Alas…………..I’m preparing for an orchestra audition. It’s been a while since I have done this and am finding that I’m having to get my brain in gear. I’ve been greatly distracted in my pract…….oooo……oooo……how hard would it be to attach a starbucks cup holder to my baby grand piano?…….um……..sorry……practicing. If you are anything like me, [...]
Last night, I had a flash back to the worst orchestra practice I had ever participated in. It was a youth orchestra practice—surprised? The staff had just hired a conductor fresh out of Germany—he had a great resume……….. but had never worked with kids before. For this post, I’ll call him “Joey” to not [...]
Sqweeeeeeeeeeeeech. That’s the sound of me pulling my soap box to the front of the class. Today, I want to talk about the 10 worst habits musicians struggle with—always remember this post—steering clear of these mistakes will make you outstanding!
1. Avoiding Constructive Criticism—If you are a true musician, you have to be open [...]
Why yes, Craig Ferguson, it’s a free metronome. I found it online for all of you! You are just so welcome.
http://www.metronomeonline.com/
When it comes to practicing—-putting a whole lot of time in doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting ahead. You can practice for an eternity and still come out smelling like……..rose?! (I hope you already know that joke!) Time is irrelevant, it’s how you practice that counts. Here are some suggestions:
1. Make sure you give your body [...]
You don’t have to tell me–I already know this blog post has a cheesy title–but my dad tells me from time to time that I’m the Cheesiest. At least I can own title to something.
Alright class, here is the subject of this lesson—examining your daily practice routine. I have walked a long road perfecting solid [...]
True confession, gang. Even I sometimes have a hard time finding the love of music theory, but –I am a musician, I am a teacher, I am a composer, and I decidedly choose to make music theory interesting for both you and me. I know that you are thinking—”yuk”. Sometimes, I agree.
When I was growing up, [...]
