Clarinet Bridge Key Issues  Words by Shawn Royer What are Bridge Keys? Bridge keys are the connector-keys that connect one joint of an instrument to another. These specific keys can be found on clarinets, oboes, and bass clarinets. The bridge key mecha …

CMI City Sounds: Frank Felice & Eric Salazar Words by Elizabeth Frickey For many people, the idea of “classical music” conjures up certain images: concert halls, buttoned-up performers, reading the names of composers long past in printed program bo …

Inclusive Practices You Can Incorporate into Your Ensemble Rehearsals By Shawn Lynn Royer & Sarah Breann Royer When we talk about inclusion in education, we are most often talking about including the students that require more classroom support in …

How To Raise A Young Musician Words by Crystal Hammon Imagine a contest that ranks the most commonly shared childhood experiences. A few rites of passage would quickly rise to the top. Taking the training wheels off your bike, dreaming that you’ve gone …

Differentiated Instruction in Music Ensembles Words by Shawn Royer The idea of differentiating instruction in music ensembles simply means that we are cognizant of and teach towards students with varied learning preferences, experience/ability levels, …

Story Time at the Symphony Words by Kate Hamori One of my most vivid musical memories is from my very first orchestra rehearsal in high school. I won’t lie—I was totally panicking. But as soon as we started to play, all my thoughts and worries disappea …

Women & The Orchestra Words by Kate Hamori If you take a look at your average symphony concert program, you’re likely to notice a pattern: the majority of the composers that appear on orchestra concerts are white men. This isn’t because women aren’ …