movement and music: warm-ups for the voice and body, Improv games and Theatre games will be enjoyed. Young students will build confidence as performers through team-work. The class will present a short, mini-musical at the end of the course.

MARGOT SIM has worked as a professional singer-actor and adjudicates Speech Arts and Musical Theatre in festivals across Canada. She is the Minister of Music at Grace Bible Church and a voice and voice/piano combo lesson instructor at SOFA. Margot believes in a high-energy learning environment and in finding the “fun” in fundamentals.

Registration forms for Intro to MT

Class here.

MUSICAL THEATRE CLASSES JANUARYMUSICAL THEATRE CLASS / GRADES 5-8  Instructor NIKITA LABDON / $185.00 (Includes supplies) / 11 weeks – TUESDAYS / 3:45 – 5:00 pm STARTS January 7, 2020

This course will provide students with a safe, fun, and educational exposure to musical theatre. The course will include group vocal lessons focusing on healthy singing techniques, improvisation and rudimentary acting techniques and simple choreography. Students will work in small groups and ensemble situations with the focus on teamwork. Students will present a final production comprised of 5-8 different scenes in March. This is a continuation of the class that started in September.

Nikita Labdon is an alumni of Linden Christian School as well as of the School of Fine Arts. She has completed her Bachelor of Music Vocal Performance degree at the University of Manitoba. Nikita has taught voice and piano to students of varying ages for five years. Nikita has studied and performed opera and art song in Oxford, England, New York City, and recently in Opera Nuova. She has also performed with Manitoba Underground Opera for three seasons. Nikita’s work through the University of Manitoba includes leading roles in two full operas and performing in countless opera scenes. Nikita’s passion for music and theatre flourished in her time as a student in SOFA and she is thrilled to be able to be a part of this program teaching private voice lessons and musical theatre classes. Registration forms for Musical Theatre Class here.

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New instructors at SOFA!LISA MENDIS / ART CLASS Lisa Mendis is a published illustrator, printmaker, art educator and comic book creator. She graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours (2011), is an instructor at Martha Street Studio since 2012, works as a technician at the Winnipeg Art Gallery since 2014, and teaches art classes with the WAG studio programs.

CADENCE PENNER / CELLOCadence Penner graduated from LCS in 2019 and is now studying music at the University of Manitoba. Cadence is a cellist and has been taking lessons for nine years. She has studied with Karen Sunabacka, Allison Warrian, and Minna Chung. She has completed her Cello level 8 RCM examinations and is preparing to complete the level 10 examinations. She loves to play and listen to music from the Baroque era and some of her favourite composers are Bach and Dvorak. Cadence has enjoyed attending several different music camps in the summers and and playing for weddings and many other social events. Cadence often volunteers for VBS in the summers, teaches in Sunday school, plays on the worship team, and has lead a youth music ensemble in her church for the last couple of years. In her spare time, she loves to spend time acrylic painting and baking. She had really enjoyed taking lessons and building relationships with her cello teachers over the years, and is very excited to be teaching cello at SOFA. Contact sofa@lindenchristian.org to register for cello lessons

How do you get your kids to practice? Parents need to be supervising and guiding children’s practice until they are old enough to manage on their own, usually around age 11 or 12.

Good practice is intentional practice. As a parent guiding practice, your aim in a five or 10 minute practice session might be to help your child really work through just one or two bars of music. Learning new music is intimidating, and breaking it down into small parts makes it manageable and teaches your child good habits.

Breaking up practice in the day can make practice time much more productive as well. Even 10 minutes before school when their minds are most sharp can make a big difference with a young child. If you can manage more time in the morning even better. 4-5 days a week is essential.

Avoid the “just play it through” syndrome. Have 3-5 pennies or beads on the left side of the piano or music stand. If there is a troublesome measure, when the child plays it through once correctly, the penny is moved to the right. Each time it is played correctly, a penny is moved to the right. If a note or rhythm is missed, the pennies move to the left again. When all the pennies are moved to the right, connect the passage to the previous section. Pennies are kept if all are moved to the right. Cheer for each success! Let the pennies or beads be used for agreed on prizes.

Rather than focusing on the number of minutes practiced, set daily practice goals instead: Learn 4 measures, memorize the left hand, learn the fingering, secure the scale. This will require involvement from the parent, often just what the child needs, as practicing can often be the most challenging thing the child does in her day!

Allow some time for fun play; songs they have learned and love, making up music, and applaud!

Good habits need to be reinforced daily, or they no longer are habits!