Learn something new
Published on Thu, Feb 11, 2010 by Dana CaseyRead More News
Have you always wanted to play the piano but never had the time to
learn? Olympic Music School can help with that. Founder and director
Dr. Deborah Rambo Sinn says that about 60 percent of her students are
retired people who felt that way. Others are children taking private
lessons to develop a talent.
There are eight teachers on staff, all professional musicians teaching topics ranging from composition, jazz piano, voice, violin, flute and guitar. Rambo Sinn enjoys teaching seniors because they really want to be there learning. She says that learning a new musical skill or re-learning an old one can increase brain function and leads to more communication between the sides of the brain.
Lessons are $25 for a half hour, $47 for an hour. For more information, call 681-0232 or visit the Web site www.olympicmusicschool.com.
By DANA CASEYThere are eight teachers on staff, all professional musicians teaching topics ranging from composition, jazz piano, voice, violin, flute and guitar. Rambo Sinn enjoys teaching seniors because they really want to be there learning. She says that learning a new musical skill or re-learning an old one can increase brain function and leads to more communication between the sides of the brain.
Lessons are $25 for a half hour, $47 for an hour. For more information, call 681-0232 or visit the Web site www.olympicmusicschool.com.
Sequim Gazette
Elaine Gardner-Morales is the newest teacher at the Olympic Music school. She teaches guitar, bass guitar and vocal jazz.Before staring a guitar lesson, Elaine Gardner-Morales asks what the person wants to accomplish.
“What is it you want to learn to play? What are your goals? What do you like to listen to?”
“The most important thing is to have fun. Focus on the things that bring you pleasure with the guitar. You can have a little ability with it and have fun or you can develop a lot of ability with it and have more fun.”
Gardner-Morales then asks the student to demonstrate anything she knows about the guitar. She slowly builds on those abilities to help the student begin to have fun. She names of the parts of the guitar and of the strings. Then she can give directions more easily.
“People learn by trying and practice. No one learns by just hearing about it.” Practice she says is the most important part of learning.
Gardner-Morales has taught music for 35 years. She has expertise in choral conducting, composition, music theory, vocal jazz, guitar, bass, and piano. She moved here from Texas about 9 months ago because on a previous visit to the northwest she was captivated by the beauty. She holds a masters in music and taught at the college level for more than 20 years before retiring.
Among her other accomplishments, Gardner-Morales has written 17 pieces of music, recently adding two more for two of Rebecca Redshaw’s plays which will be preformed at Olympic Theatre Arts in March and April.
During a lesson, Gardner-Morales finds how the student learns best, either seeing or hearing or touch or a combination of those. So lessons are focused on the students needs and abilities. After finding that the student knows a cord or two, Gardner-Morales moves on to strumming. Hit the bass note with a thumb and strum up and down three times with the other fingers. This means finding the bass note for every cord. After some stumbling, the student finds a rhythm with Gardner-Morales praising the effort.
The lesson ends with a reminder to practice several times a day for about 20 minutes each time.
Then Gardner-Morales’ two dogs get into the act. Her Old English Sheepdog cross loves to bark but sits quietly when Gardner-Morales plays. The Husky cross on the other hand loves to sing and howls happily as Gardner-Morales plays. They add a fitting end to an unforgettable guitar lesson.
Reach Dana Casey at dcasey@sequimgazette.com
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Business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Phone 360-683-3311, or toll free at 800-829-5810. FAX 360-683-6670.
For a complete company directory with contact information please click HERE.
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