Instructor Spotlight

Katie Morris

Originally from the small town of Utica, NE, Katie Morris grew up in a musical home. Her mother played piano and encouraged singing around the house, and even influenced Katie’s decision to play the flute. (She wanted to play the French horn instead!) From a young age, Katie has come to value music education for its ability to teach the importance of hard work and other life skills. “To help students realize what they can accomplish in music and life is what makes teaching worth it,” she says.

Before the move to Lincoln and coming to Harris Academy of the Arts, Katie completed a degree in music education from Doane College in Crete, NE and then taught K-12 vocal music for Plainview Public Schools. Now, she has a long line of teaching duties at Harris: voice, flute, piano, Kindermusik, Treble Maker Show Choir, and Children’s Music Academy.

When she isn’t teaching, Katie loves to spend as much time as she can with her husband and family. Her love and ability for cultivating relationships flows into the lesson room where she strives to build close connections with her students. Seeing her students accomplish their goals in lessons is one of the best parts of her job. “It makes my heart happy to see all my students succeed.”

Read Katie's Bio >>

More About Katie:

How long have you played your instrument?
I have played piano and sang since I can remember. I began playing flute in 5th grade so 12 years?

How did you get started playing your instrument?
My mom is a piano player and was always making me sing around the house and for home videos.
She played the flute also and encouraged me to play it even though I had already planned on playing the French horn! She played flute songs all over the house and eventually I gave in. I am very glad. 

What is a little known fact about you? 
I had braces from 3rd grade until I was a junior in high school. I learned to play the flute with braces on and had to relearn quite a bit once I got them off!

What is your favorite kind of music?
I like any music that is going to make me feel something! A good beat, thoughtful lyrics, emotional instruments –anything like that.

What is your favorite food?
Mashed potatoes and peanut butter… but not together!

Do you have a fun or inspiring story to share about teaching lessons?
I just love it when a student understands something they have been working so hard to obtain! [Something like] a hard rhythm or a vocal technique. It makes my heart happy to see all my students succeed. I had a student last year who didn’t really know she could sing. By the end of the year she sang a solo at our final concert. To help students realize what they can accomplish in music and life is what makes teaching worth it.

What is one of your favorite recital or performance memories?
At my junior recital in college I was so nervous I skipped a whole verse of one of my songs! My accompanist just stayed right with me, though, and no one knew! He is the best and we worked together enough that he knew what to do. Everyone one makes mistakes and I felt awful after it happened, but when I realized that no one noticed and that my partner and I still got a standing ovation at the end… I realized a little mistake does not mean the end of the world.

Katie with husband, Scott

November Pets of the Month

Meet Sapphire (left photo), Cloudy (right photo, left) and Snowstorm (right photo, right). They belong to piano student Nate Pribil and family.

Nate’s mom, Jennifer, shares:

Cloudy is our boy and quite the handful.  He has made it up to our ceilings with his agility jumping from the floor to counter, to microwave, to ledge and all the way back down again.  Snowstorm is a girl and laid back, only watching her brother get into mischief.  They both turned one on October 4th and give Sapphire, our girl husky, trouble as soon as she walks in the door.  Sapphire is anxiously waiting for that first snow again so she can bury her head and roll around with the kids.

Do you have a furry friend?
Now accepting submissions for the
December Pet of the Month! 
Send your entries to: info@harrisacademyofthearts.com

Adult Music Classes

It’s a fact at Harris that many of our students come from the elementary through high school age range. However, what you may not know is that almost 10 percent of our student base is made up of adult students, and that number is growing. This isn’t Trix, silly rabbit, music lessons aren’t just for kids! Some adult students are developing skills they have nurtured over the course of their lives (just read about our November Student of the Month), while others are shaking off the dust of musical training they laid to the side years ago. Still others are taking the plunge into something fresh and learning to play a new instrument or even experiencing music-making for the first time.

Many classes, like the String-A-Longs senior violin class (a story all in itself that has been featured in several Lincoln publications and television programs), had their roots in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNL (taught by volunteer HAA faculty) and continued on after the initial 6-week course to make their home at Harris. One such class, Adult Beginning Piano, currently meets on Tuesday afternoons in Studio 12. Susan Musick is one of those budding pianists. She played flute from 4th grade through her sophomore year in college, and watched her children progress through piano lessons, but never took the time to learn piano herself. “I have always wanted to learn to play the piano,” says Susan. “It is on my bucket list!”

