Ron Ferlito Music
Carona Virus Update ONE - Video Lessons- Spring Recital Information - Lemonade
Thursday, March 26, 2020 by Ron Ferlito | Uncategorized
BUSINESS AS USUAL:
Toward the end of last week and on into the weekend, as I received an email notice from practically every business or institution I’ve ever had interaction with telling me how they were planning on cancelling their activities and otherwise responding to the carona virus situation, I remember mentioning to my wife Deanna that I was not going to join the band wagon and add to everyone’s inbox clutter. I figured I didn’t really have much to say since I would be open for business as usual with all regularly scheduled music lessons. I also planned on continuing to take precautionary measures as always like wiping down the keyboard frequently with disinfectant wipes and encouraging children to wash their hands before attending lessons.
ONE MORE FOR YOUR COLLECTION:
But after hearing from several parents asking what my plans were, receiving cancellations for all 3 remaining corporate event performance gigs booked for the remainder of March (totaling over $1200 in anticipated income which has suddenly vanished) and almost losing one family of two students until I could get them to at least try online lessons instead, I figured it was time to communicate. So here is one more of those corona virus emails for you to add to your collection.
WHAT A WEEK - LOTS OF LEMONS!:
I know people may still be staggering in disbelief about how quickly so many major sporting events, schools, businesses, and even churches cancelled their activities one afternoon another all last week. But I’m here to assure you that at least one aspect of normalcy will remain for all of you since RFM (Ron Ferlito Music) will continue its regular schedule of music lessons throughout the crisis unless I am forced by law to shut down. In fact this is a great opportunity for people to spend more time practicing and developing their musical skills while other activities have slowed down. So if you have makeup lessons you have had trouble scheduling due to other activities text me and let’s schedule you for those extra lessons. That’s why I’m also sending this to many of you who have had to cancel recently due to overwhelming schedules with sports, school, or work activities. Perhaps this would be a good time to resume music studies - even if it were just temporarily until school and other activities pick up again. And since it appears the expansion of my overall business into more performances will not be possible at least for a while due to the health crisis I will be better able to take on additional students and teaching activities. So let’s take advantage of this time with the old saying “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade!”
ONLINE LESSONS OPTION:
In addition, if you are concerned about keeping travel and personal contact to a minimum, I am able to offer anyone their lessons (at their existing scheduled time or another time) via online videoconference rather than person to person if you prefer. All it takes is access to a good wi-fi or cell data signal and any smartphone, tablet, laptop, or computer. Text me for more information if you’d like to explore this option.
RECITAL CHANGE:
There will, however be one aspect of RFM this year that will be a bit different at least partially due to the health crisis. Instead of our normal spring recital in May as we have held it at the end of each school year previously, this year the plan will be to conduct several smaller events through the summer of no more than 8 to 10 students each in a fun and more intimate gathering in our NEW HOME! (Yes- we are FINALLY moving in May!) This change is not entirely related to the health crisis, since our current lease is up at the end of April which means our moving time would adversely coincide with the regular recital date if we did it as in previous years. But there are several reasons that changing the recital plans work well with the health crisis because the new plan is compatible with the CDC guideline of not holding any large meetings. In addition, our preferred recital location of Legacy House assisted living facility would not work this year anyway. Because of their residents who are more at risk of infection from the virus, they have restricted visitors to only essential guests who must each pass a pre-screening process.
IN OUR NEW HOME:
So I’m excited about the home recital concept because it will be a time for each student to demonstrate their own individual progress but it will also make it easier to have several combined small ensembles present their work. This is something I’ve wanted to do with RFM for quite a while. Although we do not have an exact address or firm moving date yet, we do know our new home will be very near our current location and it will have a spacious great room large enough to accommodate an average of up to 3 or 4 guests per participant, which is about what our recital attendance has been historically. It would take at least 5 or 6 programs to get everyone in, but they would be scheduled over a period of a few weeks enabling everyone to participate at a convenient time for their family between trips and other summer activities. And if travel and other activities are still shut down by then, having these smaller events in our home will allow greater flexibility if things need to be changed.
WE ARE FAMILY:
In conclusion, I’d like to thank everyone in advance during this strange time of crisis for remembering the community aspect of the RFM family based on mutual trust and respect between my family and all the students, parents and family members. All of us contribute to making quality music education accessible and enjoyable as a positive experience to enhance our lives and on a loftier level - to elevate the culture of our society and the next generation.
