Alyssa Cowell, Catoctin School of Music The last day of school has passed, and it’s time for vacation! That means forgetting everything you learned in the previous school year and absolutely no responsibilities – right? WRONG. Summer is a prime time to pursue passion projects and build music skills without the time restraints of the school year – it’s not a time to take off from...
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by Jamey Mann, Catoctin School of Music “Stop Going Through the Motions!”, something that I heard screamed across the football field as a kid. This refers to anyone on the football field that was not giving their all or was not in the moment. Instead, we were jogging when should’ve been sprinting or daydreaming instead of paying attention to the play on the field. Not only does...
Read Moreby Alyssa Cowell, The Catoctin School of Music Folklore Village is a folk craft school near Dodgeville, WI that offers a variety of classes covering many art mediums. The “Build a Small Harp in a Weekend” course gave me an opportunity to learn some hand carving skills while building a small medieval harp whose design is based on a depiction of a harp dated from the...
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by Jamey Mann, Catoctin School of Music Something that frustrates me as a teacher is the excuse “I’m sooooo busy”. Which to me does not change the fact that you did not practice, you made no progress, and the student is getting frustrated by lack of progress. This is a trend that I’ve noticed getting worse and it may be true that you’re busy. However, it...
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by Alyssa Cowell, Catoctin School of Music As the school year ends and the recital season draws closer, it’s a good time to review some performance etiquette practices! You’ve practiced diligently to memorize your piece, you’ve signed up for a time slot, and you’ve had your dress rehearsal with your accompanist. It’s time to perform in recital! If you’re like most recital participants, you’re feeling a little...
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