In observance of Black History Month, we are sharing a special blog post by Elizabeth Busch, guest author, bassoon student of CSM’s Matt Ogden, and senior student at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, MD. “Unfortunately the work of a woman composer is preconceived by many to be light, froth, lacking in depth, logic and […]
To continue our series on folk instruments, let’s take a look at the Autoharp! CSM’s autoharp is a ChromaHarp by Sekova, circa 1967! What is an autoharp? Autoharps are part of the zither family. The instrument consists of a trapezoid-shaped soundbox with a round sound hole. The soundbox is mounted with loop-ended strings (CSM’s has […]
As we pass over the year anniversary since the world was flipped upside down in a global pandemic, the need to communicate and express the gambit of our emotions and experiences grows paramount. With many ensembles and venues shuttered, many musicians face a seemingly uncertain season wondering when the next performance will take place or […]
As I continue to cope with staying at home and social distancing, I find myself searching for activities to fill my extra free time – lately, I’ve been doing some research into musical theater – anything from history, biographies, how to guides, anything goes! If you’re a fan of music theater, there’s bound to be […]
Oftentimes we celebrate the birthdays of some of the most well known composers, such as Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach. But sometimes observing the birthdays of lesser known composers is a fun way to expand our horizons. Below is a list of some notable February birthdays of various composers, some famous and some less well known. […]
During the great March on Washington in 1963, as marchers for civil rights linked their arms and joined their voices together in song, Martin Luther King, Jr. preached that he dreamed of a day when the “jangling discords of our nation” would finally be transformed into “a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.” For King, this was […]
Summer is a great time to make strides in your musical studies – give yourself a chance to grow as a musician by scheduling practice time along with all those other fun summer break activities! Here are some tips for making the most of your summer free time. Make Music the first activity of the […]
As the famous joke goes when asking for directions – “how do you get to Carnegie Hall?” The answer – “Practice, practice, practice!”. As easy as is to tell someone to “just practice”, we know that consistent practice can be challenging for some students and most teachers know, lack of consistent practice is often the […]
Today’s instrument is a little extra special because it is an instrument that the author designed and built from scratch! Let’s get to know CSM’s folk instruments – meet the Kalimba! CSM’s Kalimba was made during the pandemic lock-down by yours truly – it was a super fun learning experience that utilized some non-traditional, cutting-edge […]
It is too often that clients sign up for music lessons without really understanding what a commitment it is. For a student to be successful the client must be ready to commit time and money to get the full benefit. Those who view music lessons as just another temporary activity, misunderstand the impact music could […]
Heightened pulse. Sweaty hands. Shallow breath. Serious gaze. Anxious thoughts… Almost every musician has encountered some form of nerves or the “butterflies” before a performance. Some may even wrestle with a Glossophobia: the fear of social situations in which one is watched or judged by others (also known as “Stage Fright”). When encountering stressful situations, […]
Let’s get to know CSM’s Folk Instruments! Today’s instrument is the Bowed Psaltery – a super cool stringed instrument dating back to the 12th Century! What is a bowed psaltery? The bowed psaltery is a hollow-bodied, triangle-shaped wooden instrument set with a series of metal strings threaded through metal string pins. Bowed psalteries come in […]
How good is your memory? Are you gifted with the ability to see or hear something once and recall forever? For most musicians, even those highly trained and advanced in their specialties, overcoming forgetfulness is a part of the lifelong battle we face in daily practice. The search for perfection is elusive, yet most strive […]
Ask any seasoned music teacher what they view as one of the most critical elements for success in music lesson and the words “motivation” and “practice” will move to the top of the list. As the old saying goes, “the teacher opens the door, but the student must walk through it”. In a time where […]
The month of December marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven. Great concerts and celebrations of this composer’s music had been scheduled around the world, but due to the global pandemic, these concerts have been postponed indefinitely. Instead of the sublime music of Beethoven filling concert stages and symphony halls across […]