QUARTER NOTES - ONLINE EDITION - SPRING 2012
Big Dates for Spring-Summer!
REGISTER NOW - LIMITED SPACE!
Join us this July for a Summer of Music, Dance, Acting, Creativity, and Fun in our annual Summer Music and Dance Camps! Our Summer Music & Dance Camps provide all campers (ages 5-16, beginning, intermediate, and advanced) with the opportunity to explore up to five of our instrumental, vocal, and performing arts programs.
Summer Camps will be held July 9-13, 16-20, 23-27 at the River Ridge School of Music & Dance and the Mandeville School of Music and July 16-20 at the Covington School of Music. In order to maintain the highest level of interaction between teachers and students, we limit enrollment to only 25 students each week, so space is extremely limited and is on a first come, first served basis! For more information or to register online, please visit our Summer Camp website at http://laapa.com/camp.
LAAPAFEST 2012 Results!
LAAPAFEST was a huge success this year at all three of our schools! All students having studied their instrument(s) for over a year were invited to perform for a panel of three LAAPAFEST judges. All participants did a fabulous job with nearly 100% earning Excellent and Superior Ratings overall! The following students earned Excellent and Superior ratings:
| Araki, | Emily | Voice | Superior |
| Araki, | Emily | Piano | Superior |
| Araki, | Abigail | Piano | Superior |
| Avila, | Carolina | Voice | Superior |
| Avila, | Carolina | Piano | Superior |
| Baham, | Shelby | Voice | Superior |
| Bao, | Alex | Violin | Superior |
| Bent, | Braden | Piano | Superior |
| Blagrove, | Colton | Piano | Superior |
| Blake, | Skyler | Voice | Superior |
| Boe, | Amanda | Voice | Superior |
| Bogle, | Mallory | Voice | Superior |
| Bohorques, | Isabella | Piano | Superior |
| Bohorquez, | Andrea | Piano | Superior |
| Bohorquez, | Andrea | Voice | Superior |
| Breaux, | Macie | Voice | Superior |
| Burnett, | Kate | Voice | Superior |
| Chiu, | Alex | Piano | Superior |
| Chiu, | Alina | Piano | Superior |
| Clark, | Sofia | Piano | Superior |
| Clark, | Sammy | Violin | Superior |
| Clark, | Armond | Guitar | Superior |
| Clifton, | Sarah | Piano | Superior |
| Collins, | Zelvin | Drums | Superior |
| Corcoran, | Shaw | Piano | Superior |
| Culberson, | Rebecca | Violin | Superior |
| Didriksen, | Luke | Drums | Superior |
| Dumdaw, | Grace | Violin | Superior |
| Dunford, | William | Guitar | Superior |
| Falkenstein, | Cecilia | Violin | Superior |
| Fang, | Theodore | Guitar | Superior |
| Garigipaty, | Saishreya | Piano | Superior |
| Gill, | Fahrawn | Violin | Superior |
| Gill, | Munnawn | Violin | Superior |
| Graf, | Madison | Voice | Superior |
| Gray, | Oliva | Voice | Superior |
| Gray, | Oliva | Piano | Superior |
| Guerra, | Olivia | Piano | Superior |
| Hajjar, | John | Guitar | Superior |
| Hoag, | Patrick | Piano | Superior |
| Hollis, | Bree | Voice | Superior |
| Hossain, | Sarah | Violin | Superior |
| Hossain, | Sameen | Piano | Superior |
| Jackson, | Nathan | Piano | Superior |
| Johnston, | Lilli | Piano | Superior |
| Jones, | Devin | Drums | Superior |
| Kelly, | Olivia | Piano | Superior |
| Klazynski, | Robert | Piano | Superior |
| LaBiche, | Gabrielle | Piano | Superior |
| Lanosga, | Spencer | Piano | Superior |
| Lawson, | Lana | Piano | Superior |
| LeBlanc, | Tyler | Piano | Superior |
| Lewis, | Michael | Piano | Superior |
| Livaccari, | Madison | Piano | Superior |
| Lyell, | Patrick | Piano | Superior |
| Mahne, | Daniel | Piano | Superior |
| Manguno, | Victoria | Piano | Superior |
| Manguno, | Victoria | Voice | Superior |
| Marks, | Konrad | Piano | Superior |
| Marks, | Fiona | Piano | Superior |
| Matyas, | Callie | Piano | Superior |
