Sunburst News - November 2024

Alex Stanton • November 5, 2024

November 2024 - Issue #87

IN THIS ISSUE:

Winter Recital Sign Ups 🎼
Save the Date - Winter Group Program Enrollment 🎶
Sunburst Jams 🎸
Piano Club 🎹
Squirrel Hill Wine Walk 🍇
Instructor Spotlight: Giulia Galante 📻
New Instructors 🎉
Holiday Break Reminder 🗓

IMPORTANT DATES:

Improv Workshop - 11/8
Piano Club - 11/15
Drum Circle - 11/16
Sunburst Jams - 11/22
Thanksgiving Break - 11/26-12/1
Winter Party - 12/20

Winter Recital Signups

Performance season is back at Sunburst! As we get ready for our Winter Recitals, we’re thrilled to help students bring their hard work to the stage. Performing is a huge milestone and an incredible way for students to grow as musicians—there’s nothing quite like the thrill of live music! Whether it's your first recital or one of many we can’t wait to see and hear what you’ve been working on.

To get signed up for our winter recitals, use the link below, talk to your instructor or let us know at the desk! Make sure to check out this article we published a few years ago offering some helpful tips for how to prepare and make the most of it.

Finally as a reminder, we use our recitals to raise money for the Sunburst Music Scholarship Fund, a program that allows kids to take lessons at Sunburst for free. You can donate while signing up through Opus by choosing the donation payment option, or donate in person at the event. As always, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your contributions! To learn more about the program, visit our Scholarship page here.

Save the Date - Winter Group Program Enrollment

Mark your calendars! Enrollment for the Winter Term of Music Together and the Sunburst Band Program starts on December 1st ❄️🎶

Free Fun Alert: Sunburst Jams & Piano Club

Join us for Sunburst Jams and Piano Club this month. These sessions are held monthly on Fridays and they’re FREE!

Piano Club with Jaime Cohen | Ages 8+

First up–Piano Club! This group meets on the 3rd Friday of every month from 6:30–7:30, and it’s a great opportunity for our piano students to dive deeper into music theory, enjoy interactive and educational games like Music Jeopardy, and gain performance experience!

Date: November 15th
Time: 6:30–7:30

Sunburst Jams

Join us for our monthly jam session, Sunburst Jams, on the 4th Friday of every month. The kids session for ages 8 and up meets from 5:30–7:00pm followed by the adult session from 7–9pm. Both sessions are very beginner friendly and the goal is to simply play music together, have fun, and maybe make some new friends along the way!

Date: November 22nd
Ages 8+: 5:30–7:00pm
Ages 21+: 7:00–9:00pm

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Free Improv Workshop with Vicky Davide

Join us for a Free Improvisation Workshop led by Vicky Davide this Friday, November 8th from 7–9pm!

This collaborative workshop offers a unique opportunity to explore your creative side and musicality without the worry of playing a “wrong” note! Vicky will guide the group through various improvisation exercises focused on play and exploration. All ages and abilities are welcome to join; no prior experience or musical training is required.

Food Drive for JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry

Join us in donating to the JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry this month! We are accepting donations from November 1–20th in the Sunburst Lobby. Please see the donation guide to learn what items the food pantry is in need of this year, in addition to what they can (and cannot) accept!

Thank you all in advance for your generosity. We appreciate you!

Donation guide

Instructor Spotlight: Giulia Galante

Sunburst School of Music is proud to celebrate the achievements of one of our talented voice instructors, Giulia Galante, who was recently invited to SBL Radio to showcase her Latino Community Choir in honor of Latino Heritage Month. This special event took place on Saturday, October 19th, and highlighted the rich cultural contributions of the Latino community through the power of music.

Launched in April 2024 as a three-month summer pilot program, the local Latino Community Choir united Latino youth from across the city, delivering a powerful performance that captured the essence of unity and the celebration of Hispanic Heritage.

We are thrilled to share the link to the full interview and performance here, where you can experience the choir’s incredible talent and hear Giulia’s insights on the importance of music in the Latino community.

