“Students of all ages – that includes adults – generally find that music helps them focus more clearly on the task at hand and puts them in a better mood for learning.”
In the summer of 2012 I attended the Skidmore Jazz Institute in New York where I had the privilege of working with some of my biggest musical heroes. In addition to coaching and classes with greats like Pat LaBarbera and Todd Coolman I was also able to study privately with Curtis Fuller and Jim Pugh.
The article below is written by Mr. Alex Keim, band director, at Noblesville East Middle School. When we asked him if we could post it here, he mentioned “It is geared toward 6th grade band, but it is definitely applicable to all middle school students returning to 7th or 8th grade.” We felt like it was great advice that all middle school band and orchestra students could benefit from.
Research indicates the brain of a musician, even a young one, works differently than that of a nonmusician. “There’s some good neuroscience research that children involved in music have larger growth of neural activity than people not in music training. When you’re a musician and you’re playing an instrument, you have to be using more of your brain.”
Regina in Encore Orchestral Strings has some great advice for all of the string players out there. Keep reading!
We’re approaching the time of year where temperatures are averaging above 75 degrees Fahrenheit with high humidity levels in Indiana. We all know that cold winters present it’s own challenges, but the summer heat can create just as many issues. Wood is an organic material that will always react to the temperature, which is why we have to be careful about where the instrument is being stored.
We have seen fingerboards come unglued, necks pop out of place, and varnish essentially melt. With the high levels of humidity and scorching temperatures that we endure in Indiana, you want to be careful with how you store your instrument and where it is being stored. One of the most common scenarios that we hear about from our customers involves leaving an instrument in the car on a hot summer day.
No matter what the temperature outside is, it is safest to bring the instrument inside with you wherever you are. We recently had a cello come in that suffered quite a bit of cosmetic damage due to it being left in a hot car for an extended amount of time. Not only was the varnish ruined by the heat, but the cello itself was stuck to the inside of the case which caused even more damage to the back of the instrument. My best advice to give is to keep your instrument close to you… if you’re uncomfortable with the temperature where your instrument is being stored, more than likely the instrument is uncomfortable too!
Have a look to see what an excessive amount of heat can do to a cello:
It’s that time of year….you’ve played your final concert of the year, marching band doesn’t start for a while, and school is out for the summer. Time to recharge and refresh. And now is the perfect time to send in your instrument for a little refreshing as well!
We recommend that you send your instrument in for a check-up at least 2 times a year to keep it in proper playing condition. And what better time to do that then during summer break while you may have some down time. And if you need a loaner to use while we have your instrument, we have you covered.*
Bring your instrument by our store M-F 10-6 and Sat. 10-4, or give us a call to see if we have visits scheduled for your school over the summer. Have questions? Call us at 1.577.3415 or drop us an email at repair@paigesmusic.com.
Enjoy your time off and don’t forget to practice!
*Loaner instruments guaranteed for all active rentals and service policies only. Loaners for general repair customers dependent upon our loaner instrument inventory.
The cognitive structures developed through music instruction “exposed and illuminated more general organizing structures relevant for multiple disciplines.”
This Saturday would have been the 80thbirthday of legendary trombonist Bill Watrous. As we approach our first June without him let’s celebrate his fantastic career by revisiting some of his most prolific recordings. For younger players who might not yet be acquainted with Bill Watrous read Scott Yanow’s biography on Watrous below.