By Jamey Mann, Catoctin School of Music This is the time of year where college bound students are getting ready for college auditions. Students not far behind them are making the decision to peruse music or not. Something I try to do with all my students making these decisions is to be as realistic as possible with them. Too often I find that most students have...
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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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When it comes to music lessons parental involvement is imperative. The younger a student is, the more important parental oversight becomes. When a student is high school aged, parents may not need to be a part of every lesson, but should be aware of how lessons are going, the direction the teacher is taking the student, and if that student is practicing enough at home....
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With the school year about to begin, it might be time to give students some new goals to motivate them and refresh their interest in music lessons. Here are a few skills to consider nurturing as school gets back in session: Build Your Sight-Reading Skills! Focusing in on sight reading practice is a great way to prepare for upcoming auditions – shake off the rust by setting aside practice time to...
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I have not met many students who love playing their scales. Scales are the green vegetables that are left on the plate and passed off to the dog under the dinner table. Here are some quick tips to help inspire your students to enjoy their scales: Change up the rhythm: If one of my students has trouble with the fingering of a scale, I like to...
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