Just ask Google, and you’ll find that music lessons benefit adults just as much as they benefit children. Music lessons offer adults a social outlet and a mind-sharpening activity. In fact, in some ways, adults taking on lessons are at an advantage compared to children. Adults are internally motivated to learn music; their parents aren’t pushing and persuading them to practice. They also have developed critical thinking skills and can understand complex concepts more easily, meaning that leaning music theory and analysis happens much faster than it does for children. Combine that with developed emotions, an increased attention span, and the ability to read easily, and adults sure seem to have the upper hand. (http://www.key-notes.com/adult-piano-lessons.html)

Naturally, music lessons come with their fair share of challenges, as well, but they provide an even greater reward—a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Susan knows this well and finds it most difficult when learning a new piece. “I’m not very good at sight reading music,” she says. It’s also a challenge to find enough time at home to practice, something every adult can relate to. But, when asked what she considers to be the best part of taking the class, Susan replied, “Accomplishing one of the pieces that I found really challenging!”

Susan has this encouragement to share with adults who are still on the fence about taking lessons. “I would recommend [music lessons] to any adult. It is so satisfying to learn something new and really enjoy playing music for fun!“ And for those already in the thick of lessons, who perhaps need a little “chin up”: “Stick with it. Time and practice really pays off and it is so rewarding to learn the music, and to make it sound like it was written!”

Ready to start your lessons? We would love to talk with you about instructors, class options, and convenient scheduling in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings! Call (402) 423-7121 to learn more.

October Pets of the Month

Meet Simon (left) and Chopin (right), feline friends of Michaela Wolverton, Communications & Relations Manager of Harris Academy of the Arts.

Michaela shares:
“Simon was a rescue cat after the Hallam, NE tornado in 2004. He has happily been the big baby of the family since then! Chopin is actually the baby of the family, and loves to wake Michaela up at 7:01 every single morning for love and attention. Simon wasn’t happy when first introduced to Chopin, but now they love being brothers (most of the time).”

Now accepting submissions for the November Pet of the Month! Send your entries to: info@harrisacademyofthearts.com

October Student of the Month

Grace Oh

Grace Oh takes voice and piano lessons at Harris Academy of the Arts. She also plays piccolo in marching band and flute in concert band at school. This 15 year old, who is in the top 3% of her class, aspires to become a general surgeon or an anesthesiologist. Her favorite classes in school cover anything related to math and science. In addition to her studies in school, band activities, and private lessons, Grace also joined Science Olympiad to challenge herself. Put all that together – this girl is a go-getter!

Cristina Vlad, Grace’s piano instructor, has seen Grace’s hard work and dedication firsthand in lessons: “Being involved in several activities, she is showing improvement in her piano playing every week.” We snuck into one of Grace’s recent piano lessons to share some footage. You’ll find that she and Cristina “get down to business” and work hard – and it really pays off!

More About Grace:

What are your favorite songs?

I like “Tomorrow” from the musical Annie and “Memory” from the musical Cats.

What other hobbies do you have besides music?
I would read and write for most of the time, and occasionally I would draw, paint, or craft if I have enough time.

What is your favorite food?
My favorite food is pineapple upside-down cake.

What is a little known fact about you?
I can speak fluent Korean.
I’m left handed.
I have a saltwater aquarium with a pair of clownfish and a starfish.

Instructors:
Cristina Vlad
Katie Morris

Instructor Spotlight

Sherri Brouillette

Sherri’s spunky personality and sense of humor are welcome additions to Harris Academy of the Arts. She teaches flute, beginning woodwinds, Children’s Music Academy, beginning piano, and the Ukulele Workshop, growing more and more popular. As Sherri says, “nobody can be grumpy while holding a ukulele!”

Although Sherri’s primary instrument is flute, she originally thought she was going to play violin. “But my mother brought home a flute one day,” Sherri says. “When I tried to play it I couldn’t make a sound on it. I was really frustrated with the instrument because of that, but I kept trying. It took me two to three weeks after that to finally get a sound and I went from there.” And she’s played it for 27 years!

This semester, Sherri is student teaching at North Star High School with Rob Salistean. She is gaining experience in orchestra, marching band, wind symphony, and concert band, as well as coaching students for all-state. Once completed, she will earn her post baccalaureate teacher certification in music education from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Then, look for Sherri at a music classroom near you!

More about Sherri:

What is your hometown?
Lincoln, NE

Do you have any good stories about where you grew up?
When my sister and I were in middle school, she would play rap music so loudly that it shook the walls of my room next door. I would get her back by playing the really high notes on my flute as loud as I possibly could. This would last until we couldn’t take it anymore, or until her rap song was over.

