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Music By Sarah

  • About
  • Reviews
  • Blog/FAQ
  • Services
  • Practice Tips
  • Resources
  • Tuition
  • Studio Policies
  • Contact

Viewing: practice - View all posts

FAQ: My child didn't play that piece perfectly - why did you let it slide? 

The title says it all, and I'm overdue to address this question - it's SO important to my teaching philosophy, and I'm happy to discuss in-depth.

My goal as a teacher is to impart a sense of excitement and understanding of music to all my students. My goal as a teacher is NOT - and never has been - perfection. As my favorite fitness instructor says, "there's no such thing as perfection." When it comes to music - especially with younger students - an emphasis on perfection can lead to lost interest…

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05/04/2021

in online music lessons, online piano lessons, music education, practice, learning music, music teacher middlebury , music teacher ripton, online guitar lessons

FAQ: Are Private Music Lessons Right For Me/My Kids? 

I LOVE music, and I love sharing my love of music with others. I say nearly every day I have the best job in the world! Helping inspire others to learn and grow musically is amazing. Here are some factors to consider if you're deciding whether private music lessons are the next step in your musical journey:

Reason for Taking Lessons

Many people reach out to me because they also love music and want to understand it better. This is a great reason to learn music, and when the desire to understand is deep…

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12/29/2019

in music lessons middlebury vt, piano lessons middlebury vt, practice, learning music, music teacher middlebury , guitar lessons middlebury, music teacher ripton

FAQ: How Do I Help My Child Succeed With Lessons? 

We're all different - we like different music, we learn differently, we think differently. That's why - although I often use the same method for many students - I tailor my lessons to the student's needs and goals. However, I only see the student once a week - that's a tiny portion of their time each week! Learning music effectively takes consistent effort. While some early beginners are able to squeak by for a few months without practicing too much, they'll eventually have to start putting some work in…

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09/10/2019

in music lessons middlebury vt, piano lessons middlebury vt, music education, practice, learning music, piano lessons ripton, music teacher middlebury , guitar lessons middlebury, music teacher ripton

FAQ: But I Don't WANT to Play Piano Today! 

It's the statement parents and teachers often dread: "but I don't WANNA do it!" What happens when I've arrived for the lesson and that's the first thing we hear?

Consider the "Why"

As noted in my previous post people most often want someone to listen to them. Often my first question will be, "Why not?" Maybe the student had a terrible day, they had a disagreement with a friend, they're hungry, they're tired...or they didn't practice much and are embarrassed to play. Asking first, instead of demanding they…

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01/09/2019

in music lessons middlebury vt, piano lessons middlebury vt, online music lessons, online piano lessons, music education, practice, learning music, piano lessons ripton, music teacher middlebury , guitar lessons middlebury, music teacher ripton

FAQ: Why Learn Music? 

I don't get this question too often, since those who reach out to me have already decided to learn, but it's come up often enough that I'd like to address it for all prospective musicians and music students.  

First things first: there's no one-size-fits-all answer for every single person interested in learning music. I'll likely add additional posts on the topic because there are simply too many reasons to pack into one blog post.  

I read something a few months ago about how music educators should stop…

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10/02/2018

in music education, practice, learning music

FAQ: What's the Best Way to Practice? 

Following up on my previous post about how much to practice, I want to follow up with a little note on, well, best practices for practicing! As I mentioned, I'm not the type of person who encourages every music student to play for a particular time. I encourage playing a piece a set number of times. 

Last weekend I attended a guitar workshop in Manhattan led by a group of renowned performers and educators and practicing was a hot topic. The general consensus of the educators was that quality, not quantity…

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09/22/2018

in music lessons middlebury vt, piano lessons middlebury vt, music education, practice, learning music

FAQ: How Much Should I (or my child) Practice? 

This is a question I'm asked by both new and seasoned students alike. New students and parents want to know what they're signing up for while more advanced students want to ensure their practice routines continue to benefit their musical journeys.  

In an ideal world, my students would practice each piece (or section of a piece) about 5 times per day, every day. That's it. No half-hour of daily practice, no two-hour marathon practice sessions on the weekend.  

Here's why: the brain actually makes the…

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09/15/2018

in music lessons middlebury vt, piano lessons middlebury vt, online music lessons, online piano lessons, music education, practice, learning music

FAQ: When Should I Start Learning Music? 

Prospective students and parents often ask me "What's the right age to start music lessons?" My answer is an enthusiastic "Any age!" Learning music is beneficial to students of all ages. I've taught lessons to students as young as three all the way up into retirement and I've seen growth and development at every age.  

Before three years old, a private music lesson is probably not the best choice, but group music classes such as Mommy and Me music, music and movement classes, Kindermusic, and others are a…

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09/08/2018

in music lessons middlebury vt, piano lessons middlebury vt, online music lessons, online piano lessons, music education, practice, learning music

Are Online Music Lessons Right for Me? 

I've been teaching music for over a decade though, and I've been extremely fortunate that, during the course of that decade, technology has allowed me to continue teaching students, regardless of location! It's amazing to see some of my students grow up (I've now had students not only graduate high school, but graduate college, get married, and have kids of their own!!) and stay in touch with them. It's even more amazing to be able to play music together, even if it's been a few years since last time we saw…

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09/01/2018

in music lessons middlebury vt, piano lessons middlebury vt, online music lessons, online piano lessons, music education, practice, learning music

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