Hello Guitar Students, With recitals just around the corner, I wanted to reach out to discuss how you can ensure your guitar is in top-performing shape. As a professional performing musician, these are the guidelines I follow in my own gigging life. For those who don’t know me, I’ve been playing professionally around Alberta for the last seven years and have backed up some outstanding artists. The list includes ARDN (signed to the prestigious Capitol Records), Lily Monaghan, whom I accompanied on the Main Stage at Folk Fest to an audience of 25,000, Ricci Paolo, and many more. Below are…
The Value of Practicing Piano: A Journey Through Skill, Discipline, and Joy
The piano, with its array of keys and expressive range, has long been a symbol of musical artistry and sophistication. Practicing the piano is more than just a pathway to mastering an instrument; it is a journey that will enrich the mind and the soul. This article explores the incredible value of practicing piano, highlighting its impact on brain development/cognitive skills, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life! Cognitive Development and Intellectual Growth Learning to read sheet music, understanding rhythm, and coordinating hand movements requires and develops a range of mental skills. Research has shown that regular piano practice can…
Mindful Music Moments – Musical Theatre Preparation
Our talented teachers and staff have created this video to provide parents and caregivers with insights and tips to help your child prepare for musical theatre performances. We hope you find these tips valuable and helpful!
Please don't hesitate to call us at (780) 570-5699 if you have any questions...we are here to help.
How To Prevent Vocal Strain
“There is one thing I should say, and it’s important: Young Broadway singers and anybody who is an orator of any kind – lawyers who have to speak in court or pastors or anyone who has a lot of stress on their vocal cords: You should do the maintenance. You should do whatever it takes to feel fresh and good.” – Julie Andrews, Actress & Singer Each time you use your voice, you place strain on your body. This is something you should take into consideration before giving a lengthy speech or singing. It is highly recommended that you…
ZOOM SET UP TIPS & TRICKS
This year we began teaching online lessons over ZOOM, first by necessity, and now as an option for all students when needed. This has been invaluable, as students who would otherwise miss lessons due to any number of reasons; a cold, bad roads, or quarantine purposes, have still been able to ‘attend’ their lesson online and continue their music learning. As well, students who live in more remote communities are able to access high-quality music education! There have been a number of true benefits! Another benefit to ZOOM is that students and teachers are able to share videos and…
The Merit of Practice
“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is practice.” – Vladimir Horowitz, Classical Pianist We’ve heard it a million times: practice makes perfect. It is true that practicing is a key component of improving and applies to basically any activity; this includes learning an instrument. At Crescendo Music Studios, we often say these final words to the student as they walk out the door: “don’t forget to practice!” We hold this as a high value at our studio! The famous adage ‘practice makes perfect’ is said for a reason; however, at Crescendo Music Studios our preferred quotes are these: practice makes…
The Benefit of Music for Stress & Anxiety
It is incredibly important to take time and engage in activities that bring happiness and joy. For some, this may be spending time with family, or taking walks in nature, or painting. A common answer is music! Many people find listening to music, playing music, learning an instrument, or singing to be a joyful activity.
How To Help Your Child Prepare For a Performance
“I enjoy reading about the lives of musicians, and find many similarities in their ideas of preparation and their utter devotion to this great eternal language: music.” – Jessye Norman, Opera Singer ‘Tis the season of performing! Students around our studio are preparing pieces for upcoming events like exams, festivals, showcases, coffee house nights, and our spring recital! Previously, we have written on the subject of “the benefit of performing”. Performing allows students to set goals, conquer challenges, and grow exponentially as musicians. While all of this remains true, there is a huge part of the performance aspect that we…
Why Performing is Important for Musicians
“The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers.” – Roy Ayers, Jazz Composer At Crescendo Music Studios we believe performing is a very important part of the music learning journey. Throughout the year we strive to provide a wide variety of performance opportunities, from Crescendo recitals to the Sherwood Park Music Festival and local coffee house nights. Performing is a skill unto itself, and it is one that takes practice and repetition, the same as any other skill. Although not every student enjoys performing (and that’s okay,…
Setting Goals in Music
English writer Aldous Huxley was quoted as saying: “Every ceiling, when reached, becomes a floor, upon which one walks as a matter of course and prescriptive right.” Huxley was talking about the process of setting goals, attaining them, then setting new goals on the strength of what was already achieved. This “stepped” approach to skill development works because it allows us to celebrate the achievement of smaller, attainable accomplishments as we work towards larger, long term goals. Because of this, most music instruction series are “levelled,” allowing a student to “graduate” from one book to the next, celebrating the…