Music Authority Family Newsletter - November 25, 2022

You make a difference here at Music Authority.  As the holidays approach, you can help sustain and improve programs at Music Authority.  A portion of every purchase you make goes back to help us develop activities like the Spring and Fall Show; summer camps; the Saxophone Trio; and the Rock Ensemble program.

Shopping local puts money back into the community.  We commit to giving back whenever we can in initiatives like the First Responders baskets and free concerts to collect items for The Place.  You tax dollars stay in Forsyth County supporting schools, roads, and other necessities of life in your own community.

And you help to provide local jobs with your purchase.  We can't employ amazing talent like Natalie, Lynne, Cody, Savannah, Landon, and Jay T without the support of our customers.

Shop local this holiday season.  Check out locally owned stores and restaurants like Talk of the Table, Dutch Monkey Doughnuts, Giorgios, Totally Running, and The Gibson Company.  You can make a huge difference in the life of a small business owner, employee, and your community.

Melissa A. Loggins, Owner

#MusicAuthorityFamily

Music Authority Family Newsletter - September 27, 2022

When I was young, how long do I need to practice was a simple question.  Everyone knew the answer - 30 minutes.  There was an expectation that I'd find 30 minutes after school daily to sit down and work on my instrument (clarinet).  

Today's students are very different from students back then.  They live in a digital world and watch television without commercials.  Remember timing the commercial breaks to run to the kitchen and get a snack?  Today, we simply hit the pause button and the show waits for us to return.

The expectations for practice have changed as well.  As a teacher, I expect my students to practice twice their age.  A fifteen year old has the attention span and ability to concentrate for 30 minutes.  An eight year old does not.

Additionally, I break it down further.  If a student can practice their age twice a day, I'm happy as a teacher.  For example, can that eight year old practice once for eight minutes right after school and then once again right before bed?  The important part is touching the keyboard (or other instrument) more frequently.

The more frequently a student touches their instrument, the faster they will learn the muscle memory needed to play complex pieces.  And practice is different from playing - playing the same pieces you already know will only reinforce what you've already learned.  You want to practice the hard stuff, the stuff you haven't gotten yet.

Melissa A. Loggins, Owner

Music Authority Family Newsletter - August 30, 2022

I want to take a moment to say thank you to all the Music Authority Family who has stopped by to see how I'm doing, sent a card or an email, and who have gone out of their way to check on me.  I appreciate your time and your concern.  Every card makes my day a bit brighter.

As of today, I have two planned treatments left.  If everything goes according to plan, I will hopefully be done with the hospital stays at the end of September and have a clean bill of health.  The original mass that brought me into the oncologists is already gone.  

If everything goes to plan, I'll be back in the office full time sometime in October.

Thank you again to everyone who has been so loving and kind to me through this experience.  It's been a difficult road, you have all made it a little bit easier.

Melissa A. Loggins, Owner

Music Authority Family Newsletter - January 4, 2022

2021 had it's moments.  There were times when I wanted to throw my hands up in the air and say, "Are you kidding?"  It felt like for every two steps forward, the universe threw something new at us that sent us one step back.

But you, our incredible customers and Music Authority Family, stuck with us through every challenge.  From masks, limiting the number of people in a recital, barriers used in studios, to a full house at our Christmas concert and a fun New Year's Eve show, we've really been full circle this year.

Looking forward to 2022, I see a lot of hope and positive momentum.  We're almost back to our pre-COVID student numbers.  Sales have been up (huge thank you to everyone who shopped with us last year, your purchases help support our true love - our education programs).  Music Authority has some of the best staff around. We're excited to get started with the new year.

But, more important than my recollections on 2021, are yours.  What stood out to you about Music Authority this year?  What made you feel good about being part of the Music Authority Family? Where did we really shine? Where was the space for improvement? Continuing to improve is important to us. Let us know what you think. What was amazing? What wasn't?  Send us an email at makeups.musicauthority@gmail.com. We want to know what you thought of the last year.

Melissa A. Loggins, Owner

Music Authority Family Newsletter - September 28, 2021

I'm passionate about our students.  I love watching them grow, I love watching them learn new things, and I love watching them mature as musicians.

This picture above was taken at Because Coffee after an Eclipse/Beyond gig on September 17.  I've known some of these kids a long time.  I've had the privilege of teaching some of them and I've enjoyed watching the rest mature in their bands and as young adults.  This is what inspires me to get out of bed every morning.  These kids, and all the rest, keep me going after a bad day and make me want to improve Music Authority.

These students are the reason for what Music Authority is and the inspiration for everything we hope it will one day be.

Your student might be new here.  You might think, the owner doesn't have time to know who my kid is.  The truth is, I want to know who every student is.  I make an effort to watch the bands and to walk the halls.  Feel free to stop me and say hello.  Tell me about your student, your day, or your background.  I want to know all of you.

Music Authority Family isn't just a phrase to us.  To all of us, teachers, administrators, staff, owners, we want you to think of this place as part of your home.  We want you to be comfortable here.  We want you to feel inspired here.  We're all here for you.

