The transition between middle school and high school is a critical time for music students. With the growing pressure to take on more academic rigor and increased opportunities to participate in activities and groups at the high school, many students and families can feel anxious about balancing these various interests and time commitments.
Introducing students to a new technology can be daunting, especially when you can’t be in the room with them to help navigate getting set up and trained.
Founded in 1934, The Cadets are the oldest and most honored drum corps in the world. This fall, we are proud to partner with The Cadets in providing each of their members with SmartMusic subscriptions so that they can stay connected, and continue playing music in a virtual environment.
There is a new term that has become prominent in our music educator world: Zoom Fatigue. Something different happens in our minds when we’re on camera.
Many music educators who have been thrust into a virtual setting this fall probably share the same feelings of having to reinvent class expectations and procedures for your ensemble.
Six months ago, when the school shut down first started, I reached out to my friend Dr. Matthew Arau to join me for a series of webinars we called “Living in Tune.” Our goal for these webinars was to give people a single time—once per week—to get away from all of the stress, and to join in a group setting to refocus and rethink the way we approached our challenges.
As teachers embark on an unprecedented back to school season—with many students lacking access to their instruments, and with the inability to rehearse as ensembles—many educators are emphasizing individual musicianship skills in their curriculum to continue musical growth in remote and hybrid settings.
Teaching a generation of students who are native technology users still comes with challenges, and while students may be tech-savvy, parents can still struggle with new tech for learning.
Back to school season may feel a little different these past couple of years, but nothing has changed about our commitment to providing tools that keep all music educators and students connected and playing music all year long.
Life has changed drastically over the last several months in the world of music education. One of the biggest disappointments teachers faced last spring was the inability to showcase their music programs in annual spring concerts and recitals.