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Summer Billing In July and August we will be billing everyone monthly (including anyone who has elected for term billing) in order to accommodate summer scheduling. Please let us know if you have any questions! Fall Term will start after Labor Day: September 7 – December 19.   Discounted band and orchestra rentals: Click HERE to rent a band or orchestra instrument from the House of Musical Traditions now and get two months for the price of one! We have an amazing woodwind instructor (flute, clarinet, saxophone) who has some openings if you or your child want to get into band instruments.

With all the Taiko classes we’ve been offering lately, you might be wondering “what the heck is taiko, anyway?” Here is an explanation by Mark Rooney, who teaches all of our taiko workshops! WHAT IS TAIKO? This may seem like a pretty straightforward question at first glance, but I have learned over the past 20 years that there are as many different answers to this question as there are people you might ask. TAIKO = DRUM Firstly, “taiko” is a word used to refer to any drum in Japan. A snare drum is a “taiko,” a djembe is a “taiko”. But to the English-speaking world, “taiko” is a term that has come to mean “a traditional style of Japanese drumming”...

This blog was written by SMT’s very own Mari Carlson in anticipation for her upcoming Swedish fiddling workshop on May 16th—click here to sign up now! If you’ve ever heard Swedish as a spoken language, you’ll recognize the pronounced diphthong — the sing-song lilt and melodic cadence of the language. Similarly, the polska is a Scandinavian type of dance that is as Swedish as the diphthong. The polska is a dance tune, or, rather, an overarching term for various subsets of polskas from different regions. Its rhythm defines its melody and also gives it direction, drive, and an invitation for the listeners to MOVE! Characterized by its 3/4 meter, it bobs along with heavy emphasis on 1 AND 3, and...

Picking up a new instrument often feels like a daunting challenge, especially if it’s a woodwind instrument that requires such a unique set of muscle movements. That’s why we asked Seth Kibel—SMT’s own clarinet, saxophone, flute, and woodwind teacher—to tell us about his own Secret Sauce for Musical Success. In the following collection of practice tips, Seth talks about how you can make the most of your woodwind lessons and dodge some of the biggest pitfalls of beginning musicians! 1) PRACTICE OFTEN: So much about learning music involves muscles and muscle memory. As woodwind players, we use muscles in our fingers, our lips, our tongue, our cheeks, and more—which is why it is VITAL to practice regularly in order to build...