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🎭 Opera — Where Music Lessons Meet Epic Storytelling

This June at Michelle Tuesday Music School (MTMS), we’re stepping onto one of the grandest stages in music history—opera! As part of our monthly theme, students will explore this powerful blend of music and drama in their lessons and lab activities. Whether you’re brand new to opera or already a fan of the big, bold sound, this is your chance to see why this classical art form has stood the test of time.

What Makes Opera So Unique?

Let’s start with the basics: opera is a fully sung drama. Unlike a play where actors speak, opera performers sing everything. That’s right—dialogue, emotions, even arguments are delivered through music. And not just any music—classical vocal performance supported by a full orchestra.

This makes for some seriously dramatic storytelling, where the music isn’t just part of the background—it drives the story forward. That’s why opera is such a great theme for a music lesson. It blends voice, instruments, language, and emotion in a way few genres can.

From Arias to Ensembles: What You’ll Discover

In lessons this month, MTMS students will learn about some of the building blocks of opera:

• Arias – Beautiful solo pieces where a character pours out their emotions.
• Recitative – Quick, speech-like singing that moves the story along.
• Chorus and Ensemble singing – Where groups of performers create rich harmonies and dramatic tension.
• Character voice types – Like soprano, tenor, bass, and baritone—each with a special role to play.

You’ll also explore famous opera themes, learn how opera connects to history and storytelling, and even try composing or singing with opera-inspired flair in the Music Technology and Learning Lab.

Why Opera Makes a Great Music Lesson Theme

Opera combines many different skills students work on during their regular music lessons: vocal technique, dramatic expression, ensemble awareness, and even foreign language exposure. It’s theatrical, emotional, and full of life—exactly the kind of immersive theme that makes music education exciting.

Whether you’re working on piano, voice, or another instrument, opera opens the door to new techniques and deeper appreciation for classical music traditions.

Join Us In June

MTMS students will dive into opera all month long—through themed lab time with a listening station, composition station, and music history station. It’s a chance to connect your music lesson to centuries of performance history while having fun with one of the most over-the-top (in the best way!) styles of music ever created.

So come ready to explore, perform, and discover why opera has captivated audiences for generations. 🎶🎭

🎶 5 Things Parents Should Know About Ohio’s New Music Standards

At Michelle Tuesday Music School, we keep up with the latest in music education. That way, your child always gets the best. Ohio just updated its Music Learning Standards for 2024, and we’re excited about what that means for young musicians.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s new—and how it connects to what we already do every day at MTMS:

1. Music Is More Than Playing Notes

The new standards focus on four big ideas:
🎼 Creating – coming up with new music
🎤 Performing – playing or singing music
🎧 Responding – listening and understanding
🌍 Connecting – relating music to life

It’s not just about reading notes. It’s about making music that means something.

2. Goals for Every Age and Stage

There’s a clear path for students from Kindergarten through high school. In high school, students can follow different levels—Proficient, Intermediate, Accomplished, or Advanced.
Wherever your child starts, there’s a standard that fits.

3. Ensembles Based on Skill, Not Just Grade

The new standards recognize that music groups often include a mix of ages.
So, ensemble goals are sorted by ability, not grade level.
That means your 6th grader and 10th grader can both thrive—at their own pace.

4. Built for Real-Life Flexibility

Every music program is different.
Some have more time, others have fewer resources.
These standards were made to be flexible. That lets us personalize your child’s music education without skipping the essentials.

5. Tech + Culture = A Richer Experience

Today’s students use tech everywhere—and that includes music.
The new standards encourage tools like composition apps and digital instruments.
They also include music from many cultures, helping kids see music as a universal language.

🎵 Want to see how your child can grow with a well-rounded music education?
Let’s chat! We offer private lessons, group classes, and an awesome Music Lab that brings these ideas to life.

We discussed K-Pop not too long ago, and this month we’re celebrating J-Pop as our monthly theme for May.

J-Pop began with a cultural influx from the West, eventually influencing K-pop. (Korea is pretty close to Japan!) It began before World War II, but afterward with many Americans stationed in Japan bringing their own music like rock and roll, pop, and country, J-Pop emerged as Japanese youth were influenced by the artists they heard, and began to mix these sounds with their traditional music styles.

What started as a mix of styles, became perhaps the most versatile musical genre out there. The export of J-pop, along with anime and video games, has influenced music and culture around the world.

While you may not have heard of J-pop, you’re probably been listening to J-pop at some point without knowing what it was. Listen to our playlist. Ask your students what they love about it and where they’ve run into it. Enjoy!

Michelle Tuesday Music School has proudly supported schools and local charities by donating our signature Gift Totes for fundraising events since the very beginning. Whether it’s a fun run, a silent auction, or a scholarship fundraiser, these gift bags are our way of giving back to the community that inspires us every day.

A sampler gifted in this way is redeemable for an entire year after the time of donation. We hope this allows families to get the most from this exciting opportunity.

In 2024, we donated 7 gift totes to fundraising events across the Gahanna and Columbus area. And we’re off to a strong start this year—with 5 already donated in 2025!

Events like these remind us just how powerful music education can be in bringing people together and opening doors.

If your school or nonprofit would like to request a Michelle Tuesday Music School Gift Tote donation, please reach out! We ask that organizations contact us at least 2–3 weeks prior to the event and include the appropriate donation paperwork for review by our finance manager.

Together, let’s keep the music going—for everyone.