Melissa A. Loggins, Owner

Music Authority Family Newsletter - August 31, 2021

Good morning!  It seems that the COVID protocols and recommendations for the schools is changing on a weekly basis.  This can make school and life stressful for many parents.

Our goal is to keep Music Authority's protocols simple, easy to understand, and transparent.

There is hand sanitizer at the front door.  We recommend all students use it, or wash their hands, before they begin their lesson.  There is also hand sanitizer on both the sales desk and the front desk for your use.

We have requested that all instructors return to using the plastic barriers in their lessons.  These barriers will separate students and instructors, but they are flexible enough to be moved if a teacher needs to help a student with fingering on their instrument.

If your child is sent home from school or exposed to COVID, we ask for a copy of the school's email to use in lieu of a doctor's note.  You may quarantine or not as advised by the school based on your individual child's vaccination status and your personal comfort level.

Teachers who have been directly exposed to COVID must either quarantine or provide us with a negative COVID test prior to returning to work.  We are using the CDC's guidelines of more than 15 minutes of face to face exposure of less than 6 feet as our definition of direct exposure.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding our COVID policy, please feel free to call the front desk at 770-886-9066.

Melissa A. Loggins, Owner

Music Authority Family Newsletter - March 23, 2021

A year ago, I never would have imagined the kind of article I can write today.  This photo was taken at our Spring Show, held on March 14, the day after they "temporarily" closed school for two weeks to transition to online learning.  We made the decision to go ahead with our Spring Production and give our students the opportunity to have a last breath of normalcy before things started to change due to a disease called COVID.

Later, we would get emails and phone calls thanking us for believing "The Show Must Go On."  It would be the last "normal" show we'd have for over a year.

Over the next twelve months, we tried to flatten the curve, we learned how to communicate without seeing facial expressions, we went to virtual lessons and back to in person lessons.  We learned how to bring our studios up to CDC guidelines for health and safety.  We learned how to shop for groceries two weeks at a time and experienced rationed meat, paper towels, cleaning products, and toilet paper.

We learned how much we needed each other and that community matters.  The most profound moment of the lock down was when a parade of Music Authority families came rolling through the nearly empty Music Authority parking lot blaring their horns and holding up signs to remind us how much the loved and missed us.  Until that moment, I had no idea how much the isolation was affecting me.  (Andrew, Natalie, and I held down the store for weeks on end alone.  We could go days without seeing anyone during the lock down.)

A year later, I am committed to doing everything I can to keep kids in lessons (because I believe lessons are imperative to both education and social interaction between student and teacher).  I am also more committed than ever to the larger community of Music Authority Family. 

You helped to keep us open.  You called ahead and came in during lock down to buy guitars so that we could stay open.  You were flexible with us while we climbed the steep learning curve of virtual lessons.  You came back to in person lessons and trusted us when we improved out studios.  You are our community.  You are the Music Authority Family.

As we continue to make improvements, as vaccines are given to more of our population, we look forward to the possibility of more "normal" returning to our lives.  We look forward to once again having concerts, spring picnics, and rebuilding the community atmosphere of Music Authority.  Thank you for hanging in there with us for the past twelve months.  

Melissa A. Loggins, Owner

Music Authority Family Newsletter - January 26, 2021

Sometimes, it's hard to see progress (or deterioration) when it is slow and steady, spread out over the time span of many months.  I occasionally talk to parents who feel frustrated that their child isn't improving because they can't play Moonlight Sonata (or Back in Black) yet.

Quite often, the problem isn't that the student isn't progressing, it's that the progress is steady, but slow.  Some kids will have a sudden burst of inspiration and jump ahead quickly, only to plateau while new ideas are assimilated into their skill sets.  Most will improve a little at a time, week over week, until they can play more advanced pieces of music.

I never realized how drastic the slowing of time can be until this afternoon.  I lost my dog, Freddy, in August.  He'd developed a degenerative disc disease that first took his back legs from him and then later caused the beginning of organ failures.  It was a slow process - the first signs were in October of 2019; we lost him in August 2020.  In between, there were lots of happy, loving moments, and gratitude that we were able to get him a wheelchair and have him with us at the office twenty-four hours a day.

This week, I went back to watch all our old, iPhone videos from the past year.  I saw the videos where he first started tripping on his feet.  I watched him learn to balance himself differently when he stood.  I relived the last few times he was able to wander around the kitchen on his own feet.  I cheered all over again when he first zoomed around Music Authority in his wheels.  And I realized how drastically he'd changed in the course of a year.  He went from a fluffy, eleven pound dog that loved life to an eight pound, elderly dog who still loved life but struggled to get around.  

While it was happening, I didn't see it.  I didn't see him losing weight.  I didn't see the sadness in his eyes.  (He had lots of happiness, too.  He loved his wheels and wagged his tail, his ears bouncing happily on his last walk only an hour and a half before he crossed the rainbow bridge.)  The point is, I was so close to the change that I didn't realize it happened until it was over.

How does my story connect back to lessons?

Your smartphone is the best tool you have to gauge the progress of your student.  Take a video of them playing.  Do it today.  In three months, when life is stressful and you're wondering if there's a reason to continue in lessons, watch that video.  Do you see progress?  Can you hear a difference?  Are the notes clearer?  Can you see more confidence?  

