Finding the time and motivation to practice is the biggest hurdle for most musicians.  Some students don't practice because they believe they don't have the time or it won't make them a better player.  

 I wanted to write this to show that anyone can find the time, and make their practicing effective.

        Want to know the biggest reason people give for not attending a classical music concert? They don't understand the etiquette and are afraid they will make a mistake and embarrass themselves.  This is terrifying news to orchestras all over the world who are desperately trying to capture new audience members.  After you read this post you will know everything you need to know to confidently attend any classical concert of your choosing.

         Today is Valentine's Day and I just wanted to take some time and share some of my favorite romantic music.  Enjoy!

        So you just got that new clarinet, now what do you do with it?  A lot of times there's a gap between when we purchase/rent an instrument and when we start lessons, but we're so excited, we want to get started right away.  Dena Merkovsky, the owner of Allegro Music, created this video to demonstrate exactly what you should do from the moment you bring your new clarinet home so you can avoid repair bills right from the start.

        Besides learning how to play a string instrument, the second hardest obstacle for a beginner is learning how to tune it.  I've heard parents tell me that their child couldn't practice for a lesson because the instrument wasn't in tune, or they tried to tune it and broke a string.  In this post, I'll give step by steps solutions aimed to help the beginning musician tune their instrument at home in between lessons or classes.

        One common problem I see as a teacher is when a child has chosen an instrument that doesn't suit them.  These students typically get frustrated quickly and quit after a few months.  When a child chooses the wrong instrument, it can be a negative experience for them and they may have fears about trying a different instrument in the future.

This is my first post in a series concerning instrument care, so I decided to start with string instruments.  A lot of times classrooms can be too hectic to go over all of these in details and its good for parents to know how the instruments should be cared for so they don't end up with large repair bills.

I have been told countless times that classical music is a dying art form and a terrible career path.  Nonetheless I decided to ignore all of these people and became a classical musician anyways.   What I’ve found out in my career is that classical music isn’t disappearing, but evolving.  More after the break.

One common problem I see too often with young musicians is that they're unmotivated and their parents are struggling to get them to stick with a particular instrument.  So I decided to put together a list of tips for parents to help their children love music and love playing. 

Here they are after the break:

Our cello teacher, Claire Mehm, just released a new video with her cello quartet, Love4Cello.  Its a cover of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know".  Watch it here and also enjoy more cello quartet covers of popular songs on their YouTube channel, Love4CelloQuartet.  Enjoy!