The Music Yard

We are very excited to announce that we will be having another pre-recorded virtual spring recital. The recital will air live on YouTube on Saturday, May 29th at 4 PM. You can sign up now in store at the music yard or online. We will let you know in the coming days, if you’ve signed up, when you will come in and record your song that you and your instructor choose to share for the recital. Happy practicing!

Hope y’all enjoy Spring Break! Reminder that there are no lessons and we are closed until April 5th. But don’t forget to practice! Message us or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Happy Monday & Presidents' Day! We are open and your music lessons are happening. Store hours are 10-6pm. We can't wait to see y'all!

We are excited about the much anticipated launch of the first ever pre-recorded virtual winter recital!!! We will be watching together live on YouTube, this Saturday January 23rd at 4:00PM. The link to join and watch will be sent out in an email within 24 hours to the live premiere.

Hey, Music Yard Family.Good News! The Music Yard Virtual Winter Recital is on! Here’s what you need to know for now: ~Students have this week to pick and practice their recital songs. Students will meet with their instructors for their regular lesson times to work on their pieces over the following 5 weeks.... ~Each student will be allotted a window of time on the two weekends before Christmas to record their piece. The window will range from 5-15 minutes, depending on availability. ~All student songs will be compiled and finalized for a Watch Party, which we will host in January. What should you as the parent do? ~Sign up your student for the Virtual Recital using the Google Form (SIGN UP CLOSED DEC.7) ~Encourage your student to practice their piece! ~Check your email for your student’s time slot assignment, and more details. We are so excited to celebrate our Yard family, and wish you all the best. The Music Yard

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAYS: DAVID LARDIZABAL David Lardizabal is our instrument technician, who visits us once a week from his own store, David’s Broken Note in Woodland, California. David has worked alongside us since the store’s opening, as has seen many of the Music Yard family through your endearing and complicated questions. We love having David on staff. Follow @davids_broken_note on Instagram, or check out his website at davidsbrokennote.com David privileged us with a little ...of his story: I started working in a music store when I was in high school: Woodland Music and Guitar for 2 years, then I met a technician who basically does what I do now. [...] He was kind enough to let me travel to his shop in Stockton. So I would drive out there at night after school and I would go and just work in his workshop with him. And he said if this is something I’m really thinking about then you should go to school. So I looked it up and the closest school was in Washington, so I went there. So I’d say ballpack, it’s been 12 years [since I started working]. [see the why on The Music Yard’s instagram @themusicyardrocklin] David’s favorite song to play right now is ‘Nobody Told Me’ by Vintage Trouble. David’s parting words for The Music Yard fam: Clean your instruments! And I don’t mean that as a dig, I mean that as a, these instruments, all parents know, these things are expensive, they’re worth it and it's great for their kids’ development, but protect your investment. If you’re gonna spend a thousand dollars on a trumpet, you want to get 10 years out of it, so just wash it. It’s good for everyone. Even in the age of COVID, it’s also nice to eliminate that factor. I tell kids, protect yourselves, and your investment. See more

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY: ALEX CHANEY Alex has been teaching at The Music Yard for just over a year. He teaches both acoustic and electric guitars on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Keep reading to learn about how Alex came to music! "I started playing my 8th grade year. So that would make me like 12 or 13 when I first started getting into it. I had a guitar a couple years prior but sports were more important. The guitar stayed in the garage until 8th grade. I've been teaching for about 8... years. " His favorite song to play: "Hmm... that's a tricky one. I love so many genres and styles of music and my favorite song to play is always changes. At the time of writing this, my favorite song to play is an arrangement I’ve been putting together of a Brazilian song called Saudade Vem Correndo." "I love music because it is a whole different language. It has the ability to communicate things to people that words sometimes can’t. It brings people together and is something we hold onto when life gets tough. It's also something we want to turn up when life is at its best. Music is a celebration of life. I also love the mental exercise of playing music and the unlimited amount of creativity you can express through organizing 12 pitches. I'm obsessed!" See more

