Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Haley.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Lauren. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I fell completely in love with music at age five following a high school production of Prokofiev’s Peter & the Wolf. Of course, I immediately begged my parents for a violin! After performing and recording professionally in London, England while earning the International Baccalaureate, I was accepted to the Eastman School of Music, a conservatory in Rochester, New York.
I started Lauren Haley Studios in Sugar Land upon graduating from Eastman with my degree in Violin Performance. Within two months, LHS enrolled forty students on violin and viola. Today, it has a considerable waiting list.
One of my students, whom we’ll call Maria, inspired my book, Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation & Talent Through Music. Her father would repeat in lessons, “I know Maria is smart, I know she’s talented. The problem is that Maria is lazy!” Maria, just six years old at the time, had all the potential in the world! And so I wrote Kids Aren’t Lazy to empower even the busiest parents, like Maria’s, with breakthrough strategies for furthering their child’s motivation, soft skills, and musical talent. I’ve been completely blown away by the book’s reception and love hearing how it’s helped so many young musicians, families, and teachers!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
For anyone starting a new path, it’s important to consider which feedback to accept and which to disregard. For example, I’m immensely grateful to teachers who let me know when I underperformed and therefore kept me on the path to excellence. Their willingness to push me through any difficulty was a sign they believed in my potential. By contrast, one of my mentors told me not to bother writing something like Kids Aren’t Lazy because “parents aren’t interested in reading.” In hindsight, I’m quite glad I ignored that advice!
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Lauren Haley Studios aims to inspire a lifelong affection for music in students and families, to demonstrate advanced repertoire and technique, to encourage students to persevere through academic and musical challenges, and to support the achievement of students’ highest musical goals. LHS features violin, viola, and ensemble lessons with an emphasis on conservatory technique, the development of motivation and talent, music theory, and history.
As a teacher, I’m absolutely thrilled when I see a parent’s face light up in recognition of their child’s stellar progress and effort. I wrote Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation & Talent Through Music as a heartfelt message to parents who believe in their young musicians just as passionately as I do!
Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
“The Last Lecture” by Randy Pausch has been a guiding light for me. I recommend it every chance I get.
You can view Randy Pausch’s lecture, “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” at this YouTube link from Carnegie Mellon University: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo.
I also love “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and its teen version, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.”
Pricing:
- Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation & Talent Through Music is available online for $18.95 from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. In Houston, you can pick up a copy at the River Oaks Bookstore, Lisle Violin Shop, Amati Violin Shop, Gold Violin Shop, Fishburn Violins, and Wu’s Fine Violins.
- Lauren Haley Studios is located in the Sugar Land Art Center & Gallery.
- Keep in touch on Instagram (@LaurenHaleyStudios) and check the website (www.LaurenHaleyStudios.com) for upcoming Houston events!
Contact Info:
- Address: Lauren Haley Studios
104 Industrial Blvd.
Sugar Land, TX 77478 - Website: www.laurenhaleystudios.com
- Phone: 832-600-5338
- Email: laurenhaleystudios@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenhaleystudios/
- Other: www.laurenhaleystudios.com
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Image Credit:
Albertine Wang (http://albertine.squarespace.com, https://www.instagram.com/alb.ert.ine/), Kids Aren’t Lazy cover design and photo: Albertine Wang
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