RMC In The News

Here is a recent article about Recreational Music Center and our “Celebrate the Gift of Music” fundraiser this Saturday, June 16.

Read Article here

Happy Holidays

Here we are in the midst of the season where we wish all peace and joy in their lives. As I reflect on what that means I don’t have to look very far to find both of these attributes come alive at Recreational Music Center .

Peace:
In a day and age with all kinds of unrest around the world and in our own country and city, it can be difficult to find evidence of “peace” on a day-to-day basis. However it is so important for all of us to take the time once in a while to find sources of peace in all our lives as without peace there is chaos and unrest. For me personally, I find my peace first and foremost in my faith in God and how I can rest and trust Him to provide for me and my family. As a business manager at RMC I see peace shine through the lives of our many students and their families as they faithfully come for their music lessons every week. With all of the many activities that they have going on day in and out I am always amazed to see our community of families as they do everything they can to make sure their kids receive a music education. It would be so foolish to take forgranted the sacrifices that each and every family makes to provide music to their own.

My peace is knowing that our adult and child music students value music and the role it plays in their lives and the fact that all of us at RMC do not take that likely.

Joy:
Joy is what I feel everyday when I come to work and see our teachers and students in action. To see the look of concentration as a student focuses to grasp a concept; to see a face light up when they learn a new song; the smile on our student’s faces after a performance, this to me is the embodiment of Joy. As joy arises within it pours out and infects all those around. I know I am truly blessed to be able to be apart of a community of music makers that bring such joy to others and to myself as well.

Happy Holidays to all and may peace and joy be with you and yours!

MTV Comes To Liberty Station via Recreational Music Center

In April of this year (2011) I was driving to pick up my daughter from her grandparent’s house when I, or rather RMC, received quite an unexpected call from MTV. Of course at first I thought it was yet another company looking for us to advertise with them or perhaps some sort of prank call, but I listened to what they had to say all the while preparing my “thanks but no thanks” response. After a very short exchange I realized that this was no gimmick or prank but a simple scouting mission from the MTV corporate office looking for a music school to film part of their up coming episode from the series Made.

Now I am, by no means, dialed in to what is in or out regarding the pop culture of today’s youth and can honestly say that I haven’t watched MTV since the days of Road Rules and The Real World (I know probably dating myself a bit – or at least shamefully admitting that I was hooked on the first wave of “reality TV”), however I was aware of the series Made and knew that it was about seeing someone’s dream become reality with the help of professional trainers. So when MTV called asking for help providing a venue for the show, I thought as long as it didn’t interfere too much with our busy teaching schedule then, why not.

To make a long story short, in May 2011 MTV used Recreational Music Center’s studio 100 to film parts of their “Singer” episode of the series Made (season 11). They were very great and easy to work with and it didn’t require too much on our end to make in order to make it work. Plus, it was kind of cool having MTV in our studio I must admit.

If you would like to see the final result and see RMC on TV here it is:

 

MTV Made Season 11, Episode 51 – Singer

Kidz Klub Program

RMC now offers a monthly membership program for students between the ages of 7-11. Check it out, sign up and save one lessons for the entire year including many FREE activities!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/New-RMC-Kidz-Klub-Program.html?soid=1102583504398&aid=yipk_j3pEd8.

Fall Music Classes

Wow, it is already August and time to get ready for the back-to-school craze! With that in mind we wanted to give everyone a head start in preparing your Fall schedule by releasing our 2011 Fall Class Schedule. Complete with brand new classes such as Lessons PLUS  and Glee! Choir in addition to our signature Intro to Music and Music for Little Mozarts classes that are always student favorites. One thing remains the same, RMC is YOUR community music school with something for everyone, at every age, and every level of experience.

Summer has been such a blast. We loved having so many students attend our popular Summer Music Camps . From first time attendees to veterans of the RMC camp experience, we loved them all and everyone had an amazing time (including our teachers). Our summer group classes have also been incredibly fun and a healthy break from the regular lesson format.

It is hard to believe that summer is almost over, but with all that we have to look forward to this Fall the fun is not coming to an end, but will only continue.

Here is the breakdown of our Fall classes along with days, times and costs for each:

Ages 0-6

Ages 7-12

Teens (Ages 13-17)

Adults (Ages 18 and Up)

OUR MISSION

RMC is committed to serving the entire community, not just those who can afford music instruction and we need your continued help to accomplish this goal.

