October 18, 2025: Saturday Remix
Teachers and Staff: Happy Saturday!
Musical Ladder Levels - Set Up the Tests Right Away
Students get excited about reaching their next level on the Musical Ladder and receiving their awards. Remember that the focus of the Musical Ladder is on the levels and their associated awards (such as certificates and wrist bands, and ultimately trophies also).
Set up the test date in the Musical Ladder portal months ahead, so that students (and parents) can be looking forward to it. When you get a new student, you should set their test date for three months out, in their first lesson… It's part of their first lesson’s fun and excitement!
“On this date you are going to achieve the Apprentice level!”
We use a combination of longevity (time) and tests (effort) to help students achieve each new level. But the thing that’s most important is the achievement of each level. So when you talk to students about the Musical Ladder, focus on the level, the achievement, the awards, the wristbands, etc.
The test is part of the process, and gets an honorable mention, but it is not the thing to focus on. The date is! So get that date set up in the portal early and reference it often!
General Notes & Reminders:
Please provide recital repertoire information to the Office or to me for upcoming recitals. Keep an eye out for the student listings that are sent to parents. These will help you see when your students are performing.
We look forward to seeing some of our teachers perform at our Fall recitals!
Musical Ladder certificates and wristbands are being passed out this week for levels reached by the end of September, 2025. Please take a look in the teacher boxes for items for you and your students.
Off-days are coming up: We will be closed for our Fall/Harvest/Halloween break from Tuesday, October 28, through Sunday, November 2, 2025, and then for Thanksgiving Week from Monday, November 25, through Sunday, November 30 (no regular lessons on those days).
Q: Can you help me find some Christmas or holiday music?
A: Yes! There is a Presto! It’s Piano Magic: The Holiday Book in each suite and/or lesson room. This book has some music at each level, including the rote levels. There are also the Wellspring of Repertoire and 25 Latin-American Folk Songs books, which have some holiday options in standard notation, from beginner to intermediate levels. (If you use these books, please make photocopies of the pages you need and do not take originals.)
Some music can be found in the shared Google folder, Teacher Resources, for download and printing.
Finally, you can email me for ideas and requests. If you would like ideas, please tell me the student and their level. If you would like a specific sheet music or book, please send me a link, or the exact title and author name. I will do my best to get it for you!
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Thank you, everyone, for all that you do!
Have a magical Saturday, a musical weekend, and a safe and healthy coming week.
Thank you,
Dennis Frayne
"Dr. Dennis"
Laguna Niguel School of Music
Dennis Frayne Music Studios
30110 Crown Valley Pkwy, Suites 105/107/108
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(949) 844-9051 (office cell)
(949) 468-8040 (personal cell)
www.lagunaniguelschoolofmusic.com
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