Improvisation Inspiration As part of my “file cabinet” method for organizing practice, I encourage everyone to add improvisation to their daily practice. Remember, improvisation can take lots of different forms
The Musical Family I want my kids to always love music. At nine and ten years old, they aren’t interested in sitting through an opera at the Met. It’s probably
Priorities: There’s an Exception to Every Rule In a previous post (Motivation: Parenting and Practicing), I wrote, “If we have to choose between baseball practice and a piano lesson, piano
The Musician’s Brain Science is confirming the “Mozart Effect” through new advances in brain imaging. When I was a music student (not so very long ago!) nobody knew much about the effect
Concentration Exercises for Musicians The prevailing wisdom for many years was that our minds could handle about seven things at once. This was supported by research in 1956 that showed people
Sight Reading Tips and Three Activities for Improving Eye Tracking I was teaching a lesson with a 9 year-old student this week when I asked her to do some sight
The Rhythm Spinner Game is an excellent tool for woodshedding difficult passages. Like the Articulation Game, the Rhythm Spinner adds an element of chance to spice up your practicing. For
Music is the Key To Success, at least according to Joanne Lipman, reporter for the New York Times. She makes an interesting connection between some of the most successful people and
Every lesson I teach is an adventure. I never know exactly what to expect when a student walks through the door. Flexibility and creativity are my best friends on lesson
I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of Anthony Mazzocchi’s book The Music Parents’ Guide: A Survival Kit for the New Music Parent. It’s available on Kindle on