Spring/Summer 2026 NEWSLETTER
IMPORTANT DATES
May 25
Closed for Memorial Day!
Mark your calendars for the much-anticipated Spring/Summer
Recital!
When: Saturday June 6
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Divided into 1 hour concert recitals
* Exact times for your student are TBA *
Where: Good Shepherd Catholic Church
As the seasons change and spring turns into summer, school gets out and thoughts naturally turn toward vacations, pools, family trips, and summer fun. But while schedules may shift, one thing we encourage students not to put on hold is their music.
At Smithville Music Studio, we see it every year: students who continue lessons through the summer enter the fall stronger, more confident, and excited about their progress. Students who take a long break often find themselves trying to rebuild skills they worked so hard to develop during the school year.
Summer can actually be one of the best times for musical growth. With a little extra free time and fewer school pressures, many students make tremendous progress during these months.
We’re excited about our upcoming Spring and Summer Recitals happening in June! Recitals are always one of the highlights of the year and a wonderful opportunity for students to showcase their hard work and build confidence performing in front of others.
Our Music Ladder testing is also continuing strong, with several new students entering the program and many advancing to higher levels. It’s exciting to watch students earn trophies, move upward, and continue developing their musicianship.
At the same time, summer schedules are already beginning to fill up as new students enroll for lessons. Our teachers are staying busy, and we’re grateful for the continued support from so many wonderful families throughout the Kansas City Northland.
We understand that summer schedules can be unpredictable. Vacations happen. Family visits happen. Cars break down. That’s why we offer several flexible options to help students stay on track.
Recorded Lessons Through LessonMate
One of our most popular options is our recorded lesson system through LessonMate.
Every student receives a LessonMate page as part of registration. If you know you’ll be out, simply request a recorded lesson. Your instructor can create a lesson specifically tailored to your student, complete with:
* Video instruction
* PDF materials
* Music clips and examples
* Practice assignments
You’ll receive an email when the lesson is ready, and the lesson stays available indefinitely. Whether you’re returning from vacation or spending the week at Grandma’s house, your lesson will still be waiting for you whenever you’re ready.
Zoom or FaceTime Lessons
Can’t make it into the studio? No problem.
We can also teach lessons through Zoom or FaceTime when needed. Whether you’re traveling, home sick, or dealing with transportation issues, students can still keep their momentum going from wherever they are.
Group Makeup Sessions
Once a month, we also try to offer group makeup sessions, especially for guitar and piano students. These are typically held on Saturday mornings and provide a fun way for students to review, learn, and make up missed time together.
Watch for signup notices when those become available.
Let Someone Else Use Your Spot
If you’ll be gone for an extended time, another creative option is to let a friend, neighbor, or relative use your lesson slot while you’re away. It gives someone else a chance to try lessons, and you can work out the arrangement however you’d like. Just let us know who will be attending.
We are honored to once again be nominated for Best of the Northland this year!
This marks the fifth year Smithville Music Studio has been up for Best of the Northland, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who voted for us. Results will be announced in July, and we’re hoping to bring home another first-place finish.
Thank you for your continued support, trust, and encouragement over the years. We truly appreciate being part of your family’s musical journey.
1. Taking a Break Often Turns Into Quitting
What starts as “just the summer” often becomes a much longer break. Once routines disappear, it can be difficult to restart them again in the fall.
2. Students Rarely Practice Consistently Without Weekly Lessons
Good intentions are wonderful, but the reality is that most students practice far less when they are not attending weekly lessons and receiving guidance and accountability.
3. Few Students Ever Return After a Long Break
Lessons lost often become:
* Progress lost
* Confidence lost
* Time lost
And unfortunately, many students never regain the momentum they once had.
4. Returning Students Spend Weeks Catching Back Up
Students who return after a long break usually spend several weeks reviewing old material just to get back where they were before. This can feel discouraging—especially when they see classmates and friends who continued lessons progressing even further.
5. Your Favorite Teacher or Time Slot May Not Be Available
We are a year-round school, and we continue enrolling new students throughout the summer. We do not hold lesson spots during breaks, which means your current teacher or lesson time may no longer be available when you return.
6. Music Ladder Students Must Restart the Program
For students participating in Music Ladder and working toward their next trophy, taking a break means restarting the ladder program upon return. Returning students also re-register as new students, which includes a registration fee.
In Closing
What many families discover is that the cost of a few missed lessons is often far less than the cost of taking an extended break.
Music is something that grows through consistency. Even a little progress throughout the summer keeps students moving forward, building confidence, and enjoying the instrument they’ve worked so hard to learn.
We wish all of you a wonderful summer filled with fun, family, sunshine, and music. We hope to see many of you at recital and throughout the summer months—maybe even with a little deeper tan as the season rolls along!
Thank you again for being part of the Smithville Music Studio family.
— Tim
Show your pride in your music school by referring a friend. When you refer someone it helps us grow into our new space. Also it will save them $30 in registration fee and I'll credit you 1 free lesson for the next month! Be sure they say they were referred by you!
My method book "Necessary Guitar" is now in the studio. It is also available for purchase on Amazon. This is the exact method I teach my students aged 12 thru adult. I have put this put this method together over 40 years of teaching and it has been tested with hundreds of students.
"There is always that person that says "Oh, it's just another methods book on learning to play the guitar." This is NOT THAT ORDINARY BOOK. Order the book today because you will never regret the purchase." ~ Dr. Richard Weymuth Full Professor Emeritus in Music at Northwest Missouri State University
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