Registration: How, When, and Where

This year we have worked hard to streamline the schedule, the registration forms, and registration process. We welcome your feedback and suggestions for further improvements. You'll notice that there are fewer categories of class on the forms - just "Early" and "Late" for cello and violin. Don't worry! Your child will be placed in the appropriate class by our Artistic Director, and you'll get a customized schedule.

Here's how registration works:

1. Download these 2 forms: the Fall 2011 Family Registration Form and the Fall 2011 Program Selection Form from the STEP website by clicking the links here. We will also have paper copies available on registration day.
   
2. Fill out one Program Selection form for each student in your family. On this form, you provide some information about the student and choose the classes he/she will be taking. The PDFs are fillable, so you can type right into them, and print/save your responses; you can also print them and fill them in by hand.
3. Fill out one Family Registration Form for your whole family. There is a space on the form to list all the students in the family and total up their payments. This is also a fillable and saveable PDF.
4. Write a cheque (or cheques). You have two options for payment: the whole year's amount at once, or half with registration and the other half on January 1st, 2012, using a post-dated cheque.
5. Get the forms to us: you can do this by clicking "Submit this form by email" at the bottom of the PDF, bringing them to registration day, or by popping the form in the mail to: STEP, P. O. Box 23182, Churchill Square, St. John's, NL A1B 4J9.
6. Get your payment to us. If absolutely necessary, you can mail the cheque as well. We strongly recommend, though, that you come out to registration day.
   

Registration for 2011/2012 Group Classes will be taking place on Saturday, September 10th, from 9 AM to Noon in the Irwin's Court Room, off the lobby of the St. John's Arts and Culture Centre. We will have paper copies of the forms on hand, people available to answer questions, and may even be organizing a play-in (details on that to come!). Come out, say hello to your fellow STEP families, and get excited for a year of beautiful music!

Josh Smee, Administrator

2011/2012 Group Class Schedule and Dates!

We've made some adjustments to the class schedule this year. Click here to download the schedule. On the first page, you'll find a timetable for classes, and group class dates for the year. On the second page, you'll find a list of concerts and brief class descriptions.

After registering, we will send you individualized schedules for each student in your family. These will tell you which classes they've been placed in.

Christina has worked very hard to make the schedule as convenient as possible for as many people as possible, with no gap between Group Class, Musicianship and Fiddle. This year we will be having a general break in the morning's activities between 10:30 and 10:45. If you would like to bring a snack for your children, please do, but also please make sure that any garbage/spills/messes are cleaned up.

Class and Program Information

Beginners Program

This year we are offering a new Beginners Class. Before Christmas this class will be for parents only. After Christmas the children will join in with their instruments. The Pre-Christmas Beginners Class will be Parent Training Seminars, to equip parents with the skills and knowledge to practise with their kids. Topics will include Suzuki philosophy and principles, how to hold, play and tune the instrument, how to motivate the children, note reading, and body mapping. Parents already in the program who would like to take this course as a refresher or for some new ideas are welcome to come for free.

Orchestra

Any student who has completed one year of Musicianship is eligible to join Orchestra. In Orchestra, the kids learn to follow a conductor, how to play music in several parts, and how to listen to others while playing. It also gives kids huge motivation to improve their sight-reading skills. And besides all this, it's TONS OF FUN! Conductor Heather Kao holds the Orchestra on Tuesday afternoons at 4:00 p.m. in the Anglican Cathedral Crypt.

STEP Fiddlers

This year our fiddle classes will be concentrating on learning new tunes. There will be no regularly scheduled STEP Fiddlers rehearsals this year. Instead we will have STEP Fiddlers rehearsals when they are needed - for example, when we have an upcoming performance. Any student who has had one year experience in our fiddle classes is welcome to join the STEP Fiddlers, and perform with us. There is a $50.00 membership fee which offsets the cost of rehearsals, administration, t-shirts, and the like.

Royal Conservatory of Music Theory Class

If we have enough participants, STEP will sponsor a theory class to prepare our advanced students for the Royal Conservatory Theory exams. Brenda Gatherall has agreed to teach it at a mutually convenient time during the week. The class will not be held on Saturday mornings. If you are interested in this class, please email STEP as soon as possible.

Registration FAQ

(More Group Class FAQs are available in the STEP Parent Handbook and on the Website.)

Which classes are my children in?

Ask your studio teacher - she has a master list of students and classes. You can also ask at Registration. STEP volunteers will have the master list.

My kid's class is larger this year.

