By Alyssa Cowell Ah, Valentine’s Day – a day set aside to commemorate romance, and what is more romantic than the music of an opera? Strains of Musetta’s Waltz often accompany scenes of romantic dinner dates in the media, potentially giving the impression that opera is all swoons and smooching. That is, until you really start paying attention to the plot of any given opera. Consider that...
Read MoreBy Sarah Haughton Nothing says New Year’s resolution like doing something you dislike (e.g. eating green leafy things, elevating your heartbeat past its resting rate, etc.). So why not stretch your taste in music? Here is my challenge to music teachers, students, and enthusiasts in the year 2016… Listen to a composer you have never heard of before. Here are a few composers that you should get to...
Read MoreBy Jamey Mann Around Christmas time every year guitar instructors are inundated with questions about buying new guitars. In addition many instructors use the holiday season to push their advancing students into better instruments. As a teacher I try to get my students into the best instrument possible. Here are a few suggestions to help guide you when looking for an instrument: Don’t make it a surprise-...
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It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
Actually, not really. If you’re a music teacher, you may find that this is a pretty tricky time of the year to keep students motivated.
It’s the time of the year when students who were new in August start to lose some of their initial excitement about learning a new instrument.
It’s that time of the year when parents are stressed out with all their holiday obligations and getting their kids to practice is just “one more thing” on the list.
It’s that time of the year when students’ after-school schedules are picking up — sporting seasons have begun in earnest, girl scouts is underway and school holiday performances are on the calendar.