Knowing the notes and playing them accurately, and in tune, is one thing. However, the quality of your tone has a marked effect on how a piece sounds and feels to the audience. If your tone is flat or lacks the rich, resonance double basses are known for, it will directly affect your inspiration and joy of playing, not to mention your performances.
Read More
Beginning violinists don't have the best reputation when it comes to sound quality. The reality is that except for the very rare virtuoso, all string musicians must start somewhere - and that somewhere often involves driving family members absolutely crazy as they go from eager beginner (shriek! twang! screech!) to confident player (rich! warm! smooth!).
Read More
Selecting the right music program for a class or a recital is always a challenge. You want to present something that balances the students’ skill level with an audience favorites, without being too redundant. And don’t forget about creating the program around a theme! Frankly, you’ve got a lot going on.
Read More
If there is a magical source for all things musical, Vienna could be it. In addition to being the hometown of a remarkable number of famous classical composers - Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Haydn, Strauss, etc. - Vienna is also home to one of the best, and well-known, manufacturer of strings: Thomastik-Infeld.
Read More
When you’re focused on your bowing, your fingering, all the little details you have to think about as you perform, other performance details can get lost. Recording yourself as you play is an effective way to listen and observe your performance from the outside.
Read More
Unless you play with a community orchestra or your parents enlist a music instructor throughout the summer, odds are you'll be playing far less over the summer vacation than you do during the school year. While muscle memory is a very real thing, it isn't such a powerful "muscle" that it will remain in shape for two to three months without a bit of effort on your part.
Read More
By the time your music students graduate, you share a special bond. Together, you've spent countless hours around instruction, private lessons, rehearsals, and performances. You've seen them at their best – and their worst – and have helped to cultivate their love of music and good musicianship. And, as most teachers acknowledge, you've probably learned more from them than they could ever learn from you.
Read More
Summer is practically here, which means it's time to enjoy some of the best music festivals! If you're feeling super ambitious, you might think about volunteering at a festival. But if you want to relax and just enjoy the atmosphere and performances, that's perfect. Here are some of this summer's best music festivals to check out.
Read More
Whether you're headed on vacation or away for a music school audition, traveling with an instrument requires proactive planning. While en route – via plane, train or automobile – your instrument is more susceptible to damage, theft/vandalism, or just plain "getting lost" in the shuffle.
Read More
Recently we blogged about how to care for your string instrument during the winter, and now it's time to refresh your memory about instrument care through the summer months.
Read More
Knowing the notes and playing them accurately, and in tune, is one thing. However, the quality of your tone has a marked effect on how a piece sounds and feels to the audience. If your tone is flat or lacks the rich, resonance double basses are known for, it will directly affect your inspiration and joy of playing, not to mention your performances.
Read More
Beginning violinists don't have the best reputation when it comes to sound quality. The reality is that except for the very rare virtuoso, all string musicians must start somewhere - and that somewhere often involves driving family members absolutely crazy as they go from eager beginner (shriek! twang! screech!) to confident player (rich! warm! smooth!).
Read More
Selecting the right music program for a class or a recital is always a challenge. You want to present something that balances the students’ skill level with an audience favorites, without being too redundant. And don’t forget about creating the program around a theme! Frankly, you’ve got a lot going on.
Read More
If there is a magical source for all things musical, Vienna could be it. In addition to being the hometown of a remarkable number of famous classical composers - Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Haydn, Strauss, etc. - Vienna is also home to one of the best, and well-known, manufacturer of strings: Thomastik-Infeld.
Read More
When you’re focused on your bowing, your fingering, all the little details you have to think about as you perform, other performance details can get lost. Recording yourself as you play is an effective way to listen and observe your performance from the outside.
Read More
Unless you play with a community orchestra or your parents enlist a music instructor throughout the summer, odds are you'll be playing far less over the summer vacation than you do during the school year. While muscle memory is a very real thing, it isn't such a powerful "muscle" that it will remain in shape for two to three months without a bit of effort on your part.
Read More
By the time your music students graduate, you share a special bond. Together, you've spent countless hours around instruction, private lessons, rehearsals, and performances. You've seen them at their best – and their worst – and have helped to cultivate their love of music and good musicianship. And, as most teachers acknowledge, you've probably learned more from them than they could ever learn from you.
Read More
Summer is practically here, which means it's time to enjoy some of the best music festivals! If you're feeling super ambitious, you might think about volunteering at a festival. But if you want to relax and just enjoy the atmosphere and performances, that's perfect. Here are some of this summer's best music festivals to check out.
Read More
Whether you're headed on vacation or away for a music school audition, traveling with an instrument requires proactive planning. While en route – via plane, train or automobile – your instrument is more susceptible to damage, theft/vandalism, or just plain "getting lost" in the shuffle.
Read More
Recently we blogged about how to care for your string instrument during the winter, and now it's time to refresh your memory about instrument care through the summer months.
Read More
