till 5 Sept! That's an AWFULLY long time!

What do you do during these long summer months?

The 'official' line which I take in August is that I don't teach, however this is mainly to get rid of the younger ones for a month - we could both do with a break. The older one's and majority of adults do want to come in August but we arrange lessons week by week as opposed to sticking with the usual times.

David

My singing teacher is officially off until 4th September now, although unofficially we can go and see him from the 15th August. As long as I carry on doing my exercises and songs inbetween i'm happy. As for my piano pupils, I teach the first 3 weeks of the summer holidays for those that want them and then have the last 3 weeks off to go out and about with my children and prepare for September.

I'm in a similar hiatus, partly due to my own holiday. No flute lesson until the end of August, no piano lesson until September, no singing until katyjay and I are both around at the same time, which will be mid-August. And no recorder meetings in August, and the recorder festival I'd vaguely thought of attending is fully booked. I have the occasional flute lesson to give, but that's it.

Perhaps we'll have to give each other virtual lessons on the Forums to compensate. What are you working on at the moment?

Yes, I know the feeling! My teacher doesn't officially stop teaching in the summer, but she is away in Italy for 2 months running a summer school and performing. I decided this year to do a summer school as a way of getting at least a week of intensive singing tuition, and just to have something to work towards. Other years I've arranged concerts with friends during the summer, just in a school or church hall (where you don't have to pay!). Maybe you could get together with some of your friends or your teacher's other students and put something together?

I still have a week to go - my "term " ends middle of next week. One or two are on holiday already, and I try to make the opportunity to offer an intro lesson or two to anyone who's starting after the summer.

Autumn sessions start on Sept 5th, although I will teach anyone who wants a lesson during the weeks I'm here. Like David's students, they book in week by week. it tends to be the very young and the adults who least want a break.

Sometimes having a break isn't such a bad thing. It allows both teacher and pupil to come back refreshed ready for the new term.

David

The concert idea is a good one. Not this year though, as other parts of my life are too hectic. But it's a great suggestion for next year.

I run a term called "summer vac." Normal lessons are not compulsory, but lessons can be booked throughout the summer holidays unless I am away.

Some people take me up, others do not. At least that way I maintain some sort of income for August!

I don't mind limiting myself to 4 weeks holidays a year. When I worked in an office that is what I had to do.

I posted a similar thread on the adult learners forum.
I had my last lesson on June 28th and won't get my next until September 20th! An even longer break than you. I, at least, am movtivated to practice but imagine my daughter on the cello whose pieces are only about four lines long and who usually works on a piece for only two weeks and who needs constant reminders from her teacher about posture, how to hold the bow etc. Three months is enough to forget everything.

Not a problem for me. Summer School will be keeping me more than busy until the beginning of August. Then luckily my teacher is continuing to teach, so I can then concentrate on my Grade 7 pieces.

How about you set yourself the challenge to learn two or three new songs over the summer break, which you can then perform to your teacher in September?

Do you have any CDs to practice with. Like the Vaccaj for instance?



Amber
x

I don't actually have lessons, I just sing in a Barbershop chorus who rehearse right through the holidays, so I can just aboot survive.

I know the feeling! I love my singing lessons and want more and more, i usually have 5 every half term and last half term i only had 1...i was devastated and now i have the 6 week break. I practice the repertoire that I have most recently been given and keep working on technique especially when you are given technically challenging songs.
In this case I am to practice my grade 8 repertoire not that I have got much at the moment but I am also looking at list D because there is so much musical theatre I want to chose the best one for me.

I have also got a practice A level recital at Christmas and therefore have got to find ome grade 7 and grade 8 pieces to sing and probably one grade 7 one on flute and all those to last 20 mins...that should keep me busy for a while as I have to provide a balanced programme.

If anyone wants to give me any ideas of difficult songs to sing at grades 7 and 8 standard then please do...i know katjay, meercat, Ann C and sarah flute are good at these sort of things

Thanks guys

Annetta

I don't know much of the higher grade rep

One song I think is gorgeous on the G7 list is "Lascia chi'o pianga" - have I misspelled that? - it's beautiful.