Summer lessons............few festivals for which to prepare............scholarship auditions are pretty much finished.............very little recital pressure.................working around work schedules, vacations, camp, softball......................The summer private lesson schedule can be hectic,and worse yet, tough to motivate a student into keeping up with his or her progress. There are so many other interesting things to do!

First advice: don't panic. Actually, the world won't come to an end if a student who normally progresses well has to stay more or less at the status quo during the summer, especially if the curriculum is heavy. Summer is a fine time to break out some jazzy and pop numbers to mix up with the Hanon and the classics. This is a good time to have some extra materials handy from which the student can choose. For instrumentalists and vocalists, check out some of the great material that comes with accompanying CD's! These can be purchased at a variety of places, including J.W. Pepper.

Another idea that's fun and great for counting: do duets! Duets are a blast and are great training for precise counting. This is especially true for piano students or private instrument students who are not involved in an ensemble. Duets really should be used throughout the year for the purpose of ensemble, but summer is a great time to break loose and have some fun with them.

To bone up on theory without doing all those workbooks: break down and buy Music Ace. There are two versions available now, and they are loads of fun! Your students from basic beginners to intermediate can get training in note and rhythm reading, ear training, key signatures, and more. This program can also be interfaced with a MIDI keyboard, which is great for your piano students, especially your beginners.

As busy as summer is, have you considered having your own pops concert? This is a great way for your students to stay motivated for performances without feeling bogged down. You should plan this in advance, of course, but the week before school starts might be a good time, since everyone pretty much tries to stick close to home to be ready. Pick lighthearted compositions, get some punch and cookies, and let everyone have some fun! If it works out, you might even perform outdoors!

Working lessons around the mixed-up, convoluted summer schedule can be a pain. Sometimes it's tempting to do lessons every other week and increase their length. For younger students, though, that's not advisable. It's almost better if you can try to schedule them each week, even if it's on different days. If you won't see a student for two or three weeks, try not to overload them with material too much. They probably really won't get much accomplished. Assign pieces that keeps them on pretty much the same plane to prevent discouragement. However, don't assign just a couple of pieces! What works best for many teachers is to assign two or three "regular" selections, then let the students choose songs from a fun book to have prepared for you when they return.

And, don't neglect yourself! Summer is the best time to allow yourself a vacation. Schedules are mixed up anyway, so you might as well help mix them up!:-)