Hello Dear Readers,

Thank you so much for reading! It’s been quite some time since I’ve written in here regularly. I’m very excited to be back sharing my thoughts with you.

As you know, the world has changed completely now that we’re right in the midst of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic. I can say that I was a person who initially thought this was all hype. I wondered why my husband was purchasing masks, sanitizer, and bleach spray. Now, I am very grateful to have them. I was definitely shocked when schools were closed and we were all told to stay home.

Now that this has been going on for a few weeks, I have acclimated to the “new normal”. It’s definitely different, weird, and can be anxiety and stress-producing. At the same time, there are many amazing blessings. I could go on and on, but the sense of gratitude and love I feel for my children, husband, parents, siblings, other family and friends has grown exponentially. My kids seem happier and more connected than they ever have been before. I love seeing how much nature is thriving without the same levels of pollution on the planet.

As for our lessons, we switched to exclusively virtual lessons starting on March 16th. It is a true honor that while most every activity our students were involved in has been canceled, the lessons can continue. Our students are thriving. They are practicing more than they ever have been before and putting all they have into their music. I am so proud! 

Our mission at Winterhalter Music is to instill a lifelong love of music for our students. I believe that now more than ever, the world needs music. Here is why:

#1- Playing music helps to process emotions and helps us feel better

I cannot think of a better way for myself personally to help myself process emotions than through playing music. I can’t tell you the number of times in my life growing up and as an adult when I felt emotional- sad, angry, frustrated, out of control, happy, ecstatic, joyful, etc. and I sat down at the piano and played a piece that reflected my current emotional state. I really put all I felt into that piece, and in the end, I felt much better! I have been spending lots of my free time now playing, and it has been so amazing. I have forgotten how much I simply love to play. I can so easily get transformed into a state of flow playing music where nothing else matters except the incredible feeling of being fully engaged with what I’m doing at that moment.

#2- Playing music is so good for your brain and is a wonderful, healthy activity to spend your time on

Countless studies have been done about how amazing music is for your brain. My kids have definitely been watching more tv during this time than they would otherwise. As a parent, I know how easy it is to turn on a screen and let your child watch. While I think there is nothing wrong with screen time, it is a much better use of your time to practice your instrument. You actively use your brain in a way you wouldn’t while passively watching a tv show. Not only do you need to use rational thought to read music, but you need to use the emotional side of your brain to put the feeling into the music. You use both sides of your brain simultaneously. And with most schools now online and our lessons and other activities online, focusing on your instrument during practice provides a great break from the increased screen usage of this time.

#3- Playing music gives a sense of purpose and control

Right now there is a lot less any of us have control over. For me, that has been really really hard. One thing we all do have control over is how we spend our time. I feel a much greater sense of purpose when I plan what I will do each day and each week rather than when I just sort of wing it. Planning in regular practice time and weekly lessons gives us a sense of control, which in turn gives us a sense of purpose, which just helps us all make more sense in a very very chaotic time.

With my own children (ages 3 and 5), I feel that my number one job as a mother right now is to show them that they are safe. Kids feel much safer when they have a regular routine. With school and other activities ripped away, I can’t tell you how grateful I am that as teachers we can still see our students each week as a positive, calm, loving presence who can help them learn their instrument and learn to appreciate and love music and the arts for life. I know that online lessons are a little different than in-person, but our students are practicing so much and thriving. It’s really remarkable.

#4- Playing music gives a sense of accomplishment and teaches us not to give up

It is a lot of work to master a difficult piece. It’s hard to learn how to read music, to learn to count rhythms properly and to keep learning your instrument when it gets really hard. Especially in today’s day and age, we can go on google and have the answer to anything in an instant. To become a musician, it requires diligence and hard work. We can’t give up when the going gets tough. That is an incredible lesson for your child to learn. When you work hard and stay the course even when it’s challenging, it pays off in the end. Learning an instrument helps to instill this in your children in an incredible way. 

#5- Playing music adds joy and beauty when the world is hard to make sense of

It’s been heart-wrenching for me to know what’s going on in the world with all the deaths and all the people without work. I am a very sensitive person, and it makes me very sad to know this is all going on. While it can be easy to focus on all the chaos and tragedy, I know that we need to come together in a loving way. Music is such a beautiful art form, which does bring us all together. The world is very challenging right now. Any little thing we can do to appreciate the joy and beauty we already have is a win in my book.

More information will be announced soon, but we are very excited to come together this spring for our first-ever virtual recitals. I am so excited that we will be able to share our music with one another while social distancing and flattening the curve.

Thanks so much for reading and have an amazing day! I hope you are all healthy and safe.

Sincerely,

Cassie

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