Heather Ensley Violin Studio
161 Tamarac Blvd T4S 1V6 Red Deer, AB, Canada

Here is this year's Advanced Suzuki Violin Group Class. I've had most of these students since they were in the single digits and I can't believe how fast they are growing and the beautiful, personal sounds they are producing on their instruments!

Abigail was my very first Albertan student when I moved to the province for university. Now she's in university, and teaching her own violin students! It's exciting to see my former students now at the stage where I was once at. Very proud of you, Abi!

Have you noticed that 2020 is almost half over already?! This school year certainly hasn't gone as planned and there have been many trials and tribulations. But, there have also been many successes and last Saturday we had the chance to celebrate them in our first Zoom recital! This recital looked quite different than recitals past, with all of us in small groups in our living rooms, playing for laptops, iPads, and phones! But thanks to this technology, we were also able to share our music with loved ones as far away as the UK! Here's Jessica playing Corelli for our online audience.

My student Eugene had a fun surprise for me at today's Zoom lesson - he submitted a performance to Twoset Violin to be reviewed on their YouTube channel and was selected to be in one of their videos! I love it when my students show initiative! Check out the video of Eugene playing the Bruch concerto, featuring Brett and Eddy's helpful comments, below. https://youtu.be/pE9aZs1MM64

Super proud of this boy who showed up on my doorstep three years ago and announced that he wanted to be a professional violinist! Since then, he has worked incredibly hard and I'm delighted to share he has been accepted to Brandon University to study violin with Kerry DuWors in the fall. Congratulations, Eugene! Your passion for music, love of the violin, and determination to follow your dreams will continue to take you far!

This is what Skype lessons look like today! That's Lucas onscreen - we're preparing for his Suzuki Book 3 recital! And Wilson's on my lap, clearly providing moral support.

Such a tragedy! My heart breaks for all these victims, especially 17 year old Emily Tuck, a violin student who was trying to decide whether to pursue music or welding (her two great loves) in college. If you play your instrument today, play for her. https://www.cbc.ca//mass-killing-shooting-victims-remember