News Letter
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FEBRUARY 2011 NEWSLETTER |
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IMPORTANT DATES:
Family
Day: lessons Good Friday: NO lessons Friday, April 8
Spring
Break:
NO lessons Victoria Day Break: NO lessons Monday, May 23-Sunday, May 29
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By Karl Sloman, founder, London Wizdom Music Academy |
There is a correlation between music lessons and grades and I’m living proof.
There are a lot of academic
journal articles written
about the connection between spatial reasoning and
music lessons. The main point being that music
lessons increase academic grade scores.
Frankly, most of these articles, while giving very valid
information, are so boring one would be hard pressed
to read past the first paragraph. This month I’m going to tell you my story
of how music lessons improved my academic performance in very real world
language. In the 4th grade I was a poor student. I had difficulty reading
and my teacher actually informed my parents that I was “mentally retarded”.
I was placed in a remedial English class and struggled with
many of my subjects. By grade 9, I was continuing to
do poorly and failed French with a 45% and Math with a 35%. I can remember
my parents saying to me “Karl, as long as you can get your grade 12 we will
be happy. Just do your best.” There were a lot of factors
that contributed to my poor grades but there was one area
of study that I did excel at; music. I loved music more than anything else.
At Saunders Secondary School I played Tuba while privately studying guitar
and drum set. Interestingly, as my challenges in music increased (in 1980
Saunders had one of the top music programs in North America), I found that
my other marks were starting to improve. Areas of study began to become
easier for me as I worked diligently to achieve my musical goals.
By the time I
was 17 I had achieved a 69% average which I relate to two things happening.
I was the lead tube player at Saunders for the Symphonic Band and Senior
Orchestra. In this role I had a lot of responsibility to make sure the
remainder of the tubas were up to the demands of Gywen Bynon, our music
director. This led to an upturn in my grades. By the time I finished high
school I had a 73% average and was accepted to the University of Western
Ontario where I graduated with a Bachelors of Arts with a 75% average. While
still at Saunders, I was also approached by the Canadian Forces to become a
musician for the Central Command Band, a huge honour.
There are four factors that led to my dramatic academic turn around:
1. Spatial reasoning:
Encourage your child to learn how to READ music, not just play by ear. This
will directly impact their math and science grades.
2. Theory: In my final two years of high school, I took 6
hours of Tuba each week and one hour of theory only. Encourage your child to
do a little bit of theory in their lesson each week. Ask your teacher for
help and they will be happy to give you some advice.
3. Confidence and Inspiration:
Take your child to concerts, movies about musicians and listen to music in
the car. You never know if the next episode of Glee, American Idol or the
Rock Band video game will inspire your child to get serious about music.
4. Patient parents: I did not practice every week for my
private lessons. Sometimes I would be so depressed, I wouldn’t practice much
in a month but my parents never gave up on music lessons. I had piano,
guitar and drum (Side drum) lessons from age 7-17. It takes time to really
learn an art form.
Every lesson is
an investment in your child’s musical, academic and confidence levels. I
know they can attain a 75% average just as I did. Talk to your teacher about
how your child is doing and what you can do to help your child’s grades.
February
Student of the Month: Reese Lloyd
1. What instruments do
you play?
I play drum
set and sing. I would like to learn to play guitar and accordion.
2. How long have you taken lessons?
3 years. I have been singing at school for 5 years.
3. Who were your teachers at the Wizdom Academy?
Kyle, Kirk and Karl.
4. What are your other hobbies, besides music?
Video gaming
and football/soccer.
5. What is the coolest thing(s) you’ve learned in your lessons in the
past three months?
The Inverted Paradiddle, quadruplets, Tom Sawyer, Who’ll Stop the
Rain, Up and Around the Bend.
6. Who are your favorite Bands?
AC/DC, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Ramones, System of the Down, The Who.
7. What would you like to do with your music experience?
I would like to become a famous drummer and earn a lot of money and live the good life.
The Academy
would like to extend a special thanks to the Lloyds for referring their
friends to the Academy!
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• Welcome Our New Students!
***Got news or
information for the LWMA Newsletter?
We welcome all submissions!
E-mail yours to
londonwizdomacademy@gmail.com
WIZDOM ANNUAL TEACHER RECOGNITION AWARD: NATHAN OULLETTE
At the London Wizdom Academy, we are very proud and supportive of our teaching staff. They have inspired us to share their own inspirations, achievements and goals.
Nathan Oulette has been with the Academy for approximately 2 years. He is a tirelessly dedicated and enthusiastic guitar teacher whose students simply love to see him every week!
1. What is the thing you like most about teaching?
Seeing students achieve their goals.
2. How do you inspire students to practice more?
Showing examples of accomplished musicians and constantly restating that the
only way to become good at what you do is through relentless practice.
