Making the decision to take music lessons is not something that should be taken lightly. Learning an instrument is an investment of time and money. Students and parents must be ready to dedicate the time to take the lesson and the time at home to practice the instrument. They must be ready to make the financial commitment to pay for the lessons, the instrument and other materials the student will...
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by Jamey Mann, Catoctin School of Music “David Grohl Proves You Don’t Need Lessons to Rock” While surfing YouTube for new music and educational videos for my students I was dismayed to find the titled video above. I was hoping that the title sarcasm and the video would offer some insight in the work it takes to be a part of successful bands like Nirvana and the Foo Fighters. This...
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by Jamey Mann When a child is taking music lessons the role the parent needs to play cannot be overstated. The younger the student the more important this role becomes. In the Suzuki method the parent is referred to as the home teacher. In this role the parent is taking lessons with the student; taking notes on concepts, posture, and what to practice. At home the...
Read MoreSo, a few months ago I wrote about starting your musical New Year’s Resolution. How are you doing with your practice routine? I must admit I failed after two weeks! I got sick with bronchitis and then there was a death in my family. If you remember my blog I noted that “internet research indicates that you have a whopping 20% chance of sticking to...
Read MoreWhen students start private lessons, it would be reasonable to expect that his/her lesson would be focused on the instrument they’re most excited about. Voice lessons are no exception – after all, singers want to sing! As far as instruments go, the barrier to entry for singing lessons is as low as it gets: you already own the instrument, and you already know how to...
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