By all of us following simple health guidelines we make it safer for others by slowing the spread of disease. But we also must remember that as a community we can mitigate the negative economic aspect of all these cancellations by continuing to pay your monthly or quarterly tuition renewals on time or by responding to the early payment incentives if you wish. With the sudden loss of my steadily increasing performance income it makes our family even more dependent on timely tuition payments so please be sure to let me know, if possible, at least a few weeks or preferably a month ahead of any changes you may anticipate or help you may need in order to make payment arrangements. Although we are getting stronger economically month by month, unfortunately it would still only take a few unexpected sudden cancellations of anticipated payments (particularly quarterly renewals) to plummet us into financial chaos. This is especially true because of the upcoming additional expenses we will be encountering with the upcoming move in May. We truly are all in this together because by not suddenly withdrawing out of fear you encourage others to likewise remain calm and steadfast, enabling the whole operation to steadily continue forward. But I prefer to continue to trust the family and mutual respect method rather than imposing strict rules, multiple fees and involuntary auto-drafts to enforce self preservation like so many other music academies and private teachers do.
ONWARD!:
Let’s all boldly move forward together making lemonade (enjoying going deeper in our musical development) as we adjust to the challenge of all the new lemons we have been given! (the worldwide health and economic crisis trying to cripple us with fear)
I look forward to seeing you all at your next regularly scheduled lesson time unless I hear from you otherwise!
Ron Ferlito, M.A.Ed.
623-466-3197
ronferlito@yahoo.com
www.ronferlitomusic.com
www.facebook.com/ronferlitomusic/
Teaching Profile and Reviews
Performance Profile and Reviews
Carona Virus Update TWO - March/April Invoices OPTIONAL
Thursday, March 26, 2020 by Ron Ferlito | Uncategorized
PLANET EARTH IS CLOSED (but we’re still open)
Hello students and parents - I hope you are all doing well during the strangest crisis in all of our lifetimes, I’m sending this message direct by multiple text this time so you will all find it more quickly and hopefully read it as soon as possible. I will also send this to the email addresses I have and post to my website as I did last week’s update. So here is my time sensitive message:
In addition to the health scare we are constantly reminded of by the media, there is also the day to day life and economic interruption that more and more people are starting to realize. What is becoming increasingly understood is that the magnitude of the economic impact from shutting down the entire country is likely to be far greater and affect far more people immediately than the original health issues we are sacrificing our booming economy and many of our freedoms for in the first place.
SAME CRISIS, DIFFERENT CONSEQUENCES:
For some the struggle is to remain active during what amounts to an unexpected long paid or unpaid vacation. With finances intact at least for a while or employment with a large company to cushion the blow, this is comparatively a minor inconvenience for those in this group and a chance to catch up on projects around the house. (I would LOVE to be in that situation!) For others you may be adjusting to a sudden and unexpected switch to having kids at home or going through a steep learning curve by switching your work or school to an online modality. Perhaps there has been little or no change for those of you already used to conducting business from home.
However, many of you may be busy scrambling to protect your small business or personal lives from collapsing and losing everything you’ve worked a lifetime for in a matter of a few short weeks due to instantly vanishing or severely diminished income. For those in this category their challenge may be further heightened by the puzzlement of well meaning but mis-informed onlookers in real life and in the media who are secure financially or employed by large companies that may have a hard time understanding why anyone may be so concerned about money at a time like this. Some people may not only lack empathy or understanding for those in crisis financial condition, but they also may look down on their less fortunate friends and family for being unprepared, financially foolish, or even heartless for thinking about money during a time when others could get sick or even die.
MY DILEMMA:
As much as I wish I could be like the electric company or many other large organizations who are giving people a break by pushing back due dates or suspending payments at least for a few weeks, I am sorry to say I am in that final category of a small business person with my back against the wall. After just barely recovering to financial health in the past few months since my switch back to music as a vocation seven years ago, the loss of ALL my performance income and several students due to this crisis we are once again teetering on the brink of survival. That’s almost one half of my total anticipated March income gone in the past few days!
Despite all this and in keeping with my goal to continue as much as possible with a “business as usual” attitude for RFM (Ron Ferlito Music) during this crisis, and in keeping with the mutual respect and understanding “family” underpinning philosophy of this business, I have made a difficult decision I’ve been wrestling with for weeks.
