It’s hard to make time to practice music when you are working full-time as a teacher and freelance musician. Elizabeth Efroymson-Brooks, Director of Cello and Director of Suzuki Steps Early Childhood Program at the Indianapolis Suzuki Academy, shares her wisdom on practicing with her fellow teachers. Read below to see how Liz makes time to practice and what she does to improve her playing.

My Music. My Story. is one of Classical Music Indy’s initiatives to feature music, musicians, and music lovers in a fun way. Christina Summers, from Christel House Academy, has a background in theater and education. Read below to hear Christina’s thoughts on how music affects her life, the importance of arts in education, and why students should have opportunities to be creative.

Classical music is rich with history of magnificent music, compelling divas, and innovative composers. Not every world premiere was grand, however.  This Month in Classical Music History is a series dedicated to finding stories of the good, the bad, and the downright weird. This month, we’ve dug up moments from history that are often overlooked. Read about a composer’s poisonous encounter with mushrooms, a prominent opera house, and the first stereo!

Continuing our look at education and the importance of diversity and the arts, we spoke with Bob Guffin who was responsible for taking H.L. Harshman Magnet Middle School from a failing school to a model program for student achievement. He shares with us the key tenants to culturally inclusive learning environments and why it matters.

Ever wondered how to improvise like a Jazz pro? For this week’s blog, Shawn Goodman shares with us her step-by-step method for teaching Jazz improvisation. Shawn Goodman is an Indianapolis Jazz musician and educator. Her method focuses on learning how to hear chord changes. Musicians and music educators, take note of this great method!

Margaret Allison Bonds is an often-unsung master of classical music. Her first-rate works blend styles of African and European origin, and her compositions for voice and piano have profoundly moved audiences. Bonds is best known for her collaborations with the great African American poet Langston Hughes. Read below about Bonds’ life, career, and musical contributions to the American classical music world.

My Music. My Story. is one of Classical Music Indy’s initiatives to feature music, musicians, and music lovers in a fun way. This week we spoke with Marianne Chalmers-Talkovski, a licensed acupuncturist, about the importance of music in her life and in her work.

Positive mentors help young people develop personally, can boost school attendance and academic performance, and increase the likelihood a child will go to college. Mentors can also provide the confidence to explore and discover interests including mus …

November is National Native American Heritage Month, and Classical Music Indy is always looking to highlight unique projects that impact our music world. This year, we were thrilled to discover the Native American Composers Apprenticeship Project, a part of the Grand Canyon Music Festival. We spoke with Clare Hoffman, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the festival, about how their program trains Native American students from rural Arizona to compose music.

In recognition of Jewish American Heritage Month in May, we hope you enjoy this light-hearted look at Leonard Bernstein by one of NOTE’s newest contributors – Philadelphia-based writer, Michael Silverstein.

Rhythm! Discovery Center is the creative vision of the Percussive Arts Society. Described as “the world’s first fully-interactive drum and percussion museum,” Rhythm! Discovery Center takes an innovative approach to experiencing the universality of rhythm and percussion. We spoke with Joshua Simonds, Executive Director of the Percussive Arts Society and Rhythm! Discovery Center, to learn more about this unique institution in Indianapolis.

Get ready to dance! Although an unfamiliar style to some, klezmer is a music that has an undeniable folk sound that is combined with rhythms of dance. This musical style uses instruments to imitate the laughter and/or weeping of the human voice and is most often heard during times of merriment. Read below to learn more, and to listen to some recordings at the end.

To help your Valentine’s Day plans, we asked Classical Music Indy’s very own talented radio host, Michael Toulouse, to create a list of music inspired by the Lover’s Holiday. Michael shares what makes each of these pieces particularly inspiring, tragique, and romantic.