Growing musical Minds
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If you ever thought, “Gee, I would love to take lessons, but I can’t afford $100 (or more) a month. ..” then I have just the thing. First, I completely understand! budgets are super tight, and we are all trying desperately to balance what we want with what’s coming in. So, rather than having to …
Take Ownership of Your Learning! I have had a fair amount of new students asking about online violin or viola lessons lately. Of course, I’m a big proponent of online lessons. After all, I’ve been doing this for years, right alongside my in-studio lessons. Many of my local students have developed a hybrid approach that …
Practice isn’t always fun. As a kid, I became frustrated when, in my words, “I sucked” at playing something. Then, finally, a very kind but brutally honest teacher overheard me trashing my latest attempt. “You’ll continue to suck until you practice enough to get better.” Ouch! That was hard to hear. The teacher continued by …
The short answer is, of course, “No.” You can learn an instrument and be happy just playing for your own enjoyment. Many hobby musicians do just that – but what if playing in front of people actually made music even more fulfilling? Newer students are often intimidated by the idea of performing the music they …
In our current climate of the “earlier the better” in education, it’s only natural to want to start our little ones on string instruments as soon as they can walk. But is it right? Maybe, maybe not – as a teacher, I look for certain things that signal readiness for the violin. Most kids under …
Why a musician’s approach to life will help your kids All my life, I have been fascinated by sound: it’s production, transmission and how it affects our lives. I love sound – music, language, and nature. I also love science and technology. Most of my private students over the years have had science-minds and love …
It is that time of year! Whether it was Hanukkah, Yule, or Christmas, I get to hear from students who are beyond thrilled with their new treasure…until they try to play it. Let’s face it, playing the violin (or viola) isn’t easy, but there are a few things you can do right now to sound …