MY DECISION:
I have decided to go ahead and send out all March invoices whether monthly or quarterly renewals at their regularly scheduled time to everyone still enrolled. Some who are less affected by the crisis financially have graciously offered to pay even though they will temporarily not be attending and do not want to switch to online lessons, while others seem to be possibly avoiding lessons or contact in hopes I would not be billing them. As a result I have been really struggling with what to do because as I said - my preference would be to not bill anyone at this time while continuing business as usual and working for free. But I’m just not in a position to do that and since so many on quarterly plans are not billed this month anyway, that would not be fair to those people.
MY ANSWER:
So the solution is that I am sending everyone who is due for a bill this month their regular bill at the regular time of a couple weeks before the end of the month (right now) along with the regular option of an incentive discount for early payment before the due date. But I am also offering the additional option of allowing you to continue lessons if you wish and voluntarily decide whether or not you are able to pay this month’s bill early, on time, later after the crises, or not at all. I am also enabling the “tip” option within my Square credit card processing system for those of you who may be in a good position now and wish to add a little extra. Yes. I am indeed saying YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY YOUR MAY/APRIL BILL IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO. So many have expressed so much kindness grace and sacrificial giving from the RFM family in our difficult times of the past few years, i can only be free in conscience if I reciprocate during others’ time of need. This is a bit scary since as I’ve said we are among the “at risk“ financially as much as anyone so I’m trusting that our needs will be met as we seek to mitigate the struggle for others.
THE CHOICE IS YOURS:
I want you to know that whatever your choice may be, it is up to you. I do not know how most have you may have been affected by the crisis, and will not judge anyone if they choose to not pay, nor will I grant special favor to those who do. I do not know which of the economic situations described above you are in or if you may even be in a particularly blessed situation with extra hours or booming sales as a result of being in a medical related field or due to others being unable to work, etc. (it must be a boom time for food delivery services!). But I do know I can trust the innate nature of most people to want to do good to others and the desire of my wonderful clients to embrace this “family” culture of RFM that I have seen expressed towards me and many others over the years.
HELP ALL HELP ALL:
By paying your bill on time or early or even going above and beyond with extra payment, it not only helps me and my family, but benefits the entire group by enabling me to focus on providing quality music education and a bright spot for all of us - including those who may not be able to pay for now- during this dark time. Now more than ever is a great time for all of us to share in the blessings of caring for one another and be encouraged by seeing true community sacrifice for one another operate in real life.
As a result, if you are coming due for a March quarterly payment or you are in a monthly plan you will receive your bill as usual later today or tomorrow.
Please contact me if:
- you are not due until a later month but would like to pay something now anyway
- If you can make only a partial payment before the due date so I can adjust your invoice
- If you will not be able to pay at all by the due date at the end of the month as soon as you know for sure that it will be impossible.
Please stay in communication so I have the most accurate information I can to plan for my finances so I can pay my rent and other end of the month bills. Like you, some of my bills are being deferred but others, such as our rent have informed us there will be no special grace offered this month on payment, due dates, or the newly instituted exorbitant late fees they charge now (over $300 extra for being one day late! - that’s part of why we are anxious to move out of here after 13 years!)
So thank you so much for reading all this and continuing to be a blessing to me and one another as we move through this crisis together. If you are due in March you will see your invoices in your emails and texts shortly.
Ron Ferlito, M.A.Ed.
623-466-3197
ronferlito@yahoo.com
www.ronferlitomusic.com
www.facebook.com/ronferlitomusic/
Teaching Profile and Reviews
Performance Profile and Reviews
IMPORTANT! Detailed Information about Recital coming up December 13th and 14th!
Thursday, December 5, 2019 by Ron Ferlito | Uncategorized
Hello Folks!
It's that time again when we will come together this weekend and share what we have been doing and learning through RFM with others in a grand recital! It will be a fun, rewarding event with reception and refreshments immediately following each performance!
Program 1: Friday December 13 at 6:30 PM
Program 2: Saturday December 14 at 11 AM
CHECK THE LIST:
Scroll all the way down below this email and you will find a list of all participants and the times they will be performing. Please double check this list and inform me of any changes such incorrect spelling, wrong time, etc. that may be needed via text, at your lesson, or even at the event for last minute changes. I have pre- arranged greeters and set up crew like I have in the past, but If you would like to volunteer to bring some snacks or dessert to share at the reception or help with the clean up crew on Saturday please do so! We could always use more help! ESPECIALLY FOOD BRINGERS FOR THE RECEPTIONS! Please let me know if you will be bringing snacks or desserts to share. Thanks.
