Stage Fright: Conquer your fear!
With our biannual student concert just around the corner, some tips to help combat stage fright are in order! Ah, stage fright – that dreaded onslaught of fear so many of us experience before (and sometimes while) we perform. The pulse quickens. Breathing becomes short, shallow and unsupported. Hands become sweaty and shaky. Sound familiar?
Tis’ the Season (for colds and flus…and lessons!)
Occasional flu and cold symptoms are inevitable for most of us, especially during the colder months. Added to the normal responsibilities of school and work, feeling under the weather can leave us with little energy leftover to practice music. By all means, take a few days off of practice when you're sick. But what should you do when you feel well enough to get back into the s...
Picture-Perfect Posture: Piano
Ah, nothing like alliteration to kick things off! In this article, we'll be discussing the ins and outs of posture and its role in piano lessons. It's often overlooked, and for good reason: it's just not that exciting. But it is important and plays a vital role in playing comfortably and effectively through the years, so it's best to learn and apply these techniques early o...
Picture-Perfect Posture: Voice
If you're in voice lessons, you've probably had your teacher lead you through some stretches, tell you to keep your knees relaxed, etc. Ever wonder why? Body positioning plays a significant role in producing a strain-free, natural sound.
Over the course of the day - especially if we're spending long hours sitting at a desk! - the shoulders and neck tend to hold tension and the brea...
Making the Most of Your Lessons
Learning an instrument takes consistent work, but it should also be
fun and relaxing. After playing a song, I've heard countless students
remark that it "sounded better at home." Lots of people - kids and
adults - tend to get a little self-conscious in lessons, especially
early on. T...
Identifying your vocal range
When students begin learning piano (or guitar, or any instrument for that matter!), there's a common starting point - learn to identify intervals, types of notes, and so forth. With voice, the path is generally not as clearly laid out. While music theory still applies, students beginning voice lessons have quite likely sung before at some point and have an idea in their head of how ...
Making the most of your piano practice
As with any instrument, practice outside of lessons is very important for continued progress. For most kids, parental encouragement and support is necessary to ensure practicing is done regularly throughout the week. During the school year, aim to build practice sessions into your child's regular schedule - or into your own schedule! During the summer, take extra measures to k...