Anytime I Hear Music I Smile

By Noelle Reda, Student of Clarinet and Theory at Encore

Encore Music Academy is a place where I can learn, grow, and be myself. I have never felt that way anywhere else and I always feel welcomed with open arms whenever I arrive. If I did not have Encore in my life I would have definitely given up on clarinet and I would be missing out big time. Music means more to me now as I get older, because it helps give me time to forget about high school drama and homework. I play clarinet, I’m starting flute and I love listening to music.

Anytime I hear music I smile. Music can express so many feelings and emotions. You can think back to an old memory or look forward to the future.

Band in school by far is the best class and I can’t stand when people say it’s just an “easy A class” because it is so much more important than that. Encore makes music even more special to me. Lea is my instructor and she is truly the best! She is so kind and hardworking. She does so much for me and is always there for me.  And Pat and Lisa, what would I do without you guys? You make Encore a happy, joyful, fun place to go and I love you both so much! I honestly learn more in Encore than I do in school. I remember my first clarinet lesson; I was so nervous and I felt like crying. Little did I know that Lea is one of the kindest, most hard working people I know and Encore is like my second home.

Music has made the world a better place and it feels great to contribute to that. I am so proud whenever I say that I am a musician and it’s just a wonderful feeling. I can’t go a day without listening to music, or singing a tune from a Maroon 5 song. When you walk into Encore you hear all of the beautiful sounds coming from people who want to learn and improve. Some instructors who I have met are so kind and passionate and you don’t get that from just anywhere. Encore just gets this smile on my face that I can’t stop.  Encore is a family and I’m so glad that I’m a part of a wonderful community. I have grown so much not just as a musician but a person as well!

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My Home Away From Home

By Lea Botta, Director of Woodwinds and Manager of Program Development

I have been teaching here at Encore since February of 2013. I started with two students on a Saturday. I had a very busy teaching studio of my own, teaching 6 days a week in various schools throughout the South Shore. I had worked hard to build my studio up and loved every minute of it. However, having moved to Franklin in 2009, the commute to the South Shore was definitely grating on  me. It was time for a change.

I remember my first phone call with Lisa, one of Encore’s Founding Directors. It was the night before a blizzard. I was on my way out to get milk and bread….I don’t even drink milk, but this is New England –  it’s just what you do.

I met with Lisa and Pat the next week and I passed muster. They hired me. It was with a lot of trepidation that I started working for someone besides myself and gave up some of my own studio time to work at Encore. I gave Encore a Saturday out of my schedule as a compromise. If things didn’t work out, I still had five other days at my own studio.

Fast forward five or so years … one day with two students on my schedule turned into five full days of lessons. This past year, I was hired full-time as Director of Woodwinds and Program Development Manager. I have never looked back or regretted giving up my own studio to teach here. Besides having two of the best and most understanding bosses on the planet, I work with a great group of people. My colleagues that teach with me are highly educated, awesome musicians and are professional in every way. I couldn’t ask for better students. They are highly motivated, enthusiastic, and work hard to become better musicians in every lesson. I can tell that they, too, love being here at Encore.

And, yes,  Encore is my home away from home. I am honored and proud to call this wonderful place so! Onward and upward!

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The Sounds of Encore

By Laura Ostrow, Office Manager

You drive up to the familiar Encore sign, walk up to the door, and may already hear music flowing from inside the entryway of the building. As you open the door and take your first step in, you hear a symphony of sounds all at once, creating a chorus of laughter, song, and music. To your right, you hear the typing away of the office manager who greets you with a smile saying “hello.” As you walk in further, you may hear the songbird sound of a student singing an Italian Aria in the classroom on your left, mixed with possibly a grungy electric guitar rock song in the room straight ahead. As you move into the reception area, you may hear the heartbeat of the school through the steady beat of a drummer practicing his rhythm. And when you walk through the main room, you may hear a full ensemble singing, playing instruments, or practicing for their next big performance. As you step into the recording studio, it is suddenly quiet, peaceful, and the sounds of Encore become muffled through the burgundy soundproof walls. You hear audio feedback, as the mix master closely listens and carefully tunes the track to perfect pitch. As you exit the studio and continue through Encore’s hallways, you may hear a class discussing the intricacies of theory, and in the next room, those same intricacies being sung out clear in song.

These are the welcoming sounds of Encore. These are the sounds of our students’ second home. You are welcome here! 🙂

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THREE ENCORE STUDENTS PERFORM AT CARNEGIE HALL!!

“How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” is the age-old question, to which the answer has traditionally always been, “Practice, practice, practice!”

For every serious musician, performing at Carnegie Hall is a lifelong dream, the pinnacle of success, the ultimate achievement. For three young students at Encore Music Academy and Recording Studios, the dream became reality on Sunday, February 18, when Arnav Deshpande, age 11 of Franklin, Maura Johnston, age 15 of Norfolk, and Mia Quinn, age 10 of Franklin, all took the stage for the performance of a lifetime!

