May 2023 Newsletter
In This Month’s Newsletter
• Confidence, Not Fear!
• Important Dates
• Upcoming Recitals and Forums
• Welcome Our New Students
• Student of the Month
• Teacher Spotlight
• Days and Deeds of Dr. Dennis
• Did You Read Your Newsletter Contest?
• Referral Program
Confidence, Not Fear!
One of the most important states of mind that we can help instill in our students is confidence. When a child or adult begins piano or other music lessons, they are often filled with excitement and anticipation, but too frequently also, fear. Fear of making mistakes, fear of looking bad, fear of feeling inadequate, fear of being perceived as having no talent... The worst thing we can do as teachers is to confirm or worsen those fears. We should help to alleviate those fears, to mitigate them, and ultimately to develop and restore confidence.
As a piano teacher, one way I strive to instill confidence at the piano is by introducing songs and pieces that encourage big, free movements of the hands and arms while playing at the keyboard, early on. Too many methods start students out with narrow, cramped finger positions, where the student’s fingers seem glued to the keys, and students learn to feel afraid to move out of position or else lose their place. This results not only in timid playing but also introduces tension and teaches bad habits such as finger wiggling and crawling.
The best methods, including my own Presto! It’s Piano Magic, introduces students to songs that encourage freedom of movement, graceful swinging motions led by the wrist, hand movements flowing from the shoulders and arms, and allow students to play up and down the piano keyboard, getting comfortable and confident right from the start. It’s fun, and young students feel really big doing it! Students avoid developing bad habits that will have to be corrected later, and learn tension-free playing techniques. And, so importantly, we begin to cultivate confidence, poise, and self-assurance in our students’ practicing and playing.
No fear! :)
IMPORTANT DATES:
Online Forum - May 6
Mother’s Day - May 14
Memorial Day - May 29
Recital (at the Laguna Hills Community Center) - May 30
Online Recital - June 24
Independence Day - July 4
Recital (at Hoson House - Aug. 26
Other Online Forums - June 10 ; July 15 ; August 19
Upcoming Recitals and Forums
Recitals:
In-person Recital:
Laguna Hills Community Center
May 30, 2023, Tuesday evening 6:30 pm
RSVP required
Forums:
Saturday mornings
May 6, 2023
9:00 am Zoom
No RSVP required
Please welcome our NEW Students who enrolled in April!
Donohue, J.
Fine, G.
Kansaz, C.
LaLonde, I.
Underhill, N.
Student of the Month
Caleb Kim
Caleb started taking piano lessons when he was 5 years old and started studying with Dr. Dennis in early 2020. Caleb is an outstanding pianist who has consistently earned State Honors for his achievements with Certificate of Merit exams. Caleb has been playing advanced piano repertoire including Beethoven sonatas, Chopin waltzes, nocturnes, and etudes, and Joplin rags. Caleb likes playing the piano because “you can feel emotions when you play the piano, you can learn a lot of things from the piano, and I love that you can be creative with how you play music.”
Caleb is interested in jazz music, plays clarinet at school, and would also like to play saxophone, drums, or the guitar. Caleb likes how they rotate lots of subjects at school and enjoys learning about health, science, social studies, math, and language arts. He also really likes playing basketball and football and says his whole family loves Star Wars and The Mandalorian. This summer they will be visiting Korea.
Teacher Spotlight
Denny Frayne
Mr. Denny grew up learning to play piano and read music as a child. He took some private lessons, but mostly learned from his Dad (Dr. Frayne)! As a teenager, Mr. Denny’s interests shifted to guitar, particularly rock ‘n roll and blues music. A lifelong friend inspired dreams of being a band together, and they played the video games Guitar Hero and Rock Band for hours on end.
In high school, Mr. Denny participated in band and choir, including playing guitar in the Santa Margarita Catholic High School Marching Band. These were unique and interesting experiences that introduced him to playing and singing professionally in an ensemble or group of musicians. Then he played guitar in the Laguna Hills High School Jazz Band This was a highly memorable experience of learning and exposure to what felt like a new world of musical expression. Mr. Denny became a section leader for the choir in his senior year.
The year after he graduated high school, Mr. Denny attended Northern Arizona University, where he met several of his closest musical colleagues to this day. His first experiences creating original music were both unexpected and plentiful upon joining his first band, which they called Brannen Ave, which was the name of the street in Flagstaff, Arizona where they rehearsed music every day. Since then, Mr. Denny completed the Applied Music program focusing on Jazz Guitar at Saddleback College. He continues to seek opportunities to make music recreationally or professionally, including piano, guitar, and singing, and has been recorded for independent projects such as the original tune, Mantis, on which he is featured playing bass guitar. Mr. Denny also sang in the choir at Saddleback College. “The opportunity to sing unashamed among other singers is one not to be traded,” says Mr. Denny.
Mr. Denny enjoys teaching guitar, bass guitar, and piano. He is working toward his certification in the Presto! It’s Piano Magic piano method and curriculum and is assisting Dr. Frayne in opening and growing the Laguna Niguel School of Music / Dennis Frayne Music Studios in Laguna Niguel.
Days & Deeds of Dr. Dennis
Our studio is in Laguna Niguel (Laguna Niguel School of Music) but I presently live in Lake Forest. Years ago, however, I actually lived in Laguna Niguel for about two years while raising my children. I was also attending Saddleback College at the time when I returned to school to complete music and theater arts degrees.
We lived near Cabot and Paseo de Colinas, in a big beautiful house! At that time my son was taking guitar lessons at Tim’s OC Music, and my daughter started attending the Orange County School of Arts as a singer/vocalist in the classical voice program. My two youngest children were baptized at St. Timothy Catholic Church, also in Laguna Niguel, on Crown Valley Parkway (the same street as our studio now).
Laguna Niguel is such a lovely South Orange County city. I’ve always loved Laguna Niguel Regional Park; it is so beautiful, and Laguna Niguel has many other beautiful parks and wilderness areas.
Inspirations
“Pay close attention, my child, to your father’s wise words and never forget your mother’s instructions. For their insight will bring you success, adorning you with grace-filled thoughts and giving you reins to guide your decisions.”
- Proverbs 1:8-9
“I got to grow up with a mother who taught me to believe in me.”
- Antonio Villaraigosa
Did You Read Your Newsletter Contest?
May 2023
To encourage everyone to read the Dennis Frayne Music Studio Newsletter, each month we’ll feature a new contest winner or a new contest. Be sure to read your newsletter each month to see if your name has been drawn or you might miss out!
This month’s winner is Delaney Reid
Delaney has won 10 tickets which can be redeemed for prizes at the
Dennis Frayne Music Studio, Laguna Niguel!
To collect your prize tickets just bring this to the office.
Congratulations, Delaney!
Everyone, be sure to read your newsletter each month!
Referral Program
If you have a friend who might like to take lessons, refer them to
Dennis Frayne Music Studio, Laguna Niguel.
If they register for lessons, we’ll give you each twenty-five dollars plus make donations to Scholarship Squirrel and Children’s Hospital of Orange County!
You will receive your $25 as a credit on your account, they will receive $25 off their first registration/tuition payment, and Scholarship Squirrel and CHOC each will receive a $25 donation.
It’s very easy to refer someone. Just send an email to us both and share their name(s)!
There’s no maximum to the amount of credits and donations that you can receive and give!
Help us grow our music studio and let’s give a little back to our community and to children in need of special assistance and care.