| McCauley, | Liam | Guitar | Superior |
| Montes, | Ana Maria | Piano | Superior |
| Montes, | Ana Maria | Voice | Superior |
| Moore, | Melissa | Piano | Superior |
| Moore, | Melissa | Voice | Superior |
| Moore, | Melissa | Violin | Superior |
| Moore, | Liz | Guitar | Superior |
| Moore, | Madeline | Piano | Superior |
| Moore, | Madeline | Violin | Superior |
| Moore, | Madeline | Voice | Superior |
| Morris, | Samantha | Piano | Superior |
| Nguy, | Kody | Piano | Superior |
| Parmer, | Lauren | Voice | Superior |
| Pattarozzi, | Kaitlyn | Voice | Superior |
| Plaisance, | Catherine | Piano | Superior |
| Plessala, | Michael | Piano | Superior |
| Rider, | Greg | Cello | Superior |
| Rodrigue, | Lexie | Piano | Superior |
| Rogers, | Logan | Guitar | Superior |
| Royerre, | Rachel | Voice | Superior |
| Ruli, | Emily | Voice | Superior |
| Rush, | Kate | Violin | Superior |
| Saavedra, | Marcela | Piano | Superior |
| Saavedra, | Marcela | Voice | Superior |
| Sandoz, | Charles | Piano | Superior |
| Satheesh, | Vennila | Piano | Superior |
| Shan, | Botao | Violin | Superior |
| Simon, | Camille | Piano | Superior |
| Steele, | Brett | Piano | Superior |
| Stoltz, | Emilie | Piano | Superior |
| Thomas, | MJ | Piano | Superior |
| Tran, | Haley | Piano | Superior |
| Tullier, | Sarah | Voice | Superior |
| Turner, | Matrel | Piano | Superior |
| Verges, | Michael Austin | Voice | Superior |
| Walvekar, | Trisha | Voice | Superior |
| Wille, | Evan | Guitar | Superior |
| Willis, | Gabrielle | Guitar | Superior |
| Yalcin, | Emily | Piano | Superior |
| Araki, | Zachary | Guitar | Excellent |
| Blagrove, | Ariana | Piano | Excellent |
| Bonnet, | Taylor | Piano | Excellent |
| Bonnet, | Taylor | Piano | Excellent |
| Broussard, | Mark | Piano | Excellent |
| Claros, | Paulina | Piano | Excellent |
| Cordova, | Gabriella | Violin | Excellent |
| Crowell, | Caroline | Piano | Excellent |
| Cruz, | Matthew | Piano | Excellent |
| Cruz, | Collin | Piano | Excellent |
| Dabdoub, | Lauren | Cello | Excellent |
| Falkenstein, | Cecilia | Voice | Excellent |
| Fuentes, | Matthew | Guitar | Excellent |
| Hale, | Amanda | Voice | Excellent |
| Hanon, | Vanessa | Voice | Excellent |
| Lavin, | Ryan | Alto Sax | Excellent |
| Leach, | Anna | Voice | Excellent |
| Lively, | Katie | Piano | Excellent |
| Lopez, | Karen | Voice | Excellent |
| Mahne, | Daniel | Voice | Excellent |
| McCaleb, | Luci | Piano | Excellent |
| Mesa, | Angelina | Piano | Excellent |
| Nguyen, | Kha | Piano | Excellent |
| Nobles, | George | Violin | Excellent |
| Osbourn, | Casey | Violin | Excellent |
| Oubre, | Julia | Violin | Excellent |
| Page, | Makayla | Piano | Excellent |
| Pham, | Annie | Piano | Excellent |
| Pham, | Tony | Piano | Excellent |
| Pham, | Tue-sy | Piano | Excellent |
| Plaisance, | Lucas | Piano | Excellent |
| Plaisance, | James | Alto Sax | Excellent |
| Rhinehart, | Gabriel | Voice | Excellent |
| Richards, | Branden | Piano | Excellent |
| Rine, | Bennett | Guitar | Excellent |
| Royerre, | Rachel | Violin | Excellent |
| Satheesh, | Vennila | Voice | Excellent |
| Shirley, | Amelia | Voice | Excellent |
| Simon, | Julia | Piano | Excellent |
| Sims, | Taylor | Voice | Excellent |
| Strander, | Shane | Alto Sax | Excellent |
| Subramaniam, | Sanjana | Violin | Excellent |
| Tang, | George | Guitar | Excellent |
| Tucker, | Kristy | Voice | Excellent |
| Vander, | Sydney | Piano | Excellent |
| Vander, | Taylor | Piano | Excellent |
| Verges, | Michael Austin | Piano | Excellent |
| Walker, | Rannie | Violin | Excellent |
| Webb, | Abby | Violin | Excellent |
| Willis, | Ben | Guitar | Excellent |
| Willis, | Michall | Voice | Excellent |
Congratulations to you all from Ryan, Wanda, Faculty, and Staff!
