by Rebecca Silverstein | Apr 2, 2021 | Parent Corner, Practice
When practicing, make sure that your body feels relaxed and at ease. The following quote is from Lorna McGhee, principal flutist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra: “Technique is merely physical coordination and we are at our most coordinated when the body is...
by Stephanie Ashman | Mar 15, 2021 | Parent Corner, Practice
When kids start music lessons, they are usually very excited! Everything is fresh and new and the instrument is almost like a special new toy. But then after a while, the child begins to realize that doing this “thing” is hard work and suddenly it...
by Jackie Westerduin | Feb 22, 2021 | Parent Corner, Practice
When your child moves on to a new piece in the Suzuki book, they may think that they no longer need to play the previous one. Afterall, they’ve mastered it. That’s why they’re allowed to continue, right? On the one hand, yes, only when a student has demonstrated the...
by Stephanie Ashman | Feb 15, 2021 | Parent Corner, Practice
Playfulness is the way to go when engaging young children! Sometimes you just need to take the pressure off and lighten the mood. Laughter has the ability to reduce stress, improve circulation, and re-energize the body; all things we need for good concentration when...
by Rebecca Silverstein | Feb 1, 2021 | Parent Corner, Practice
Learning music is like learning a second language, which means it’s important to be listening as much as possible. It can be very challenging for your child to learn a new piece if they don’t know what it sounds like. Learning music is similar to how children hear...
by Jackie Westerduin | Jan 23, 2021 | Parent Corner, Practice
Is your child maintaining a proper playing position when practicing? How a student sits, stands, and holds their instrument is as important to technique as practicing scales and tone. This because it forms the physical foundation upon which all healthy playing habits...