The mission of Recreational Music Center (RMC), located in San Diego, is to cultivate the joy of making music through relevant and creative teaching methods. Utilizing an engaging educational approach combined with innovative technology creates a personalized experience in both group and individual settings. RMC is passionate about providing music instruction to people of all ages, regardless of musical ability or financial resources. RMC is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation.

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RMC’s New 2011 Summer Class Schedule

Sign up today for private or group music lessons for the summer. There is something for all ages!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/New-RMC-Summer-Schedule-Available-Now-.html?soid=1102583504398&aid=gWSX4-nXLGg.

Summer Music Camp

Campers Hard at Play!

Summer is closing in once again and that only means one thing, it’s time to sign up for summer camps! For Recreational Music Center this will be our third straight year of music camps and this year will, by far, be our best. We have ten straight weeks available and plenty of fun and exciting new features added to make every camper have the best musical experience imaginable.

Here are just a few highlights we have in store for this year’s camps:

– Group Instrument lessons in Guitar, Piano, Bass, and Drums
– Musical Styles including Rock, R&B, Jazz, Pop and Hip Hop
– Start up and perform in a band
– Musical Activities such as CD cover design, music recording and mixing and more
– A final day concert on stage in our performance room
– Much, much more!

Take a look at some of our wonderful memories from our past camps:

Pictures

Videos

For more information on Recreational Music Center’s Summer Music Camps click here.

Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

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San Diego Pier-to-Pier Swim A Complete Success

After a few setbacks surrounding the first attempt, Matt Palocsay (board member and friend of Recreational Music Center) successfully completed his incredible pier-to-pier fundraising swim on Saturday, April 16, 2011. This 10 mile swim was originally scheduled and attempted on March 19, but due to severe weather, ocean conditions and health issues (read the complete details below) Matt was forced to abandon the swim 6 miles into it. So on April 16 everything came together and Matt was able to successfully complete this amazing and incredibly difficult feat.

The swim began in La Jolla Shores at the La Jolla Pier and after 5 hours in 60 degree water and approximately 10 miles of virtually non-stop swimming, Matt arrived at his destination point in OB at the OB Pier. He was accompanied by his good friend in a Kayak for support and safety measures.

Pictures and Videos from Pier-to-Pier Swim

We are so proud of Matt and this amazing physical accomplishment and even more humbled by his generosity as this swim was done as a fundraiser for Recreational Music Center’s Scholarship Fund providing funds so that families experiencing financial hardship can receive music lessons at RMC. To date, this swim has raised over $700 and even more donations are still coming in daily with the completion of his goal. To donate to this amazing event and wonderful cause click on the link below:

http://www.stayclassy.org/member/fundraising?fcid=5708

March 19 – First Attempt

Following the first attempt at completing the pier-to-pier swim, Matt Palocsay sent out this statement which really drives home the degree of difficulty this swim actually was:

Well, I wish I had better news, but my swim did not go as planned.  Due to an unfortunate combination of illness and water conditions, I was only able to swim the first 6 of 10 miles of the swim.  Jamie, my kayaker, and her boyfriend Robert went above and beyond and keep a bad situation from getting any worse. They are super-awesome!  I can’t just leave the swim incomplete and will make another full attempt at the swim in the next couple weeks when the weather and my kayaker’s schedule match up.  The tentative date is April 2.

If you are interested in what happened, please read on, otherwise, thank you again for your support and I look forward to finishing the swim soon.

So, the first obstacle I faced with the swim was getting the swine flu the week before the swim.  Not fun, but I figured I was about 90% better on the day of the swim, so I didn’t need to postpone it.  I had my eye on the water conditions as well, and it looked like it was going to be a bumpy ride with 4-12 foot surf along the route.  That wasn’t a major concern for me since we get big swells pretty often in the cove, but it would make the entry and exit for the kayak more difficult.  We planned an alternate exit for the kayak in Mission Bay, and assumed that would be that.

On the morning of the swim, the surf was pretty calm when got to the beach, and it looked like we could get the kayak in at the pier instead of the boat launch which was a mile away, and in the pre-dawn light, would make it tough to find each other in the dark out in the middle of La Jolla Cove.  We tried to get the kayak in at the pier, but the surf picked up.  We figured it was just a set or two and we would get a break to push Jamie through, but it was relentless.  We got out butts kicked for 20 minutes in rough surf and finally had to back out and get the kayak in at the boat launch.  For me, that meant getting into cold water for 20 minutes, then out for 45 minutes, then back in.  This likely dropped my core temp a few degrees.  I entered the water back at the pier, and it was tough to find Jamie because the surf was so big.  What was 2-3 foot when we arrived became 6-8 foot an hour later.  The tide was coming in as well, so the tail current I had hoped for had turned into an onshore which made it tougher to get out of the cove and also brought cooler water with it.  This was the weekend of the “super moon”, so the tide change was more significant that usual.  At that point, we had faced a couple challenges, but I still thought I would finish because I was feeling so strong after the taper.

