Balance for your life … Creativity for your studio.
What is the best type of recital to host in your studio? You may be tempted to think that this is limited to the venue or whether it’s online or in-person, but a recital is so much more than just a place. It’s also about the intent & the mood of a recital. And, that…
It’s that time of year & many studios are working towards one goal. Making sure students have their recital song mastered. Or, songs depending on the size of the studio. Sometimes I wonder who is more stressed before the recital: the teacher or the student. And, I think that it all depends on how soon…
Recital prep can be a stressful time for students & their families. The pressure to play things perfectly can lead to tears & parents wondering if it’s all worth it. NOT what we want on their mind around registration season. Instead, making recital prep fun & quirky for students leads to smiles, lots of practice…
Music theory & improvising. It’s important to have both in our teaching. But, what is the best way to teach music theory? To avoid the mistakes of the past, music theory should above all be done in a timely, hands-on manner that ensures students see the connection between theory & application. One of the best…
Whether it’s Pestalozzi, Mason, Suzuki or Gordon the idea of teaching aurally before getting students to read goes back hundreds of years. Yet many teachers tend to teach music from the notation first & aurally second. When it comes to a practical approach of teaching sound before sight it can feel a bit like the…
Unlike previous generations, the stigma of being a female composer is gone. So it could be easy to assume that contemporary female composers are not challenging the music industry’s status quo. This is far from the case! In fact, women today are challenging not only the music industry but societal expectations of women in general.
In the past year, digital escape rooms have become more popular in music studios. Many teachers have looked for online solutions that get students practicing music skills without the stress of trying to do everything live. These have become a student-favourite in my studio & for good reason! But, knowing how can we use digital…
March is “Women in History” month & as I was researching women in music history it was absolutely fascinating. There is a lot of fantastic music out there by both men & women (plus those that don’t identify with either gender). So, why should we specifically include women composers in our repertoire rather than just…
I had no idea just how much time I was spending on prepping for lessons. Until I started to track it. Isn’t it funny how that works out? At that point, I challenged myself with how to reduce prep time regardless of whether I was teaching in-person or online.
Teaching music online can have its challenges. However, maximizing effectiveness during online lessons doesn’t have to require a tech degree. With a few simple tweaks, I’ve discovered how to get through just as much, if not more, moving online vs. in-person. While I’m giving examples through the lens of online lessons, these tips will work…