Happy Holidays from the Altadena Academy of Music. We look forward to seeing everyone in the new year.
Best of Pasadena 2015
Thank you to the students and readers of the Pasadena Weekly for voting Altadena Academy of Music the reader recommended music school in the 2015 Best of Pasadena issue!
http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/cms/story/detail/best_of_pasadena_2015/15059/
Five Benefits of Performing at a Recital
- Strengthen Your Practice Routine. Preparing for a recital provides additional motivation that encourages students in their daily practicing.
- Build Confidence. Even though performing in front of an audience can cause some butterflies in the stomach, the accomplishment of a recital performance (and the audience’s applause) builds confidence.
- Express Yourself. Performing a song in a personal style or interpretation expresses to the audience how a performer feels about the music.
- Accept Mistakes. No one is ever perfect in a live performance (even professional musicians make mistakes) and with each recital experience students learn that the overall performance is what matters and not a wrong note here and there.
- Earn Recognition. Music students practice regularly every week. Recitals are an opportunity for family and friends to recognize the hard work and effort that has been put in by the student.
For information about music lessons at the Altadena Academy of Music, please call (626) 296-0799 or use our email contact form.
What can I expect at my first voice lesson?
Every voice lesson is different based on the unique style of the voice teacher and is tailored to the individual needs of the student. In general, voice lessons usually consist of two main parts: vocal exercises and time devoted to working on songs.
Most voice lessons will begin with warm-up exercises. The teacher will lead the student through exercises that move higher or lower in the voice student’s range. Students focus on different breathing techniques and pronunciation of different syllables and sounds. The exercise session is not only important for warming up the student’s voice, but also learning new skills that will carry over into the songs that the student is singing.
The second part of the lesson is usually spent working on songs. Many students will have specific songs and genres that they will want to learn. The voice teacher can also suggest appropriate songs that will fit with the student’s skill level and vocal range. During this part of the lesson students will work on learning the lyrics and melody, as well as techniques that will improve how the student sings the song.
For information about voice lessons at the Altadena Academy of Music, please call (626) 296-0799 or use our email contact form.
Article about the Benefits of Learning a Musical Instrument
We enjoyed this Parents Magazine article about the benefits of music education.
6 Benefits of Music Lessons
Maintaining a Summer Practice Routine
As summer begins and schedules change, it’s best to try to maintain a consistent practice routine as much as possible. Please check out our posts related to establishing and maintaining an effective practice routine:
The Keys to Practicing: Part I
The Keys to Practicing: Part II
The Keys to Practicing: Part III
Five Tips for Making Practice Fun
Perspectives on Effective Practicing Techniques
For information about music lessons at the Altadena Academy of Music, please call (626) 296-0799 or use our email contact form.
Appreciating Music of all Genres
Conductors pick their pop favorites: Prince? Yes. Elvis? Both.
Lesson Bag for Altadena Academy of Music Students
Altadena Academy of Music students: Stop by the front desk to get your free music lesson bag.
For information about music lessons at the Altadena Academy of Music, please call (626) 296-0799 or use our email contact form.
Acclaimed Cellist Yo-Yo Ma Discusses Music Education
We enjoyed hearing Yo-Yo Ma discuss the value of studying music and the arts in this thought-provoking MSNBC interview.
Grammy-Award winning cellist looks to expand musical education
List of Skills Children Gain from Studying the Arts
We enjoyed this Washington Post Article about the value of studying the arts.
Top 10 skills children learn from the arts