I meet with my students for weekly private lessons at my teaching studio. Younger and beginning students have 30 minute lessons and older (8th grade and up) and more advanced students have one hour lessons. All students meet for monthly studio performance classes as part of studio membership. We have multiple solo recitals and chamber music recitals throughout the school year, including performances in preparation for Solo & Ensemble.
Why lessons at my teaching studio instead of the school?
I have found that the consistency needed for success is best achieved when students take lessons at my teaching studio. When my students come to lessons at my teaching studio they have consistently scheduled lessons regardless of testing, fire drills, field trips, teacher in-service days, and other interruptions. Students at my teaching studio have access to lessons that are the appropriate length based on their age/experience and are able to have the flexibility in scheduling by trading lesson times with other studio members. With individualized instruction only once per week, it is important to have a learning atmosphere outside of the school that offers minimal distractions and stressors thus allowing students to find focus and be mentally available for lessons.
Studio Performance Classes
Group studio classes include students from many different schools to foster friendship, collaboration, and sharing of music in a supportive environment while learning how to perform. As a performing art, learning to perform is surprisingly overlooked as part of educational instruction. Frequent performing teaches students the skills they need to be successful musicians, especially in situations like band seating auditions, honor band auditions, solo & ensemble, scholarship auditions, and more. We often also cover other topics (tone, technique, etc.) that may be best covered in a group in these classes.
Longer Lessons for Older Students
As musicians progress in their studies, it takes more instruction time to properly cover their greater skillset. In lessons, we properly warm up, review and learn fundamental patterns (scales, arpeggios, etc.) and skills (articulation, technique, etc.), listen to and asses assignments, assign new assignments and give instruction, and cover basics of music theory. A 30 minute lesson once per week will not do justice to the purpose of education for an older or more advanced student desiring noticeable improvement to his/her playing.
Foundational Skills
When basic skills are solid, young musicians can progress more quickly. Posture, breathing, hand position, and tone are all related on a wind instrument and those foundational skills need frequent reminding for most students. Vibrato for flute students is taught and incorporated into music within the first year or two of playing. Basic skills of reading music fluently, basic interpretation of music, and common patterns (scales, arpeggios, etc.) help the student to play the music they most desire!
Teaching Without Limits
I believe in teaching students to reach their full potential. With efficient and effective instruction, students are not limited to sounding like junior high/high school musicians. They are able to mature into fine musicians with skills that they can use for a lifetime of musical enjoyment. Whether students want to improve their skillset or prepare for conservatory auditions, private lessons in the Condon Music Studio will help them achieve those goals. From playing as community members to auditioning for top music schools across the country, studio graduates continue to use their musical skills to contribute musically beyond high school.
Studio Flute Ensemble and Clarinet Ensemble
The flute ensemble started out to assist in teaching my flute students how to play in tune and create a supportive and friendly environment amongst students who may be competing for first chair. With only one person per part, students learn independence of parts and leadership. When the ensemble members participate in honor band, they already have experience playing together, playing in tune together, and are able to contribute more to the ensembles with a blended, in tune, ensemble sound (including piccolo!). The ensemble has evolved to include piccolo and auxiliary flutes (alto and bass) and also clarinet, bass clarinet, and sometimes even contrabass clarinet! I have since incorporated clarinet ensembles and other smaller chamber ensembles into my studio for the same educational value.