Welcome our New Instructors!

Sunburst is thrilled to welcome talented new instructors to our teaching team!

Mike Hugo - Guitar Instructor

Mike joins Sunburst with nearly two decades of experience in both playing and teaching guitar. Inspired by legends like Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mike quickly developed his skills, eventually pursuing a Bachelor’s in Music with a focus on Jazz Studies from the City College of New York, graduating in 2019. Mike’s teaching philosophy centers on empowering students with the tools they need to be confident and successful in their musical endeavors.

Sydne Samuels - Youth Voice Instructor

Sydne Samuels is a passionate freelance art educator, administrator, and production assistant with a diverse background in theater. A 2023 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, she earned her BA in Theatre Arts and Psychology. After graduation, Sydne moved to New York City to intern at The Broadway League, where she helped produce The Jimmy Awards (National High School Musical Theatre Awards) and worked on programming like Broadway Bridges. She firmly believes in the transformative power of theater, which has profoundly impacted her own life. Sydne specializes in teaching an introduction to musical theater, acting through song, and audition preparation for school or community productions.

Holiday Break Reminder

As the holiday season approaches, we want to remind everyone of our holiday break billing policy. Your flat monthly tuition includes lessons every week, except when we are closed for holidays (see our calendar). We do not issue makeup credits for these days. You can view a full list of our billing and scheduling policies in our Terms and Conditions here.

Thank you for your understanding and have a wonderful holiday season!

Thanks for reading!

Let us know if you have any questions, comments, etc. Thanks as always for being a part of the Sunburst Community!

Best Wishes,

–Sunburst Team

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Sunburst News - September 2025

September 1, 2025

Catch up on Sunburst’s latest news: The Sunburst Band Program, Music Together classes, community drum circles, free music classes, new instructors, and upcoming concerts!

Sunburst News - August 2025

August 1, 2025

August- Issue #96

5 Reasons to Start Playing in a Band

July 30, 2025

As summer break comes to a close, we’re gearing up for the next term of the Sunburst Band Program and would love to see some new faces this fall. Playing in a band is one of the best ways to progress as a musician, so we put together a list of five reasons why we encourage our students to seek out opportunities to play in groups—whether it's starting a band or jamming with a couple of friends. Progress Your rhythm, timing, and listening skills improve quickly when you start playing in a band or group setting. While private lessons and solo practice are essential pieces of the puzzle, playing with others introduces new variables—like tempo changes, dynamics, and coordination—that challenge you to stay in sync with your bandmates and adapt to each other. We’ve seen so many students level up after just a couple months in the Sunburst Band Program–the progress happens fast! Friends and Connections We love watching our students and their families become friends and our band program has been a natural starting point for many of those relationships. Some of our current bands have stayed together for years, and it's awesome to see them hang out outside of lessons and support each other at shows. Plus, one of the best ways to get gigs is through connections with other musicians! Motivation Playing in a band is super motivating because you're part of a group working toward an exciting shared goal. Whether you're learning a new song, building a set list, or getting ready for a show, the process becomes more exciting and rewarding when you're making music you love with people you enjoy being around. That shared energy turns practice into something much more fun and meaningful. Performing Performing can be nerve-wracking, but it gets easier the more you do it, and being on stage with your friends makes it less scary. We love seeing how our students' stage presence and confidence grow with each performance—it’s one of our favorite parts of being teachers! As we mentioned, shows are a great place to make connections with musicians who you’d like to collaborate with in the future. Simply put, playing more shows leads to playing more shows. Creative Outlet Music is a powerful tool for expression, and it’s important to have outlets for that at any age! Life is very fast paced for many of us, and it can be tough to pause and do the things you enjoy. Band practice can be a consistent anchor in your week—something you can rely on for connection, processing, and creating with your bandmates. As corny as it sounds, playing music is good for your spirit! If you’d like to know more about the Sunburst Band Program, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for more information. We also recommend talking with your private lessons instructor so that they’re aware and can help you prepare.