Our music education
Blog
for parents and students.
With the new school year beginning in whatever form that takes for you (whether in-person, online, at home, or a mix of them all), many parents may be tempted to let music lessons fall by the wayside. Schedules get crowded with homework and other activities, and if your kids already have music class in school, then there’s no need for lessons too, right? …
Do you ever wish that you could see the world through a child’s eyes? Do you miss the joy, the excitement, and the carefree innocence? Children just seem to have this zeal for life that we don’t always feel as we grow older. Sometimes, we as adults forget to have fun. In my experience, the joy of music can open the window to be able to see the world through a child’s eyes…
Students in today’s secondary schools often have a myriad of different courses to choose from each year. As a band director, I admit that I am certainly biased, but I believe that enrolling your son or daughter in the band, orchestra, or choir at school has many incredible benefits. One of these benefits, in the form of a macro-level life lesson, is the ability to collaborate.
Although the tried-and-true technique of “practice, practice, practice” is essential to promoting musical growth, sometimes a small dose of variety can bring new vitality to your practice routine. If you’re interested in finding some new ways to mix up your routine check out these 3 music apps and get practicing!
In this age of a multitude of course options, musicians are often forced to choose between vocal and instrumental music. Although this abundance of choices presents students with wonderful opportunities, being forced to choose between vocal and instrumental music can be a difficult decision. Vocal and instrumental training each has unique strengths that help students develop in different ways. But perhaps the better question is if we should choose at all?
It’d be the understatement of the year to say that we’re living in some strange times. And with the reality of drastic social distancing right now, online music lessons have emerged as a topic for consideration for a lot of people—for some as a substitution for their indefinitely paused in-person lessons, and for others as a new activity to try out while their calendars are a little less dense than normal.
Naturally, as a result, we’re getting a ton of questions about virtual music lessons - the pros, the cons, the different options, so I thought it'd be helpful to give my answer to some commonly asked questions.
The New Year is upon us, and you know what that means… We start dreaming up all the ways that we want to improve ourselves and live a more fulfilling, healthy life.
As you might guess, around this time of year we hear about a lot of folks who have set goals (for themselves or for their kids) of learning to play music in the next year, and we think that’s terrific! Because whether you only end up doing it for a few months or find your life-long passion, there is a personal and creative benefit for making the effort.
If you’re thinking about picking up an instrument or improving your singing, you really should find a qualified teacher and take weekly private lessons. Here’s why:
In the music world of string playing and teaching, you can’t go very far without hearing about the Suzuki Method. Countless professional musicians, including Hilary Hahn and Joshua Bell, began their studies with the Suzuki method. So what is it that makes it different from traditional teaching methods?
Speaking from experience, I wish I would've taken private lessons throughout middle and high school (even earlier if I had had the opportunity). While I was eager, passionate, and dedicated in my involvement in choir and band, I had to push myself especially hard to achieve certain musical skills that otherwise would've been much easier to gain had I taken private lessons early on.
Whether they’re attached at the hip or have nothing in common, sharing a musical experience can be a great learning activity for siblings to participate in together. Whether it be in the context of a music lesson or life in general, students of any age can benefit from the positive competition and encouragement that only siblings can provide. Here’s a couple thoughts in favor of co-op music lessons for siblings.