April 22nd Faculty & Honors Recital
The Honors Recital will be held on Sunday, April 22nd at Fuhrmann Auditorium at 2pm. As an added bonus for the Honors Recital, there will be a Faculty Recital directly before the students perform! Members of the LAAPA faculty will be performing solo acts as well as in groups with one another. This will definitely be a great way to lead up to our main performance—the Honors Recital! This concert is FREE and open to the general public! We hope to see you all there for 2:00pm to enjoy both recitals!
Spring Recital is Coming - Will You Be Performing?
Spring is in the air which means it’s time for you to start selecting and practicing your pieces for the Spring Recital. The Covington and Mandeville Schools of Music will hold their recital on Saturday, June 16th at the Fuhrmann Auditorium in Covington. The River Ridge recital will be held on Saturday, June 23rd at St. Martin's Solomon Theatre. Northshore students - mandatory practices will be held on Saturday, May 19th, 26th and June 2 for all students that are participating. Two of the three practices must be attended in order to perform.
Southshore Students - mandatory practices will be held on Saturday, May 26th, June 2nd and June 9th, for all students that are participating. Two of the three practices must be attended in order to perform. We look forward to hearing you all at the Spring Recitals!
Download Your Spring Recital Participation Form Below!
Spring Recital Participation Form - Covington School of Music
Spring Recital Participation Form - Mandeville School of Music
Spring Recital Participation Form - River Ridge School of Music & Dance
Where's Your Teacher Playing?
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● Guitar Instructor Josh Theriot plays with his band Flashback a tribute band to the 80’s! You can catch Josh on 4/13 SCC Golf Tour, 4/13 Strawberry Fest in Ponchatoula, and 4/21 Cate Street Pub in Hammond. ● Jack Pritchett teaches brass/wind, piano, and percussion for the River Ridge School of Music and Dance. This March, he had the opportunity to go to Panama for the Boquette Jazz and Blues Festival and play with The Smoking Time Jazz Club. ● Come and Hear Your Teachers Perform! FREE ADMISSION - LAAPA Faculty Concert 2012 —April 22 - 2:00 PM at Fuhrmann Auditorium. Featuring faculty members: Curtis Staples, Terrel Stewart, Victoria Hills, Joshua Theriot, Dr. Joseph Macaluso, Vanya Karachobanova, Simona Gronic, Joshua Eddington, Bill Solomon, Ben Hurst, Russell Tucker, Carolyn Moore, and Rebecca Posey. Don’t miss this special event! |
Teacher Feature - Mr. Curtis Staples
Mr. Curtis Staples began teaching at LAAPA in 2009. He teaches guitar, piano, percussion, and music theory. Curtis says his favorite thing about being a teacher at LAAPA is attending the recitals and hearing students perform. Curtis received a Bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2007. He majored in classical guitar and music industry. While studying at USM, Curtis performed with Southern Miss Guitar Ensemble. Curtis recently visited Japan with his family during the 2011 holiday season. He went sightseeing in Nagasaki, a city destroyed by bombing during WWII. Inspired by the resilience of the people of Japan to rebuild Nagasaki into a beautiful city once again, Curtis believes Japan will be able to recover from the dreadful earthquake and tsunami that struck last year. Curtis will be playing the Sakura Theme by Yocoh Yuquujiro at the LAAPA Faculty Concert on April 22nd. Curtis loves teaching at LAAPA and works very hard to help his students understand the many concepts of music. (He is pictured to the right learning Japanese Calligraphy.) |
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Student News
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Anna Strickland sang the National Anthem with her peers in The Fontainebleau Jr. High School Choir at the Hornets game on March 24th. She attends the Mandeville School of Music.
