LOLCats on piano... - Thursday, January 28, 2010

If you're not familiar with what a "LOLcat" is, check out this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolcat

Forshey Piano Clearance Sale - Monday, August 10, 2009

Our local piano experts at Forshey are having their final HBU piano clearance event! If you've been hoping to buy a piano for your family, this is a great place to find one.

HOUSTON, TX -- For the past 20 years, Forshey Piano Company has provided new performance-quality grand and upright pianos for the HBU School of Music. These pianos are sold at the end of each school year at a substantial discount along with additional pianos provided by Forshey Piano during an on-campus piano sale.

This year will mark the 20^th and FINAL HBU School of Music Piano Sale. Forshey Piano will host this historic event at their main showroom and warehouse at 1240 Clear Lake City Blvd. (next to Ellington Field). HBU will no longer receive pianos on loan, but has instead purchased new Steinway-designed Boston and Essex pianos for instruction and performance. This sale will be the last opportunity to receive the special HBU pricing from Forshey Piano.

Pianos available include grands, baby grands, studio size uprights, console size uprights, and quality digital pianos. Name brands include Steinway-designed Boston and Essex pianos used at HBU, as well as Kawai, Young Chang, Palatino, Walters, Bergmann, Kohler & Campbell, and Estonia. Used Steinway and Yamaha pianos will also be available. All pianos will be priced “far below market value,” and backed by the extraordinary service Forshey Piano is known for.

For information about this sale call Dave or Scott at 281-286-6300, or email dsmith@forsheypiano.com or sanderson@forsheypiano.com .

You may attend on Friday, August 21^st, or on Saturday, August 22^nd by making an appointment. These are the “First Choice Sale Days.” Appointments are scheduled to limit the number of people in the store at any one time. When too many people are playing at once, it’s very difficult to hear the full potential of each instrument.

The Public Sale Day is on Sunday, August 23^rd. No appointment is necessary on Sunday.

The Houston Baptist University Piano Sale has been a popular event that Forshey Piano has hosted for 20 years. This FINAL sale will be spectacular. Call 281-286-0082 for any additional information or to schedule an appointment.

Teachers: Mr. Joel Dawsey - Thursday, January 1, 2009

Mr. Joel Dawsey - Piano Instructor

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Mr. Joel joined the faculty in 2008, and has quickly become one of the most popular teachers in the studio.
Currently Joel is a music student at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas pursuing a degree in Piano Performance. Having studied the piano for 8 years, he has participated in numerous performance and teaching opportunities. He has performed as soloist and with ensemble with the San Jacinto College Wind Symphony under the direction of Concert Band Director Karen Marston. He has studied under distinguished teachers such as Julliard Graduate and Director of Piano Studies at the HSPVA, Rodolfo Morales and Rice University Graduate Prof. Sarah Spencer. For the past year he has had the privilege of teaching privately in the Jacinto City, Pasadena and Friendswood areas. He strives to create a positive and challenging learning experience for his students so that they may grow as a musician and come to really love music.

Teachers: Ms. Laurie Carpenter -

Ms. Laurie Carpenter - Piano, Guitar and Voice Instructor

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Ms. Laurie joined the studio in August of 2007.

"I began toying around the piano at age 4. My mother and father were both taking lessons and I would try to copy what they were doing. After a while, mom & dad stopped their lessons and I was the only one playing. We had many instruments in my home, but I had always chosen the piano - I just liked to play. I began taking lessons when I was 5 from a classical teacher. After she left, I would secretly play jazz and blues. I still play and practice each day. I perform with several groups, as a soloist and also as an accompanist. I am a Jazz Studies major from UNT and I have been teaching piano for more than 15 years. I teach all levels and styles and emphasize learning theory as well as keyboarding techniques. I play professionally in the Houston area and I have been accompanist at the GCMTA Gold Cup Vocal event for the past four years. All ages are welcome, however, I generally do not take students who are younger than six unless they demonstrate advanced dexterity."

Ms. Laurie accompanies one of Ms. Tabby's voice students






Playing a duet with one of her students

You can visit Ms. Laurie on Youtube and get an idea of her amazing skill on the piano by visiting DCStudio's Videos. Here's a favorite example, Vince Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy."

Teachers: Ms. Kimberly Ellison -

Ms. Kimberly Ellison - Piano, Voice & Flute Instructor

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Ms. Kim joined the studio in May of 2007. She is currently offering lessons in Voice, Piano, Theory and Flute.

