Flute & Friends Suzuki Music Academy

Music makes you feel many different emotions - joyful, angry, sleepy, etc. While learning how to express your emotions while playing music, it may be helpful to experience music in new ways. Listening to music while dancing, drawing or painting, or even playing pretend while listening and seeing how the music affects the story can be massively helpful in learning how to express yourself through music.... https://fluteandfriendsmusic.com/making-the-music-come-ali/

Music learning apps can be a great supplement to a child’s music studies. They’re an educational alternative to phone/ipad games and can be used whenever a student would normally reach for a device. Apps can be divided into four general categories: Rhythm Note Reading (Theory) Aural Skills (Ear Training) Composition Rhythm Rhythm Swing and The Most Amazing Sheep Game are great introductory games for kids that focus on establishing pulse with plenty of cute animals.... https://fluteandfriendsmusic.com/music-learning-apps/

When practicing, make sure that your body feels relaxed and at ease. The following quote is from Lorna McGhee, principal flutist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra: "Technique is merely physical coordination and we are at our most coordinated when the body is free from excess tension." When your muscles aren’t relaxed, your sound can be muffled quite dramatically when compared to more relaxed playing.... https://fluteandfriendsmusic.com/muscle-tension/

By now you’re probably familiar with the Suzuki triangle that connects students, teachers, and parents in the process of music learning. These three branches create the framework upon which the entire philosophy is built. However, just beyond the edges of that triangle lies another fundamental key to Shinichi Suzuki’s learning philosophy: community. For Suzuki students, community means seeing their friends every other week in group class, meeting new friends and teachers at summer institutes, and playing for and supporting each other at concerts.... https://fluteandfriendsmusic.com/finding-community-the-suz/

When kids start music lessons, they are usually very excited! Everything is fresh and new and the instrument is almost like a special new toy. But then after a while, the child begins to realize that doing this "thing" is hard work and suddenly it doesn't have the same novelty as it did in the beginning. Cue the power struggles, frustration, and tantrums that all stem from a disconnection between what the child wants and what the parent wants.... https://fluteandfriendsmusic.com/practicing-music-with-chi/

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Learning music is like learning a second language, which means it’s important to be listening as much as possible. It can be very challenging for your child to learn a new piece if they don’t know what it sounds like. Learning music is similar to how children hear language as an infant before they speak their first word. Here are some fun ways to incorporate more music listening into your day!... https://fluteandfriendsmusic.com/the-importance-of-listeni/

Is your child maintaining a proper playing position when practicing? How a student sits, stands, and holds their instrument is as important to technique as practicing scales and tone. This because it forms the physical foundation upon which all healthy playing habits are built. The correct positioning supports your child’s posture, arms, and fingers as they perform the complex small-muscle movements required for instrument playing.... https://fluteandfriendsmusic.com/the-importance-of-an-exce/

Learning to read music is hard work, but it can also be so much fun! Try these creative, hands-on games at home to spice up the way you practice note reading. 1. "I Spy" Notes & Symbols I spy with my little eye... a quarter note, a crescendo, a barline, the note B! This is such a fun way to explore musical notation and identify notes and symbols.... https://fluteandfriendsmusic.com/5-fun-music-literacy-acti/

Do you have a reluctant child, a child that says NO, or simply won't practice when asked? Here are some ideas: 1) Ask, "What time do you want to practice?" Ask before they go to school or do virtual school at home when they would like to practice that day. Then write it down and have them put their name at the bottom of the paper you wrote it on.... https://fluteandfriendsmusic.com/16357-2/

Practice over the holidays can be difficult, especially when it feels like the busiest time of the year. While practicing keeps your child progressing, fostering a desire to continue to make music and find joy in making music is far more important than maintaining a steady practice schedule. On the other hand, finding time to rest and enjoy making music can be a fantastic break from the chaos of holiday festivities.... https://fluteandfriendsmusic.com/practice-over-the-holidays/