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Sammy Clark & Kate Rush both received Superior awards when they competed for The Gold Cup String competition held at the Community Music School at Southeastern University. They both attend the Mandeville School of Music. |
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Wesley Hodges performed the lead role in Pirates of Panzance at the Atonement Lutheran School. He attends the River Ridge School of Music and Dance. |
On December 16, some of our adult violin students performed in a String Ensemble at the River Ridge Starbucks under the guidance of their teacher, Kate Withrow. Participants included students Adrian Barton, John Fore, and Gina Radecker. Even Jeannette Prater, staff member at the River Ridge School of Music and Dance, got in on the action and performed with the ensemble! Some video excerpts have been posted on our YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/laapatube as well as our website at laapa.com/video. Check it out! |
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The Pham Family
Mr. Tue Pham is very proud of all his children and his niece and nephew. They all attend the River Ridge School of Music & Dance. Annie, Tony, and Tue-sy, Mr. Tue’s children, have been taking piano lessons for 5 years as have his niece, Lucy, and nephew, Michael. Lucy additionally studies violin and Michael also studies the guitar. |
Annie, age 11, is in the 5th grade and attends St. Rita in Harahan. Her favorite song is Fur Elise and she loves Classical, Modern, Jazz and just fun music. When asked about the school Annie said “she loves almost everything about LAAPA.” |
Tony, age 12, is in the 6th grade and attends St. Rita as well. He does not particularly have a favorite song/style and just enjoys all music. He loves his lessons because he likes to learn the music he wants to play! He especially appreciates LAAPA because it is fun to learn new things. |
Tue-sy, age 15, is in the 10th grade at De La Salle High School in New Orleans. He loves Hip Hop, Pop, and R&B music. He enjoys his lessons because of the great teachers who are very informative and interactive. He stated that LAAPA allows students of all ages an opportunity to learn any type of instrument. |
Lucy Pham, age 15, attends De La Salle High School in New Orleans as well. She loves to listen to Pop and R & B. She really likes her lessons because the teachers are supportive and understanding. She said “the classes are just fun.” |
Mr. Tue Pham and his wonderful musical family live in Westwego, where the River Ridge School of Music and Dance is close to home. He heard about the school through a friend at his church parish who recommended the school highly. His children enjoy their music lessons, and he believes that their music instruction has helped them to develop their cognitive and concentration skills and abilities. |
IS YOUR TEACHER COMPLETELY BOOKED? TEACHERS WITH WAITING LISTS...
Many of our LAAPA Instructors are totally booked. If you need a schedule change or would like to be added to a waiting list for a particular teacher, day, or time, please contact any of our office staff team and they can add you to the waiting list.
There are still limited lesson spots available. To inquire about openings for May or June please contact us!
