Harmonics for Flutists What are harmonics? Why do flutists have to understand them? Are there exercises that use harmonics? Note that the terms “harmonics,” “partials,” and “overtones” refer to the
In a previous post, I talked about the miserable options for flutists using a marching lyre. In marching band, musicians often have to learn music quickly, and bringing sheet music
Auditions offer life lessons Auditions are like job interviews for musicians. We prepare for hours but have one shot in front of the judges. It’s frightening, thrilling, and weird. My
Come play in the music sandbox! My flute student James told me about a new “music sandbox” website that provides mini lessons for the budding composer. James’ friend, Dennis DeSantis,
Note Reading is one of the most fundamental, but difficult, skills for beginner musicians. In this blog post, I will share with you one of the novel approaches invented by
Music and Politics Songs have been used to foster patriotism; national anthems, patriotic songs, and campaign jingles arouse the spirit. Anti-government songs are the other side of the political music spectrum:
Where Does Silence Begin? Claude Debussy famously quipped “Music is the silence between the notes.” Or consider this wisdom from an old Zen koan: “It is the silence between the notes
Banishing Negative Self-Talk For the first several years after I started my job as music director, I had a lot of anxiety about the job. I often came home on
Music as a Spiritual Practice: My Path The Beginning Like many people, I first began to connect music and spiritual practice while a young child. I attended a large, stone Presbyterian church with
The End of Average: How We Succeed in a World That Values Sameness Are you average? Author Todd Rose argues that nobody is average. We all have unique, jagged strengths and weaknesses.