Congratulations to Milo M., who has earned Vibe's "Student Spotlight" this month!
Overcoming Performance Anxiety from Practice to Performance
Your heart races as you step on stage. Blinking at the lights, you feel the familiar threat of panic rising in your throat. You try to ignore it, but the sensation spreads throughout your body. Trembling, you begin to play, but despite your many hours of practice, the piece completely falls apart. Disappointed, you walk offstage feeling defeated and hopeless to overcome your anxiety.
If this scenario sounds familiar to you, you are not alone. Having struggled with performance anxiety myself, I can attest to its difficulty, but I want to reassure you that your situation is not hopeless. You can learn to manage your performance anxiety by implementing some of these helpful strategies as you practice, prepare, and perform onstage.
The Vibe Back-to-School Discount!
July Student Spotlight: Jake W.
Private Instruction Builds Classroom Leaders
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.
Where to Find Quality Percussion Resources on a Budget
Shopping in general typically involves an effort to find the best available intersection between quality and price. This can become tricky with musical instruments, and percussion products are no exception. While it can be difficult to determine what will be the best choice for an affordable price, there are a few places to shop that will make this easier. This article presents several websites and resources that will help you find the right items at the most reasonable price.
Instructor Feature: Marilyn Watkins
Today we have the opportunity to share the fourth installment of our “Instructor Features” blog series! This week we have Marilyn Watkins to celebrate. Marilyn Watkins is an experienced music teacher and violinist. She received her Bachelors and Masters degrees in music education from Ball State University. Her varied background includes orchestra director at Pike Township schools, music director of a church, and performances in college and community orchestras such as Muncie Symphony and Carmel Symphony.
Read more about Marilyn below, and at the link near the bottom of the post.
How to Practice Piano with Correct Technique
To any new player beginning the process of learning the piano, all 88 keys staring back at you can look quite intimidating! Thankfully, with great technique and practice habits from the onset, you can overcome that boundary quickly. That piano suddenly becomes a beautiful instrument just waiting to be played!
When the Music Ends: Reflections on a Musician Who Walked Away
Maybe it’s a piano you haven’t touched in years or a clarinet from high school that’s collecting dust in your closet. Many of us (myself included) share the story of giving up on a musical instrument. You may blame your failure to stick with it on a lack of talent or interest, but you might be surprised to learn that even highly successful professional musicians have packed up their instruments and walked away.
Music Theory... With a Pizza?
No matter the age, music theory can be made into an fun and enjoyable subject. Even though we at Vibe love getting nerdy and possibly talking too long about all of the theoretical knowledge we geek-out on, we are careful to present music theory in our lessons with a completely understandable approach for even the youngest ages. Here’s a fun way to supplement your student’s learning in music theory with none other than… a pizza!