The next couple hours were uneventful except for two close encounters with dolphin (one pod swam just a few feet right below me and Jamie said she saw them heading straight for me from a ways out) and the fact that we were swimming into a headwind.  That put windchop in my face for 2 1/2 hours on every breath.  The surf was huge, and just short of Bird Rock, we got caught inside of a rogue set that was at least 12 feet backside.  I saw Jamie sprinting out in the kayak, and knew something was up, and was able to get over the first of three waves just before the deafening break.  The temperature of the water dropped and was between 52 and 54 at that point.

Just short of the Pacific Beach Pier, the swim fell apart in a span of just 10 minutes.  I’ve never had more than mild hypothermia (except maybe once during my first 100 mile race in 1998) and was surprised how quickly it progressed.  I went from being unable to cup my hands to losing
coordination of my arms in just 10 minutes, and knew I had to get out.

I wanted to get back in the next day and swim the last 4 miles, but my body had other ideas.  The flu came back with a vengeance and I’m just getting to the other side of it today.  So the plan is to go back out and get the whole thing in a couple of weeks once I get over the flu and our schedules match up.  I learned a lot and hope that will make the next attempt and Catalina more smooth.  I’ll let you know how it goes.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.

–Matt

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La Jolla Pier to OB Pier Swim Fundraiser

Pier-to-Pier Swim for Recreational Music Center

by Matt Palocsay

April 16, 2011 6am – 11am

DONATE HERE

If you know me, you know I couldn’t ask you to support me for just any old walk, run, bike ride, or swim.  Not after running through Death Valley in the middle of July or down nearly the entire coast of California.

So I started swimming a little while ago.  And I’ve decided to challenge myself and do something I don’t think anyone else has done.  I’m going to swim the 10 miles from Scripps Pier in La Jolla to the Ocean Beach Pier, and I’m going to do it in the winter.  Without a wetsuit.  With whales and sharks and dolphin and jellyfish.  And the water is cold; several people have done this swim in warmer seasons, but not when the water is so cold.  Most people would lose consciousness in less than 2 hours in 50-60 degree water.  I’ll be swimming for 5 hours.  Did I mention the sharks?  So I hope you find my effort worth supporting on its own merits, but hopefully that won’t be necessary, because I have chosen to do the swim in honor of a cause I believe in wholeheartedly.

I have been fortunate enough to serve on the board of directors of the Recreational Music Center  in Point Loma for more than a year.  The Recreational Music Center provides music instruction to people of all ages, regardless of musical ability or financial resources, through both group and individual lessons, and inspires a creativity and love for the arts that most children are unable to find in most school settings these days.  I believe it is critically important for children to have the opportunity to create, play, and explore music as they develop in order to exercise parts of the brain used not only for the arts, but also for math, science, and composition.  The Recreational Music Center is staffed by brilliant teacher-musicians who are committed to the students, helping them reach their various potentials.  A core part of the mission of the Recreational Music Center is to provide lessons to students regardless of their financial means, so they have established a scholarship fund to help children attend
lessons who can’t afford them.  I will be directing all funds donated in support of my swim to the scholarship fund, so you will be helping give a child the gift of music who would not otherwise be able to afford lessons.

To make a doonation, please visit http://www.stayclassy.org/member/fundraising?fcid=5708. The donation process through StayClassy.org is fast, easy and secure. Thanks so much for your support and please send this page to any friends you think might be interested in making a donation!

–Matt

Donor Appreciation

Over the past 6 months since Recreational Music Center was officially accepted as a 501(c)3 organization, we have been so incredibly blessed by the outpouring of support both financially and through in-kind gifts and volunteers. We just wanted to say thank you to everyone for your incredible support of our community music school. Without your continued assistance we would not be able to effectively accomplish our goal of offering music lessons to EVERYONE regardless of financial circumstances. To all of our students, board members, donors and supporters, THANK YOU!

Donor Recognition List

If you would like to get involved with RMC and offer your support whether financial, through in-kind gifts or by volunteering please click on the appropriate link below:

Financial Support

In-Kind Needs

Volunteer Opportunities

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