New Year’s Resolutions

What grand, finicky things are New Year’s Resolutions! We love to make them, because they give us something to strive for, something to achieve, and some way to make ourselves better. And yet, they are notoriously difficult to keep.

What makes a good NYR, and how might that apply to our musical selves?

Generally, a good NYR is one that is not too easy to accomplish, nor should it be too difficult. With the first, there’s no incentive to complete it, and with the second, any incentive to finish is overshadowed by the time or resources commitment it would take to do so. Finding that ‘baby bear’ sweet spot of ‘challenging but doable’ is essential in creating a standout NYR.

Next, a NYR should be fun. It should be a journey worth taking. Cleaning the garage or offering to feed the neighbor’s iguana when they head out of town are probably not the best NYRs. They should be things we’re looking forward to doing, not just having done.

NYRs should also make a qualitative difference in lifestyle. They should improve us, make us better.

How can we incorporate music into a NYR? The good news is that there are a lot of options to fit a wide variety of skills, experiences, and time commitments. An experienced musician or professional might make it their goal to learn an extremely difficult piece of music (which could easily take the better part of a year). An amateur or student musician could make the same kind of goal, but would probably do well to remember that the goal should be attainable, and fun.

Yet we shouldn’t stop here. What about non-musicians? Can they have musical NYRs? Of course! How about picking up an instrument from childhood, or even learning a new instrument altogether? How about choosing a composer, finding a biography and reading it while listening to a soundtrack of their most famous compositions? Or going to see an opera (despite the oft-lingering childhood ideas about operas being stuffy and silly, they are usually not only beautiful and interesting, but also funny and engaging)? How about musical theatre? I suggested to a cook in an Italian restaurant that he go see Sweeney Todd, the Stephen Sondheim musical. He looked at me suspiciously, and said he wasn’t into that whole ‘Sound of Music scene’. I told him he needed to go, and he would be pleasantly surprised. Boy, was he ever.

The great thing about music is that there are so many ways to engage, from three minutes a day (one Beatles song a day for a year?) to as many hours a day as you’d like (learning to play the piano? Accordion? Harp?), that there is virtually no excuse for not making 2014 the year of the Musical New Year’s Resolution!

Want help attaining your musical NYR? Check out these helpful musical educators!

The Education Profession

I remember well my first year of college. As a music major, I was part of a fairly small group of students – while the education department at a university is usually rather large, the music department can number no more than three or four hundred to the university’s fifteen thousand.

One of the advantages of this system is that it’s not uncommon for freshman to intermingle with upperclassmen on a daily basis. One of the older students who was in his second week of student teaching had dropped by the music building, for what I can’t recall. He decided to sit down for a moment, plopping himself onto a lounge couch.

‘I’m so tired,’ he said. ‘After four years of a full class load, a couple hours of instrument practice a day, homework, and a part-time job, I wasn’t expecting to be so...tired.’

He was happy with his chosen profession, and excited about his future as a teacher, but still surprised that the daily job would take so much out of him. I should note, he was a long-distance runner who worked construction on his summer breaks. He was not out of shape.

Teaching demands much of us. There is so much to juggle: short and long-term classroom objectives, development standards, classroom management, homework, scheduling, parents to update and inform, administrative tasks to attend to, and of course the list goes on.

Every student is different, and each has their own needs. Those needs must be met in various ways, and there is only so much time before our students pass on to the next phase of their lives. There are students with all different needs and abilities. Yet each student deserves our care and attention, and when we give them what they need, teaching is one of the most rewarding professions in the world, no question about it!

Want to find a great group of dedicated educational professionals? Check out this site!

Why teach music?

I was going through some folder handouts from a school the other day, and came across a wonderful sheet of paper. It appeared to be a simple take-home sheet, listing the day, the name of the class, the concepts worked on and the homework for next week. Since the eight week class had finished, I turned the paper over to see if I could use the other side.

To my delight and excitement, I could not. It seems the back side had been used as a canvas, filled up with an endless supply of drawings and slogans. There were pictures of the girl holding her hand in the air, cheering. Pictures of pianos and music notes, quarter rests and sunshine. There was writing covering the page, each saying more excited than the last. ‘Piano is so fun!’ ‘My teacher is the best!’ ‘I LOVE MUSIC!’

All of this was drawn on the last day of an eight-week, hour-long class.

