Asheville Music Lessons

About a third of my students are adults. They don’t fit the stereotype of the “typical piano student”. Many people expect the typical piano student is between 5-12 and their parents really want them to study and they’re not too hot on it. The truth is there are many adults that either took lessons many years ago, or wish they had. There are also many adults that realize that learning new things can help keep the mind sharp and flexible. I really enjoy having adult students. They are typically more motivated to learn.

But it’s been years…

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From time to time I see traffic coming in here asking the above question in some form. It may be when is the Asheville Music School spring recital or fall recital or Holiday Recital… It’s probably because at some point in the past I had a writeup about the school recital or when it was going to be. (Congratulating the participants.) Well…. if you are wondering when the next recital is. As of this writing the next recital will be May 15th at UNCA (Room 018 in Lipinsky Hall). But you can always find the next recital date coming up at this Recitals Page at the Asheville Music School official site.

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As you may know of you read this site closely enough, I am an Assistant Director over at the Asheville Music School, (main location) which has been at 250 Charlotte Street since the schools founding (around 14 years ago now!). Well this is our last week at the old location and the school is moving to 101 S. Lexington (a block behind the Orange Peel along Hilliard Avenue.) That location will feature a parking lot and what is shaping up to be a nice new look for the school.

Officially lessons start at the new location Monday August 9th. We should be keeping the main phone number. More information can be found at the usual places: Asheville Music School primary site, Asheville Music School Facebook page, Asheville Music School Twitter feed, or our Asheville Music School WordPress blog!

The West location of the Asheville Music School (1408-E Patton Avenue) will remain unaffected by the move.

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I’ve been slow getting this posted due to other things going on, but was contacted about this instrument for sale about a month ago. They’re asking $3300 (originally $7000) and sounds like a good deal on a baby grand. (If only I had a place to put it…..) It’s been professionally cleaned and toned – is listed as exquisite condition and sounds like it’s definitely worth a look!

Here’s the link for more detail.

A couple other notes – installment payments are okay, but they will hold onto the instrument until it is fully paid. Credit Card payments are also possible, but there will be an extra fee to cover the credit card processing fees.

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I have been somewhat behind in updates over here lately for a number of reasons. But I wanted to mention that the Asheville Music School has now opened a West location on Patton Avenue (behind Music City). The grand opening is Tuesday March 23rd at 11AM with a ribbon cutting, but the doors are already open now. There is a classroom space of about 16X25 feet and 6 studios for private lessons. The phone number is 828-252-1888. Anne Coombs (founder of the Asheville Music School) is running the new location and I’ve got to say, the new location is looking very nice!

More information can be found over on the new blog for the Asheville Music School over at wordpress.com which will be used to complement the information at the main website for the Asheville Music School.

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I received the following release on one of the mailing lists that I’m on that I thought I would share here…. The event is this Saturday the 20th. Sorry I’m so late posting, but I thought it might be in time for some of you. I was also informed “Lunch in the past has been provided by the college. Budgets do not permit us to offer such this year. The normal buffet meal will be available in the dining room upstairs for $7.50, or participants can bring their own picnic lunches and eat on the patio. Drinks will be provided at no charge by Charlie Gray/Wofford Continuing Education.”

March 9, 2010

‘Singin’ Billy’ Walker Shape-Note Singing set for March 20
Event at Wofford College free, open to public

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Shape-note singers from around the Southeast will gather again at Wofford College on Saturday, March 20, for the annual tribute to Spartanburg native William “Singin’ Billy” Walker (1809-1875), the man who helped bring musical literacy to remote country churches around the South.

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This Sunday afternoon at the Orange Peel (2:30pm) the kids from the Asheville Music Schools Rock Academy will take the stage under the leadership of Anne Coombs for the First Annual Benefit Concert for Youth at Jazz. Youth at Jazz is a great organization that has helped many young people have an opportunity to take music lessons and participate in music programs even if they don’t have the financial means to do so. Tickets for adults are $15 at the door. Seating is available and it’s THIS Sunday. Anne did a Radio interview this morning for the Morning Report with Jerri Jameson on WWNC and you can find it in their podcast at this link As of right now, it’s the first item in the podcast listing titled “First Annual Benefit Concert”. You can also find info at the Orange Peel’s site on their December calendar scroll a bit to find it….

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Just a quick note that I’ve updated the Asheville area Music Stores page (and Music education/lessons page) with the new arrival of Dixieland Music Co., in Woodfin. They opened the 17th of October at the Town and Country Shopping Center on Weaverville Highway (Merrimon). They will be open 10-6 M-F and 10-3 Saturdays. Looks like a variety of new used, and consignment instruments (guitar, mandolin, drums, ukulele, banjos). They’ll also offer guitar repairs and lessons for beginners on guitar, bass and drums.

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I don’t know about you, but if you also teach private piano lessons, or really any kind of private music lessons. I suspect there are times you have had to cancel your lessons for the day. You’ve either become sick, had a car accident, or some other event has forced you to cancel your schedule. Well, you might ind your life made easier if you make use of a voice blast or voice broadcast to get the word out. I don’t know about you, but it seems my students have about three numbers each and if you’re not sure which parent is bringing the student each week, then you’ve probably got on the order of 5 phone numbers to call for each student.

For me, sometimes it seemed easier just to go ahead with the lessons then to spend an hour or two on the phone, but you really don’t want to share the bugs if you can help it. That’s why I started using voiceshot (and did a voiceshot review not too long ago.) And here’s another voiceshot review.

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If you like mountain music it looks as though you need to find your way to Chimney Rock state park on August 15. They will host “Music on the Mountain: Songs from the Southern Highlands” for the afternoon at the Meadows at Chimney Rock as a joint event with the Rutherford County Arts Council. It will run from 3-6PM that day and admission is $14 for adults, and $6 for ages 6-15.

Phil and Gaye Johnson and The Dowden Sisters Band are listed the performers scheduled.

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