Student Spotlight – Favorite Thing About Being In Band

We interviewed students from the Symphonic Youth Orchestra of Greater Indianapolis and asked them to tell us a few of their favorite things about being in band or orchestra.

Community, family, and a place to belong were just a few of the answers that they gave. Check out the video below to hear all of what they had to say.

We Need People Who Have Played In A Band

“We need people who think with the creative side of their brains – people who have played in a band, who have painted…it enhances symbiotic thinking capabilities, not always thinking in the same paradigm, learning how to kick-start a new idea, or how to get a job done better, less expensively.”

~ Annette Byrd, GlaxoSmithKline

Music Skills Vital For Student Success In Workplace

The skills gained through sequential music instruction, including discipline and the ability to analyze, solve problems, communicate and work cooperatively, are vital for success in the 21st century workplace.

~ U.S. House of Representatives, Concurrent Resolution 355, March 6, 2006

Basic Tuning Tips For Woodwinds

We’d like to talk about the basics of tuning your woodwind instrument. While this may seem oversimplified there are some important details about the different families and the instruments within that are important to know.

All brass and woodwind instruments are designed around the A440/A442 pitch and can be adjusted higher (sharper) or lower (flatter) to a certain extent. Adjusting too far either way will affect the scale of the instrument and can actually cause playing problems.

On this blog we will start with the woodwinds.

Teens Feel Playing Music Teaches Self Discipline

Teens feel that playing music teaches self discipline.

~ Shehan Campbell, Patricia. Adolescents’ Expressed Meanings of Music In and Out of School

Music Helps Students Manage Tasks More Successfully

Two-thirds (66%) of Americans say that music education prepares someone to manage the tasks of their job more successfully.

~ The Harris Poll®, July 2014

The Importance Of Breathing Well

The most important factor in brass and woodwind performance is breathing. If you aren’t breathing well, it is very difficult to achieve a great sound on a wind instrument. The best instruments in the world won’t sound great unless you are breathing well!

Here is a short exercise that will enhance your awareness of your breathing:

Assiduous Instrument Training Helps Focus

Studies have shown that assiduous instrument training from an early age can help the brain to process sounds better, making it easier to stay focused when absorbing other subjects, from literature to tensor calculus.

~ Hearing the music, honing the mind. (2010). Scientific American, 303(5), 16