5 Numbers You Need to Make Your Kid a Good Musician- and Printable Practice Charts

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The following is reblogged from Heather of Moderately Crunchy. Keeping kids motivated during the winter semester is an uphill battle, and we need parents to help! Here's the hard truth: not even Yo-Yo Ma can make a child an excellent cellist with one lesson per week. (Sub in whatever instrument your kiddos play in that … Continue reading 5 Numbers You Need to Make Your Kid a Good Musician- and Printable Practice Charts

Making Memories for a Positive Performance

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Steps to successfully prepare for a memorized performance.

88pianokeys's avatar88pianokeys

IMG_2720 Last spring’s recital had a beach theme–can you tell?

Apparently I’m not the only one scarred by a horrendous memory black out during a recital. Riding home with fellow adjudicators from a nearby Federation of Music Clubs Festival, I discovered that others have endured unforgettable and traumatic experiences where the memory bank crashed during an important performance. As I’m preparing my students to participate in a local Federation festival that requires memorization, it’s critical for me to equip performers for NOTHING but a successful experience. I do not wish to pass along my personal past performance scars to anyone.

Playing for an audience is already risky but playing from memory for others including adjudicators could be equated to walking a tightrope.  If performers are going to tip toe on that high wire, it’s important that a safety net is below ready to catch them when, not if mistakes occur and…

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