String Beans Studio

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The Bean Store

The Bean Store is a reward system for private students. Earn Bean Bucks by doing the things that make you a better musician, then spend them in the store — a corner of the studio stocked with toys, books, snacks, gift cards, and, sometimes, a potato.

How to Spend

The store is open at the end of group class. Students who don’t attend group class may use the store before or after their individual lesson, as long as it doesn’t interfere with another student’s lesson.

How to Earn Bean Bucks

Daily habits

  • Practice every day
  • Listen to reference recordings

Lesson preparation

  • Come to your lesson well-prepared — did you accomplish the goals set last week?

Performance & listening

  • Attend a live performance and report back
  • Watch three YouTube performances and write a short summary or review
  • Create a performance for friends or family. Do the whole thing: rest position, introduce yourself and your piece, nod to your accompanist, play your piece, return to rest position, take a three-second bow
  • Perform with a group — youth orchestra, school orchestra, group class, or a group you organize yourself

Skill challenges

  • Play a review piece transposed into a different key
  • Spend five minutes on slow, controlled scales

Creative work

  • Write some music of your own and play it for someone

Goal setting

  • Set a concrete goal to achieve by June 1
  • Set a concrete goal to achieve by September 1
  • Set a concrete goal to achieve by May 2027

Bigger commitments

  • Register for a summer music camp
  • Observe at least ten minutes of another student’s lesson

Teamwork

  • Donate to the Bean Store
  • Give another student some positive feedback
  • Group class: earn your individual part thoroughly, so you’re actively contributing to the group instead of following along

Have an idea? Bring it to your lesson. The list can always get longer.

For Families: How to Donate

The store runs on family donations. Accepted items:

  • Gently used toys
  • Books
  • Art supplies
  • Small games
  • Gift cards
  • Packaged snacks or candy
  • Anything a kid would actually want to earn
  • “weird” is fine!! Last year two of the most in-demand store items were a pack of string bean seeds …and a potato

Bring donations to the studio anytime. Every item goes directly to your child and their studiomates.