By Patrick Fritz I have a repetition tool that I consistently use with my students. It is simple, small, sturdy, and novel enough that elementary and middle school students are always curious about how it works. But it is not so complex that it derails a lesson. I call it a “bead counter” but the product name is “Golf Abacus.” I keep various sizes and colors...
Read MoreBy Wayne Estes Do your students get frustrated when they practice to a metronome? Years ago, when I first began teaching some part-time lessons to friend’s kids I did not have a home or studio to teach in, so I taught in each students home, driving from house to house. This gave me a bunch of great experience in seeing the family dynamic and it created some...
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It’s a New Year, and maybe you have students at your studio who are ready to start fresh and get into a consistent practice routine. Or maybe, YOU are hoping to light a fire underneath your students in anticipation of spring recitals, competitions, festivals or masterclasses.
Performances alone may be enough to motivate some students; for other kids, the reality of blundering through a piece in front of a group of people doesn’t phase them, and they’ll continue forward with lackluster practice habits.
By Julia Kossuth This year, the Studios of Sarah Strout are doing a new practice incentive: Practice for Punches! Our students will be able to see their progress as they achieve punches in the cards for practice time. Our students are required to achieve a certain number of practice minutes relative to their grade each week; if they practice their total minutes, they get a punch in...
Read Moreby Jamey Mann I am the newest member of The Catoctin School of Music family. I am a classical guitarist with years of playing and teaching experience. Through my years of teaching I found that one of the most important things I can teach my students is how to practice efficiently and correctly. This is sometimes more important than any riff or technical exercise I can...
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