Blog | The Catoctin School of Music | Loudoun County, VA

Jun 17, 20222 min read

Set Aside Time to Practice this Summer!

Summer is a great time to make strides in your musical studies...Here are some tips for making the most of your summer free time.

May 6, 20222 min read

Tablature

A highly debated topic amongst guitar players and teachers is guitar tablature (TAB). Tablature is a system of reading for guitar where…

Apr 21, 20222 min read

Getting to know Folk Instruments: The Autoharp!

To continue our series on folk instruments, let’s take a look at the Autoharp! CSM’s autoharp is a ChromaHarp by Sekova, circa 1967! What...

Mar 20, 20227 min read

Doing More than Saying “Just Practice!”: Tips on Encouraging Successful Practice Habits

As the famous joke goes when asking for directions - “how do you get to Carnegie Hall?” The answer - “Practice, practice, practice!”. As...

Feb 18, 20224 min read

What does Good Singing sound like?

Every once in awhile, a student will ask me a question that seems like it should be easy to answer but isn’t.

Feb 9, 20224 min read

Florence Price: Composer, Teacher, and Pianist

The question of Florence Price’s legacy remains important and under-discussed nearly seventy years after her death...

Dec 21, 20212 min read

The Kalimba

Today’s instrument is a little extra special because it is an instrument that the author designed and built from scratch! Let’s get to...

Nov 19, 20216 min read

Turn your nerves into your superpower! Tips for handling those music performance jitters.

Heightened pulse. Sweaty hands. Shallow breath. Serious gaze. Anxious thoughts… Almost every musician has encountered some form of nerves...