The popular notebynote music center in Divonne-les-Bains, France, has just announced a series of new initiatives designed to make music more accessible to the international community of Geneva, Vaud, and neighbouring France.
Following its recent relocation to larger premises on the Rue Fontaine, the notebynote music center is now able to offer a much wider range of group activities for both adults and children, as well as private instrument lessons, which have been available at the centre for many years.
A professional musician in her own right, notebynote founder, Sue Lake, told knowitall.ch: “I’m really excited to be taking my school into the next phase of its development. It started with just a few private lessons for children nearly 10 years ago, but is now growing into something that can serve the musical needs of the entire English-speaking community, both children and adults, at all levels from amateur novices through to experienced musicians.”
In 2015, notebynote offers the following services:
1) Private individual lessons for piano, recorder, flute, bassoon, guitar and theory. For youngsters, Sue offers lessons after school, at lunch time and during free periods, as well as on Saturdays. Lessons can be 30, 45 or 60 minutes long depending on age and ability. Regular performance opportunities are available for all notebynote students at the termly student concerts. All students have the option of participating in the UK’s ABRSM examinations.
For adults, Sue can provide lessons at many times throughout the week day. Lessons are encouraged both for those who have played instruments previously as well as to those who have never learnt an instrument or how to read music. Fees for all individual lessons are based on the core rate of Fr. 40.- per 30 minute lesson.
2) Children’s choir for kids aged between 8 and 13. Meeting on Saturday mornings at 10am, this group provides a wonderful opportunity for children to sing their hearts out to well-known hits from musicals, pop charts of all decades, traditional and contemporary music. The fee for this group is Fr. 20.- per session, payable per term.
3) Group lessons for children & teenagers playing the guitar or the recorder. The guitar group is ideal for children & young people who would like to have fun with their instrument. The recorder groups will open through the next 12 months to offer enjoyable playing opportunities at all ability levels. The cost of these lessons is Fr. 20.- per session, payable per term.
4) "Minis" singing sessions for toddlers aged approximately 18 months to 3/4 years. Accompanied by an adult on Thursday mornings, toddlers are invited to explore the world of music through fun activities focusing on singing activities. Fr. 20.- per session, payable per term.
5) Summer music camps for kids cover a wide range of musical activities, including singing, playing the guitar or recorder in a band, writing your own musical, and much more….Dates to be announced on the website soon.
6) Ladies singing group with an emphasis on singing popular music of all styles, open to all levels of singers, including those who "never thought themselves capable of singing.” These classes take place on Friday mornings from 10.30 – 11.30am and already include about 20 regular singers. The focus of this group is definitely singing for pleasure, and having fun in a warm, friendly environment with like-minded people. For those who wish to perform, there are opportunities for singing in intimate concerts. Fr. 10.- per session, payable per session.
7) Adult chamber choir for those who want to take their singing to a new level, including classical music and more challenging pieces. This is a new choir, which meets on Wednesday evenings for those who already have some experience of reading music and choral singing. Fr. 15.- per rehearsal, payable per term.
8) Messiah from Scratch. Launched for the first time in 2014, this one-day event was a real hit in the local community, attracting all kinds of singers from complete novices to more experienced choristers! This year’s event will take place on Saturday 21 March, with rehearsals from 10h to 17h leading to the final performance of the Messiah at 19h at the Lutheran church in Geneva. At just Fr. 25.- per person, this has to be one of the most popular events on notebynote ’s calendar this year! Click here for more information. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register as a singer.
Singalong sessions. In 2016 Sue plans to extend these Scratch sessions to cover different types of popular music, so you can expect to see one-off sessions covering music by the Beatles or Abba. Check the website regularly for more details.
9) Christmas Sing. Every Christmas, Sue organizes a Christmas sing session where all ages can meet up and sing their favorite Christmas songs & carols.
10) Adult recorder groups for those who have some previous experience of recorder ensemble playing.
11) On-site shop where people can browse and purchase popular sheet music, often very difficult to purchase in this region. Other musical accessories and notebynote merchandise will also be on sale in the shop.
Sue has more musical initiatives planned for the future, including a singing group for younger children aged between 5 and 8 years old, and another choir for older teenagers offering more challenging musical experiences.
Once she is more established in her new center, Sue is also planning on introducing two new orchestras, one for adults and one for children. She would also like to launch a new concert series, aimed at making music more accessible to children. With a focus on classical concerts, these events would include performances by local musicians, who would then talk about their instruments and the music they have played.
Longer term, Sue also has plans to introduce open days where children can come and try out different instruments, to help them decide which one they would most like to play.
Asked why people should come to her classes rather than any of the other groups available in the community, Sue told knowitall.ch,
“First and foremost, my group classes and lessons are fun – people tell me time and time again that they love coming to my sessions, and describe how music has even changed their lives, enabling them to relax more and enjoy the world around them!”
She continued, “By expanding the range of services that I now offer at the school, I am hoping to serve the musical needs of entire families, right from the 18 month toddler who wants to beat a rhythm on a drum, through to older siblings who are ready to learn an instrument, and also their parents, who may have always regretted missing out on music lessons as a child, or who simply want to have fun singing with friends in a larger group.”
Once toddlers start learning music at my school they should then be able to develop their musical talents as and when they feel ready to move to the next stage, all within the same friendly, nurturing atmosphere of the notebynote music centre.”
Sue has worked with children for many years in various capacities, not just as a music teacher, but also mentoring teenagers for the GAOS 'Really Youthful Group' and working as a Girl Guide and Girl Scout leader and trainer. In December 2011 she was musical director for the GAOS pantomime 'Jack & the Beanstalk' and last year she was co-director and musical director for the very successful GAOS show 'CATS'.
Sue Lake BA (Hons), Advanced Diploma, Diplôme de Perfectionnement
notebynote
280 rue Fontaine,
01220 Divonne-les-Bains
France
04 57 05 81 49
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.notebynote.net
Photos copyright Kathy Trefalt.
