Weekly Studio Update - Happy New Year - 06/01/20

Happy Monday, and Happy 2020!
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I hope you've all had a fantastic holiday and new year period and that you're as excited as I am to start lessons again after a short break. Maybe some of you were lucky enough to have received musical presents?

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The start of a new year often brings in new students to the teaching studio, so a big hello and welcome to Min, Dominic and Alice who have booked in for their first lessons this week. 
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In order to make sure I can accomodate as many students as possible, particularly in the busy after-school hours, I'll be sending out emails and chatting with you in your lessons to update your available preferred lesson times.

I have purchased some tickets to see Ben Folds and Queensland Symphony Orchestra on Wednesday March 11 at 7:30pm, and currently have two spare tickets available for purchase if you'd like to come along with me. Ben Folds is my all-time piano hero and his performances are often irreverent, brilliant and inspiring in equal measure. The tickets are $100 each, first-in-first-served, and I can add them to your invoice balance.
I'm in the process of putting together my Best of 2019 playlist - what have been your favourite songs of the last year?

​Things I've been watching/listening to this week:

1. 13 of the Best Piano Songs Released in 2019 - my colleague Dan at HDPiano has put together this beautiful one-take video of some of the best piano-featured pop songs of 2019.
2. "MY STICK!" — A Bad Lip Reading of The Last Jedi - the BLR channel creates some ridiculously catchy songs out of intentionally putting the wrong words in people's mouths.
3. Harry Styles Performs a Crosswalk Concert - a James Corden sketch that showcases the skills and humour of Harry Styles. His new album is a great listen!
4. Plenty of albums beginning with the letter G: Ball Park Music (Good Mood), My Own Pet Radio (Goodlum), Gorillaz (Gorillaz), Jeff Buckley (Grace), Kanye West (Graduation), Sparkadia (The Great Impression)
5. The Hook Club podcast that I co-host did an episode on the Christmas juggernaut that is Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You". There's a little bit of swearing, so not suitable for impressionable ears.