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by Alyssa Cowell, Catoctin School of Music We are quickly approaching the end of 2023! While many dismiss the idea of New Year’s resolutions, the beginning of a new year is an opportunity to reassess habits and personal goals, including the aspiring musician’s progress on their way to musical excellence. As the year winds down, it’s a great time to reflect on your musical progress and...

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by Alyssa Cowell, Catoctin School of Music Are you ready for a new school years’ worth of music making? Here are 5 things you can work on now as the summer winds down! Reevaluate your practice habits! Maybe you had a jam-packed summer full of fun activities and your practice has fallen to the bottom of your to-do list. Maybe you’re considering adding a bunch of new activities...

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by Robert Fisher, The Catoctin School of Music The challenges of social isolation, the suspension of ensemble gatherings and an overall sense that live musical performance with large audiences may not be the norm for some time can certainly discourage budding and professional musicians alike, especially in this season of uncertainty. You or someone you know may be facing challenges with staying motivated and optimistic with...

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A little over a year ago I started practicing the harp – an instrument that I had never touched before receiving a kit to build one for Christmas of 2018. By April of 2019 I had finished putting it together, installed the strings, and started working in a curriculum series. In late July of 2019 I bought a book of “easy” Christmas songs with the intention of playing a selection...

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As young musicians, our tendency for practicing is to pick up our instrument and just go, essentially just hoping for the best. There is some progress you’ll see over a long period of that style of practicing but, ultimately, it is just shy of a waste of time. When you put a little time into organizing your practice session and understanding what you want to achieve, you’ll get more done...

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