As the new school year kicks off, many music students are preparing to return to their band, orchestra, or choir classes. If you've been taking private lessons over the summer or throughout the year, you're in the perfect position to work with your private instructor to make the most of the upcoming school year.
Here are some key areas you can focus on in your private lessons that will help supplement school classes:
Reinforce Technique
Master Repertoire
Sight Reading Skills
Musicality and Expression
Practice Strategies
Listening Skills
Music Theory
Set Goals & Track Progress
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Let's take a look at how each of these areas of focus can help you make the most out of your private lessons during the school year:
1. Reinforce Technique: School music classes are great for learning how to play music as a group, but may leave you playing with some unnoticed technique issues. Work with your private instructor on things like posture, hand positioning, breath control, and tone. Mastering the fundamentals for your specific instrument will help you play correctly on your own, and bring better performances to your school ensemble.
2. Master Repertoire: Getting handed a new stack of music at the beginning of the school year can feel daunting. Work with your instructor to get a head start on these pieces. Private lessons are the perfect place to break down difficult passages, slow things down, and ask questions about new concepts, ensuring you feel prepared for rehearsals and performances.
3. Sight Reading Skills: These are crucial for every musician. Ask your instructor for sight reading exercises in your lessons to help take the anxiety out of performing brand new pieces in class. This will leave you feeling confident and performing more accurately.
4. Musicality and Expression: Making music is more than just playing the right notes. Great musicians convey emotion and express themselves through their instrument. You can work with your instructor on things like dynamics, articulation, and phrasing that will help bring more feeling into your playing experience, and set you apart in your school ensemble.
5. Practice Strategies: It can be tough to balance schoolwork, practice, and other extracurricular activities. Your private instructor can help you develop time management skills, set realistic goals, break down your practice sessions into manageable chunks, and make the most of your practice and lesson times during your busy schedule.
6. Listening Skills: Being part of an ensemble requires excellent listening skills. Try listening to recordings with your private instructor and identifying different instruments, harmonies, and rhythms. Understanding every part of the band, orchestra, or chorus will help you blend seamlessly with and contribute to your ensemble.
7. Music Theory: Having an understanding of theory strengthens your musicianship. Weave theory into your lessons with your instructor to help you better understand the music you're playing. When new concepts come up work together to identify how they apply to the music you're working on now, and music you already know and love to play.
8. Set Goals & Track Progress: Work with your instructor to set specific, realistic, and achievable goals. Whether you want to master a particular piece, improve your technique, or you're auditioning for a higher ensemble, having clear goals will keep you motivated. Track your progress regularly in a practice log and celebrate your achievements along the way.
Dedicating your private lesson time to becoming a more intentional, skilled, and well studied musician will make it easier for you to enjoy ensemble time in your school music program. Your director will thank you, and we promise you'll have more fun making music with your peers.
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