Save Your Chops!

Tuesday, September 17, 2019 No Comments

Indiana falls are beautiful. The chapped lips fall brings are not. This can happen for any number of reasons: perhaps the air is very dry. Practicing outside in marching band is especially hard on your lips. Heaters dry out the air when you are inside. Your “Chops” are one the most important pieces of brass and woodwind performance. If they are dry and cracked, it becomes incredibly uncomfortable to play your instrument at all. Here are some things to keep in mind to protect your lips!

Read More

Music Ensemble Participation Teaches Your Contributions Matter

Monday, September 16, 2019 No Comments

“When a child has a part to play in a music ensemble, or a theater or dance production, they begin to understand that their contribution is necessary for the success of the group. Through these experiences children gain confidence and start to learn that their contributions have value even if they don’t have the biggest role.”

~ Lisa Phillips, “The artistic edge: 7 skills children need to succeed in an increasingly right brain world,” ARTSblog, Americans for the Arts, 2013.

Improving at Improvising

Thursday, September 12, 2019 No Comments

As jazz band auditions and rehearsals are starting for middle schools and high school students across the state I get a lot of questions about how to improvise on trombone. Becoming a successful improviser takes time, practice, and creativity. Here are some tips that will get you in the right direction to improve at improvising.

Read More

Meet Becky Nash – Brass Technician at Paige’s Music

Tuesday, September 10, 2019 2 Comments

We’re very excited to introduce you to the latest addition to our brass technician staff in our repair shop, Becky Nash. Learn more about her by reading our quick Q&A with her below!

Position: Brass Technician

Start Date: May 2019

Training or Education:
Bachelors in Music Education from Drake University in Des Moines, IA

Band Instrument Repair Diploma from Red Wing (Minnesota State College – Southeast)

Where are you from originally:
Pekin, IL

What instruments do you play:
Trumpet

What do you enjoy most about being a technician:
I love the variety of instruments and repairs I see. No two horns are the same, no damage is the same and it’s my job to find the solution.

What is the most unusual repair you’ve had to deal with:
Finding fuzzy mold on trumpet pistons is always fun, but I think the most interesting thing I’ve witnessed is a trombone slide that not only had a pencil shoved all the way down to the crook, but also a battery. Needless to say, the slide had to come apart. Yikes.

What is your most memorable musical experience:
In college, a group of us decided to pile in a car (a car that couldn’t go faster than 55mph without shaking) and drive the 6 hours to Chicago to watch the CSO play a Sunday matinee of the Rite of Spring. It was fantastic.

Participating In Music Ensembles Helps Students Focus

Monday, September 9, 2019 No Comments

“The ability to focus is a key skill developed through ensemble work. Keeping a balance between listening and contributing involves a great deal of concentration and focus. It requires each participant to not only think about their role, but how their role contributes to the big picture of what is being created. Recent research has shown that participation in the arts improves children’s abilities to concentrate and focus in other aspects of their lives.”

~ Lisa Phillips, “The artistic edge: 7 skills children need to succeed in an increasingly right brain world,” ARTSblog, Americans for the Arts, 2013.

Basic Tips On Caring For Your Oboe

Tuesday, September 3, 2019 No Comments

Last summer we updated the care videos for several of the beginning instruments available on our Debut Rental Program. Below is the general care and maintenance video for oboes, with instruction given by Erin Nichols of the Indy Flute Shop.

James A. Beckel Concerto for Trombone

Thursday, August 29, 2019 No Comments

Former principal trombonist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO), James Beckel, is not only a world class trombonist. His admirable skillset includes excellence as an educator, and he is successful composer. Since his retirement from the ISO Beckel has been in demand as a composer. Below you can read more about his Concerto for Trombone, and you can hear Indiana University’s Carl Lenthe perform James A. Beckel’s Concerto for Trombone. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the piece, click here.

Read More

Brian Travelsted – Staff Spotlight

Tuesday, August 27, 2019 2 Comments

Our staff spotlight for August is on Brian Travelsted. Brian has a unique position here at Paige’s where he splits his time between Chops and the Paige’s repair shop – all with a focus on percussion. Watch his spotlight below to learn more about him.