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAYS: ASTRID BOEHM Astrid Boehm is one of our longest standing instructors, and has been a staple in our piano repertoire. Astrid started teaching when she was 18 years old in Vienna, Austria. She is the perfect mix of big personality and technique, and we love having her. When did you start learning music, and what was your music journey after? Three years old. I started with the recorder; in Europe that’s what they did. Everybody started with the recorder. W...hen I grew up in Austria, it was pre-keyboard so you had to have the money to have a piano or you couldn’t play piano. [...] Bassoon is my primary instrument; I played in the orchestras all over Vienna. I realized I will never get a permanent job in an orchestra because I was a woman. They actually did not accept any women. They had all male orchestras. [...] It didn’t matter how good you were. That was horrible. It’s changed since, but back then you had to be twice as good as any man to get the job, which I wasn’t. I was good but I was as good as any other man [...] Those were different times. How did you come to teaching? I started teaching when I was 18--I’m not going to tell you how old I am. I was studying music at the time. A friend of mine started teaching at a music school and she said, Hey, I need someone to substitute. Do you want to teach? So I got there and I started to do private lessons. I was in Vienna. That’s where I studied music. Vienna has been a capital for music for the last three centuries [so it was an obvious choice to be involved in music]. What is your favorite song to play? I love playing musical theater. My favorite? That’s hard; there’s so many. Little Shop of Horrors, that was so fun to play. I forgot which ones I’ve played. Or the Seussical that was fun to play. Newsies was good; hated Mamma Mia! I did Cats; it was very difficult. Legally Blonde was awful. I really liked Nevermore. So you can pick whatever-- Beauty and the Beast--whatever. [see what music means to Astrid on our Instagram @themusicyardrocklin]

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAYS: ERIC KUVAKOS Eric Kuvakos teaches ukulele and guitar at The Music Yard, and has mentored some of our youngest students over his year and a half of teaching with us. Eric teaches at The Music Yard and plays in the church band on Sunday mornings, and some jazz and hip hop groups. How old were you when you started guitar, and why? It was January of 2007; I was in 7th grade, so I think I was 13. I just needed a new extracurricular activity honestly. I’d gone... through all the different sports and everything and I just needed something to try out for school. And so, on a whim I just went straight to guitar and then I went to a private school in our district and started one-on-one lessons. And so, I just started and literally never stopped. I did private lessons in that school until I was out of high school and stayed local in the area and went to college. I did one year of playing JV football when I was in high school and it was as hilarious, as you would imagine it. All my friends were on it and it was the best shape I was in that year, but I was the same size I am now and trying to tackle guys that were like 6’5 so I got the snot beaten out of me for that year, which felt really good. But that was the only sport that I did at the same time [as playing guitar]. How long have you been teaching? I’ve been teaching at actual schools for probably two and a half to three years now but before that I did private lessons on my own where I’d drive to people’s houses so I did that for about five or six years [...] [I]t was the end of my senior year of high school that I helped out with some middle school jazz bands and stuff, so that was [by] my old teachers at the music schools that I started at. They brought me in and dropped me into teaching so it was pretty cool [that] in about six or seven years I was able to be on the other side of it. It was weird; I was the student with my instructors and then they brought me in to help [...] [that] was really cool. I had lots of practice and very good, encouraging people. What’s your favorite song to play? I love improvisation, so mostly I just make up my own stuff and a lot of my own songwriting. But if I had to pick a favorite song to play, that’s a tough one. Maybe James by Pat Metheny. It’s so pretty and it hits the fingers so well. Usually every time I pick up my guitar and tune it, I’ll play through that a little bit to make sure everything’s sounding good. [catch why Eric loves music on our Instagram @themusicyardrocklin]

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAYS: TODD WEBER Todd Weber is one of The Music Yard’s resident guitar and ukulele teachers (double threat!). Todd meets with some of our youngest students, as ukuleles surged into mainland houses in the 2010s. He is famous around the Yard for his fashionable masks and Aloha August Hawaiian shirts. Follow him on his ‘gram at @guitarsofgreen, and like his page on Facebook @toddweberguitar. Bands like U2, and a band called The Smithereens had a big effect on me ...when I was a kid, and then REM. I’d say those were my three biggest influences to learn to play music. I didn’t have access to a guitar when I started, I borrowed a friend’s guitar and taught myself a couple chords. We didn’t have Youtube or anything so I bought a teach yourself to play guitar book, a little book that fit in the guitar case, learned a few chords, started to listen to records and trying to match those, and playing by ear. Pretty soon I was a guitar player. My dad was very happy with that, so he bought me an acoustic guitar, and I started learning in college. I took a couple college courses, and I started at age 17. I farted around a little bit and played in bands. But I learned music theory, got my AA in music, I started working at a music store in 1994, and started picking up students along the way. I love teaching. It’s all I do, I like exposing musicians to new things. I like teaching through fun and songs. If a student is interested in their particular artist, I’m not going to force my ideals on them, I’m going to exploit what they want to learn already. If they’re into Taylor Swift or Panic! At The Disco, let’s do it, let’s explore it together even if I don’t know it. [learn more about Todd’s music passion on our Instagram!] See more

