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Quick Fix Friday – Lunglock
Breathing. I’ve always thought it was funny that we spend our entire life without thinking about it, then we pick up an instrument (with a few exceptions, of course) and forget everything we know about breathing. Wind instrumentalists will undoubtedly spend many hours studying charts and diagrams of the lung’s relation to the oral cavity; attend several lessons or masterclasses on the discussion of “proper breathing”; or even take up cardio activities (hey, it can’t hurt!). There are even courses designed to facilitate better breathing techniques, such as The Breathing Gym. How can something so natural cause so much angst among musicians (unless you had the foresight to choose violin,…
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What Every Parent Should Know about Private Music Lessons for their Child
As we enter the new school year, many students are entering school band or joining community music programs. Several students will begin private music lessons for the first time, and others will resume where they left off before the holidays. Here is some advice and helpful hints for any parent of a student enrolled in private lessons: “Interview” potential teachers. Finding a good teacher/student match is crucial. Take an introductory lesson with any candidates and sit in during your child’s lesson. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Finding the right teacher for your child can make all the difference. Private lessons are not a quick fix. Do not enroll…
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Why You Should Fight for Music
If you’re a classical musician, I’m sure you’re well aware of the dismal funding for music programs in America. If you’re not a musician, maybe you’ve heard of budget cuts in local school systems and later realized the marching band that used to play at halftime shows was no longer doing so. Music is easily overshadowed by STEM programs (science, technology, engineering, and math) in America, with the flawed logic that other disciplines are not as useful or beneficial to the American economy and productivity. Musicians have argued this point relentlessly to save public music programs and fight bankruptcy for orchestras (Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Minnesota Orchestras have all faced financial…
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Books Every Clarinetist Should Have on Their Bookshelf (Or Kindle)
I have been a bookworm ever since I first started reading. Combine my love of books with my passion for clarinet, and you’ve created nirvana. In the age of the Internet, there are a multitude of resources for recordings, sheet music, and information readily available for any musical queries. Having the world at your fingertips is an amazing thing, but for me, there is nothing quite like the feel of a sturdy book in your hands (it’s even better if accompanied by coffee or tea). For those of you who share these sentiments, I have compiled a list of my favorite books on everything clarinet. Certain items on this list…
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Creating a Syllabus for Your Private Studio
Creating a Syllabus for Your Private Studio Chances are, your band director, theory professor, music history teacher, or studio professor are very familiar with syllabi. Most institutions require educators to maintain up-to-date syllabi outlining their expectations, objectives, assignments, and overviews for their classes. For students, these are the papers you probably pretended to read and then threw away after they were distributed on the first day of classes (and frantically searched for during finals week to calculate your grade). A syllabus is a valuable tool not only for educators, but also a great resource for students. Syllabi allow educators to organize their ideas for a class while simultaneously providing students…
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How to Test Equipment at Conventions
How to Test Equipment at Conventions For musicians, conventions and conferences are wonderful opportunities to hear concerts, attend masterclasses, and peruse exhibits for music, tchotchkes, and equipment. These events are great places to try equipment you might not have access to otherwise, but making sure you find your best setup at these venues can be tricky if you are not careful. Here are some tips to select new equipment among the cacophony of the exhibit halls: Scout out the exhibits for the booths you are interested in trying their equipment. Plan to test their equipment during low-traffic hours (it’s typically slowest when the exhibits open or during lunchtime). Testing equipment…