STEP is growing! We have more teachers and more students. This also means we have larger classes. This is not a problem - in fact, quite the reverse. Larger classes mean more musical peers. Larger group classes make a bigger and better sound, which the children enjoy being part of. In Japan and at mainland Institutes I have witnessed huge classes of more than 30 kids all playing, learning, and enjoying music together! Larger classes this year will have an assistant to help the teacher tune instruments, fix bowholds, etc.

My child is in Book 1 and will go to the "Etudes" class - what is this new book we have to buy?

It's Mel Bay Beginner Violin (or Cello) Theory for Children Vol. 1. This book will prepare your child for Musicianship class. It's a fun and easy workbook that introduces the symbols of music reading. Please spend some time with it and occasionally bring it to your studio teacher if there is something you do not understand.

Which Musicianship class is my child in?

Your child has been assigned a class based on last year's enrollment. At the first class, a worksheet will be given out to the children to assess their skills and make sure they are in the right place.

There aren't as many "Switch Dates" this year.

To make things easier for our teachers and to develop group identity in the class, we would like to encourage people to stay in the same class for a whole term. Since Group Class is really about building skills with review pieces, it is not necessary to advance to a higher class as soon as you know the prerequisite piece. If a change of class for a student during the term is deemed necessary, it will be dealt with on an individual basis.

I already have the Theory Book.

Please check to make sure you have the right volume! This year Musicianship 1 participants will use MEL BAY Violin (or Cello) Theory for Children Volume 2. Musicianship 2 will use Volume 3. Musicianship 3 will use customized materials provided as needed.

I need to rent a different size cello.

If you are currently using a STEP instrument, please email Christina as soon as possible to let her know what size you currently have and whether you suspect you will be needing a bigger one. Then bring your instrument and child to Registration where your child can be assessed for instrument size.

Where do I get the books we need?

Musicianship and Fiddle books will be available for purchase during the first Group Class day, Sept. 17th. If you are moving up a book (or just starting) and need a new Suzuki book and CD, on your private teacher's advice, please visit Rodney de Vries.

Christina Smith, Artistic Director

New This Year: Volunteer Assistantships

High School Students - Do you need volunteer hours for your school program? Why not volunteer to help out at Group Classes? Volunteer Group Class assistants will help the teacher set up the room and tune the instruments, lead some pieces, and fix bowholds and violin holds. Musicianship assistants will pass out and collect materials and help the teacher. Volunteers will have a training session before classes start. Email Christina (csmith@nf.sympatico.ca) if you can help!

Early Childhood Education Classes

Do you have a younger sibling in your family you'd like to be involved with STEP but they aren't old enough for lessons? Consider our Early Childhood Program.

Infant/Toddler Classes (0-2 years)  - an hour of singing, dancing, counting, learning from others, storytime, the all-time favourite xylophone and bonding with music - we have so much fun in this class! Please feel free to join us! Email Evelyn for more information at evelyn_osborne@yahoo.com to reserve your space in our 9:30, 11:15 or 12:15 class.

Advanced ECE pre-instrument class - Do you have a 3(ish) year old who is really interested but not quite lesson-ready? Come to our brand new pre-instrument class. Based on the ECE class structure, this class will include more musical terms, more precise rhythmic training and pre-instrument games to get your child ready for lessons! Email Evelyn to express your interest!

For Parents Who Play....

... Or want to start playing: We are planning on offering a Parent Class again this year for any parent who would like to study the violin or cello themselves. Parents who have taken this class in the past all say that it benefits their children for them to know more about the instrument, to be a role model, to let their children help them out, and just to have more music played at home. Not to mention it's a lot of fun and very good for your brain. You're never too old to learn!

How to join: Although Parent Class is not listed on the registration form, there is a section on the Family Form where you can indicate that you'd be interested, and we'll contact you afterward to figure out a schedule that suits everyone, whether that be on weekday evenings or Saturdays. If you need to rent or buy a full-size instrument for yourself, pay a visit to Rodney de Vries, 77 King's Road.

New this year, we're inviting any parents who have been playing violin for a while to join Fiddle Class on Group Class days! Just fill out another Program Selection form to register yourself as a student. You can come to Fiddle 1, 2 or 3, whatever level is suitable for you, with or without your child. No previous fiddling experience is required for any level. (If you're unsure about your level, speak to your studio teacher.) Christina's book-and-CD "Inshore Fiddling 2" will be the fiddling textbook for this year, and it's a fantastic resource for learners of all ages. Come and soak up some Newfoundland heritage and learn some terrific tunes to go along with it.