Rental season is upon us, and we've called in the recruits. Say hello to our 2020 seasonal staff! Today's Star: Kate Booth, joining us for her second year in a row, between semesters at UC Davis. "I began working at The Music Yard last year and since then it has become a place very close to my heart. As someone who is hoping to get into an educational field post-graduating, I love interacting with our students and helping kids find the perfect instrument."

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAYS: SCOTT ALLEN Scott Allen is the longest employee at The Music Yard, since its creation in 2015. Scott teaches guitar on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. He balances being a dad and a performing musician all the time, but he gladly makes time for his students. Check out more of his work at scottallenprojectband.com or @sallenproject on Instagram. Let’s learn a little more about Scott: Scott was ten when he started learning guitar. And when did he learn... the bass? Bass kind of came when I was doing demos when I [turned] 20, late teens, early twenties. I didn’t want to have a bass player handy. So I learned how to play bass so I could do demos for my songs. Bass kind of came as a necessity. Scott has been teaching for 24 years, and playing for, going on 35 years. Scott’s favorite song to play: ‘Hot for Teacher’ by Van Halen What does Scott love most about music? Everything. It’s the coolest thing ever. When I first started playing guitar, it was loud guitars through big amps, shaking the floor when I play a power chord, and rock and roll. Learning the craft as you get older, and you start learning the ins and outs of playing, and how many different chord orders there are to different parts of learning. And how it laces with everything like language and art and mathematics. It really ties into all those things. And self-expression. No other avenue is greater than music to touch on all those disciplines [...continued on Instagram] For the Music Yard family: Learning music will make your life better. It makes you make better decisions about what art you want to support, rather than whatever's in front of you. I think if you have some musical education, you’re going to decide better what music you want to listen to and support, and you’ll appreciate it at a deeper level [...]. Learning instruments is a gift you give yourself forever [...] People have to want to work for it though, Music is not easy. Once you get past that initial ‘this is hard’ part, [...] have those first 2 or 3 songs you can play, you feel like you can own it, and play it with conviction, it motivates itself. See more

Now presenting Spotlight Saturday! Each Saturday for the next 3 months, we will highlight a staff member at The Music Yard with some fun facts. Get to know your instructors and administration a little better. Some of the following questions will be answered: How old were you when you started playing your instrument? How long have you been teaching/in your field?... What is your favorite song to play? What do you love most about music? And as an additional treasure hunt, you only get half the story on Facebook! Follow the official Music Yard Instagram @themusicyardrocklin to get the other half.

We know you can't get enough Music Yard, so we're extending hours! Starting the 17th, the Music Yard will be open -10am-8pm Monday-Saturday- for the rest of August. Come in and say hello!

Did you know The Music Yard has an Instagram? Be one of our first followers and get an insider look on the day-to-day of the Yard, with stories from our staff and instructors! @themusicyardrocklin

Join us in welcoming the first ever Music Yard Curbside Pickup! After your online orders is submitted at online.musicyard.com, Music Yard will escort your order to your car. Give us a call at (916) 899-6022 when you arrive.

The Music Yard is an exclusive dealer of Yamaha, and is the only Yamaha dealer you’ll find for 20 miles. Yamaha’s name is known around the world, and for its commitment to quality of performance, and to uplift the individual’s musical passion. Yamaha is also committed to sustainability alongside creating the best product. To hear more, follow https://www.yamaha.com/en/about/philosophy/

School is going virtual, and so are we! Come in and check us out, or reserve your instrument in advance at: online.musicyard.com The Music Yard 6668 Lonetree Blvd Suite #200 ... Rocklin, CA 95765 M-F 10am-6pm Saturday 10am-3pm See more