Keys & Strings Music Studio

I am asked this question at least twice a week, sometimes more! It's actually a very easy question to answer.....The answer is, every child is different. Parents need to ask themselves, is my child requesting to learn this instrument, or do I think they should do it?  Wanting to learn an instrument is a big part on the readiness radar. We certainly don't expect our students to sit or stand like statues for 30 minutes, but can they do so for 10 minutes at a time? Good listening skills.  We build on listening skills in lessons, but we need our students to be prepared to listen and follow direction.  When at home and you ask your child to 'get your shoes on' or 'go brush your teeth' do they HEAR and LISTEN? Music readiness is also a team effort.  Not only does the teacher need to be prepared but so does the musician AND his parents.     Everyone needs reminders now and again.  Young children will need to be nudged to go make music at home.  Even en

The Webster definition of perception is Definition of  perception 1 a   :  a result of  perceiving   :  observation b   :  a mental image  :  concept 2 obsolete   :  consciousness 3 a   :  awareness of the elements of environment through physical  sensation   color  perception b   :  physical sensation interpreted in the light of experience 4 a   :  quick, acute, and intuitive  cognition   :  appreciation b   :  a capacity for comprehension — perceptional   play   \ pər-ˈsep-shnəl ,   -shə-nᵊl \ It is funny how our perceptions of a situation can be so different from another's .   I had an aspiring student many years ago.   He started with me as a toddler and based on my perception of the situation I dismissed his family when he was 10-years old .  He started  on violin first, then piano as well .   I loved this young man as a musician, a student and a person.     I thought I had a good relationship with his family .  

Time.  Not just starting on time (though punctuality is a priority!) but time to learn, to grow, to practice and improve.  Time to put your best work out there.   But also time to arrange the date (a year in advance) make sure the insurance is paid up, design and order the passes, get all the students names, pieces and length of piece from the educators. Do the math of the solos and ensemble length of songs to make sure we don't go over our allotted time.   Combine in an attractive and not overwhelming order.  Change who is in what recital because of conflicts of events (dance recitals!, softball finals!) Change more because now we have duplicates.  Get program to the printers.  (Forget half the programs at the studio) Make sure we have all the wires, plugs, strings, rosin, music stands, music, instruments.  Set up the ensemble chairs, the keyboard, move the piano.  Don't forget to put everything back where we got it!  All in all, the audience may see a two hour event.

      Hello all! I'm Paige! In fourth grade, I took up the violin in the public school systems, more than a year ago I started taking private violin lessons at this fine establishment of Keys and Strings, and now I am a part time employee here. Being a junior in high school, it is not easy for me to be juggling not only school work, but also my job hours and violin practices, lessons, and ensembles. For many instrument players, this is a common situation, some even have sports added to the list. So how do you manage all these activities without hindering your instrument practice? Well for starters, PUT DOWN THE PHONE. Easy right? Nope. This is the new struggle of people living the 21st century generation. We are the first to actually grow up and live around all these high tech gadgets. These gadgets effect people of all ages, but the same technologies that make you glued to them can actually help you un-glue from them. Many apps from Apple and Android let you lock you

                                  Continuity in any task or talent that we wish to master is key.     Just as only touching the instrument once a week will not bring on progression, nor will sporadic instruction.   Studies have been done that show that in order to master a skill it can take up to 10,000 HOURS to be an expert.  Compare this idea to sports practices and games.  Beginners especially can learn bad habits, practice an assignment incorrectly and then have to unlearn it.   Questions will arise that may then be forgotten.  Posture, hand position, manipulation of instrument, bowing techniques, breath control, pitch reading and rhythm are all ideas that can be misinterpreted.   It is also important to remember that progression and retention come with time.    To have a beginning student only see an educator on a specialized instrument or subject twice a month is a recipe (or rhythm) to disaster.    In the same frame of mind, hopping from one instrument to

                                                       Common bad habit corrections                        are straighten your back, open your wrist, feet slightly separated, violin up!                                                                           This young musician is staying focused on so many things.                                                                     And doing a great job!                                                                     Several weeks ago the educators of Keys and Strings each contributed to a post on practice.                   This week I would like to address the reasons that a weekly lesson is so important.    Continuity in any task or talent that we wish to master is key.     Just as only touching the instrument once a week will not bring on progression, nor will sporadic instruction.    Beginners especially can learn bad habits, practice an assignment incorrectly and then have to unlearn it.   Questions will arise that may then

I hear this question A LOT.  As educators, we all want our students to do their very best. Whether they are graphic artists, musicians, fencers or soccer players. The art of doing something well is in the doing. To master something, you must do it well repeatedly. The repetition (in the correct way) is what makes the lesson (whatever the lesson is) stick. Each of our educators has their own point of view on the "Art of Practice" and we will share them in this blog post. I sometimes ask my students or their parents if they only brush their teeth twice a year when they visit the dentist. Of course this is met with laughter, eye rolls, "of course not's".  Yet sometimes, our students think that just by attending a once a week lesson they will become a great pianist, or violinist, or vocalist. That's just not the case. Would you want a mechanic who had never looked under a hood fixing your automobile? Would you want the neurosurgeon who had