With the school year about to begin, it might be time to give students some new goals to motivate them and refresh their interest in music lessons. Here are a few skills to consider nurturing as school gets back in session: Build Your Sight-Reading Skills! Focusing in on sight reading practice is a great way to prepare for upcoming auditions – shake off the rust by setting aside practice time to...
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I have not met many students who love playing their scales. Scales are the green vegetables that are left on the plate and passed off to the dog under the dinner table. Here are some quick tips to help inspire your students to enjoy their scales: Change up the rhythm: If one of my students has trouble with the fingering of a scale, I like to...
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by Robert Song Fisher (Catoctin School of Music) The sound of splashing water at the community pool, sun-filled days with the dusk light stretching late into the evening, beach escapes, camping trips with the family, summer camps galore – it’s summer! Unfortunately, daily structured practice time can become difficult to maintain and less enticing with each passing day for some young musicians. With the myriad of...
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by Jamey Mann One of the most important things when studying an instrument is consistency in both the teacher and student. Without consistency in a student’s studies and attendance of lessons a student’s ability will take a downward turn. The same is true for teachers who cancel lessons or rely on substitutes often to the detriment of their students. At certain times of the year we...
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Set aside time to practice this summer! Summer is a great time to make strides in your musical studies – give yourself a chance to grow as a musician by scheduling practice time along with all those other fun summer break activities! Here are some tips for making the most of your summer free time. Make Music the first activity of the morning Music practice is a great...
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