S0 WHAT'S NEW?
The big news is that we will be back at our old location at West Valley Freewill Baptist Church just west of Goodyear Near Verrado off Jackrabbit Rd. near the I- 10 Freeway. Although our new location at Legacy House of Avondale was a big success last spring, we were unable to use that facility for this particular event due to a scheduling error. Our plans are to return there in the spring and hopefully continue to meet there for future recitals moving forward. Here is the location information you will need. I will also be sending text links to your phones for your convenience:
West Valley Free Will Baptist Church
19956 W McDowell Rd, Buckeye, AZ 85396
(623) 853-0570
PLEASE STAY:
Please stay for the entire program your child is performing in, even if they are one of the first performers. Each program will last about an hour and 45 minutes but they are fun and entertaining so please have the expectation of staying for the full program and joining us at the reception following, unless you have a circumstance beyond your control (work schedule, important family obligation, etc.) that requires you to leave early and you have informed me ahead of time of your early departure. It is important that there is a good sized audience for all participants and many of the more advanced older students will be performing toward the end of each performance so you will want to stay for those great presentations.
LIVE VIDEO BROADCAST:
Once again the entire program will be broadcast live. If you can not attend you may watch it as it happens, send the link to family and friends around the world so they can view it, and watch later because the performance will remain posted on my Facebook business page. You do not need to log into Facebook, have a Facebook account, or be "friends" with me on Facebook to view this, although you may want to "Like" my page while you are there to receive further updates and other information. Here is the link:
Ron Ferlito Music on Facebook
Feel free to share this with anyone on your own social media and elsewhere.
BE READY!
Make sure each student has any music or books they will need, has warmed up and practiced earlier that day before coming to the event, and is dressed sharp and excited about putting their best performance out there! Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the program you are participating in so the students will have time to get accustomed to the stage and find their seats in the front rows and on the church platform. The exact list of the order of performance will not be printed in the program handout, but as in the past the performance order will be determined by the order in which they are seated within each group. Each program will be divided into three segments in the following order: 1) children under 12 years of age; 2) adults and absentee video participants; 3) Older children and teens 12 years old and older. I will direct children and teens to their designated seats up front when they arrive. Adults who are performing can sit anywhere and I will call them up when it is their turn.
And don’t forget to check the list below for accuracy and get back to me ASAP about any changes needed.
ALSO- don’t forget to let me know if you plan to bring desserts or snacks for the receptions immediately following each program. We will need volunteers for drinks, ice, cups, paper plates napkins plasticware etc. and the final cleanup crew after Saturday’s event.
I WILL SEE YOU THERE!
Ron Ferlito, M.A.Ed.
623-466-3197
ronferlito@yahoo.com
www.ronferlitomusic.com
www.facebook.com/ronferlitomusic/
Teaching Profile and Reviews
Performance Profile and Reviews
Recital Times
Friday Dec 13 6:30 PM:
William Faulk
Kayla Gatan
Ysa Gatan
Liam Semensohn
Ivy Miranda
Isabelle Miranda
Eliane DeCastro
Austin Reynoso
Legion Judd
Alize (must be first)
Adriel Plummer
Aiden Tippeconnie
Jon Palmer
Marisela Gomez (in first half hour)
Hanna Ham
Heather Tram
Liam McCusker
Molly McCusker
Nellie McCusker
Jeremy Nguyen
Lorenzo Moreno
Davina Moreno
Ogie Osaruyi
Saturday Dec 14 11:00 AM:
Chris Brown
Jaeda Gonzalez
Asher Gonzalez
Galilea Martinez
Stacey Wallace and family
Joelle Ayuban
Dannielle Ayuban
Yzabel Auyuban
Danielle Llamas
Sophia Canales
Ruby Garcia
Esteban Quiroz
Pauline Acosta
Rohit Sharma
Giselle Green
Jennifer Green
Anahi Grijalva
James Grijalva
Emily Ball
Elizabeth Ball
Francesca Oano
Fredricka Aboagye
Brielle Aboagye
Avery Yowell
Lianna Ruiz
Current Students Not Participating:
Joanna Pina No
Aubrey Hutcherson No
Malin Hood No
C C Mackey No
Kendall Bison No
David Barrett No
Wyatt Vines No*
Mary Simmons No*
Teeter Rylie No*
Felix Mayo No*
*= temporarily on break from lessons for December
