Happy Christmas and Winter Holidays Encore Families!
What a Year 2020 has been. We at Encore Music Studios continue to be thankful for the faithfulness and resilience of our teachers, students, and families. We're thankful for the promise of a rebound on the horizon and more frequent gatherings of family and friends together, in the same place. This is a season of hope for the future, freedom to act in the present, and a celebration of the past. So many things taken for granted are now more precious than ever. It is a time of rededication to those pursuits that are most worthy and rewarding. It is also a time for Encore to grow, learn new things, and create better habits and a stronger vision for our future and the success of our students.
You will see and experience some changes here at Encore in the year 2021. We will always prioritize our relationship with students and families, but we also feel it's time to freshen things up. We hope everything we do will invigorate our teachers and students in their development. One change you will not see is an increase in tuition! Another thing that will remain the same and perhaps increase is our ability to provide scholarships to potential students who otherwise would have no way of taking music lessons with us. Thank you so much to those of you who have contributed to the Kitty's Music Scholarship Fund here at Encore!
We are transitioning to new names for our two locations. Columbus Academy of Music and Westerville Academy of Music are now registered with the Secretary of State. We will be using columbusacademyofmusic.com and westervilleacademyofmusic.com in the future. These will both be tied to a brand new Encore website in February. I have begun a Facebook page for Columbus Academy of Music. Check it out, like us and follow us at https://www.facebook.com/columbusacademyofmusic !
We appreciate your kind words used to describe our teachers. It is extremely encouraging to know as a teacher that your efforts are acknowledged and appreciated. I take great pride in the quality of teachers we have been blessed with here at Encore! In fact, while I think about it, I cannot remember a time when we were given a bad review due to teaching qualities or teacher interaction. Huge Kudos to Ian, Abby, Mary, Ricky, Wei-Yi, Aaron, and Helen! I can't think of a team of teachers I about whom I could be more proud. You all have continued a great tradition here at Encore of offering the very best experiences for students of all ages. Your dedication and dependability are felt by everyone throughout Encore!
I will also be instituting more frequent Newsletters. I would like to include helpful tips and ideas for parental involvement and support of student practice, encouragement to get through the hurdles that one must jump to maintain a long-term commitment to music lessons, and events and successes related to our students and teachers. I want everyone's experience here to be like that of family members.
We all were sad to see Leslie Horn go and are truly appreciative of all she did as Assistant to the Director here at Encore. While I did a search and found many qualified applicants to fill her shoes, I have opted to leave the position vacant for now while planning to add it again in the future. Leslie was instrumental in Encore meetings, helping me stay organized, and most impactful setting the Recital Watch Parties in motion (with Ricky). The Christmas and Holiday Watch Party will premier at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 26th. After the videos are received by this Saturday Dec. 19th and assembled, we will send out a link.
I hope this Holiday Season is restful, rejuvenating, and reinvigorating for everyone! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Bradley D. Allen, Director
Encore Music Studios