In This Month’s Newsletter

Play and Joyful Learning in Music Lessons

Fun and Important Dates
Upcoming Recitals and Forum
Welcome Our New Students
Student of the Month: Tiffany Sack
Spotlight on Cosette Lyncheski
Did You Know?
Inspirations
Music Playdates in the Parks
Did You Read Your Newsletter Contest?
Referral Program

Play and Joyful Learning in Music Lessons

Play isn’t a break from learning in music lessons; it’s how children learn best. When a student claps a pattern, echoes a two-note phrase, or invents a tiny ending, the “game” is really practice in timing, attention, memory, and decision-making — with instant feedback you can hear. Small, joyful tasks keep our bodies free and our minds alert: standing and swaying to the beat, using relaxed “ghost hands” at the piano, trading call-and-response to build listening and courage. Because goals stay human-sized, confidence grows in steady steps.

Puppets coach stage poise and storytelling, and help us make animal sounds that improve our singing; scarves show phrase shape and breath; Legos model form and patterns, and develop fine motor skills; puzzles reinforce left-to-right tracking and problem-solving.

Stuffed animals practice audience skills and bowing; drums, rhythm sticks, xylophones, and tambourines turn rhythm into something we can feel and share. These tools channel energy, lower anxiety, and make music theory concrete: pulse, subdivision, dynamics, and form become visible and touchable.

This approach lasts. Kids who learn through joyful play keep music longer, build a repertoire they love, say yes to ensembles and community projects, and discover music as comfort, celebration, and service.

A simple routine, a 60-second movement reset, one playful challenge in today’s piece, a tiny share or recording at the end, produces steadier rhythm, cleaner reading, freer bodies, and the most important result of all: a child who believes, “I can do hard things, one musical step at a time.”

FUN and IMPORTANT DATES

**Valentine’s Day**
Saturday, February 14
Lessons are OFF (Closed)

**President’s Day**
Monday, February 16
Lessons are ON (Open)

**Lunar New Year / Nowruz**
Tuesday, February 17
Lessons are ON (Open)

**Ramadan**
Tuesday, February 17
Lessons are ON (Open)

**Ash Wednesday**
Wednesday, February 18
Lessons are ON (Open)

Upcoming Recitals and Concerts

Recitals

Forum

**Please welcome**
**our NEW Students who enrolled**
**in December**

Jessica B.
Indie-Reign D.
Henry G.
Megan G.
Serah L.
Audra L.
Emme M.
Max M.
Oliver O.
Marlo P.
Evan R.
Michael T.

Student of the Month

Tiffany Sack

Tiffany started taking guitar lessons in 2022. She also sings while playing! Her favorite part about guitar is the fact that you can play practically anything on it, and there are many different tones and types of music you can play with the instrument. Her favorite part about singing is "all the types of voices you can do like head voice, chest voice, and mixed voice, creating a rich tone in each note."

Tiffany is also interested in one day learning to play the organ. She really likes the sound. At school, Tiffany appreciates her friends and her teachers. She loves the Beatles, and enjoys playing soccer, solving the Rubik’s cube, and traveling with her family.

Her teacher, Mr. Denny, says, "Tiffany has shown remarkable growth on guitar in a short period of time, progressing rapidly from fundamentals to confidently playing electric guitar across multiple genres. Her speed of learning and memorizing new songs, strong musical intuition, and eagerness to take on challenging material consistently stand out. The progress she’s made over the past couple of years reflects strong discipline, polished style, and genuine talent."

Spotlight on Cosette Lyncheski

Cosette Lyncheski is a versatile and experienced vocalist with a rich background in classical, theatrical, and liturgical music. She has served as a cantor and choir section leader for almost two decades and has performed with professional vocal ensembles, bringing skill, sensitivity, and artistry to a wide range of musical settings.

In addition to her extensive work as a soloist and ensemble singer, Miss Cosette is an accomplished stage performer with years of theatrical experience. She trained in theatre at Wagner College and studied improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB), further enriching her dynamic performance style.

Now part of the Laguna Niguel School of Music, Cosette is passionate about sharing the joy of music with students of all ages. She brings a warm, engaging, and supportive approach to teaching, helping each student grow in confidence, technique, and personal expression.

Did You Know?
We Offer Art, Graphic Design, & Video Editing Lessons!

At the *Laguna Niguel School of Music*,

we offer various types of art lessons! Students can learn different mediums, modes, genres, and styles.

Art, drawing, painting, graphic design, and video editing lessons empower children and teens to express their creativity, build focus and problem-solving skills, communicate ideas visually, relieve stress, and prepare for exciting future careers in everything from fine arts to marketing, media, and technology.

Contact us for more information and to enroll in lessons! 949-844-9051

Inspirations

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial.”

— James 1:12

“Let’s not talk about LOVE in February only,
Let’s give the other months some LOVE too,
Let’s spread LOVE every day of the year,
And show the world, We really care.”

— Charmaine J. Forde

Music Playdates in the Parks

Weekly on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings
from 10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Meet friends, dance a little, sing along, play with some musical instruments, and other fun toys!
Find us near the playground.
See park schedule on our website.

Did You Read Your Newsletter Contest?

February 2026

To encourage everyone to read the Dennis Frayne Music Studio Newsletter, each month we’ll feature a new contest winner or a new contest. Be sure to read your newsletter each month to see if your name has been drawn or you might miss out!

This month’s winner is Ishaan La Londe