We continue our summer series to introduce you to the owners of the Piano Studio. Last week we introduced Jeanne and now we want you to meet Jeanne and Rudy’s only daughter Elise.
What instruments do you play and how long have you been playing?
I started taking violin lessons when I was five years old; I had seen someone playing violin and became fixated! I received a violin for Christmas that year and began lessons right away. I took some piano lessons as a child as well, but the violin was my passion! I was fortunate to have supportive parents who always made our music lessons a priority; we moved a lot and whenever we moved, the search immediately began to find the next great teacher. And we always DID manage to find a great teacher, with a lot of sacrifice on the part of my parents who often had to drive quite a distance each week to get me there. I took formal lessons until I was 17, at which time I completed my Level 10 RCM Exam.
When I began working at The Piano Studio, I decided to take piano lessons again; I completed my grade 7 piano exam, and was working on Level 8. Then my son was born and my lessons were suspended! I would love to take lessons again one day, and plan on it when my kids are a bit older.
What do you do at The Piano Studio?
Being a small business, all of us have to be willing to perform most tasks at The Piano Studio! My main role, however, is to help manage the Music School in Newmarket and to support Lee, our location manager at the Aurora school. I participate in the day-to-day operations of the school – scheduling, taking payments, writing monthly newsletters and speaking to potential lesson customers. I also oversee some of the “bigger picture” aspects of the school – hiring teachers, providing them with ongoing training and support, and being a liaison between parents, students and teachers. Lastly, I plan many of the events hosted and organized by The Piano Studio – Student Recitals in December and June, our annual Gala Benefit Concert in February, the Adult Recital in April, and any other workshops and performances we host during the year.
What is the greatest reward you get from working at a Music School?
I think what sums up the greatest reward for me are the successes I see every day. Success comes in many shapes & forms: a teacher calls me into a classroom to hear the song a student can now play with the background accompaniment; a parent follows up to let me know that their student’s new teacher is working out well and the student couldn’t be happier; a student performs at the Christmas Recital despite a bad case of stage fright; a parent shares that since beginning music lessons, their student is doing better in school; a parent shows me a video on their phone of their child playing at their school’s talent show; an adult student agrees to perform at the Adult Recital and brings her children along to watch; a teacher comes to me for advice on how to handle a particular situation and we brainstorm a solution that has a positive outcome. I could go on and on!
What makes The Piano Studio the best place to come for lessons?
Three things that stand out for me are:
- The Piano Studio is owned and operated by a family that believes and understands the value music can bring to a child’s life, and by extension, to the family’s life.
- Our teachers are the best! We hire teachers who we know will uphold The Piano Studio’s philosophies and values. We hire teachers who are coachable, and who know that there is always more to learn about being a great teacher.
- Our Student Recitals are a facet of our school that sets us apart from our competitors. We strive to provide a supportive and friendly environment for students and their families; performers feel comfortable and proud of their accomplishments. At our recent Spring Recitals, we held 14 Recitals, at which over 600 students performed – we are always thrilled when such a high percentage of our students choose to participate and share their music with us!
