Student Resources

As  you are practicing your music at home, here are a few tips you can use to make your session as productive as possible. 

1. Break the music into small chuncks. You can start with 2-4 measures at a time. When you get a few 2-4 measure phrases down, you can start to combine them into larger phrases. Make it as bite size as you need to be sucessful, and then build from there!

2. Write something in your music if you make the same mistake more than twice. If you keep missing an accidental, circle it! If you keep missing your key signature, highlight it! You can write whatever you need in your music in order to be succesful. 

3. Use a metronome, and start slow! It's fun to play fast, I know. But, you need to make sure that you're doing everything correctly at a slower tempo, and then you can go faster once you're comfortable. 

4. Practice with a friend! Practicing is a lot more fun when you have a buddy with you. 

5. Have fun and make the most out of your practice sessions. You don't have to practice for 2 hours a day, but 15-30 minutes a day can take your playing to a whole new level.

Private lessons are not mandatory, but highly suggested to consider. It is an awesome way to increase your skills quicker, play harder music, prepare you for honor bands, and learn all the in's and out's of your instrument!

Why should I take private lessons? Private lessons are an amazing way to increase your musicianship skills much faster than only playing in class. You will be working with someone who specializes in your own instrument, and will teach you everything there is to know about your instrument. 

Does taking private lessons mean I'm behind in class? Absolutley not! If anything, students who are exceeding in class should be put in private lessons in order to be challenged more. I teach 100 musicians daily, so sometimes it's hard to give individual attention. However, a private lesson instructor will give you one-on-one attention once a week in order to improve your skills even more. 

Do they cost money? Lessons do cost money. The rate that you will pay a private instructor ranges depending on who you hire and how often you see them. My suggestion would be to start with 30 minute lessons for younger students, and 60 minute lessons for older students. Most private lessons are around $60 per hour, once a week. However, you have flexibility to make a schedule that works for you!

If you and  your family are interested in starting private lessons, or have questions on how they work, please send me an email and we can try to get you set up with a private teacher!

hope.williams@ucps.org