Practice Strategies

A four week in-depth exploration of practice strategies for string players.

The Latest Research on Practice?

We need to do it!

Join fellow string players in a guided exploration of strategies for successful practice.  Try them out together to discover what works best for you.  The workshop will be led by Pakachoag faculty member Amy Matherly.

This four week online workshop is designed specifically for string players aged 13 through high school.

Topics include:

• Get Inspired!
• The science of habit formation (do’s and don’ts)
• What to practice
• Making the best use of your time – How to practice effectively

This class is part of the Pakachoag Connect online learning Program.

Schedule for Practice Strategies for Strings

Four weeks:  TBA.  Please email hello@pakmusic.org for more information.

7:00 to 8:00 pm

Tuition

$125 (non-refundable)

Class Maximum:  6 students   Minimum:  4 students

Suggested Age Range and Background

Practice Strategies for String Players is designed for violinist, violists, cellists and bassists in grades 8 to 12 who have between one and ten years of playing experience.  Even if we play at different levels, foundational strategies for practice apply throughout our musical life.  Take what you learn and apply it to your latest solo, audition, or ensemble pieces.

Teacher for Practice Strategies for Strings

Our teacher is faculty member Amy Matherly.

Amy will use zoom as her teaching platform.  We’ll be using a private class link and waiting room to create a safe learning space.

Get ready, get set – read about Hilary Hahn.  Here’s one person who knows how to practice!

By Megan Westberg

“Even professional violinists have to practice. It’s a consistent, integral thread in their lives that ties them firmly to their instrument, their music, and the greater string-playing community. Just as you scramble to find an hour in your day to focus on the violin, soloist Hilary Hahn is probably on the road, doing the exact same thing: “You only have a short window, but you always want to keep improving things,” she says. Sound familiar?

Hahn finished a project in mid-August that was all about practice—100 days of practice in a row, in fact. The idea came from a global Instagram project (designated by the #100days hashtag) that had been mainly, until that point, undertaken by visual artists. “The concept of the project was to show your process,” Hahn says. “You don’t have to worry about the result; it doesn’t have to be in great shape. You can show working on the same piece of art—you do a little bit of coloring one day, you spend 100 days on the same thing, or you could do sketches every day.” She wondered if there was something she could do for 100 days that would reveal something about her own artistic process. “So it just occurred to me: What do I do every day anyway? I practice.”