Category: Educator Resources

Clarinet Repair

3 Essential Quick Repairs for Clarinet

Imagine you’re backstage, minutes before the curtain rises on your school’s biggest concert of the year. Amid the frenzied last-minute preparations, your clarinet player walks up to you in a near panic and utters the four words every music educator dreads most: “My instrument isn’t working.” You’ve probably been through similar situations before and know […]

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Guitar Maintenance

A Beginner’s Guide to Guitar Care & Maintenance: Cleaning & Storage

At a Music & Arts repair facility, a technician wipes down an acoustic guitar’s strings and fretboard using a microfiber cloth. Imagine you’ve just purchased your first guitar. You spent hours looking at all the available options and finally chose the instrument that’s right for you—the perfect model, in just the right color. How can […]

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Sheet Music

The Power of Printed Music

Linguistics researcher Naomi Baron, Ph.D., on the meaningful advantages of handwritten annotations and scores you can smudge In recent decades, as our avenues for information have been transformed by technology, music-education resources have followed suit. Books and play-along cassettes became books and play-along CDs and software; VHS lessons became DVDs and then online tutorials. The […]

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Woman playing the oboe

Overcoming the Challenges of Double-Reed Instruments

Double-reed instruments are some of the most unique members of the woodwinds family. Unlike the clarinet and saxophone, which utilize a single reed mounted on a mouthpiece, double-reed instruments feature—you guessed it—two reeds vibrating against each other to create an unmistakable sound. The most popular double-reed instruments are the oboe and bassoon, but the category […]

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Julian Bliss

10 Things We Learned About Julian Bliss

What were you doing when you were 10? For the clarinet virtuoso Julian Bliss, it was time to start studying music at the university level. So he packed his bags and moved thousands of miles away from his home in the U.K., enrolling in the Artist Diploma program at Indiana University. “It was the most […]

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Musical Instrument Engagement

6 Tips for Keeping Kids Engaged in Their Musical Instrument

Learning a musical instrument is a journey that can be both enriching and demanding, particularly for children. Besides supporting cognitive development and academic performance, music provides an outlet for creativity and self-expression, along with a shared language for connecting with others. But mastery of an instrument doesn’t happen overnight. It requires consistent effort and perseverance. […]

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National Band Directors' Day

National Band Directors’ Day

To celebrate National Band Directors’ Day, our school services team is shining a spotlight on several band directors who are recognized for their exceptional dedication and support in education.  From fostering a love for music in students to overcoming challenges, these stories capture the essence of what makes educators truly remarkable. Seth Riehl Anna S. […]

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Band Rooms Upgraded

Band Rooms Upgraded

**Visit musicarts.com/BandRoomSweeps to learn more about the program! Celebrating the Sweepstakes Winners! The Sweepstakes: A New Opportunity Music & Arts has recently partnered with Pearl and Adams, offering band directors across the country an exciting sweepstakes opportunity. This collaboration presents Middle/Junior and High School music educators with an unforgettable prize: One kit valued at $50,000 […]

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Symphony Orchestra Competition

Preparing for Music Competitions

A Guide to Music Competition Mastery and Confidence Spring is quickly approaching, which means it’s time for us to tune into a topic that resonates with many of our dedicated musicians: preparing for music competitions. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or gearing up for your first competition, this guide is composed to help you orchestrate […]

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Celebrating the Rhythms of Life with Terry Koger

In the spirit of Black History Month, Music & Arts is honored to shine a spotlight on Terry Koger’s story, a tale not merely of notes and rhythms but of passion and the transformative power of education. Our conversation with Terry not only peels back the layers of his personal music education journey but also […]

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