Recently, I had a chance to speak to a group of young musicians. It was actually a youth orchestra and there were many aspiring professional musicians in the group. As a professional trumpet player turned business man, my message to them…
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Over the last decade, much attention has been focused on MUSIC ADVOCACY. Breakthrough research continues to point to "the study of music" as a key factor in the positive growth and development of EVERY young person. The music education…
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Composer Roy Magnuson got more than he bargained for when he applied and was accepted for the NBA Young Composer/Conductor Mentor project this summer. Because he grew up near the campus of Illinois State University, where the conference was…
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To be a great teacher is a gift that continues to be received by students for a lifetime. The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates.
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When studying the playing and teaching of music today, it seems there are two main approaches which are taken, although the goal of both approaches is no doubt the same. All musicians want to play musically, with great accuracy and control,…
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"Only a few of our students will pursue music as a career, but all of them will be well served if we can help them achieve a feeling of self-confidence."
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There has been a debate over the years regarding the question of materials used for manufacturing both instruments and mouthpieces. A great number of saxophonists believe that metal mouthpieces are exclusively for playing jazz, and that…
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If I'm to be completely honest, I'd have to say that, more than anything, I chose to play the saxophone because of how it looked. Maybe that's shallow, but 11-year-olds are supposed to be shallow.
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Granted you won't be hearing that one anytime soon on Letterman, but as with the best humor, there is at least a grain of truth to the point being made. When it comes to the saxophone, understanding and mastering the required fingerings is…
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