student news

                MENDENHALL MUSIC STUDIO

 

...for Quality Piano Instruction in the Cowichan Valley

      TECHNITHON 2018 RESULTS are in!

CONGRATULATIONS to the following teams and individuals:
  First Place Team:The Techno Wizards:

     Ammon, Yichen, Francesca, Angelo, Mary, Jizelle
  2nd Place Team: The Focused Flyers:

      Avery, Kierstyn, Bianca, Madeleine, Donna-Lynn
  3rd Place Team: The Cosmic Chorders:

       Evan, Sierra, Violet, Diane, Bridget, Mateo  
  Highest Individual Score: Tie: Jizelle, Yichen
     2nd Place: Evan
    3rd Place: Madeleine
    4th Place: Mary W.
    5th Place: Tie: Francesca, Donna-Lyn

    6th Place: Avery

Recent RCM  PIANO EXAMS: CONGRATULATIONS TO:

     

      Julia - Grade 6, January 2016 - First Class Honours

     Francesca - Grade 9, June, 2019 - Honours

     Madeleine -Grade 9, June 2017  - First Class Honours with Distinction

​                         Grade 10, August 2018 -  First Class Honours

     Angelo - Grade 3, June 2018 - Honours; Grade 4, June 2019 - Honours

     Bianca - Grade 4, January 2019 and Grade 5, June, 2019 - Honours​​ on both

     Jizelle - Grade 9, August 2016 - First Class Honours​

                   Grade 10, August 2017 -  First Class Honours

     Bridget - Grade 5, June 2018  and Grade 6, June, 2019 -  Honours on both

     Sierra - Grade 7, June 2018  -  Honours

     Sadie - Grade 6, January 2018 - First Class Honours

     Ammon - Grade 2, June 2018 and Grade 3, June 2019 - First Class Honours on both

     Violet - Grade 2, June 2018 - Honours

     Avery - Grade 2, June 2018 -  Honours

     Evan - Grade 2, June 2018 - First Class Honours

​     Mary W. - Grade 6, June 2018 and Grade 7, June 2019 - First Class Honours on both

     James H. - Grade 10, June 2019 - First Class Honours

     

                   

"OLD" Mendenhall Students...Where are they now?

​ (a small sampling, since the successes are far too many to include everyone!)

​                           

Emily A.- Has finished her Masters Degree in Classical Piano Performance, University of Victoria and is teaching piano locally and in Victoria

Andy S. - Has his Masters Degree in Jazz Piano; supports himself with piano "gigs"  and with teaching

Carolyn T. ( BMus UVic) - finishing her Bsc in Psychology with a focus in neuropsychology. She plans to eventually complete a

     PhD in experimental psychology with a focus in music cognition.

Madison G. - studying at Dalhousie University with a minor in music

Anna W.- has decided on a composing career

Tai W.  - Doing well at UBC, planning a career in medicine

​Drew W. - graduated with engineering degree from Queens

Polina P. - pursuing her third year at UVic

​Claire F. - working as a stage manager with Pacific Opera Company in Victoria. Claire wrote, “I spent my birthday enjoying working on Bizet's Carmen with Edmonton Opera. So grateful for my piano training that has brought me these exciting work opportunities!”

Emily F - starting medical school at UBC

Liam B - studying  at UVic in Pre-med

​Emilie B - studying kinesiology at UVic

Adam W. - Masters degree in oboe performance from UVic - now freelancing and teaching piano in Toronto

Maria C. - violist with the Orquesta Nacional de Costa Rica

​Roman M. - Costa Rica's ambassador to the United States under Obama


 

​​​PAST NEWS


A big THANK YOU to all who enjoyed our concerts in '15-'16!

Joanne and I so appreciated your support and enthusiasm. Thank you to Sierra Mimeault who turned pages so expertly!

     Here are some comments:


"Just wanted to say again how very much I enjoyed your superb and wonderful piano playing today! That was a huge program, and you are just an excellent collaborative pianist...."  Ina Dykstra


"I thought you did a masterful job of playing together as a violin and piano duo...truly collaborative. It is always such a pleasure hearing you play..."  Carolyn Taylor


"All three of us were impressed with your playing!"  Sarah Hagen, with Marcel and Elizabeth Bergmann


"Both my sister and I enjoyed the concert immensely. Several of the people we spoke to said it was the highlight of the concert series. Congratulations!"  Herma Raymond


"The concert was awesome, and definitely worth the trip. All your hard work certainly paid off. We were privileged to be invited!"  Casey Anthony (Curaçao)


"Wonderful concert!"  Merrill and Bruce Becker


"Congrats on a wonderful performance...Keep up the good work and keep Ascending!!!"  Margaret McKercher​

    calendar of upcoming events

 

 REGISTRATION: To be wait-listed for fall, 2019, please email or call to set up a free interview. ​ ​


​ Please come to a CONCERT Sept. 8, 2 pm in Chemainus. It is called "Eight Hands at 88 Keys"  and I am one of the performers! So much fun!


VISIT the CVMTA website: wwwCowichanMusic.com!  Please enter your email address to receive quarterly  newsletters and get  the latest music news. We welcome your feedback!


 BURSARIES AVAILABLE for music study!  Deadline for applications: August 1st and December 1st. Please visit the  Cowichan Valley Performing Arts Foundation  (CVPAF) website for more information, to apply, or to make a donation.


 CHEMAINUS CLASSICAL CONCERTS Recital Series - one concert each month, October through June, Sunday at 2 pm,  St. Michael's Church, Chemainus. Enjoy live concerts by master musicians. The 2018-19 brochure is out! More info here


 VICTORIA SYMPHONY CONCERTS are now enhanced ! Come for the free, pre-concert talk by myself or other music  teachers, one hour before concert time, Board Room, Cowichan Centre for the Performing Arts.


 COWICHAN MUSIC FESTIVAL 2019- Two of my advanced students won awards and were asked to play at the Highlights concert and were sent on to Provincials in late May: Jizelle B. as Senior Representative in Piano, James Hodson as Intermediate Representative in Piano. Sadie and Josiah Wood  played in the Gala Concert and received "Outstanding Intermediate Student" and "Best Canadian Piece," respectively. Congratulations to all!


COWICHAN MUSIC FESTIVAL 2020 - Watch for the dates for the piano competition and Gala and Highlights concerts.


PIANOFEST  2020 - May 7-9, Duncan United Church.  Adjudicator and registration dates TBA


​ DAVID WALDEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION - open to graduating seniors and first year University  students going on in music. Deadline for Applications: April 11, 2020.


 TECHNITHON - Monday, May 13, 2019 - Sadly had to be cancelled due to illness. See results below for Technithon 2018.


 Our CHRISTMAS RECITAL , December 17, 2018, was a beautiful occasion and all the students  shared their music with joy and confidence. Next recital : December 17, 2019 at the Pentecostal  Church on Trunk Road. Everyone welcome!  


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