In This Month’s Newsletter

What Is Our Teaching Philosophy?

Important Dates
Upcoming Recitals and Forums
Welcome Our New Students
Student of the Month
Teacher Spotlight
Days and Deeds of Dr. Dennis
Did You Read Your Newsletter Contest?
Mommy and Me
Referral Program

What Is Our Teaching Philosophy?

Here are a few points of interest related to our teaching philosophy at Dennis Frayne Music Studios.

Goals & Interests

Music is for everyone, but not everyone has the same musical goals and interests. Knowing this, we have developed music programs, curriculum, piano lessons, voice lessons, instrumental lessons, ensembles, camps, classes, and teaching strategies that are tailored to each student’s individual needs, desires, and learning objectives. These customizations include the learning environment, the sequencing and pacing of instruction, practice requirements, performance expectations, content, and teaching style.

Sequencing of Instruction

Music instruction, including piano lessons, should include lots of music-making right from the start. While this may seem obvious, it is common practice for piano instruction to focus less on music-making and more on conceptual activities such as “note reading” and “music theory” — even for young beginners.

The unnecessary overemphasis on note reading and music theory slows down students’ ability to actually play the piano — it persistently makes it harder to learn — and too often results in the feeling that playing the piano is “hard work,” tedious and boring, random and illogical, that a student “lacks talent” or has “learning difficulties” or is “not musical” or “not a musician” — and all this has a very negative impact, can contribute to low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence, long-term anxiety, and a strong distaste for piano lessons and other music-making, music-learning, and even other learning. Conversely, some music curriculum goes too far in the other direction — with too much focus on learning by rote or playing solely by ear — avoiding note reading to the point where it eventually becomes extremely difficult and frustrating for students to learn to read music notation.

Balance is needed, along with excellent sequencing of instruction. We help our students to do both! To play and to read. Our curriculum, lesson sequencing, content selection, and scaffolding provide the perfect balance, timing, and personalization for all students. Students learn to actually play the piano right away, while more gradually learning to read music notation, in a way that is straightforward, clear, and painless: it happens naturally and smoothly without unnecessary stress and strain or confusion and illogic. Students develop technical facilities while learning to read music — their ability to play the piano is not hindered as they are learning to read music. Yet the path to reading music is clear from the start, and students learn to read music faster! Yes, overall progress is faster and more thorough (greater retention) in the long run. This results in a much more enjoyable, satisfying, and rewarding experience for students taking piano lessons.

“We teach what you want to learn, the way you like to learn so that you can enjoy learning, learn your best, and become the person you want to be — and express your true authentic self.”

Recitals & Performances

Performing music and playing the piano for others should be enjoyable and rewarding experiences. We hold frequent recitals and provide many performance opportunities to help make performing music and playing the piano for others easier and less stressful.

Sometimes, we want to show off a big accomplishment — like a piano piece we have worked on for a long time and perfected. But we don’t have to do that! Other times, we can show the audience what we are working on, perhaps part of a piece that is not yet fully learned. And we can perform some pieces more than once — the way professionals do! In this way, we help music students reduce performance anxiety and the feeling that playing the piano is an all-or-nothing, succeed-or-fail activity — like high-stakes testing in general education! It’s not — it’s making music together!

Even with this more nurturing philosophy about recitals and performances, we can still work hard on perfecting some pieces and preparing for exams, auditions, and competitions. This is for those who want to — it’s not for everyone!

Each student can be the performer they want to be! And each student is free to grow and evolve, set new goals, and change over time!

IMPORTANT DATES:

Halloween - October 31
Upcoming Recitals and Forums
Recitals:
In-person
Saturday, October 28, 2 pm, RSVP required
San Juan Capistrano Historic Town Center Park
Forums:
Online - In Person:
Saturday, October 14, 9:00 am RSVP required Zoom Laguna Niguel School of Music
Saturday, November 4, 9:00 am RSVP required Zoom Laguna Niguel School of Music

Please welcome our NEW Students who enrolled in August

Emery A.

Paloma A.

Minoo M.

Zoren N.

Astor O.

Aadhya P.

Spencer P.

Abigail S.

Cyrus S.

Leo S.

Rio W.

Owen W.

Student of the Month

Eleanor Mun

Eleanor started piano lessons with Dr. Dennis in September 2020. She took a break for a little while and then started again. She has completed Book 1 and has now memorized the first several pieces in Book 2. Eleanor’s favorite part about piano lessons is learning to play new songs!

Eleanor is also learning the recorder right now and might want to learn to play the trumpet one day. In school, she likes math and also break-time! Eleanor enjoys playing volleyball, has fun playing with her friends, and loves to read.

Teacher Spotlight

Brendan Dora

Mr. Brendan began his musical journey in 1998 by picking up the guitar and studying guitar theory for several years with local jazz guitarist and composer Blake Aaron. Mr. Brendan has performed at outdoor festivals, large clubs and theaters, in studio recording sessions, and in houses of worship over the past two decades. He currently resides in Orange County, California with his wife of 12 years and his German Shepherd mix. His interests include music of all kinds, graphic design, computers, the aerospace industry, the outdoors, and reading.

Mr. Brendan says, “I enjoy teaching guitar because I have the opportunity to pass on the knowledge and best practices gained over the years, and I get to rediscover my own love for the instrument by bringing that joy and enthusiasm to the next generation of players. If I can teach a student something new while having fun and inspiring them to further their own journey, then I’ve achieved my goal.”

Days & Deeds of Dr. Dennis

My favorite part of Dana Point is Salt Creek Beach Park, the beautiful grassy park area overlooking the beach. It’s a great place to picnic, and we enjoy doing that often. In fact, my wife, Grace Byeon, and I had our wedding reception there! And, one of our favorite restaurants in Dana Point is Salt Creek Grille. When we were attending Saddleback College, we had friends who rented a beach house in Dana Point, and we had a lot of fun visiting them!

Both Grace and I taught music for a couple of years at St. Edward the Confessor Parish School, and we hosted an after-school musical theater program called, “Broadway Rocks!” That is where the Diocese of Orange holds its annual elementary and middle school choral festival, where I took my students when I taught at Blessed Sacrament Parish School in Westminster, OC.

In south Dana Point, there used to be an auto mechanic/shop that we liked (but it’s no longer in business), and there is a Denny’s Restaurant in Dana Point on del Obispo where I have eaten breakfast and grabbed a hot cup of coffee on occasion!

Inspirations

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

Lucy Maud Montgomery, Ann of Green Gables

Did You Read Your Newsletter Contest?

October 2023

To encourage everyone to read the Dennis Frayne Music Studio Newsletter, each month we’ll feature a new contest winner or a new contest. Be sure to read your newsletter each month to see if your name has been drawn or you might miss out!

This month’s winner is Noah Underhill

Noah has won 10 tickets which can be redeemed for prizes at the

Dennis Frayne Music Studio, Laguna Niguel!

To collect your prize tickets just bring this to the office.

Congratulations, Noah!

Everyone, be sure to read your newsletter each month!

MUSIC MOMMY & ME

Morning Classes

Thursday mornings,

9:00-10:00 am, ages 3-4

10:15-11:15 am. ages 0-2

Music Playdates in the Parks!

Wednesday mornings, 9:30-10:30 am Check our website and social media for weekly locations, or send us an email.

October 2023 Newsletter