River Ridge School of Music & Dance |
Saturdays |
Fridays |
Mondays |
Kristen T, piano/voice/preschool - 9 AM-3 PM - 1 opening |
Simona G, violin/cello/piano - 4:30-7 PM - 1 opening |
Ben H, guitar/piano/banjo/ukulele - 9AM-3PM - FULL! |
Rebecca P, voice/piano - 12:30-7 PM - FULL! |
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Kate W, violin 3:00-8:45 - FULL! |
Matt O - piano - 9 AM-3 PM - 1 opening |
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Bonnie F, voice/piano 2-8 PM - FULL! |
Vanya K - violin/cello/piano/voice - 9 AM - 3 PM - FULL! |
Saturdays |
Gabriel P, violin 3:30-9:00 - FULL! |
David M, drums/bass - 10:30 AM-3 PM - FULL! |
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Ben H, guitar/piano/drum/ukulele/banjo - FULL! |
Josh T, guitar/bass/drum/piano - 9 AM-2:15 PM - FULL! |
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Russell T, piano 3:30-8 PM - FULL! |
Mandeville School of Music |
Simona G, violin/cello/piano - 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM - 1 opening |
Jennifer E, piano/voice 2:15-8:45 PM - FULL! |
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Mondays |
Covington School of Music |
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Tuesdays |
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Elena B, piano - 3:30-7:45 - FULL! |
Mondays |
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Adam K, guitar 3:45-8:15 PM - FULL! |
Carolyn M, voice/piano - 2:15-9 - 1 opening |
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Dan C, piano 3:30-8:00 PM - 1 opening |
Rebecca P, voice/piano - 3-9 PM - FULL! |
Meredith B, voice/piano - 3-9 PM - FULL! |
Simona G, violin/cello 2:45-7:30 PM - FULL! |
Josh T, guitar/rockband/drum/piano - 2-9 PM - FULL! |
Curtis S, guitar, 4:30-8 PM - FULL! |
Russell T, piano 3:30-8 PM - FULL! |
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Kathleen M, voice 2:45-8 PM - 1 opening |
Tuesdays |
Tuesdays |
Wednesdays |
Curtis S, guitar - 2:45-9 PM - 1 opening |
Meredith B, voice/piano - 3-9 PM - FULL! |
Carolyn M, voice/piano - 1:45-9 PM - FULL! |
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Bonnie F, voice/piano/violin/flute - FULL! |
Rebecca P, voice/piano - 1:45-9 PM - FULL! |
Wednesdays |
Dr. Kathleen W, voice - 4-8:15 - FULL! |
Jan Z, winds/brass/violin/voice - 2:30-8:00 PM - FULL! |
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Russell T, piano 3:30-8 PM - 1 opening |
Ben H, guitar/banjo/mandolin/piano - 2:30-9:00 PM - FULL! |
Carolyn M, voice/piano - 2:30-9 PM - FULL! |
Thursdays |
Kathleen A, voice/piano - 3-9 PM - 1 opening |
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Wednesdays |
Curtis S, guitar - 3:30-8:30 PM - FULL! |
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Adam K, guitar - 3:45-9 PM - FULL! |
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Bonnie F, voice/piano/violin/flute - 2:45-9 PM - FULL! |
Dr. Joe M, brass/wind/percussion - 2:30-8 PM - 1 opening |
Thursdays |
Dr. Kathleen W, voice - 3:15-8:15 - FULL! |
Rebecca P, voice/piano - 2:15-8 PM - FULL! |
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Meredith B, voice/piano/music therapy/preschool - 2-8 PM - FULL! |
Josh T, guitar/bass/drum/rockband - 2:30-8 PM - 1 opening |
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Fridays |
Josh T, guitar/bass/drum/piano - 2:15-8:30 PM - FULL! |
Kathleen A, voice/piano - 3-9 PM - FULL! |
Bonnie F, voice/piano/violin/flute - 3:30-7 PM - FULL! |
Thursdays |
Fridays |
Maggie P, piano/voice - 4-7:15 PM - FULL! |
Ben H, guitar/mandolin/piano - 3-7 PM - FULL! |
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Russell T, piano - 3-6:30 - 1 opening |
Rebecca P, voice/piano - 3:30-9 PM - FULL! |
Curtis S, guitar - 3-7 PM - FULL! |
Meredith B, voice/piano - 2:30-8 PM - 1 opening |
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Ben H, guitar/piano/drum/banjo - 12:45-9 PM - 1 opening |
Saturdays |
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Bonnie F, voice/piano/violin/flute - 9 AM - 2 PM - FULL! |
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How Does the Summer Work at LAAPA?
Here are some frequently asked Questions and Answers that we typically receive / provide each Spring:
Q. “How do lessons work in the summer?”
A. The Academy is open year round, and we do not close during the summer. Your lessons will continue through the summer.
Q. “Do a lot of students stop during the summer?”
A. While a small percentage of students do take part of the summer off, June and July are strong enrollment months for new students as parents and students are eager to fill their summer schedules with lessons and our summer camps. These students often choose to continue their lessons into the Fall.
