It's that time! Thanksgiving is just one week away and our local towns and cities are starting look a lot like Christmas. They're starting to sound like it too! If you're looking for a great way to get into the Christmas spirit in the next month, check out this awesome list of 12 music and theatre centric events happening in Union County and the surrounding cities! 

1. Home Alone In Concert at Charlotte Symphony - watch this holiday classic on the big screen while the score is performed live. You'd be amazed at the experience you get from watching the movie and hearing the music played live! 
2. The Polar Express Train Ride Experience - complete with musical numbers, hot chocolate and a Santa experience! The ride uses music from the original soundtrack to delight guests through live performance and is sure to bring smiles to every face. 
3. Leonard Bearstein Symphony Orchestra at Founders Hall - this orchestra is comprised of... wait for it.... animatronic bears. Yes, you read that right! Most days they perform hourly from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. but check the schedule before you head out just in case! This is a one of a kind experience, don't miss it!
4. The Nutcracker Presented By The Union County Youth Ballet - this year the youth ballet performs four shows, accompanied by a live orchestra! The live music will be played by the musicians of the Union Symphony. 
5. Caroling At Billy Graham Library with Lanti Performing Arts - head up to the library with your favorite music and theatre teachers to sing some carols, spread some cheer, and of course drink hot chocolate while we look at lights! This is an annual LPA tradition so don't miss out! 
6. A Christmas Carol at Theatre Charlotte - come watch the annual tradition of Theatre Charlotte! This heartwarming tale is sure to melt even the coldest of hearts and get you in the spirit of Christmas.... get it?! Spirit?! 
7. The Jazz Room: Holiday Edition at Blumenthal - become captivated by the music of legendary composer Vince Guaraldi, best known for the Charlie Brown TV specials. A wonderful and classical experience for the whole family!
8. Christmas is Coming Concert by the Charlotte Chorale - this 90 minute concert is full of the beautiful singing of the Charlotte Chorale, a group focused on making choral music accessible to the community. If you love to sing, this event is for you! 
9. Winter Bash at Lanti Performing Arts - Come join your Lanti music and theatre teachers for an awesome holiday celebration complete with hot chocolate bar, popcorn bar, games, karaoke and more! 
10. The Singing Christmas Tree at Knight Theatre - brought to you again this year by The Charlotte Symphony and Carolina Voices. This spectacular music event will dazzle all ages - and don't forget to sing along! 
11. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer The Musical - this amazing stage production is just like the beloved movie from so many years ago! Families and audience members of all ages will delight in the musical journey of Rudolph and friends! 
12. A Charlie Brown Christmas Live On Stage - The precious Peanuts gang joins together to put on a show and learn the meaning of Christmas. This sweet show will captivate audience members big and small! 

Well, there you have it! Our 12 music and theatre events to get you in the holiday spirit! Try one out? Let us know how it goes! 

We want to send a huge "thank you" to all of our sponsors for this year's theatre program! Because of you, we are able to provide scholarships to children who may not otherwise have access to music classes, theatre classes, and the performing arts! 

If you are looking for local businesses to support, this group is wonderful! Check them out by clicking below!

Earlier this month our Bucket Drum students performed out in the community at a fall festival. It was not only a fantastic time, it was also a great learning opportunity! 

Check out their video here and then read some of the benefits of the performing arts below! 

So whether you are in piano lessons, drum lessons, theatre or acting classes, group music, or any other kind of music or performing arts class, you can get these amazing benefits that are so vital to childhood development. Our students love to experience music and theatre and we love to watch them grow from it! 

If you've got a case of the "Monday Blues" we have your solution! Here's a few of our favorite music jokes for every guitar, piano or brass player, drummer or vocalist. (Bad and good puns included.) We hope these "funnies" brighten your Monday!

You know what time of year it is.... the time where the sound of sniffles come through the door before footsteps and coughing rings in the halls. It's sick season and that means the flu, colds, viruses, and all of the germs. 

When you play an instrument like guitar, piano or drums, the instrument is easy to care for by regular cleanings and proper storage. But your voice is a living instrument. We use it every day and take it everywhere we go. So how can we protect and care for our voices like a guitar in a case? Find our top five tips to better vocal health below! (Bonus: these tips are great to help prevent sickness, but also great for when you are already under the weather!)

You know the drill... wash your hands, don't drink after your friends, take your vitamins, all the usual things - but we really mean it! The healthier your body is, the healthier your voice will be. Once you start to get sick, your vocal health can decline rapidly. The healthier you are, the healthier your voice is. 

