Instrumental

Many music teachers are sharing plans to add more rhythm lessons to their curriculum this fall since these exercises can be conducted in all sorts of scenarios. Students can practice…

Now is a good time to reinforce a healthy habit that students will need as long as they play an instrument. Regular cleaning of their instruments is important for health…

As the school year winds down, jazz is a perfect music genre for students to explore. The elements of jazz—including improv, blue notes, and polyrhythms—can be used by all age…

Sight-Reading Music Practice Now is the perfect time to work on sight-reading skills. Students can use their moments at home to strengthen their ability to quickly tackle different rhythms and…

The executive director of the National String Project Consortium (NSPC) didn’t mince words when she described the effort involved in completing an extraordinary virtual orchestra production. Elizabeth Reed said the…

Internationally known for his saxophone playing and improvisational prowess, Jeff Coffin is also a composer, educator, and author. When not on stage with the Dave Matthews Band, he is teaching…

Have you been in this situation before? It’s the start of the school year. You have returned from a summer of planning and preparation. You have carefully planned your concert…

For nearly a century, the Orff approach has been used to help children explore the world of music. This experience usually includes opportunities for students to play on instruments such…

One of the most exciting moments for a composer can be when they first receive word a piece they’ve written will be published. That first success often comes after innumerable…

Composers have many considerations when creating pieces for student ensembles. Among other things, they have to ensure their works have the right balance of instrumentation and are playable by developing…

Part I: A Composer’s Journey Behind every piece of music there is a story – an experience or creative idea so strong it had to be written down or shared….

Larry Clark is an ASCAP award-winning composer with over 300 publications in print. For over 20 years, he has been a much sought-after composer, writing and arranging for Warner Bros….

Perhaps you’re a long-time band director asked to start a string program at your school. Or you’re a first-year teacher looking at limited job options that may include any combination…

Believe it or not, summer vacation is not far off. Students are undoubtedly excited about that, and for piano teachers and the parents of young piano players, summer provides hidden…

Nearly three decades ago, a group was started with a simple mission – to play contemporary big band jazz, rooted in a traditional style. The brainchild of Stanley Kay, former…

The pressure to create visually spectacular marching band shows can be high in the age of short attention spans, reality TV competition shows, and social media.

Updated February 17, 2023 Trombonist Amanda Stewart compares it to a slow-moving glacier – the gradual acceptance of talented women playing brass instruments in the United States’ most renowned orchestras….

Originally from Columbus, Ohio, composer John Mackey grew up without formal music lessons. Though his mother played the flute and the family owned a piano, he never played either instrument…

The student population at Louisburg High School where I’m in my 40th year of teaching is about 535 students. Yet we’re proud that more than one-fourth of the student body…

Alex Meixner’s hands fly across his accordion when he plays crowd favorites at Oktoberfest celebrations across the country. The talented musician, who is known for the Hormel pepperoni commercials and…

As the school year progresses, instrument repairs are an unavoidable fact of life. The good news is many of the most common repairs can be done in the comfort of…