What is your favorite kind of music?
Indie rock, jazz, and classical.

What other hobbies do you have besides music?
I love to travel and have lived abroad. I also like to cook, read and visit art galleries.

What is your favorite food?
Macaroni and cheese

Do you have a fun or inspiring story to share about teaching lessons?
I’m really enjoying my ukulele class right now. It’s an instrument that pretty much everyone can learn to play. During class, everyone is having fun and has a smile on their face. Nobody can be grumpy while holding a ukulele! It’s just not possible.

What is one of your favorite recital or performance memories?
Playing piccolo with the Western Michigan University chamber orchestra during our performance of Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite. I also love to play in the pit orchestra for musicals and have played in Oklahoma!, Pirates of Penzance, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Music Man, and Man of La Mancha, amongst others.

Do you know any good jokes? 
What do you call a fake noodle?
An impasta. 

What did the llama say when he got kicked off the farm?
Alpaca my bags.

From Mild to Wild

Electric Violin

Did you know electric violins have been in use since the 1920s? Built from Kevlar, glass, and carbon fibers (rather than the traditional wood), these instruments and their “raw” sound are ideal for rock, pop, and jazz music. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_violin)

David Pratt, violin instructor at Harris Academy of the Arts, began playing the electric violin around age 13. He was interested in playing in bands and other nontraditional violin settings in which the electric violin, and its ability to be amplified (without the issue of feedback), fit well with the other instruments. He was also interested in being able to alter the sound of his violin, much like one can on the guitar. Now, five strings (traditional violins have four!) and an amplifier later, this Fritz Kreisler and classical music fan has the best of both worlds.

According to David, the ability to electronically alter the sound lends the electric violin to jazz and rock music. “I like to improvise over rock riffs,” says David. “I also enjoy streaming instrumental versions of popular songs onto a multi-track recorder, and then replacing what would have been the vocal track with violin improvisation.”

While equipment can be pricey, it is possible to find a quality “rig” (or set up) at a reasonable cost. David has found using a keyboard amp provides multiple options. “For instance, I like to amplify my electric violin with a keyboard amp that has a multi-channel mixer built into it, so I can stream music, add a drum machine, add a bass guitarist, add a vocalist, and play violin, simultaneously or in any combination while controlling the volume of all inputs.”

More information about purchasing an electric violin and equipment follows (provided by David, unless otherwise indicated). If all this technical talk is just mumbo jumbo to you, David is happy to answer any questions on the topic. Contact Harris Academy of the Arts at 402.423.7121 to ask your questions. Curiosity is welcome!

More From David:

What equipment is needed to play the electric violin?
For some electric violins, such as the Yamaha Silent Electric Violins, the only equipment needed is the violin, the bow, and a pair of headphones.

“If your only intention is silent practice, than a set of headphones will be sufficient, provided your instrument has a headphone jack.  If not, you will need some other device, such as an amp or effects processor that does have a headphone jack, which will then require a cable. If you want to be heard by others, you will need an amplifier, or the ability to connect to a PA (Public Address) system through a soundboard.  This will require at least one cable.” (www.electricviolinshop.com/blog/resources/faq/#amp)

Can I use my regular bow?  Strings?  Rosin? 
“Yes, yes and yes! Electric instruments use normal strings under normal tension. Therefore, any traditional horsehair bow and rosin combo will work. That said, there is tremendous variation in bow quality, which will affect your tone and technique greatly.” (www.electricviolinshop.com/blog/resources/faq/#bow)

What kind of investment is it to purchase an electric violin?
“Cost can be significantly reduced by shopping online, on Craigslist, on Ebay, or elsewhere. Multi-effects units are generally far cheaper than buying individual units and hooking them together. Multi-effects units dramatically simplify setups. For about $1000, one could find a basic electric violin, an amplifier, and a preamp/multi-effects processor. One may even be able to do this for $500.”

Anything else you'd like to share?
Guitar amps, and guitar effects are optimized for guitarists, who dominate the market for these items. Guitar amps exaggerate mid-range frequencies and many guitar effects make the violin sound harsh and brittle without significant adjustment.  There are violin amplifiers on the market, but I would be wary of these, because they do not yet have the same economies of scale as the keyboard or guitar variety and one may well end up paying a premium for sound quality that can be obtained through already available products (such as a keyboard amplifier).