What is our Mission? To Change the World through Music

How can our Music Artistry students become part of our mission? We know that music changes lives.
One of the most powerful ways we can change the world is when we give our music away. When we share our love of music and give of ourselves by performing, we bring joy to others!

Our December Video Challenge invites students to record and then share videos of themselves making music at home or during lessons. Then share the recording with family and friends. Think of it as a special “gift” to be given away.December Video Challenge

 

We believe the process of creating a video holds benefits, including…

  1. Recording  oneself invites mastery. Unlike the majority of performance opportunities, when we create a video we can re-record until we are satisfied with the performance. Perhaps I stumbled over a tricky measure (or two). That’s all right – now I know that measure becomes particularly difficult when I am feeling nervous, and I can focus on it during my next practice session before recording again. Maybe after hearing the piece, your student realizes that the contrast between their legato and staccato playing is not as pronounced as they would like it. They can adjust their articulation for the next video. In the process of making the video, students are repeating and practicing the sequence of performing, observing, assessing, and adjusting over and over again to mastery – which brings us to the next benefit.
  2. Self-assessment is an essential process for all musicians, and like most things, improves as we practice it. The December Video Challenge is a great place to start. Self-Assessment of recorded performance allows students to observe things they might not notice in the moment, improves practice quality, and motivates continued goal-setting. Read more about the benefits of self-assessment in our article Teaching Tool:Self-Assessment. This article also includes a list of questions to help guide the self-assessment process.
  3. The activity of recording and sharing a video gives students a chance to practice using a variety of technologies, depending on how you decide to participate in the challenge. There have been a multitude of applications and devices invented to aid in this process. Technology in music has grown so much that it is a major at many universities. Learning and becoming comfortable with a new, or old, application can make it easier to participate in the self-assessment process frequently. It may be that inclusion of a certain technology motivates students to take their practice, playing, or composing to the next level.
  4. Perhaps the main benefit to participating in the video challenge is being able to share music with family and friends who would not normally be able to see you or your child perform.
  5. These videos become keepsakes that you will treasure for years to come. Start your collection and decide where you might store them over time. When you take time to look back, your heart will squeeze watching your son or daughter play and you’ll be amazed at their progress over time!

We know that music is a powerful instrument in bringing people together and raising people’s spirits. We joyfully invite you to participate in our December Video Challenge and join us in changing the world one student, one song at a time.