Author Archives: karlyndesteno

Music-making engages so many of us in a positive way in part because it requires us to be present and concentrated in each moment. To really listen and respond, our minds must be free of distraction, immersed in the act … Continue reading →

In the last decade, as budget cuts have increasingly stifled arts education, arts advocates have inundated the public with research touting the benefits of music education for other subjects, especially math. Newly published research from the journal Psychology of Music … Continue reading →

Improvising musicians of all levels face a particular challenge in their music practice: improvisers have to keep their material and ideas fresh, and guard against falling into mental or physical patterns. Patterns and habits, while useful in many respects, can … Continue reading →

Join us this Wednesday, 6/30 at 8pm EST for Harmonious.ly’s new Twitter chat, #musicpractice! This is your forum to connect with other music students, ask questions, and share your thoughts about your musical practice, whether you’re a beginner or a … Continue reading →

Yesterday on the Harmonious.ly blog I quoted Dr. Larry Livingston, conductor and educator, when he urged music educators to remember that all music is teachable music: “It’s just music,” Livingston said. Today on the blog I’d like to share with … Continue reading →

What is the goal of public music education? Is it to encourage the talented few who may turn out to be Juilliard material? Or is it to create a broad base of educated musicians and critical thinkers, tomorrow’s passionate amateur … Continue reading →

We all experience them: those dry spells in music practice when we cannot seem to see ourselves progressing. But these practice “plateaus” are actually very productive. The trick is to be patient with the process, and, as always, to stay … Continue reading →

Deaf percussionist Evelyn Glennie has something to teach all of us about the importance of interpreting, rather than simply translating, the music on the page. The trick, she says, is to listen “to ourselves.” Listening with the whole body offers … Continue reading →

Virtuoso violin soloist Rachel Barton Pine is championing a classical repertoire that you may not have heard before–and she has created a new pedagogical text to introduce it to you and your students. This week I had the pleasure of … Continue reading →

Are you dissatisfied by the professional development offered by your school? Are you a private teacher searching for online resources to improve your practice? Online professional development resources can broaden your educational horizons, offer you new ideas, and connect you … Continue reading →