The second violins missed the D sharp again. It seems like every time you hit that note, it’s out of tune. You go to the piano and play the note for them. They play it back, still out of tune.
Teaching Intonation Part 4: Finger Patterns
Teaching Intonation Part 3: Pitch Matching
Any intonation training needs to start with pitch matching. Until students can match unison pitches, they’ll never be able to tune their instruments, let alone play in tune as an ensemble. Pitch matching should be one of the first things
Teaching Intonation Part 2: Teaching Students What to Listen For
“Listen!” yells the conductor as the students struggle to find the right pitch. It’s true; listening is important, but what exactly do we listen to? Do our students know what we mean when we tell them to listen? Do we
Teaching Intonation Part 1: Keys to Success
We’ve all experienced it. You’ve felt the frustration that comes when the violas missed the C sharp yet again, even though you’ve gone over it at least a dozen times. You’ve cringed through those elementary or middle school concerts –
Why All-State?
You’re on the stage of the most beautiful concert hall you’ve ever played in, the same stage where world-class musicians play almost every week. You sit in nervous anticipation of the concert that will start in just a few minutes
Considerations for Choosing Repertoire
The music you choose for your orchestras to learn makes a huge difference in how they sound when they perform. Selecting repertoire is probably one of the most important things we do as music teachers. With thousands of pieces to
Changing it Up with Seating
I’ve never been strongly attached to the traditional orchestral seating arrangement, and in my 10+ years of teaching orchestra I’ve gone through just about every possible seating arrangement with my students. Each arrangement brings its own set of pros and
I Have Commitment Issues
Usually when I write a blog post, I feel like I have something helpful to say. While I never have all the answers, I have learned something that works for me that might be helpful to someone else. That’s not
Picking Up the Pieces of Covid
It’s June 3, 2021 and today was my high school’s graduation. It was an actual, live, in-person graduation. All 570 graduating seniors donned their caps and gowns and walked across the stage as their names were read. Parents, family members,
Helping Your Students Become More Consistent
Not long ago I was talking to a colleague about his concert the night before. He mentioned how frustrating it was for him that his students would play so well one day and so terribly the next. He knew they