3. What is your background in music, what bands have you played for, where
did you learn to play, have you any recordings?
I played in several un-named bands in junior high school. Fronted a trio in high school called “Gel”, which recorded an album and did a small tour of the Eastern United States. I have played in “Supernatural”, “I’ll at Eve”, MK Ultra”, “Insanity’s Horse” and “Jealous Reign”. I currently have my own group “The Nathan Ouellette Band” and am presently recording a new CD. I also do solo acoustic performances in SW Ontario.
4. What is your favorite type of music?
Anything good.
5. Who are your inspirations musically?
Too many to name…. here are some: Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, John Coltrane, The Nihilist Spasm Band, The Four Tops, Glenn Gould, Bach, System of the Down, Smashing Pumpkins, Robert Johnson, Blind Willie Johnson, Bob Dylan, Ornette Coleman and The Who.
6. If you could give a quick tip for guitarists, what would it be?
Learn all you can and practice, practice, practice and more practice.
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Refer a Friend & get a $50 Certificate!
If you have a friend who might like to take lessons, if you refer them to
the Academy and they take 1 month of lessons, we’ll give you a lesson for
free!
It’s very easy to refer someone. Just visit:
londonwizdomacademy@gmail.com
Type in your name, their name, and their e-mail address and we’ll take care
of the rest and if they sign up for two months we will award you your
certificate.
Fom left to right: drummer Chad McClinchy, guitarist Graehme Floyd, drummer Nicole Turner, guitarist Zack Keating, conductor Karl Sloman, drummer Melissa Jacques, bassist Nigel Curley and vocalist Justin Couriveau. Not present, drummer Alex Hardy (above).
MEET TRAINWRECk
Introducing London Wizdom Academy’s own ‘house band’, Trainwreck.
Trainwreck is a rock band that plays covers of popular music by such artists as Oasis, Green Day, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Mutemath, Megadeath and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Trainwreck has performed at numerous events including the Kiwanis Music Festival, the Board of Education annual conference, University of Western University, Thames Valley Children’s Centre and Camp Woodeden, To date they have performed over 70 venues for admiring audiences from 30 to 900 strong. Trainwreck is always pleased to accept new sponsors to help offset the cost of maintaining electronic devices to trigger sounds via wheelchairs and of course, transportation. Please contact the Academy if you wish to donate or sponsor our efforts.
$50 Gift Certificate
1. To redeem your certificate come in and check out our selection of music merchandise.
2. Certificates may not be used for refunds to your account or cash.
Given by: Date: .
Please
welcome our
NEW STUDENTS
that enrolled
in January!
WIZDOM IN YOUR COMMUNITY
In December, Wizdom drum teachers Karl Sloman, Nigel Curley, Graehme Floyd and Trevor March visited Byron Northview Public School. Karl and Trevor discussed the importance of communication and teamwork, using 2 drum sets to demonstrate and encourage student participation. Graehme and Nigel joined in on guitar and bass. The presentation was loud and thrilling for all! The guys and the students rocked the house!
More school presentations to follow…..
If you would like the London Wizdom Academy to visit your school, please contact your school representative and contact us at londonwizdomacademy@gmail.com
WIZDOM CLASSIFIEDS
Do you have anything you wish to sell or donate? Are you looking for something to buy? To place a free notice in our classified section, please email us at londonwizdomacademy@gmail.com. Subject: ‘Newsletter’
friends OF LONDON WIZDOM ACADEMY
Would you like us to mention your business or provide a coupon? We will be happy to let the London Wizdom community know about you…Please email us at londonwizdomacademy@gmail.com. Subject: ‘Newsletter’.
WIZDOM BAND NEWS!
PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH YOUR BAND, WHETHER YOU’RE A STUDENT OR A TEACHER.
IF YOU HAVE AN UPCOMING SHOW, LET EVERYONE KNOW IN ADVANCE!
EMAIL US AT LONDONWIZDOMACADEMY@GMAIL.COM SUBJECT: ‘NEWSLETTER’
WIZDOM FAMILY FOCUS
Got any ideas for our Wizdom Family Focus section? Please email londonwizdomacademy@gmail.com. Subject: ‘Newsletter’
CRANBERRY OATMEAL BARS
An easy-to-make, healthy addition to a school lunch or an after-school snack. For a peanut-free alternative, replace nuts with chopped dates or other dried fruit.
½ c melted butter
1 egg
1/3 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c flour
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
¾ c dried cranberries
¾ c chopped pecans
¾ c rolled oats
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 1”1x7” baking pan. Pour melted better into mixing bowl. Beat in egg, brown sugar and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a separate bowl. Stir flour and butter mixture together till blended. Press mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven until top is dry and edges slightly pull away from the pan, 13-15 minutes. Cool before cutting into squares.