We take selfies and videos of everything around us.  Why not of your students playing?  In a few months, you might look back and really be surprised.

Melissa A. Loggins, Owner

Music Authority Family Newsletter - December 26, 2020

2020.  What can I say about this year in review?  It's been one for the books, that's for certain.

The year started out well.  Spring Show rehearsals were under way, Beyond and Eclipse had gigs scheduled, we had five full rock ensembles, and lessons were maxing out at over 650 students per week.  

And then March hit.  In a last ditch effort for normalcy, we held our Spring Show as planned (albeit with lots of disinfectant, distanced seating, and no backstage antics).  The Spring Show was the day after Forsyth County Schools closed for what would ultimately be the year. 

After that, we transferred all of our classes to a temporary online platform that worked, but didn't give students the opportunity to thrive like in person lessons had.  Many kids struggled, progress slowed, families lost interest in music.

Retail closed and for six, long weeks, Andrew, Melissa, and Natalie worked at the store to keep lessons going while everyone else was either temporarily laid off or working from home.  It was lonely.  Staff started to return in May with new protocols to keep everyone healthy and in June students started to return.

Ultimately, student numbers dropped to only 400 students per week (we've been slowly growing and are excited to be back at 460 today).  Summer camp, against all odds, happened.  Families were grateful for the normal experience of camp (even if kids had to distance and wear masks).  We had Rock Camp, Rock Camp, Jr., Vocal Camp, and Art Camp.  Things were looking up.

In August, Music Authority lost one of it's puppy mascots - Freddy the Rescue Pup.  Anyone who had stopped in over the summer had watched him run around the store in his wheels (he'd gone paralyzed in his back legs).  Unfortunately, the IVDD that took his back legs from him ultimately won the battle on August 4 and Freddy crossed the rainbow bridge.  Another difficult moment in a difficult year.

And now, the good stuff.  As we've adapted and persevered in COVID, we've stayed healthy (only a handful of COVID cases and no traceable transmission inside of Music Authority).  We've stuck with CDC guidelines and watched students return to lessons, recitals, and rock ensembles.  We've learned our customers support us and care for us.

We've had families step up to make sure we could make it through the toughest business experience of our careers.  For that, we are grateful.  We've never felt so supported, so loved, and so cared about as we have over the last nine months.  Because of you, Music Authority is still here.  Because you decided to splurge on a guitar, because you trusted us, because you included a little extra in your lessons check, "just because."  

We aren't to the end of this COVID craziness yet, but we're surviving and we're making it through to the other side.  I believe that one day we'll all see each other's smiles again.  I believe that one day, we'll have five full rock ensemble again.  I believe we'll see a busy sales floor and 650 students per week.  It won't happen over night.  It will take hard work, dedication, and one step forward at a time.

Thank you for sticking with us through an incredibly tough year.  Thank you for believing in The Music Authority Family.  Thank you for being part of our team and our family.  We couldn't have done it without you.

Here's to 2020.  May we have learned more than we have lost; may we always remember what it feels like to support our local businesses; may we hold onto the kindnesses and forget the anger.  And may 2021 bring with it hope, love, and joy.

Melissa A. Loggins, Owner

Music Authority Family Newsletter - December 1, 2020

How are your holiday plans changing due to COVID?  It seems like we're all learning to adapt and create new holiday memories.  I normally sing in Christmas Eve services and I'm adjusting to knowing that might not happen this year.  I won't be spending Christmas Day with my parents, Andrew and I will have a quiet holiday alone with our pets.

Don't get me wrong, a day off with the opportunity to sleep in and watch movies on television sound completely relaxing after a stress filled year.

How does music play into your holiday?  Will there be songs around the Christmas tree or to celebrate Hanukkah?  Do your holiday dreams include a new guitar or amplifier?  How about a drum set or an effects pedal?  Do your stockings need guitar picks or drum sticks?

We're all doing things a little differently this year.  If you've never thought about shopping local this holiday season, I would like to encourage you to do so this year.  Order one less gift from Amazon and help support the struggling business owners in your community.  We're all reinventing ourselves daily, doing our best to keep our door open and our employees paid.

Local businesses pay local taxes.  They provide local jobs and give back to local charities.  We're the first to step up when Meals By Grace needs help feeding needy families.  We help provide gifts to kids in foster care and drop off cat litter at the animal shelter when they put out a call for help.  We don't do it for thanks and often we do it without any fanfare.  We do it because we care about the community we live in and we want our community to thrive.

This year when you shop, think about stores like Dutch Monkey Doughnuts, Simple Strands, Talk of the Table, and The Gibson Company.  Think about Giorgio's and Marie's Deli.  Think about the small shops and restaurants that are part of this community we all love.  They've all worked hard to get through a summer, fall, and now the beginning of a winter of COVID.  Support them so that they can continue to support the community we live in.

And, if it's on your list, stop by Music Authority and let us help you find that guitar, amplifier, drum set, or stocking stuffer for your tree.  We would be honored to serve you this holiday season.

Melissa A. Loggins, Owner