Free Articles and Resources for Parents, Educators & Young Musicians
Welcome Prodigies Ambassadors! Bookmark this page because everything you need to be be a successful Ambassador will live right here…Forever! Below you can find helpful tutorials and resources to grow your income and overall Prodigies experience with us. In everything we do we have a mantra: “It’s better to do a little bit well, then …
Inspirational personalities and role models are vital to the formation of young music learners; this is a matter of projection, and it highlights the powerful combination of cognition and emotional intelligence. Boys and girls can greatly benefit from looking up to musicians who have left their mark through composition, performance, style, and active interests. It …
Music theory can be both simple and complex; it is not hard to learn, but it can difficult to thoroughly master because it presents intellectual challenges from time to time. Even though music is not an abstract concept, it can sometimes seem like it for students who start learning theory. At Prodigies, our curriculum and …
Time is always of the essence when it comes to teaching; while this can be said about any subject, it applies more closely to music education for a couple of reasons. First of all, we know that music education in the American public system has taken a backseat to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) …
Hey everyone, Mr. Rob here with an update on bell shipments! Long story short, bells are one or two weeks behind schedule right now. We promised a late January to mid-February delivery, but unfortunately, the bells are still held up in port. When we ordered the bells on October 10th, the factory estimated a January …
We want Sweet Beets! You got some? We’re arranging a virtual choir video of Prodigies fans having fun with Sweet Beets (Beet & Cherry). Video Submissions are due March 1st! You can email them to [email protected] or upload larger files for better resolution here. Building a Prodigies virtual choir has been a dream of ours …
Get ready for some PERFORMANCE VIDEO CHALLENGES! Each month, well are setting out different Performance Challenges where Prodigies students from around the world can submit video performances! Some months we will compile the best moments from each video challenge and release a compilation mash up, and sometimes it will be a featured solo performance. This …
Many people believe that artists, particularly musicians, are bound to suffer for their chosen paths in life. Legendary jazz singer Nina Simone used to think of music as having being both a gift and a burden in her life; however, and similar to French cabaret singer Edith Piaf, she had no regrets. Why do musicians …
Five Beliefs or Thoughts that Hold Back Musicians Read More »
Most humans naturally fall in love with music from an early age. We’ve all seen the way that babies and toddlers intuitively bob their heads along to the beat whenever a song is played. For many people, this early love of music lasts for a lifetime. However, that natural thrill that causes us to light …
5 Music Activities for Middle School to Make Lessons More Creative Read More »
School bands are not always necessary in order to support music programs; however, there is no question that they can greatly advance musical instruction curricula. Quite a few music teachers are qualified to organize and manage bands; at some conservatories and fine arts schools, some teachers can handle directing more than one musical ensemble during …
How Parent Booster Groups Can Help Your Music Program Read More »
You Should Definitely Use Digital Sheet Music and Modern Apps. Here’s Why: The year 2020 has left us many things to remember and many others to forget. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, and just one week after the first vaccination campaign started in England, the world celebrated the 250th birthday of Ludwig van …
Digital Sheet Music & iPad Apps: Should You Make the Switch? Read More »
Of the many lessons we were forced to learn during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, one lesson clearly stands out in the context of education: Augmenting the school curriculum can substantially increase learning capacity and student enjoyment. The interest in home schooling has also multiplied as many parents found out that learning at home is …
The Truth About Private Music Lessons: Five Reasons They Work Read More »
Are you expecting to get elegant results from practicing in a chaotic space? It’s a common mistake. After all, not everyone has the luxury of owning a large, clutter-free and soundproof room where they can become totally immersed in their instruments. We don’t have to find perfection in a practice space. However, it is important …
The Musical Edge: Is Your Home Practice Space Holding You Back? Read More »
What makes an effective music teacher? We could come up with many answers to this question, but only one can truly encapsulate all of them: Great educators inspire their students. The inspiration does not have to be specifically related to performance. While it is true that all piano teachers would like their students to achieve …
5 Essential Habits of the Successful Music Educator Read More »
Music is an attitude. If you’re a musician, you know that the way we walk into a space can determine what we ultimately create. That’s why it’s so important to get into the right headspace before walking into a music space. Many musicians and instructors achieve this through the use of positive affirmations. Positive affirmations …
15 Affirmations That Will Make You a More Powerful Music Educator Read More »
Performing to a certain key is a mainstay of music education. Whether you are learning to sing or play an instrument, your instructor will insist that you stay faithful to the key. There are various reasons why it is crucial to recognize, find, and stick to a key when learning music. First of all, it …
Even if you are not familiar with the life of German composer Carl Orff, there is a very strong chance you have heard his famous cantata Carmina Burana, the one that leads off with “O Fortuna” and gracefully moves through various stages until a grand and glorious final movement. The lyrics of Carmina Burana were …
In the years before passing away from respiratory complications, jazz legend Miles Davis began offering more details about his musical career and his formation as a trumpet player. Davis was raised in an affluent household where his parents introduced him to the works of Louis Armstrong and other jazz peers. It so happened that his …