Contest Season Starts Next Month – Is Your Instrument Ready?

Tuesday, December 10, 2019 No Comments

 

It’s not too late, but time is running out. Contest Season is almost here!

January through April is a really busy time of year for school music students. Many of the annual contests and festivals happen during this time of the year. These include:

  • Solo & Ensemble Contest
  • Jazz Band Festival
  • Junior/Middle School Organizational Festivals
  • High School Organizational Festivals

Your performance level and the success of your organization depend on a properly playing instrument. If your instrument has not been looked over by a technician in the last 6 months you may be overdue.

Send your instrument in for proper maintenance to help avoid small problems from turning into something larger at an inappropriate time. It could help you get to the next level during the upcoming contest season.

If you’d like to send your instrument in for us to check, we have a step-by-step guide on how to do that right here.

As always, please give us a call if you have any questions.

1-800-382-1099

School Music Students Show Higher Levels of Math Proficiency

Monday, December 9, 2019 No Comments

U.S. Department of Education data on more than 25,000 secondary school students found that students who report consistent high levels of involvement in instrumental music over the middle and high school years show “significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12.”

~ U.S. Department of Education NELLS88 Database

Guidelines For Indiana All-State Band Audition Preparation

Wednesday, December 4, 2019 No Comments

The All-State Band is one of the most prestigious audition-based ensembles any student can perform with! It is an ensemble made up of elite musicians from all corners of the state.

The audition application deadline is Friday, December 6, 2019. Auditions for this prestigious ensemble are on January 12, 2019. More information can be found here

Here are some guidelines for audition preparation:

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The Arts Help Students Become Problem Solvers

Monday, December 2, 2019 No Comments

“At this time when you are making critical and far-reaching budget and program decisions….I write to bring to your attention the importance of the arts as a core academic subject and part of a complete education for all students. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act defines the arts as a core subject, and the arts play a significant role in children’s development and learning process. The arts can help students become tenacious, team-oriented problem solvers who are confident and able to think creatively.”

~ Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education, Letter to Schools and Community Leaders, 2009.

A Special Staff Spotlight on Tim Roethler

Wednesday, November 27, 2019 No Comments

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and it feels like the appropriate time to show our extreme gratitude to long-time staff member who will be retiring from Paige’s next Month. Tim Roethler has built and led our repair department since May of 1977. His leadership of over 4 decades will be sorely missed and we can’t thank him enough for all that he’s done in the past and how well he has us setup for the future. Well done, Tim!

 

Our very first staff spotlight with Tim is above. Take a few minutes to learn how Tim got the repair shop started and how it’s grown over the years.

Music Enhances Your Fine Motor Skills

Monday, November 25, 2019 No Comments

Music enhances fine motor skills, or the ability to use small, acute muscle movements to write, use a computer, and perform other physical tasks.

~ Forgeard, 2008; Hyde, 2009; Schlaug et al. 2005, “The Effects of Musical Training on Structural Brain Development A Longitudinal Study,” The Neurosciences and Music III: Disorders and Plasticity: Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1169: 182–186 (2009).

What Books Should I Get For Lessons?

Thursday, November 21, 2019 No Comments

When I meet with a new student for the first time we always discuss what books they need to have for their lessons. Here are five method/etude books that are essential for good foundations to unlocking your full musical potential through the trumpet.

  • Complete Conservatory Method by Jean Baptist Arban

Widely considered by many to be “The Trumpet Bible”, this is usually the first book suggested by private instructors if you are serious about studying trumpet due to the amount of material that is covered. Any technical aspect of trumpet playing that you will need to succeed will be in this book including nice songs, wicked characteristic studies, and classic cornet solos such as Fantasia Brilliante, Norma Variations, and Carnival of Venice.

  • Technical Studies by Herbert L. Clarke

Mr. Clarke presents exercises that combine several fields and can be utilized for many things. The infamous second study can be played in several tonalities, or you can begin working on playing softer while going higher. The final etude from the fifth study is very challenging as well.

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The Super Sale is this week!

Tuesday, November 19, 2019 No Comments

Our Super Sale is this week we go ALL OUT.  Read more below on how it works.

Here’s how this works
Visit our store Thursday, November 21 through Saturday, November 23. Draw a ticket for 5-50% off your purchase. There really are tickets for 50% off. And we do not limit savings to bargain items. Customers have literally saved THOUSANDS on everything from Buffet Clarinets to Altus flutes to Yamaha trumpets.

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