When you're feeling a little scratchy or dry, warm tea is a great option! Any tea will do, but stay away from options loaded with caffeine - it's a diuretic and will actually drain you of much needed water. You can also had a spoonful of honey; it will help to coat your chords in a good way, lubricating them and helping them rub together more easily.

Hydrating yourself from the outside is a great option too. You can run humidifiers or hot water vaporizers in your home to bring up the moisture level of the air around you. You can also breathe in shower steam, use a personal steamer, or breathe through a wash cloth with hot water. 

One of the best things you can do for yourself when you don't feel 100% is to rest! Now of course we do mean get plenty of sleep, but we also mean to rest your voice itself. Avoid the extremes of your voice - no yelling, no whispering! If you need to speak, do it at a low volume but don't strain yourself. Talk as little as possible and of course, don't sing unless you have to!

Hydrating your vocal chords from the inside out is the best way to keep them nice and healthy. It is recommended that singers take in at least 64 ounces of water per day, but many drink more than that. Keep a water bottle with you at all times to remind you to drink up! You can also hydrate with foods that are high in water content like melons or cucumbers. 

​Well those are our top tips! Did we leave out one of your favorites? Leave it in the comments section below!
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​If you'd like more information on vocal health, Duke Voice Care Center has some great tips as well! Stay healthy! 

The Lanti Performing Arts Team

Welcome to Lanti Performing Arts! We are so excited about how Lanti Music has evolved over the past five years and how some big dreams and ideas are being fulfilled. The last four weeks of the summer we were hard at work to create a beautiful space that reflects all that we are and we want to show you how things look! 

Check out our new front sign - fresh name, fresh look!

With a fun new sign on the front, we had to add one on the back too! What do you think?!

Back in the front, we gave our lobby a nice uplift with some fresh paint and a new gallery wall to showcase some of our amazing students! We not only love how hard they work, we also love how much fun they have and we wanted everyone out front to experience it too! 

Don't forget the new door signs! 

And that brings us to the room with some major changes! We have given this space a major uplift by creating a designated theatre space - including our awesome new 30ft. stage and fresh blackout curtains! This area will be amazing for one-act plays, small musicals, recitals, group classes, and more! 

There are a few other things around the studio that are different, but to see the rest you'll have to come check it out in person! (Hint: peek into Dasha's office next time you are around and head back to the bathroom to see if Dr. Seuss is still around!)

Thanks for checking out the mini-tour! Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Here at Lanti, we make sure to give your children the best experience possible. Part of that experience for our Lion King camp included professional artist, Eli, from Creative Share Group. She joined us as a guest teacher on Wednesday afternoon and taught the students about face paint, stage makeup and body art. She did a demonstration for them and then even let them practice on each other! 

When Eli came back on Friday to do the kids stage makeup, the results were nothing short of magical! She brought her full kit in and each child got a face full of character based makeup. All of the looks were so unique and incredible! Check out some of them below! 

Stay tuned for more from Eli and the team at Creative Share Group as we will be hosting a "Stage Makeup Workshop" sometime this fall - open to anyone! We are also so excited to welcome the CGS team back one day this week to teach our kids at "The Greatest Showman" camp about stage makeup and face paint. The performing arts are such a collaborative experience and we are so excited to join up with people in our community to give your child the best of the best! 

Last week we hosted our first camp of the summer - "Unicorns, Princesses, and Mermaids" and it was awesome! They packed so much performing arts fun into only five days. The group played drama games, learned some music, created crafts, made new friends, and even had a super special visitor! Check it all out in our photo recap below. Let us know what you think about this sweet as sugar camp!

Looking for something fun to do this summer? We've got you covered! Below you will find lots of music and theatre related activities that your family is sure to love! Attend one of the events we recommend? We'd love to hear about it - leave a comment below! 

 Super Nate!!!! 

Super Nate with his Super Smile swoop into the studio! He throws on his cape at a moments notice to help fix lights, move stages, blow up balloons or set up sound equipment. He fights off student reluctance with his weapons of confidence, motivation and passion and he mobilizes them with ease. 

In all seriousness, Nate Sellers is our 2019 teacher of the year because he embodies everything a great teacher should be. He is passionate, encouraging, knowledgeable, kind and fun. He is helpful before he is even asked and he is always up for a challenge. We are lucky to have him as one of our teachers (for two years!) and now as this years "Teacher of the Year"! 

Thank you Nate for all that you do! 

By the way: Check out his company - Atmospheric Productions - where he is co-owner and DJ for any event you could think of!