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Applying and Auditioning for Music Degrees – Timeline and Checklist
Applying to university or conservatory music programs is stressful and overwhelming, whether you’re in high school and applying to schools for the first time, or you’re a college senior and planning on auditioning for graduate schools in music. I’ve gone through the process of applying and auditioning for music programs myself, and I’ve also helped many of my students do the same, which is why I’ve created this timeline and checklist. There are hundreds of checklists and timelines for non-music students, but these don’t include the auditions and other components which are unique to prospective music students. My checklist and timeline centers around junior and senior year (of high school or undergraduate degrees),…
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So You Want to Study Music Abroad
Throughout this past year, I’ve received many questions about my experience studying clarinet in France. I believe studying abroad (whether it’s music or any other discipline) is a great opportunity to learn about other cultures while creating lifelong friends and memories. I encourage anyone interested in studying abroad to make it happen, and I hope this article helps if you’re considering studying abroad. Below are some of the most common questions I get asked, along with some questions from my Facebook page. Disclaimer: These responses are based on my own experiences and won’t necessarily apply to all study abroad situations. Before moving abroad, do as much research as possible for…
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Planning Your Junior or Senior Recital: A Timeline and Checklist
Planning a recital takes a lot of work, both inside and outside the practice room. Expectation and stress levels are high, especially if this is your first recital. Here is my timeline and checklist for planning your recital. You’ll notice that I’ve left out one obvious part – practicing. Practice and prepare as much as possible throughout your recital preparation period. The more prepared you are, the less nervous you will feel on your big day. Keep in mind that these timelines may change depending on your skill level and/or time demands, and some of these suggestions may be optional: 6 months until recital Pick a date. Confirm…
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Buying Your Child’s First Clarinet: A Guide for New Band Parents
Congratulations! Your child has decided to join a school or community band program and has chosen to play the clarinet! Clarinets are obviously the best instrument (although I am a little biased), but it can be overwhelming to purchase a clarinet if you are a first-time band parent. With reeds, mouthpieces, ligatures, mouthpiece caps, swabs, and cork grease, the clarinet has more than its fair share of equipment, which is why I’m here to help. Your main concern is probably the cost of a clarinet, which can range anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Band is an investment, and your goal is to find the best…
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Mental Health Tips for Artists
Mental health is not often discussed in the arts. Musicians, dancers, artists, photographers, and other creative fields have incredibly high-stress careers. Our livelihood is based on public approval, perception, and criticism. We spend countless hours practicing, perfecting, analyzing, improving, and examining our art. Our art is an extension of ourselves, and we expose our most vulnerable thoughts and emotions with family, friends, and complete strangers. By pursuing a career in the arts, you are unknowingly signing a contract which exposes you to a lifetime of criticism, rejection, and crippling self-doubt. Because creative fields are so competitive, you will receive ten rejections for every success (by my rough estimations). Also, balancing professional, personal,…
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The Musician’s Urban Dictionary
You probably know all of your typical music lingo – adagio, cantabile, dolce, sostenuto. Here are all the musical terms you didn’t know you needed! Restimate: to not accurately count during a rest, thus having to guess your next entrance “I got lost in that 33-measure rest, so I had to restimate.” Stage frightmare: a unique nightmare specific to musicians; usually involves being late to recitals, last-minute repertoire changes, or other anxiety-inducing musical situations “I had a stage frightmare that I had to play the Nielsen concerto from memory tonight!” Subzoned: when you are vying for a permanent position with a group but cannot escape the sub list “I’ve performed all…
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The Musician’s Practice Pyramid
Have you ever walked (or dejectedly shuffled) into the practice room, begrudgingly opened your case, assembled your instrument….and wondered what the heck you have to practice? Maybe you’re overwhelmed with excerpts. Maybe you have to learn your scales for All State auditions. Or maybe you don’t even know what you should practice. Not to fear, my trusty Practice Pyramid is here! You’re probably familiar with the food pyramid from health classes past. It’s undergone a few makeovers recently, but the basic idea is essentially the same. A daily diet with the right proportions of certain foods will increase your overall health. Like the food pyramid, your practice routine should also…
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How to Start Your Own Classical Music “Book” Club
Although most of my blog posts are tailored towards musicians, I am passionate about spreading the joys of classical music to everyone – musicians and non-musicians alike. Whether you played an instrument as a child, know a musician, or just enjoy classical music, I believe everyone should have a basic understanding and appreciation for classical music. That’s why I’m here – to help you create your own classical music appreciation club. Classical music often gets a bad reputation. My (non-musician) friends still don’t understand how I can sit through such long pieces when they are used to catchy, synthesized tunes in under five minutes. The general population associates classical music…
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Gross Habits Every Musician Should Break
Let’s get real for a second. Being a musician can be gross sometimes. Using the same mouthpieces and equipment for hours every day is germ-a-palooza, and let’s not even get started on spit valves. Here are a few suggestions to make 2016 a cleaner and more sterilized year for musicians. Wash your hands. Not only will this keep you from getting sick, but it’s also a good way to protect the spread of grime from your hands to your instrument. Brush your teeth. You know what’s worse than dirty hands? Blowing half-eaten food particles from your mouth into your horn. Clean your swab. When was the last time you laundered…
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Pinterest-Inspired Organization for All Your Music and Accessories
I don’t know about you, but over the years I’ve collected quite the amount of clarinet and music-related paraphernalia. I’m sure every musician knows the struggle of accumulating years’ worth of random music, accessories, and other tchotchkes. I used to throw it all in boxes and drawers while suppressing my inner neat freak, but then I turned to Pinterest. I love admiring the artsy snapshots of other people’s DIY organized, fashionable, and life-hacked existences. Not so surprisingly, there was very little tailored to classical musicians on Pinterest. Below, I’ve adapted several Pinteresting ideas to help musicians turn 2016 into the most organized and productive year ever. After all, time spent…