Carrie Lemke Studios

We are already half way through the teaching year! It’s been a great first semester in the studio and tomorrow night the some of the students are singing in our mid-year recital! If you are close enough, please feel free to come and join us. 6:30pm, St John the Divine Anglican Church (5th St and Harmston) Sat Jan 31st. There will be a container for donations toward the rental fee, but no tickets to purchase. I am really looking forward to the evening filled with lots of fun, antics and some touching moments as well.

Welcome Melody, Harmony and Lyric to the studio! These little cutie squishes are the newest addition to support any student as they develop and their vocal skills! (Serious fun happens here!)

Well that’s a wrap! 25th teaching year in the Comox Valley in the bag. I was thinking my staff and boss might throw me a little shindig, but considering that is me myself and I, I am clearly a much better teacher than boss! But it’s a special time to mark so I am including flower photos from my recital and student gifts to celebrate. I already posted on my personal page after our recital, but I thought I would mention it here as well. It has been such an honour to work with so many incredible people, to grow and learn alongside them. I am truly blessed.

Wow! I was honoured to be nominated again this year and so surprised when I was told today that I had won! There are so many incredible music educators in the Valley, I am touched that I was nominated and voted for. Thank you. 💖

I have a friend looking to re-home a cuddly 1 year old Grey and white cat. Please pm me if you are interested.

Tomorrow I start my 25th year of teaching here in the Comox Valley. I am so grateful for so many things: I am blessed beyond measure to do what I love. My heart continues to expand to embrace the beautiful people who stand in front of me with vulnerability each lesson and allow me to share in their musical journey. I am so thankful for the parents and individuals who have consistently invested in their or their childrens' Musical education. I am honored to live in a community thriving with collaborative artists that have allowed me to work alongside them on many different projects (way too many gems of humans to name). Thank You, God, for music and letting me participate in all of this! It might be my Silver anniversary in the Valley, but this year is going to be GOLDEN!

Many years ago, while travelling by bus to University of Alberta where I was pursuing a
Bachelor of Music degree (piano), I got to chatting with another student sitting next to me. The
subject of what we were each studying came up and I found out he was a Chemistry major.
When I responded that I was studying Music, his question was, “what do you actually do?” At
that time, I sheepishly replied, “Well, I learn about the history of music, I play music, I analyze
music…” and when I heard myself it all seemed pretty insignificant. (Like what was I doing with
my life? And I think the Chem. major likely would have agreed!) Since then, I have studied both
Western Art Music (aka “Classical” music) and CCM (aka Contemporary Commercial Music),
have taught piano, conducted choirs and most recently focus on vocal instruction. Last week, I
had someone roll their eyes at me when they found out I was going to be teaching a High
School class a song from a Broadway Musical (some people consider Musicals eye-roll worthy
at best).
This past Sunday afternoon, I hosted the last Group Lesson of the teaching year for my studio.
I had a number of students perform for our guest Masterclass clinician, Mat Baker.
Accompanied by live piano by Wendy Dyck, each singer shared a Musical selection and Mat
then gave them feedback on how to improve their performance- connect to the song and
deliver it to the audience. It was an intense, emotional afternoon- a great deal of music was
made, “feels” were felt and ideas were discovered.
To be honest, I am still rolling it all over in my mind and heart and feel compelled to write this
(despite writing not being my strong suit). I need to say It Matters. Some may think that
Musical Theatre is a lower form of Performing Arts- some think that breaking into song isn’t real
life, but as Mat pointed out, we are singing all the time in our lives- when we yell, or scream or
laugh or express, these are our songs. And it goes far beyond the singing. My students (and
anyone else in the Fine Arts or sharing their creativity) face hard things: there is discipline in the
learning, the gut-wrenching fear of being vulnerable and sharing one’s performance in front of
others, there is kindness and compassion toward one another when tears are shed, emotions
are felt, mistakes are made. The list goes on and on. And again, I say it matters.
God created us to be creative people and artistic creativity in all its various and beautiful forms
MATTERS. Poetry, dance, painting, music, textiles, story-telling, decorating (cakes, gardens,
houses), pottery, drama (and so so many more)….it all matters. In whatever way, in whatever
amount, you want create, please do it. It is important, it is healthy, it is healing and it matters.
If I was on that bus today, I would express keen interest in the Chem. major’s studies and I
would gladly share with him my enthusiasm for Music because now I understand so much
more how really, it matters.

Well, my health didn’t cooperate and I have decided to postpone the group lesson until I kick this bug. Will have to have the fun some other time. No group lesson today. Boohoo

I take teaching pretty seriously
and know there is always more to learn.
Latest challenge: working with backtracks, downloading them, connecting devices with Blue Tooth and using the new mic and speaker device.
We are going to have a very fun Karaoke group lesson tomorrow! (Fun is okay too!)

We had a mid-year recital for the studio tonight (after a few years of only doing a year end one). All of the students performed so well- it was a great evening and a very full house! Apologies to those I usually invite as I really was concerned about seating. I will certainly let you all know about the one in June! Congratulations to all the performers.

For anyone interested, CYMC 2024 (music theatre) will be announcing the show tomorrow and registration opens NOON SATURDAY!!
It will fill up SUPER FAST, so be ready to register!

Thank you to everyone who voted for me! I was a finalist in the Music Teacher AND Musician categories! I was very touched and honored that someone (unknown to me) nominated me and that others would vote for me so thank you!