Q. “How full is the Academy?”
A. The academy has grown by over 100 students this year to 925 – the most in the history of the academy since its inception in 1978. Nearly all of the most popular lesson times of from 3 – 7 PM are now completely booked.
Q. “If we stop during the summer, can we keep our spot for Fall?”
A. While we have been happy to guarantee a spot for students taking part of the summer off in the past via our pre-registration and early registrations, we are no longer able to do so due to increased demand, our limited availability, and commitment to our faculty to provide them with their contracted salaries. If you stop lessons during the summer months, we cannot guarantee that we will have a spot for you in the Fall as your spot will be open to both new students (who begin in the summer) and current students (who may wish to change their time or increase their time).
A. The academy has grown by over 100 students this year to 925 – the most in the history of the academy since its inception in 1978. Nearly all of the most popular lesson times of from 3 – 7 PM are now completely booked.
Q. “Can I change my lesson time for the Summer or Fall?”
A. Absolutely. While most schedules remain the same through the Summer, we are more than happy to try and work out a better alternative for you whenever possible. Students who take lessons at Kehoe-France Northshore and Stuart Hall will be called and scheduled on our campus closest to you: River Ridge, Mandeville, or Covington. We are also happy to offer a pre-registration online at http://laapa.com/preregister to all current students. During the online pre-registration, you’ll be able to inform us of your Fall scheduling preferences. You may also call the office at any time should you find that a schedule no longer works for you and we can immediately work on finding something more suitable for you.
Q. “If we continue lessons through the Summer to keep our spot, can we makeup missed lessons due to travel vacations?”
A. YES! We are happy to makeup any classes that you miss while traveling over the summer. Just give us a call as usual whenever you will be absent and sign up for one or more of our makeup classes! Group Makeup Classes Never Expire! Another option new at LAAPA this summer is SKYPE LESSONS with your teacher via any computer/IPAD with highspeed Internet and a webcam/microphone! Some students also choose to lease their lesson time out to another friend or family member over the summer so that when they come back, they still have their same prime schedule. These are some of the many options to consider - please let us know how we can best assist you with lessons this summer! Please note that July 3-6 we will be closed for Summer Break so you won’t miss any classes that week.
PRE-REGISTRATION BEGINS APRIL 30!
Don’t miss out on the most convenient lesson times this Fall!
Pre-Register for Fall Music Lessons & Dance Classes online at http://laapa.com/preregister beginning April 30 at 9 AM!
***Please note that pre-registration is available to all students continuing lessons through the summer. Failure to pre-register could mean losing your current schedule!***
Welcome to Our Newest Students!
A HUGE WELCOME to the following new students who have recently joined us! We are so happy that you’ve chosen to study at LAAPA. We know you will do great things this year! Lisa Auberle |
Zachary Eodice |
Robert Latournerie |
Grace Stewart |
New Referral Program at LAAPA - FREE LESSONS!
Enjoying your experience at LAAPA?
Refer a Friend and get a FREE Lesson! When you refer a friend to LAAPA and they register, you will receive a certificate for a 30 minute complimentary lesson—a $50.00 value! You may schedule a lesson in any of our numerous program offerings! There’s no limit as to how many FREE lessons you can earn! We’re so glad that you’re with LAAPA and this is just our way of saying THANKS!
A Story of Giving and Thanks!
Grace loves getting your cards and letters. If you'd like to please send them to Grace Jarrell c/o Freedom Alarm Service Inc PO box 399 Abita Springs, LA 70420. Thanks! Again the Jarrell family gives thanks to all who donated so generously! |
The Jarrell Family would like to thank everyone for their donation of $1 for The Green Wagon Bracelet that will bring awareness to this deadly disease, Melanoma. One our own LAAPA family members has this disease and your donations will help in so many ways. Mr. & Mrs. Jarrell found out on July 20th that Grace has the worst of Melanoma. She has been having ongoing treatments and she is doing well. You can follow her story at Contact Us:
Covington School of Music: 985-590-4545
Mandeville School of Music: 985-674-2992
River Ridge School of Music & Dance: 504-738-3050
Email student news and article submissions for our next newsletter at quarternotes@laapa.com!
