The First Beat

Carmen is an incoming Grade 10 student in New York, and this is one of the pieces she will be performing with her school orchestra this coming school year.

Rhythm Dances is a Grade 4 string orchestra piece—a challenging work that requires strong rhythm, good bow control, precise articulation, coordination, and musical maturity. Its fast tempo and syncopated rhythms make it especially demanding for young violinists.

Carmen has been studying violin with Tr. Pau for 3 years. Since she lives in New York, most of her lessons are conducted online, and she only takes face-to-face lessons whenever she is here in the Philippines for vacation.

And this is one of the things we love about Carmen: she never lets distance get in the way of her music education.

Three years of consistent online lessons, regular practice, dedication, and a willingness to take on challenging repertoire have allowed her to continue growing as a violinist—even from thousands of miles away.

This practice session is a great example of what online music lessons can produce when paired with consistency, commitment, and genuine dedication to learning. 🎻

While she was here in the Philippines, Carmen also became part of The First Beat String Orchestra and joined our recent recital. Now, she is preparing for another musical challenge with her school orchestra back in New York.

Online lessons work.

But more than the platform itself, what truly makes the difference is the student's commitment, consistency, and willingness to practice. Carmen's progress is a product of three years of continuous online violin lessons, practice, and hard work.

If you're interested in taking music lessons with The First Beat, simply send us a message here on Facebook or visit our website to learn more about our programs and available lessons.

Every concert deserves a memorable ending.

As the grand finale of our recital, the First Beat String Orchestra proudly performed High School Musical Medley and You'll Be in My Heart from Disney's Tarzan—a celebration of music, teamwork, and the incredible journey of every musician on stage.

Under the baton of our conductor, Joseph Noprada, this performance marked his debut with The First Beat. Sir Joseph is also our Wind Instrument Teacher and serves as the Orchestra Director of the De La Salle Lipa Wind Orchestra. His passion and musical leadership inspired our students to perform with confidence and artistry.

Leading the orchestra was our Concertmaster, Gab Dizon, whose dedication and leadership helped bring this ensemble together.

Our orchestra was made up of 19 musicians—14 student violinists, 2 student pianists, and 3 teachers performing alongside them. Our Violin I section featured Gab Dizon, Carmen, Lindsay, Eli, and Yja, while our Violin II section was composed of Gianna, Aia, Mary, Braiden, Jian, Gail, Margaux, Lyka, and Riley. On piano, Lexine performed in High School Musical Medley, while Maggy accompanied You'll Be in My Heart. Together with our teachers, they brought these performances to life through months of rehearsals, dedication, and teamwork.

Every rehearsal, every challenge, and every moment of growth led to this performance. While our orchestra is still growing, we are proud of how far we have come, and we look forward to welcoming even more young musicians into our family in the years ahead.

To our students, thank you for your hard work and commitment. To our parents, thank you for believing in our vision. And to everyone who continues to support The First Beat, thank you for helping us build a community where music brings people together.

This is more than a finale.
This is another milestone for the First Beat String Orchestra—and only the beginning of what lies ahead.

Gab Dizon is one of The First Beat's advanced violin students, and this recital marked another important milestone in his musical journey as he performed Rieding's Violin Concerto in B Minor, Op. 35 (3rd Movement).

A violin concerto is never an easy piece to perform. It demands technical control, musical expression, confidence, and endurance. While every musician continues to learn and refine their craft with each performance, taking on a concerto at this stage already reflects Gab's dedication, courage, and consistent hard work. Every recital is another step forward, and growth in music is always a continuous process.

Beyond his solo performance, Gab has proudly served as the Concertmaster of The First Beat String Orchestra for two consecutive recitals. Being a concertmaster is more than simply sitting in the first chair—it is a role that carries leadership, responsibility, and trust. The concertmaster leads the violin section, sets the musical standard for the orchestra, and serves as a role model through discipline, preparation, and musicianship.

We are incredibly proud of Gab's progress and look forward to seeing him continue to grow with every performance. Congratulations, Gab! Your journey is only beginning, and we can't wait to witness what comes next.

Interested in learning the violin? Send us a message to inquire about our one-on-one violin lessons, or visit firstbeatph.com to learn more about our programs.

This special performance features sisters Maggy and Margaux, who beautifully performed Wondering from High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, originally sung by Olivia Rodrigo and Julia Lester.

Under the guidance of Teacher Ja, Maggy on piano and Margaux in voice took on a piece that is both musically and emotionally challenging. The piano accompaniment requires expressive dynamics, smooth transitions, precise timing, and strong control to support the vocalist throughout the performance. Meanwhile, the vocal part demands excellent breath control, emotional expression, and the ability to blend beautifully with the piano to bring the song's message to life.

Performing as sisters made this duet even more special, showcasing not only their musical growth but also their connection on stage. We are incredibly proud of how far Maggy and Margaux have come, and we look forward to seeing them continue to grow as musicians.

If you or your child has always wanted to learn music, we'd love to be part of that journey. At The First Beat, we help students build confidence, develop their musical skills, and discover the joy of making music, one lesson at a time.