As a classically-trained violinist, I didn’t learn improvisation at all until just a few years ago when I decided to teach myself. Improv opened up a whole new world of music making to me; I learned that I’m capable of
Left-hand skills are the ones generally covered in method books, so it’s likely you are already teaching most if not all of these skills in your classes. Still, left-hand technique covers a lot of ground, so it’s good to take
I’ve heard professors say on multiple occasions that students are often two years behind in right hand skills compared to left hand skills when they get to college. I don’t have any evidence to back that up, but I believe
Rhythm practice is a daily part of my orchestra classes at all levels. Rhythm is one of the most basic music concepts, yet I’ve found that it requires more practice than just about any other aspect of playing for my
You step up to your podium, facing a classroom full of students ready to start playing. You finish your tuning routine and then think “Now what?” Shouldn’t you do some sort of warmup before you jump into rehearsing the pieces?