There are so many lessons here it’s hard to know where to start. The first thing I think is, ‘this is the reason.’ This is why we educate. We teach to inspire wonder in our students, so that for the rest of the day, they are thinking about what we’ve taught. So that after their eight-week (or ten-week, or year-long, or whatever length you like) class is over, they remember how much fun and joy they received from thinking, moving, playing. We teach so that they can take these experiences with them, use them, grow from them, pass them on, and make themselves and the world around them better.

It doesn’t take a lifetime to make a difference. It can happen in an hour, or in an instant. We are often so wrapped up in our own lives that we fail to realize the impact we have on others. This is true of every interaction we have, and especially true, I think, of the teacher-student relationship. We have all been affected by our teachers, sometimes positively, sometimes otherwise. How many college teachers inspired after only a semester? How many remember their first-grade teacher’s name? I sure do.

No matter where this little girl is headed in her life, she will remember the awesome piano class she took when she was in second grade. This incredible experience happened (hopefully not for the last time), and it happened because a teacher inspired. These moments can happen in group settings, in the middle of an all day summer camp, or in an hour-long class that only runs for a few weeks. Make no mistake: if we educate to the best of our ability, they will happen.

Looking for great music classes near you? Check out this site with options from group lesson locations to lessons in your own home!

What is the right instrument for my child?

What is the right instrument for my child?

Every parent interested in enrolling their child in music deliberates over the choice of instrument. What will be the best for them? Voice? Trumpet? Guitar? The oboe that a family member played twenty years ago and left in the basement? There are many options out there, but thankfully, relatively few considerations to address.

The first concern many parents have is about size, particularly for instrumental programs that begin before the standard late-elementary band/orchestra time frame. While it is true that no kindergartner should be playing a full-size guitar or tuba, there are appropriately sized options in every instrument family: Violins come in ¼, ½, ¾ and full size. Flutes can be purchased with curved headjoints so that students can reach the keys comfortably. Acoustic guitars come in ½ and ¾ sizes, to make strumming and reaching the furthest frets a comfortable endeavor. The list goes on, but the idea should be fairly clear – every instrument family has a sized model that a youngster can physically handle.

The next question parents often have is, What is the best instrument to start out on? While this answer could be qualified with a discussion of the merits and challenges various instruments might provide, the real answer is that the best instrument for any student, regardless of age, is the one that they like the best. If a student is in love with the bassoon, and someone hands him a clarinet, then the best we can hope for is that the student will dutifully do as he’s asked. But how much more experimentation, exploration, and understanding will take place when that bassoon is put into his hands? We all learn better, faster, and more thoroughly when we are excited about the subject matter. This excitement, and the resulting increase in learning, is far more important than worrying about whether the violin or, say, the guitar might be easier for the budding musician.

Finally, if after a serious trial period (about a school year, generally) a child decides that their first instrument is not the right one for them, have them try another one! It will probably be slow going at first, as they learn how to manipulate their new instrument, but that’s all right. Eventually, they will be able to apply the musical terminology and the listening that they gained during their first musical foray. Of course, music takes patience and dedication, but anyone can learn, and there is an instrument out there for everyone!

Looking for info on lessons on ALL instruments? Contact this link and Happy Practicing!

How does music practice fit into a child’s schedule?

There are innumerable constraints on our childrens’ time: soccer practice, dance class, art lessons, play dates, homework, school projects, family outings, and the list goes on. Even the weekends are filled with scheduled activities, and when does a child even get time to just play?

The good news is that our youngest students are doing their music ‘practicing’ simply by playing. If they are taking time to pluck strings, play low and high sounds, rap out rhythms on a drum pad or interact in any range of musical experiences, then they are showing their interest and engagement. It does not matter that they are not ‘sitting down for fifteen minutes a day’ to work on their scales. Children are no different from adults in that they will learn the most, and the best, when they are having fun.

If a child is not yet in school, then that child is young enough not to need a structured practice regimen, and parents should simply support any range of musical expression the child chooses to undertake.

For those students in the kindergarten to second grade age range, a practice regimen can certainly be easily incorporated into the schedule. About fifteen minutes a day is a great goal to set for early elementary musicians. Between 3rd and 6th grade, thirty minutes of practice per day is a great goal. If it is difficult to find that fifteen minute block of practice time, remember that this is not an all-or-nothing game. Five minutes of practice is better than none, and five minutes twice a day (say, once in the morning and once at night) is incredibly beneficial.

An added bonus can be achieved if your child practices right before bedtime. While they are sleeping, their brains will be working through all the musical experiences they had just a while earlier.

