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Katie Butler, a sophomore at Shaker, has been a music center student for several years and a girl scout since 6th grade. To fulfill part of a special awards project, Katie needed to organize and implement a project that would impact a community. Katie chose to focus her project on Carondelet Music Center: due to budget cuts, we have been unable to purchase a much-needed new CD player for one of our Kindermusik rooms. Katie organized two separate events to raise funds for the new BOSE. Surely, many children and their families would benefit from Katie's efforts; this special project would have far reaching impact on our musical community at Carondelet. 

 

For her first event, Katie conducted a babysitting night, arranging sitters for Music Center families and friends. Her second event was a Jewelry Sale Party. In all, Katie raised over $500 to purchase the new stereo system for the Music Center. Sister Patricia and Katie purchased the stereo together at the Bose Store in Colonie Center on July 28th and set it up together in the Kindermusik Room. Special thanks to Mary Alice Senecal, Katie's piano teacher at Carondelet, who served as her mentor throughout the project, and to Katie's mom who was a great support!

 

Thank you, Katie, from all of us at Carondelet Music Center!

 

Music Center student to attend Manhattan College in the Fall
Tessa LaBounty began piano lessons at Carondelet Music Center at age 8. She writes: "Music inspired me to believe that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to and brings a joy to me that I cannot explain." Now a graduating senior, age 18, she will be attending Manhattan College in September, majoring in biology. "Although I will not be continuing my piano studies, I am going to strive to continue to play as often as I can."

 

Matthew Adamo was 4-years-old when he began taking piano lessons from his neighbor, Patti St. John. That was in 1976 when Sister Patricia was a freshman at The College of Saint Rose majoring in Music Education; little did she know then that her career would lead to early childhood music education! After completing a postdoctoral fellowship in Chicago, Adamo, a pediatric neurosurgeon at Albany Medical Center, moved back to the Capital Region and enrolled his 2-year-old son, Christian, at Carondelet Music Center for the Kindermusik toddler program. Meanwhile, dad still enjoys music-making, jamming with friends and colleagues. Matthew and his wife, Karen, are expecting their second child in June!

 

Sister Patricia was recently part of a symposium at the American Educational Research Association (May in Denver, CO) where she presented a paper based on her chapter in a newly published book on Vygotsky and Creativity: A socio-cultural approach to play, meaning-making, and the arts (Connery, C., John-Steiner, V., & Marjonovic-Shane, A., Eds.). Sister Patricia's contribution to this already acclaimed text is entitled, Crossing scripts and swapping rifts: Preschoolers make musical meaning. Sister Patricia explains that the study involved preschoolers' instrument free-play at Carondelet Music Center. This is her third chapter contribution in as many books on various topics related to Music and Music Education.

 

Barbara Brothers is currently on the faculty of the North Colonie School District. She was a string teacher in the Saratoga Springs City School District for 25 years and has taught in the Bethlehem School District. Mrs. Brothers is a violinist with the Schenectady, Glens Falls, and Utica Symphonies. She also plays with the Skidmore College Orchestra and the Catskill Symphony. She has performed at SPAC, accompanying the Irish Tenors, Smokey Robinson, and George Benson.

Barbara has worked with students from elementary age to adults. Her students have all received outstanding ratings at NYSSMA Festivals. She welcomes students of all ages, from beginners to all levels of accomplishment.