Parent Tips
September
The Benefit of Drama for Musicians
For young musicians who struggle to enjoy playing or singing for others because of performance anxiety, it may be beneficial to explore a class in theatre.
In theatre, one of the essentials of an effective and meaningful performance is a true sense of being “in the body.” By making a comfortable connection between the inner self and the external message being conveyed through voice and movement, actors can reach beyond their initial anxieties and recognize the inherent joy of storytelling through drama. The goal of appreciating the joy of performance is certainly not limited to drama students, but is an objective shared by instrumentalists and vocalists, as well.
Engaging in drama and movement activities can help students from musical backgrounds in many ways. Attention to breathing, body awareness, and posture is an important aspect of any drama class, and can aid musicians in reducing tension prior to and during performance.
Comfort with the self is primary in both dramatic and musical experiences, and by increasing self-confidence through theatre, students can approach the instrument at hand from a more grounded perspective. In addition, experiences in drama can increase spontaneity and comfort in creatively expressing emotion, a skill which will certainly translate into musical performance.
Most importantly, drama classes can work in conjunction with a student’s musical education to reframe the performance experience as “play,” reinforcing the idea that performance is not something to be feared, but enjoyed as a gift to the self and the audience.
Emily Arsenault, Drama Department Chair
August
The Importance of Listening
When we think of taking lessons on an instrument we immediately think about the technical aspects of playing and reading music. Sometimes we lose sight of the most important part of playing music which is developing your ability to hear music accurately. It is also important to understand what a “good” sound on your instrument should be. In order to do this you must hear a lot of examples of professionals performing on your instrument. Another important outcome of listening is gaining an understanding the musical styles that you are trying to play. Most students are learning to play in a “classical” tradition, but few students spend a lot of time listening to “classical” music. In the Suzuki method students receive a cd for daily listening and incorporate listening as part of their practice routine from the beginning. The rest of us have to work at it.
Luckily, summer is a great time to start! There are outdoor concerts in most communities, many of them free. There is still plenty of time to take advantage of these listening opportunities. Your local library is also a wonderful source for all kinds of music including classical, pop, jazz, world music and more. We hope you enjoy the rest of the summer and we look forward to seeing you all back in September!
Su D’Ambrosio Director of Group and Ensemble Curriculum
s.dambrosio@sscmusic.org
(781) 749-7565 x31
July
Maintaining your Instrument
All instruments require routine maintenance. There are things that you should do every time you play, such as swab out your woodwind instrument, store reeds properly, empty spit valves, wipe rosin off your string instrument and hydrate your voice, (pianists are off the hook!). There are also things you should do periodically: replace worn strings, grease corks and slides, oil valves, tune pianos and clean your mouthpiece. Voice students should think about activities to strengthen their bodies and breathing like yoga class or exercise. Summer is a great time to make sure your instruments are in good working order. This might involve a trip to the repair shop to check pads, springs, corks, bows and bridges, a designated lesson from your teacher to take a look at your instrument or giving your trumpet or trombone a “bath”. Your teacher should make sure you have a list of what you can do on your own and what will require a technician. If you are renting an instrument most, if not all, routine repairs will be covered by your rental fee. If you keep up with small repairs you will avoid a costly repair in the future. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions about maintenance.
Su D’Ambrosio Director of Group and Ensemble Curriculum
s.dambrosio@sscmusic.org
(781) 749-7565 x31
June
Spotlight on Theory
As students study any instrument they are presented with a tremendous amount of information to process, which is why, “Music Makes You Smarter”. There are all the physical aspects of playing: how to hold your instrument properly, how to breathe and blow, how to use a bow, fingering, posture, finding “head” and “chest” voice… And then there are the creative aspects: loud and soft, long and short articulation, diction, phrasing, tempo… And finally there is the task of reading and interpreting the language of music. This is usually referred to as “theory”. Of course, all teachers incorporate this into their lessons as their students learn to read music, but if a student faces challenges, especially with technique, there is often not enough time for comprehensive theory instruction. Even students who seem to read music very well often can’t explain or answer questions about how the music works. Some students learn their music by ear, which can mask any problems they might have reading music.
All teachers struggle with this dilemma and this summer we are offering an opportunity for theory enrichment through our Comp Camp with faculty member Vartan Aghababian. Students who could benefit from theory enrichment are encouraged to attend week one from July 20-24. Theory class will be held from 10-12 at our Hingham campus. Any students with a strong interest in theory who might want to try composing are encouraged to attend the entire camp: July 20-31 from 10-1. Composition students will gain a deeper understanding of theory and write some music that will be performed at the end of the camp by a live ensemble. Please feel free to contact me for more information.
Su D’Ambrosio Director of Group and Ensemble Curriculum
s.dambrosio@sscmusic.org
(781) 749-7565 x31
May
Summer Study
Summer is a great time to start or explore a new instrument! You can sign-up for a limited number of lessons and see if the instrument is a good fit for your child. If your child has been playing an instrument, but has lost interest, summer is also a good time to try to ease back in. Sometimes a lesson with a different teacher or joining an ensemble will help to motivate your child to continue. Older students might want to consider a second instrument. Many woodwind players double on a second woodwind instrument or play a higher or lower version of their own instrument. This will give them more flexibility and choices in the music world. Another fun option for summer study is to explore a new style of playing. Classical musicians can learn a lot from exploring Jazz and improvisation. Jazz and Rock students can learn a lot about where Jazz and popular music came from and how it works from studying a classical piece. We also have a variety of summer programs and classes. Information for Summer Music Festival, Flute Symphony, BaYS Summer Session, Summer Vocal Institute and Summer Theatre Workshop is on our website: www.sscmusic.org. Please talk with your teacher about options for summer study or feel free to contact me if you have any questions about trying something new!
Su D’Ambrosio Director of Group and Ensemble Curriculum
s.dambrosio@sscmusic.org
(781) 749-7565 x31