Mia Quinn studies voice with Lisa Ostrow, who is co-owner of Encore Music Academy and Recording Studios, while Maura Johnston and Arnav Deshpande are students of Rebecca Abalutzk. Deshpande studies piano and Johnston studies voice. Having received the highest scores in the state of Massachusetts with a score of 90 or higher for their specific instrument and level of study, these talented students were invited to perform in the Celebration of Excellence Awards recital. Said Quinn, before leaving for New York City, “I am excited to sing at Carnegie Hall. I can’t wait to set foot on the stage where so many famous people have performed!”

When Johnston was informed that she had been invited to perform, she had this to say:

“When I was told that I had gotten the highest score in the state I was completely surprised, so you could imagine my surprise when I found out I would get to actually perform at the Carnegie Hall.  I wasn’t expecting it at all and still can’t believe I have this opportunity.”

Three times each year, students participate in the internationally-acclaimed Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) assessment sessions, which represent an exciting opportunity for music students, on a national level, to demonstrate the skills that they have honed through hard work and perseverance. The program provides a recognized national standard of success in music study from beginner to advanced levels, and inspires excellence through individual student assessments that are central to the program while also supporting teachers with high-quality and innovative resources. The RCM allows students to measure and celebrate accomplishments and track their progress throughout the country. For the assessments, students are graded on proficiency in the following areas: Performance, technical requirements, aural skills, rhythm, and sight-reading ability.

“This is a comprehensive program which integrates all aspects of music education from performance to theory to sightreading,” states Ostrow, an alumna of the Conservatory herself, “and through its remarkably comprehensive curriculum, we are raising better and stronger musicians. That is why, when The Royal Conservatory was brought to the United States six years ago, we immediately jumped at the opportunity to become a Founding School and an Official Assessment Center here at Encore.”

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FRANKLIN STUDENT WINS NATIONAL GOLD MEDAL IN MUSIC

CONGRATULATIONS MIA QUINN!!

Mia Quinn, who lives in Franklin and studies voice at Encore Music Academy and Recording Studios, has been awarded the National Gold Medal of Excellence for 2016-2017 in Preparatory Voice, with a remarkable score of 97. The Royal Conservatory of Music awards the National Gold Medal to the student who has achieved the highest score in the country within their specific skill level for each instrument. Mia, now 11 years old, has been studying voice, as well as performing and recording albums with the Recording Ensemble at Encore for over two years. Under the guidance of her vocal instructor, Lisa Ostrow, (who has guided students to national gold medals twice before), Mia began her studies in voice using the curriculum of the RCM right from the start.

The Royal Conservatory of Music provides a recognized national standard of success in music study from beginner to advanced levels. It inspires excellence through individual student assessments that are central to the Program, while also supporting teachers with high-quality and innovative resources. The RCM allows students to measure and celebrate accomplishment and track their progress throughout the country. All students and teachers across the United States are invited to participate, and Encore Music Academy and Recording Studios is proud to be able to offer these opportunities at the school and through outreach to the surrounding communities.

A number of students from Encore Music Academy and Recording Studios, located in Franklin and Millis, participate in the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) assessment sessions each year. The RCM assessment process represents an extremely exciting opportunity for students, on a national level, to demonstrate the skills that they have honed through practice. Locally, assessments are held at Encore Music Academy and Recording Studios, which is a Founding School and a regional assessment center for this internationally-acclaimed program. Student participants come from all around the New England area to take the assessments, while adjudicators travel from all across Canada in order to administer the exams. Not only do the adjudicators judge students based on ability to perform on the instrument of their choice within their skill level, but they also administer academic assessments in music theory, harmony, history, and analysis.

Ostrow, Vocal Director and co-owner of Encore Music Academy and Recording Studios, had this to say:

“Mia’s accomplishment is extraordinary. Having scored an unprecedented score of 97 on her vocal assessment, her National Gold Medal is a true testament to the dedication she brings to her music studies, the level of support she receives from her family, her innate talent, and her tremendous desire to achieve. And, best of all, Mia is an absolute joy to work with – fun and funny, and incredibly sweet. We are very proud of her, as we are of all our students.”

In December, 2017, Mia received First Class Honors with Distinction on her Level 1 vocal assessment with a score of 92, and is on her way to perform at Carnegie Hall as a result of having won her Gold Medal!

For the assessments, students are graded on proficiency in the following areas: Performance; technical requirements; aural skills; rhythm; and, sight-reading ability. Encore will be hosting another round of regional assessments this spring and is very much looking forward to the opportunity to meet and interact with young musicians from all over the Northeast.

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Encore Voted “Most Loved Music Lessons” In The Area!

Wow! What an honor to be voted “Most Loved Music Lessons” by our community and surrounding towns. An online platform called Hulafrog ran a contest for the month of January 2018 for the most beloved family-friendly businesses in our area. Parents voted on their favorites, and Encore was the top contender for the category of music lesson provider! This would not be possible without our amazing faculty and staff, as well as our amazing clients. Thank you all for your continued support! Check out the link here.

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ENCORE ON FOX25 NEWS!!

Thank you to Fox25 News for their wonderful news story about the release of our holiday album entitled, “DECEMBER”! The album is available for pre-order by calling 508-533-7700 and will be available for pick-up on December 20 at our CD Release Party and Scholarship Fundraiser at the Milford DoubleTree, or on December 21 at Encore Music Academy in Franklin and Millis! Thank you, Fox25! If you missed it, watch it online at www.myfoxboston.com and click on videos.

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