Upcoming Workshops
This Month’s Workshop:
Basic Theory II
When: Monday, December 1st
Time: 7pm-8pm
Where: Online
Next Month’s Workshop:
Songwriting: Lyrics II
When: Monday, January 5th
Time: 7pm-8pm
Where: Online
Student of the Month
Daniel was the winner of November’s student of the month. Daniel has been with us for almost a year now and he was nominated for his incredible speed of learning. Paul (his teacher) said he’s never had anyone work through the Hal Leonard books as fast as he did. He’s been an outstanding student for a long time and the award is probably overdue. Congratulations to Daniel!
Name: Daniel
Instrument: Guitar
Time With Us: 10 Months
Favorite Song We’ve Learned So Far: What It’s Like – Everlast
Dream Song To Learn: Master of Puppets – Metallica
Meet Our Newest Teacher!
Xylia-Sophia (Xy for short) is a singer/songwriter and composer with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Composition & Technology and a Bachelor of Arts in Music: Voice from the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee. In the local music scene, Xy has played in a diverse collection of projects, including Angry Fix, Echo & Wood, Hydraviolet, APERI ANIMAM, Milwaukee Opera Theatre, and as a solo artist. Channeling a dynamic blend of contemporary, traditional, and extended techniques, Xy will help you explore genre-defying sounds to bring out the full, vibrant spectrum of your musical colors.
Alex's Cool Music Gear of the Month
Lightkey — Turn Your Gig Into a Light Show
Ever thought your gig could use more visual punch? That’s where Lightkey comes in. Lightkey is a lighting-control software designed for Mac that lets you turn ordinary stage or room lights into a full-blown light show. It’s flexible enough for small-concert setups or church events, yet powerful enough for serious stage productions. The software lets you control traditional DMX fixtures, LED strips, moving lights, and even smart lights — all from your computer.
What makes Lightkey really cool is how approachable it is — even if you’ve never done lighting before. The interface is built to be Mac-friendly and easy to learn. You can virtually arrange lights on a “stage map,” pick colors, program movements, and build scenes. Lightkey includes built-in effect templates (chases, strobes, color fades, movement paths, and more) that you can customize — or just trigger during a live show.
For hobbyist musicians, church bands, or small-ensemble performers — even if you only play acoustic guitar or piano — Lightkey can add a whole new level of excitement to performances. For more ambitious users (like you, as you grow your music studio), Lightkey scales up: you can integrate it with MIDI (or even software like Ableton Live) so that light changes happen in sync with your music.
Best of all: if this sounds interesting — you don’t have to buy anything upfront. Lightkey offers a free download/demo so you can try it without hooking up lights. If you like what you see, you can always license a version that fits your setup later.
Vocal Lesson of the Month: The Silent Breath Technique
If you’ve ever heard a singer take a big, loud “gasp” before a note, you know exactly how tense that kind of breath can sound. The truth is, great singing starts before the voice ever comes out. It starts with a calm, controlled, silent inhale. And the best part? This is something singers of any age can practice at home, in the car, or even while waiting for their hot chocolate to cool down.
I teach this to a lot of our beginner and intermediate vocalists, and the difference it makes is huge. When the breath is quiet and relaxed, the tone becomes cleaner, steadier, and easier to control. Teens love it because it immediately feels more “professional,” and parents love it because it’s simple enough for younger students to understand without getting overwhelmed.
Here’s how to try it:
Stand tall, relax your shoulders, and place one hand on your belly. Inhale through your nose as silently as possible for four seconds, letting your belly gently rise. Hold for one second, then exhale for six seconds on a soft “sss” sound—like you’re letting the air out of a tire. Do this five times. It only takes a minute, but it trains the body to support the voice instead of fighting it. If you want to build better vocal habits this month, start here. Silent breath, strong voice.
Legato vs. Staccato: Why It Matters
In music, how you play a note is just as important as which note you play. Two of the most common articulations you’ll see are legato and staccato. Legato means the notes are smooth and connected, almost like you’re drawing one long line. Staccato means the notes are short and separated, like little musical pops or sparks. Even beginner students can hear the difference instantly—legato feels calm and flowing, while staccato feels energetic and punchy.
Understanding these two styles is important because they shape the emotion of a song. A melody played legato can sound gentle or peaceful, while the same melody played staccato can sound playful or bold. When students learn to control these articulations, they unlock a whole new level of expression. No matter your instrument—piano, guitar, drums, or voice—mastering legato and staccato helps your music sound intentional, confident, and alive.
Halloween Costume Contest Winners
In October, we held a costume contest where students could submit a phot of themselves in their Halloween outfits. We had some amazing costumes show up. We held a vote from all the music teachers and came up with our winners. The winners are listed below.
If you haven’t yet, make sure you claim your prizes!
1st Place:
Maddison
2nd Place:
Abraham
3rd Place:
Allison
Fall Recital 2025
November 22nd marked our 2nd recital. It was SO MUCH FUN!
We had some great performers. It was a true celebration of accomplishment and commitment.
All of the students and parents who were involved should be proud of their work and progress.
I also want to take a second to say thank you. Many families were gave us such kind words and feedback after it was over. Our team left feeling so happy about how the afternoon went.
We plan to host another live performance event in May. Official dates and details will be revealed at a later time.
For now, we are counting down the seconds until our next live event!
Rockstar Pack Giveaway Winners
At the recital, we announced a surprise giveaway. People who submitted a short survey got entered into a random drawing and were eligible to win one of six prizes.
We drew the results live on Tuesday, November 25th. Congratulations to our winners!
Rockstar Bundle Prize (Recital Shirts and Rockstar Wall):
Kadin Hojnacki
Jane Chovanec
Caia Jeffery
VIP Bundle Prize (Everything from Rockstar Bundle plus customized music item):
Christmas Stocking Stuffer
Until December 23rd, we’re offering our annual $99 Stocking Stuffer.
You or a friend/family member get:
- Gift certificate for four weeks worth of lessons ($150 value)
- Registration paid for ($35 value)
- An instrument specific gift ($15 value)
- Stocking filled with chocolates ($20 value)
Order by December 1st and get a bonus $20 gift certificate to Music-Go-Round!
Current students can earn a $50 lesson credit when their friend/family member starts.
Cannot be redeemed by current/active students.
Follow the link below to see more or place an order.
Reminder: Christmas Vacation
The studio will be closed for seven days from Monday, December 22nd through Sunday, December 28th.
There are no makeups for this week.
We will still be open on New Years Eve and New Years Day.
If you need to reschedule any days due to holiday trips or vacation, please call/text the office or email to request a makeup time or video lesson.
Student Milestones
3 Months
Maddison K.
Max W.
Josiah S.
Malakai F.
Danny W.
Charlie K.
Joey D.
Ethan K.
Emily G.
Lucy S.
Fina S.
Allison N.
Willow G.
Morgan M.
Lauren M.
Paislee P.
Kaitlyn C.
Isaac S.
Rebeka R.
Autumn U.
Owen U.
Adam D.
Oliver K.
Leah M.
Elizabeth N.
Mariah M.
Ava C.
Spring N.
Claire S.
Winston H.
Isaiah G.
Hayden H.
6 Months
Marty M.
Phil S.
John N.
Judah B.
Eli G.
9 Months
Dulay T.
Jeremy F.
1 Year
Sebastian P.
Harper B.
Miles B.
David S.
Robbie F.
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