I remember when a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed young me walked out of his first voice lesson at the age of eighteen. All my musical training up until this point had been in piano and everything I knew about singing I learned from the choirs I had sung in. I thought I had at least an idea of what I was doing, but then I started learning about the various bad habits I had already formed and 45 minutes wasn’t even enough to cover them all. [Read more…]
Better late than never
Someone asked me yesterday how long I’d been teaching and without thinking about I answered “Almost two years.” It suddenly struck me that I that I had let my two year anniversary go by without so much as a mentioning.
So, to honor my two year (and one week) extra-versary, here’s an update on some of the things I’ve been up to: [Read more…]
Learning (And Teaching) Music in the 21st Century
The future is upon us, friends. So maybe we haven’t colonized the moon or perfected the flying car–yet–but still, you have to admit it’s an incredible time to be alive. The fact that you can read this very post while simultaneously listening to a Beegees-themed radio station, checking your email, and downloading an app that tracks your bowel movements on the same device is both astounding and more than a little troubling. [Read more…]
3 Things to Consider When Shopping For a Music Teacher
Not to brag–OK, sorta to brag–but I feel like I’m coming in to my own as a teacher. I’ve had a surprisingly busy summer so far with lessons and–with fall just around the corner–I’m getting pumped. It seems a lot of people are in the market for a music teacher these days.
I can’t be everywhere at once, though, at least not until I finish my army of music teaching cyborgs. So in the meantime, here’s some advice on choosing a music teacher for those of you who are looking. [Read more…]
Making Music Fun Again: Learn to Juggle and Improve Your Sight Reading Skill
Summer is finally here! Bored yet?
If you’re not, then go ahead and rub it in. Seriously, you deserve it. The rest of us need something to find something to do.
Personally, summer has traditionally been a time when I get it into my head that I’m going to learn some new skill or attempt some challenge. Historically, my success rate has been…less than awesome. Even so, there was one summer when I achieved something I was sure would take a year at least: I learned to juggle. [Read more…]
Herbie Day
Jazz, though far from an outdated art form, has aged long past its first Renaissance. Many of the greats from the old days slowly trod the path of the dinosaur leaving the world with the legacy of swing, bebop, and what we now have come to know as the true American art form. In 2011 alone, 30 renowned jazz musicians passed away (I know, they list 32, but…Nate Dogg and Amy Winehouse? No disrespect intended, but calling them jazz musicians seems like a stretch to me. Do your research, NPR). Getting an opportunity to see a true jazz legend, sadly, grows more and more difficult with each passing year.
So when Claire presented me with two tickets to see Herbie Hancock and his band as my Christmas present, she fully understood my shrieks of excitement in the crowded restaurant where we exchanged gifts. I dubbed that day in March Herbie Day and took the day off. [Read more…]
The Nuclear Option
Psst! Parents!
You might want to make sure the kids are occupied while you read this, because I’m about to tell you something that, if used judiciously, will give you the upper hand in getting them to practice. Seriously, take a sec and make sure they’re not reading over your shoulder (they read the blog, right?). Go ahead, I’ve got time. [Read more…]
Making Music Fun Again: Why You Should Practice (and Eat Your Veggies)
I am often asked “How much should my kid practice?” by parents and it always reminds me of being five years old and asking my parents “How many more bites?” at the dinner table. In our household, the evening meal was like a hostage negotiation with green beans instead of people, and rather than holding my captives at gunpoint, I had to eat them.
My exasperated mother would haggle shrewdly over both bite number and size, and even once the terms were agreed upon by both parties, I would doggedly hunt for loopholes in our contract. Had it not been for her outright tenacity, I’m pretty sure I would have died of scurvy before reaching the age of six. [Read more…]
Happy Birthday to Me
Yup. It’s been a year and I’m still here. ‘Scuse me whilst I bust a move…
[youtube WAyTK6jF5o8]
Making Music Fun Again: Love (or at least tolerate) the essentials
We’re almost through the first month of 2012 and many of us have reached a point where we’re beyond regret making those resolutions and have just pretended that they were never made in the first place. As you can see, my goal of posting more frequently has been less than stellar (though I have moving and running my studio full time to use as an excuse). The only possible silver lining this year is that if the Mayans are right, this will be the last time we have a chance to annually disappointment ourselves. [Read more…]