resources for fellow educators

Practice

teaching the art of 
effective practice

Did anyone ever teach you how to practice?  I may have had teachers who tried, but it never meant anything to me and my instrument practice was quite poor as a result.  As an adult, I remember listening to one of my advanced students practicing.  It was obvious that he knew what he was doing and the results were absolutely stunning.  Having spent time learning this skill in adulthood, I want to share some of my findings.  I began learning a new instrument not long ago and was amazed how much more quickly and effectively I was able to learn because I already knew how to practice.
Compose

composition ideas
​for students of all ages

  One of my most influential memories from my childhood piano lessons was when my piano teacher encouraged us to write our own compositions.  I had already been composing for some time (having always been better at making things up than practicing what others had written!), but having that creative work be directly encouraged by my teacher was validating and ultimately led to my decision to make composition my primary focus in college.  On this page, I share ways to set parameters for student compositions, as well as a collection of composition prompts you can use.
Perform

embracing the dynamics of group performance

When working with young and/or inexperienced musicians, there can be a temptation to aim for an overly predictable performance with little room for freedom of expression by individual performers.  This urge is understandable as conductors attempt to deliver a successful performance without any musical train wrecks.  However, teaching students to stay engaged and open to change during a performance actually tends to yield more consistent results, as the young musicians are prepared to respond to unexpected changes.  Here I share some strategies for increasing student awareness, flexibility, and ultimately musicality.
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