One final thought: if music ‘practice’ is framed as constructive play, and inserted at a regular time (or times) each day, then it not only becomes an accepted part of the daily routine, but something every student will appreciate as a rewarding, positive part of their day!

Happy Practicing!

Looking for Great Music Lessons that come to your home? Check out this site!

Holiday Music Ideas

The holidays are here! The season is full of festivities and joy, and parents can channel this excitement into musical practice and playing. Holiday songs are not only fun, but familiar, and this provides young students the inspiration to keep practicing during the Thanksgiving to New Year doldrums, when so many activities are competing for their time and attention. Instead of allowing family visits, parties, and get-togethers to become impediments to wintertime practice, embrace them as opportunities for children to play for (and with) loved ones and friends. Sing-alongs, duets, trios, and mixed instrument groups are all fantastic outlets for different ages and groups of kids to play together, from the beginning guitarist who strums along to the beat, to the more ‘seasoned’ pianist who can dazzle with all ten fingers at the same time. It’s not just holiday spirit that your children will experience – they will learn to listen to each other, to practice teamwork, and to make the world merrier through their music! If you need holiday book ideas for the young musician in the family, please follow the link below, write "Holiday Music" in the feedback section & LNM will send you info on great options. Happy Practicing! Holiday Music

What does a group class look like?

What does a group class look like? Parents often wonder what a group music class looks like, what happens in one, and generally how the whole thing works. This is an extremely important topic, because if expectations do not meet reality, it can be a frustrating situation for everyone involved. Firstly, a fantastic analogy can be drawn between learning music and learning a language. In a language class with a number of students, the pace of progression will not be as steep, let’s say, as one-to-one instruction, but there will be that all-important element of socialization and group interaction. While private instruction will probably move at a faster pace, it will not contain the social component. Music classes are exactly the same – group classes should be a fun, enjoyable dynamic where all the students participate together and have a great time learning music as a group. Next: what, specifically, does a group class look like? What do the kids do? Are rhythm exercises in a group piano class, for instance, appropriate? Because there are many aspects to musical expression, and because young minds crave variety, the most effective music classes are those that accomplish many different tasks in a given lesson. Learning the specific techniques of an instrument is important, of course, but understanding – and feeling – rhythm, dynamics, articulations, and many other elements of music is equally essential. Students should be able to stand up, stretch, perform clapping games and rhythmic exercises, to practice writing and drawing musical notes and notation, and to listen to others play, as well. When students are having fun, when they are engaged, and when they want to participate, that is when they will learn the most, and retain that knowledge for a lifetime. Happy Practicing! Looking for music lessons?

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Spring Music Lessons

Spring is a Great time to get started on Your Music Lessons! Learn Now Music offers - - In-home Private Music Lessons - In-home Discounted Group Music Lessons (2 or more students) - Before & After School Enrichment Programs - Summer Music Camps - Preschool Programs - And More! Get started today!

Kids in the Kitchen

Kids in the Kitchen Want to cook up a good time with the kids? Then bring your junior chefs, miniature foodies, and fledgling fitness fanatics to the YMCA National Capital (1711 Rhode Island Ave NW) from 10am-2pm on Sat., March 2nd for Junior League of Washington's Kids in the Kitchen. The fun-filled day will offer games, crafts, hands-on learning, goodie bags, and exciting raffle prizes, all to celebrate and promote nutritional literacy. Fitness experts will lead kids in high-energy exercise sessions, celebrity chefs will host healthy cooking demonstrations, and certified nutritionists will be on hand to answer questions. MORE INFO

Special event - January 17th from 7 to 9 pm

Special event coming up at lil omm, a yoga studio located in Tenleytown, DC, on Thursday, January 17th from 7 to 9 pm. Author and mother Katrina Kenison will teach Yoga for a Calm Heart at 7 (open to all levels, ages/stages, prenatal welcome) and then offer informal conversation and readings from her books: Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry, The Gift of an Ordinary Day, and her new memoir, Magical Journey: An Apprenticeship in Contentment from 8 to 9 pm. Katrina will sign books (feel free to bring your own or purchase at the studio) and light snacks will be provided. Cost: $20 for the yoga class, $10 per person for the book reading. (You can attend both the yoga and the reading, or just one). If you are not familiar with Katrina, you can visit her site at www.katrinakenison.com. She is the phenom behind the Youtube video The Gift of An Ordinary Day, (grab some tissues!) which has 1.6 million views, and her newest video book trailer can be found here.