Sometimes I use stick figures to explain posture to beginning flute students.  Simple yet highly effective.  Improves sound, breathing and confidence. Do you use stick figures in your teaching?  Please comment below.

“..thanks to faulty sensory awareness, what singers (and others) think that they do is often different from what they actually do.” -Pedro de Alcantara   What in the world is a breathing bag? The breathing bag is a tool used by performers to strengthen physical performance capabilities, such as breath control and articulation, away from…

Several months ago and I posted a blog on marching and playing as an effective way to establish a reliable sense of internal rhythm.  Another great way to work on complicated rhythms away from the instrument is through the use of egg shakers. Rather than developing a steady larger beat as we did in the marching exercise, egg…

Fall is the time of year when young musicians in school band programs select instruments and begin learning the very basics of posture, sound production and fingerings.  Several years ago when I was one of these wide-eyed, energetic youngsters, I discovered the flute to be a logical and fun choice of instrument (and was determined to…

As many of my readers, students and colleagues know, I am a huge proponent of understanding the mind-body connection as it relates to music. I am always searching for new ways to use movement to better express elements such as rhythm, tone production and tempo. I was hit with a moment of inspiration recently while teaching…