6 Proven Benefits Of Playing The Saxophone
If you’re on the fence about learning to play the saxophone, read this post for six great reasons why you should give it a try!
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News
ABRSM launches fund to support more music makers around the globe
Grassroots music learning projects around the world are to share in a landmark new ABRSM fund set up to support, inspire and connect more communities of learners, teachers and music creators. ABRSM is stepping up its support for music making around the globe with the launch of Play On, a
5 Tips For Starting A Vinyl Collection
Despite the digitalization of music, more people are switching their focus to more traditional vinyl records – largely because of the incredible sound quality. And one thing is quite clear – vinyl records are most certainly not dead. As a result of this, there has been a huge resurgence in the popularity
News
Remembering Stanley Drucker
The legendary clarinetist Stanley Drucker passed away on December 19, 2022. He was 93. Born in Brooklyn, Drucker entered the Curtis Institute of Music at the age of 15, but left after a year to accept a position with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. He went on to become principal clarinetist
How To Get Back Into Playing Guitar
Whether you’re learning simply to play your favourite songs or because you want to pursue a career in music, playing guitar is one of the most useful skills anyone can have. It can also be one of the most frustrating, with many people giving up at the first hurdle
Music Education
How to care for your Woodwind instrument
Some of the composers and moderators who worked on our new Woodwind syllabus give their tips on how they care for their instruments: Bassoon Flute Recorder Storage * The box is the safest place to keep your instrument, however it doesn’t have to go back in its box every time;
Music Education
What does a conductor actually do? A surprising amount
At the age of three, I remember jumping on my parent’s sofa, waving my arms in the air conducting a record of Gilbert and Sullivans Pirates of Penzance. Last week, my four-year-old son was doing the same thing, only to the soundtrack of Disney’s Frozen. “What are you
Know Your Composer
What Did Mozart Think of His Composer Colleagues?
Maria Theresia Paradis (1759-1824) was the daughter of the Imperial Secretary of Commerce and Court Councilor to Empress Maria Theresa. She lost her eyesight at the age of 4, and although she initially responded to treatment, she relapsed into her previous blind state. Although she lost her eyesight early on,
Features
Bringing in the Sheaves: The Samuels of Chennai
You sing like angels. Yes, you do. Why don’t you record your songs professionally? Twenty-five year old Joel Samuel and his twin brothers, Johan Paul Samuel and Jowin Sam Timothy Samuel (22), heard such comments with increasing regularity. The brothers, residents of Chennai, India, had been making home videos
Beginner’s Guide To Choose The Best Drum Kits
Purchasing a drum set for a beginning student can be overwhelming. You often have to consider the following: What kind of spending plan do you have? What type of music would you like to play? What location will the instrument occupy? These questions can be difficult and confusing to answer
Interviews
An Exchange with Reena Esmail
I had not heard of Reena Esmail before, not being a regular follower of the work of contemporary composers of music other than for the guitar, in the Western tradition. When I was approached to consider a Q&A with Ms Esmail, I proceeded to hear some of her
Music Education
Happy New Year from Vienna
A brief history of a tradition that marks the beginning of every new year for European lovers of Western classical music. Every year, on 1st January at 11.15 in the morning CET, the Vienna Philharmonic ushers in the New Year with a concert of music by the Johann Strauss