By Kathy Morrison, Director

This is the time of year when many choose to reflect on the past 12 months to acknowledge what has come before. This process of reflection brings to mind 3 big categories: things to celebrate, the people who have partnered with us, and a resolve to move forward into 2022 with a continuing commitment to the work we do.

So here’s our list of 21 from 2021. Enjoy the walk through the last year as we look forward to 2022.

Celebrations: 7 Things That Make Our Hearts Soar.

While there are many things I could have added to this list, here are the big 7:

  1. Spring Recital 2021 – A return to in-person music making with our lesson students and our Kindermusik graduates in a beautiful outdoor setting at Fairview Park in South Fayette.
  2. The return to musical instruction that’s more up close and personal. (Wow – were we so HAPPY to take that tape off the floor!) We missed sitting on the floor next to you in Kindermusik class or being able to work closely with lesson students on hand positions or technique. We are better together – especially when we can be up close and personal in a safe way. 
  3. Summer Drop Off Camps with Art Classes – Our summer camps were sold out last year because students LOVED the package of music and art with specific instrument instruction. Stay tuned for our Summer 2022 Announcements in February.
  4. Live Musical Events – Including our first ever production of “The Music Man” with 10-15 year olds, our Musical Theatre Camp for ages 6-10, and Music on the Farm at Bedner’s Farm & Greenhouse this fall.
  5. Performance Bands – Congratulations to the students in our 2 performance bands under the directions of Bryce  Rabideau and Christin Cooper. We loved seeing you perform favorite cover songs outdoors last summer and look forward to next time!
  6. Kindermusik classes returned to Squirrel Hill – We missed being with our Squirrel Hill families in the 2020-2021 school year. It’s so good to be back making music together in a new venue with the flexibility to hold classes indoors or outdoors as desired (and weather permits).
  7. Indoor Recitals – It’s no small thing that we can now meet together indoors and share our love of music. After 2 years, we hosted 18 recitals back in person and indoors this fall celebrating our private lesson and group lesson students!

Collaborations: 7 Partnerships That Make Us Stronger

These organizations and the people behind them share our values and our commitment to providing excellent educational experiences. They make it possible for us to do the work we do!

  1. First Tee Pittsburgh – We are delighted to be hosting our Squirrel Hill Kindermusik classes at this lovely location with outdoor classes on the patio during the fall and spring and indoor classes in their brand new conference room.
  2. Bombash & Earley – This local business in McMurray continues to generously offer their outdoor greenspace for Kindermusik classes and summer camps. The families love this outdoor experience and the location!
  3. Mount Lebanon Montessori School – We continue to provide music instruction for preschoolers through 6th grade for this accredited Montessori school and AMS member. We are celebrating the return to private lessons in person at the school’s new location on Moffett street.
  4. Hannah Goforth & GoExploreCreate – We are thrilled to be partnering with Hannah to provide art instruction for summer camps and other events. Hannah’s curriculum writing, consultation, instruction, and training have made a significant contribution to our programming and success! We are looking forward to more in 2022!
  5. Southminster Early Learning Academy – This fall we formed a new partnership with this excellent preschool to provide music instruction using the Kindermusik@Schools curricula. 
  6. Kindermusik International – While Kathy’s Music is an independently owned and operated local business, our Kindermusik teachers are licensed and trained through Kindermusik International. Our research-based Kindermusik curricula, original music, and home materials are all licensed and provided through this award-winning organization 
  7. Richard Roberts & Wrights United Methodist Church – These folks partnered with us to provide musical theatre camps and outdoor performances last summer including building a stage area and acquiring a big tent for outdoor rehearsals. 

Commitment: 7 Promises We Can Make Because of 2021

We learned a lot in 2021 as we continued to grow, flex, navigate, mitigate, focus, and prioritize our students and families. As a result – here are the things that we are committed to providing our families in 2022.

  1. Excellent Music Education – We are committed to excellence and our mission to change the world through music. Adversity often leads to renewed motivation and stronger determination. That’s how we feel about providing our families an excellent experience that is consistent, age-appropriate, and inspiring. Join us for music in 2022 and experience it first hand!
  2. A Variety of Access – in person, online, indoor, outdoor, etc. We’ve learned how to provide music education in so many different ways and it works beautifully! As a result, we will continue to do so in 2022. Variety provides choice; and choice is something we want to provide our families!
  3. A Safe Environment for students, families, and team members. We take our responsibility seriously to protect our community, especially the youngest and the most vulnerable. A special thank you to all who partnered with us in 2021 to create a place where people can gather and learn safely with joy and discovery.
  4. Amazing Team Members – Our Kathy’s Music team is special. As a director, when I look at our team I see people who are pure-hearted, hard-working, collaborative, and generous to our students and to each other.  As we continue our search for new lesson teachers (piano, violin, guitar), Kindermusik teachers (we need 2 more!), and concierge team members, we will continue to use the highest standards for hiring. Are you interested in working with us? Reach out today at info@kathysmusic.com
  5. Live Performances – We will continue to gather for live music performances including our Spring Outdoor Recital in May. We look forward to returning to Fairview Park in South Fayette with events for our entire school. Stay tuned!
  6. More Summer Drop Off Camps with art, music, and instrument instruction. We heard you! You told us how much you loved our camp offerings last summer. The planning for 2022 started in November! We have new camp themes coming as well as the return of some of our fan-favorites, including more Musical Theatre Camps and Arts Infusion Camp.
  7. The Best Curricula – We are always committed to using the best curricula to support the musical growth and development of our students of all ages, including Kindermusk for ages 0-7, Group Lesson Curricula for ages 6-9, and Instrumental/Voice curricula for our private lesson students. If you have a question, please reach out! We are always happy to chat over the phone or email about the best experience for each student and our musical progression.