"I have been actively involved in music since I can remember. I was raised in a family where music was part of what held us together. I am influenced by many people, musicians as well as non-musicians, who seek knowledge and understanding of their world. Music is something I understand and love and so I guess most of my passion for teaching music is, in part, a result of knowing people who share the same interests as I do. I have always been curious about music. I am a learning student as well as a teacher, so every opportunity helps me gain and share a greater understanding of music. I love all instruments. However, the piano and flute have been a focus of mine since I love how I feel when I am playing them. I love the feeling of singing and being able to share something special with other people. I began singing very young and continued to work in the theatre. I began playing flute when I was in 4th grade but was drawn to the piano for a long while. I began playing piano when I was 20 and spent much time developing a greater knowledge of music. I have had some of the most wonderful people as teachers so I have developed a desire to learn additional instruments in the future. I practice a lot. It is something that is crucial in progressing in music. I practice anywhere from 2 to 5 hours a day. It is a lot more difficult now since I am older and I have more responsibilities. I perform with the San Jacinto College Steel Band and a Chamber Chorale, both of which are very rewarding and challenging. I have performed with many different groups; city, state, and world wide. Although, I love to perform on stage, I am very eager to admit that I enjoy the theoretical and creative demention of music most of all. [When asked what kind of music I like] I would have to say that I love many different songs for different reasons. Some pieces that come to mind when I think about what moves me the most, I would say Chopin- any of the octurnes, Debussy-Claire De Lune, Dave Brubek-Take Five, I love Bach inventions, they are fun, and such a finger workout. I grew up playing a lot of songs by Jewel Kilcher on the guitar and piano. I loved playing her songs and singing them. I also began to write my own songs. I love to cook in my spare time and shop at resale shops. I really love playing the steel pan. I work in my garden, I love to plant flowers. I also love to write comic strips and find really cool treasures in unlikely places. I enjoy getting to know people and love talking about music. "

Teachers: Ms. Tabby Worthington -

Ms. Tabby Worthington - Voice, Piano & Kindermusik Instructor

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Ms. Tabby has been with the studio since 2001. She offers instruction mainly in voice, but occasionally will take on a piano student or two. Ms. Tabby attended the University of Nevada Las Vegas as a Vocal Music Education Major, and has studied with Mr. Tom McKinney as an apprentice of the "One True Voice" method. She has performed in many productions, including:

• "Bye, Bye Birdie"
• "Anything Goes"
• "The Pink Panther Strikes Again"
• "Guys & Dolls"
• "Into The Woods" - Selected scenes
• "The Old Maid and the Thief" - Selected scenes
• "La Traviata" and "Candide" - Selected scenes
• "The Merry Widow"
• "The Magic Flute"

Ms. Tabby encourages all students to try out different styles of music instead of focusing on just one. "I believe that having a well-rounded background in all kinds of music makes for better musicians," she says. Students in her studio will study music theory and sight singing in addition to working on solo songs. We will study Jazz, Blues, Contemporary, Gospel or Contemporary Christian, Sacred, Classical, Baroque, Musical Theater, and Romantic styles throughout the year on a rotating basis.

In 2007, Ms. Tabby graduated from Kindermusik University and became a Licensed Kindermusik Educator, which makes her a special expert on early childhood development through music and movement. Kindermusik is a wonderful program for children from infants to 7 year olds. In the classroom, we work on enhancing the development of all areas of the child through music and movement, including cognitive, social, musical, emotional, physical and language development in fun activities.

You can view Ms. Tabby's YouTube videos here: http://www.youtube.com/user/tabbyfoo - many are of students from the studio, but you'll catch a glimpse of Ms. Tabby's family and pets here, too. She enjoys art (drawing, painting, photography), prime-time TV & movies, and video games when she's not working in the garden.

Teachers: Ms. Margo Sparks -

Ms. Margo Sparks - Studio Owner, Piano Instructor

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Ms. Margo founded the studio in 1986 under the name of "Margo's Piano Studio." Fresh out of college, she began with a handful of students working out of her home as a piano teacher. She fondly remembers the pride she felt as her students performed in the first studio recital in 1988.

Beginning with a degree in Arts, Ms. Margo built a reputation for herself as she gained experience, meeting the challenges brought by each student and modifying her teaching style to suit their individual needs. Her passion for performance was overtaken by her love of teaching, and she realized that music is a gift that lasts a lifetime.

"Music has been a part of my life for more than 30 years. At the age of 9, my parents gave me the opportunity to take piano lessons. My first piano teacher, Mrs. Spam, would welcome me each week with a smile. Practice wasn't a problem. My family used to beg me to get off the piano. If a friend came over, I asked them to sing so I could play the piano. The TV and the radio were my enemies. My Father was my biggest influence in music. He served as a music minister in his early 20's. We moved a lot, and everywhere he went he would direct the music in the local church. By the time I was twelve I was singing and playing the piano in church quite frequently."

Over time, Ms. Margo has built up her studio to such a degree that she has hired two additional teachers to assist her and expand the studio's offerings. Because her studio is now offering more than piano lessons, she wanted our name to reflect our broader scope. On April 24th of 2002 we registered our studio as Harmony Music Studio with the Harris County Courthouse. We have since expanded to a new facility in Friendswood, and now provide quality music instruction to over 125 students of all ages.

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