Teacher Innovations: Orchestras, Master Classes, Camps, and More

Lessonface Group Classes

Orchestras, camps, master classes, lessons, classes: There are more and more options for live, truly interactive online music and language learning going on here at Lessonface, and we have to salute the teachers who are coming up with their own concepts, as well as those who are rolling with ours and making them their own!

As we all are so aware, these last few months have caused a huge disruption to our norms. Lessonface has seen a huge increase in interest, from both teachers and students, and we are excited to welcome newcomers to our longstanding community. We've gone from roughly doubling in lessons booked each year since we launched in 2013 to about quintupling over the past four months. Frankly we're gobsmacked. 

The recent deluge of interest in online learning has underlined the central premise of Lessonface, that is, the importance of teaching and learning as an interactive experience between humans. Being face-to-face, even online, is a crucial element in achieving mastery, or pursuing more casual goals. Online self-paced video lessons, books, and apps are great too, don't get me wrong, but the spark that a charismatic expert provides -- and that our fellow learners do too -- are key to remaining motivated and engaged, besides just making the whole experience more fun!

With the increase in the one-on-one lessons we've also sought to offer more types of these interactive online learning experiences, and there really are infinite ways to engage. As an important side benefit, group formats make the interactive learning with really excellent teachers here at Lessonface more affordable, too, which is absolutely crucial at a time that so many are getting crunched and seeing their wallets and options contract.

These new learning formats are also quite enjoyable! Even if we were in 'normal' times they would be. We've been announcing them in our newsletter and promoting them on the group classes pages, but I would like to take a couple minutes call out a few of these new types of "classes," and invite y'all to check them out, and join in, if you find any that are a fit for you! 


Lessonface Wednesday OrchestraFirst up, Celina Charlier's Orchestras. Flutist and educator Celina Charlier envisioned and created these ensembles, and just completed the first full cycle of both her Flute Orchestra and the Lessonface Wednesday Orchestra. Excitingly, she premieres the first performance video from her Flute Orchestra tonight! The video premiere is embedded here, so, set the alarm if you'd like to watch it this evening.

These orchestras both run on a monthly commitment. Students learn, record, and create a performance each month. Brava, Celina, we are ever in awe of your dynamism, musicality, and creative vision! 

Now's the time to join in for the August project -- the new month cycle starts for the Flute Orchestra this evening, and the Wednesday Orchestra tomorrow.


https://lessonface.com/METOMMCThe MET Orchestra Musicians Master Class series is another incredible learning option. The 23 Master Classes we have scheduled with the MET Orchestra Musicians are free to watch live for performers and viewers. We are now seeking applications for performers for the September and October Master Classes, which will be for trumpet, clarinet, cello, and flute!

We just had our first Master Class in this amazing series on Sunday, and were blown away by the performances of the three young violinists and inspired by the feedback of panelists Sylvia Danburg Volpe, Catherine Ro, and Katherine Fong. We'll be releasing the recording from the first class in the next week. In the meantime, you can sign up to view the next classes live (and to be notified when the first recording is available) here.


Declan Mckenna camp lessonfaceBe an Astronaut Camp with Declan McKenna is another entirely new format for us, though comprised of elements of several of the classes we've run over the past few months and years before that.

In this camp, the phenomenal guitarist and teacher Ayla Tesler-Mabe is instructing the campers, who were selected in a competitive application process, to play one of McKenna's soon-to-be released songs from his upcoming album Zeros. How cool is that?! (Very).


We also have our Group Classes, which are listed here, and many more that were are currently setting up for the fall, and the 1:1 lessons, which are the most frequently happening activity around here at Lessonface. 

We hope you find just the learning experience that fits for you. 

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