Category: Books of the Month
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Fun Fact Friday: The Stories of Musical Instruments
Or that the accordion is the national instrument of Finland? The percussion triangle used to have as many as eight angles? The celesta looks like a piano but is actually a percussion instrument that is relatively new to history? There is a pocket trumpet that is wound tightly so it is only 8 inches in…
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Habits – Why They Should Matter to the Musician.
As I was looking over my reading lists from the past few years, I realized that I’ve read an unusual amount of books about habits. And though their titles and premises may all seem very different, I was startled to look back and realize that all of them relate to the phrase “how we spend…
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Looking for Easter Basket Fillers With a Longer Shelf Life?
Spring is in the air, and Easter is just around the corner! And whether or not you view Easter as a big holiday with gifts, music, and celebration, this holiday is an opportunity waiting to be taken hold of when it comes to encouraging a musical home environment 🙂 Easter baskets and chocolate bunnies are…
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Women in Music: Women’s History Month 2022
What do your students learn about composers and professional musicians in your studio? Because I desire to see my students become composers and invested musicians themselves, it is monumentally important that I introduce them to a wide array of musicians. Who can be a musician? Anyone! Color, race, gender, or any other category do not…
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Black History Month in the Music Studio
Welcome to February! The month where all things love, winter (snow seems to fall a bit extra in Cleveland), and Black History month converge! While I strive to incorporate Valentine’s Day and weather-related activities in with my student’s learning, February presents a unique opportunity to celebrate artists and music styles in a very specific and…
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Is there an advantage to music learning?
In Cleveland it has been snowy, cold, and generally the perfect weather to stay inside and curl up with a blanket, a good book, and my thoughts 🙂 Now I don’t often sit with my thoughts and ask the question as to whether or not my profession has value – both musically and in making my…
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Book of the Month: December 2021
It’s mid-December. How are your Christmas shopping and your sanity holding up? I’m currently finding myself in the frenzy but looking ahead to time I have scheduled to slow down. Because time seems extra fast and extra precious this time of year, this post will be mercifully short (both for the writer and reader). But…
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Integrating Music Into a Season of Frenzy
The holiday season is in full swing, and because of this my husband and I took a close look at our calendar yesterday. We are blessed with families we love to be around, a church we are active in, and jobs we are grateful for and want to give our attention to. The closer look…
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Book of the Month: November 2021
I always laugh when I see this quote. I have several people in my life that live this way, and I’ve tried to adopt the “always have a book on hand” philosophy as well. Partially because I love reading, partially because it’s a much better practice than checking social media every spare moment (see Digital…