Tag : teacher

Yanny or Laurel? laurel or yanny

Do you hear “Yanny” or “Laurel?” This audio clip was the internet sensation for May 2018. In it, a voice is heard saying a word. Many people hear either “Yanny”

Stories from the Studio: Flute Mystery dyeing Easter eggs

A Flute Mystery I love teaching because it always presents new challenges. This week, I had to put on my detective hat to solve a mystery, A high school student

Resilience and Recitals

Nothing ever goes as planned. He takes a deep breath, blows, and only air comes out. She practiced hundreds of hours and spent weeks preparing only to have her performance

Note Reading: Following the Contours

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

The End of Average – book review

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.

Five Things All Marching Band Flutists Should Know

Just in time for marching band season, I present you with these pearls of wisdom. I have played in and coached marching bands for many years. The flute is a

Grit for Musicians: Practicing and Parenting

Is Grit the Secret to Success In Music? I first heard about Angela Duckworth and her research on “grit” on a Freakonomics podcast. Duckworth talks about how persistence, not talent,

Embouchure Variations

Embouchure Variations What does the “perfect embouchure” look like? I’ve been asked many times what a “proper” or “perfect” embouchure should look like. The answer is simple: There is no

Marking Rhythms (Miss It? Mark It! part 4)

Marking Rhythms (Miss It? Mark It! part 4) This is the fourth article in a series about “marking music,” providing visual solutions to problems musicians encounter during practice. Our brains

New Ideas for Marking Music (part 5 of Miss It? Mark It!)

Miss It? Mark It! part 5 A new student arrived at her lesson this week with music beautifully colored. Last week, I had encouraged Madeline* to write in her music.