Musical Notes

NOW HIRING: Piano Teacher (Private Studio)

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The Music Academy of Western North Carolina, located at 1411 Asheville Highway in Hendersonville, North Carolina, has an immediate opening for a piano teacher in a private studio setting.  Applicants must have a minimum of a Bachelor of Music degree or equivalent in related field of study (Masters of Music degree is preferred), three years of teaching experience, and multiple years of active performing experience. The piano teacher’s main responsibility will be to teach private students ranging from preschool to senior adult ages. Lesson time lengths range from 30, 45, and 60 minutes each.  This is a contract position with an approximate $40.00/hour compensation.  Flexible hours.

The Music Academy of WNC is the largest private music school in Hendersonville, NC with a total student enrollment of over 300 students enrolled in private lessons, music classes, and ensembles. Please email resume, cover letter, and any past performance links (if available) for consideration to [email protected]. Please visit our website at https://wncmusicacademy.com for more information about the Music Academy of Western North Carolina and our music programs.

Piano Teacher Position Available (IMMEDIATE OPENING) – January 31, 2018

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Due to our tremendous growth, the Music Academy of Western North Carolina, located at 1411 Asheville Highway in Hendersonville, North Carolina, has an immediate opening for an additional piano instructor. Applicants must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s of Music degree or equivalent in related field of study (Masters of Music degree is preferred), three years of teaching experience, and multiple years of active performing experience. The piano teacher’s main responsibility will be to teach private students ranging from preschool to senor adult ages. Lesson time lengths range from 30, 45, and 60 minutes each. Multiple teaching days are available.

The Music Academy of Western North Carolina is the largest private music school in Henderson County with several hundred students enrolled in private lessons, music classes, and ensembles.

This is a contract position. Please email resume, cover letter, and any past performance links (if available) for consideration to [email protected]. Please visit our website at https://wncmusicacademy.com for more information about the Music Academy of Western North Carolina and our music programs.

Violin Instructor Position Available – April 20, 2016

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Violin Lessons

We have experienced tremendous growth in our strings program during the past six months so we are in need of an additional violin instructor to manage the growth and prepare for our new elementary school strings program starting in the fall of 2016. Below is our latest job posting for this position.

VIOLIN INSTRUCTOR POSITION AVAILABLE

The Music Academy of Western North Carolina, located at 235 Duncan Hill Road in Hendersonville, North Carolina, has an opening for an additional violin instructor. Applicants must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s of Music degree or equivalent in related field of study (Masters of Music degree is preferred), three years of teaching experience, and multiple years of active performing experience. This is a contract position. Please email resume, cover letter, and any past performance links (if available) for consideration to [email protected]. Please visit our website for more information about the Music Academy of Western North Carolina and our music programs.

Five Essential Practice Tips For the Busy Music Student – By: Michael Ridenour

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practicing

You’re busy! I get that. We’re all busy. Private music students today tend to be so busy with school, homework, sports, and multiple extra-curricular activities they can find little time to practice their musical instrument. To combat the busyness, here are five essential practice tips that busy music students can follow to maximize and measure progress when learning a musical instrument.

  1. Set Aside a Consistent & Daily Practice Time. Practice time is sacred. It’s as sacred as Moses standing in front of the burning bush. That’s how serious music students should take it. Find some time alone during the day – no cell phones, no texts, no emails, no Kindles or I-PADs, no computers, no television, no distractions of any kind – just you and your instrument.  Students have to get into a mindset that nothing else matters or exists when they practice. This takes discipline and dedication but is well worth it in the long run.
  1. Set Daily Practice Goals: Time is precious so don’t waste it! Playing around, goofing off, and calling it practice is NOT practicing. Students can waste more time playing their favorite Metallica riffs for hours rather than setting daily practice goals that maximize and measure progress. Students should ask themselves: What am I trying to accomplish technically and musically today? Once that question is answered then divide the practice time between those technical and musical goals. If a 45-minute practice time is established then dedicate 20 minutes to technique (scales, arpeggios, left/right hand exercises, etc.) and the other 25 minutes to learning musical pieces that build musicianship. Create and manage a daily practice routine that encompasses a good balance of technical and musical goals. Keeping a daily practice journal is a great way to set goals and measure progress in these areas. After honestly practicing and accomplishing the desired technical and musical goals for the day, then play all the Metallica riffs your heart desires. Music is supposed to be fun but it does require hard work and dedication if students are going to excel.
  1. Practice Slowly: Practicing slow is critical in achieving technical and musical success. Students continuously build habits in their muscle memory. These habits can either be good or bad. When practicing scales, arpeggios, and other technical exercises, practice slowly to make sure all hand movements and synchronization, fingerings (left and/or right hand), picking patterns (for guitarists), bowings (for string players), motion distribution, speed, articulation, and tone are accurate. Once these elements are mastered at slower tempos then gradually increase the tempo while maintaining proper technique. Practice with a metronome and chart speed development as part of the daily practice journal. Students should find songs and other musical pieces that incorporate the technical elements they are mastering for application.
  1. Take Small Bites: Work on one measure or phrase at a time when learning or practicing a new musical piece. Taking small bites can quickly get students past the notes and fingerings and on to the technical and musical elements the piece requires. Concentrate on these technical and musical elements once the notes and fingerings are learned. Practice slowly and build up speed with a metronome as the material is mastered. Learning and practicing in small increments allow students to master material faster and with more solid technique and musicality than practicing an entire piece at performance-level tempos from the very beginning. Practicing in this manner is really the only way to practice; even if students have all the time in the world.
  1. Measure Success & Keep Practicing: Measuring success is a great way to stay focused and motivated. Nothing gets me motivated more and into the practice room faster than seeing progress and celebrating what I have accomplished. Keep a daily practice journal, as discussed, to measure success. This is a great reminder of progress made from a week, two weeks, or even a month ago. Once students see how much they have improved then they will want to practice that much more!!

Michael Ridenour is the Director at the Music Academy of WNC in Hendersonville, North Carolina. He holds a Master’s of Music degree in guitar performance, has over 30 years of teaching and performing experience, and teaches approximately 50 guitar students each week in all genres of music. For more information about Michael Ridenour or the Music Academy of WNC, please visit their website at https://wncmusicacademy.com.