Carnegie Hall's National Youth Orchestra of the U.S.A.

Written by Andy Fein and Angie Newgren

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? I don't even have to fill in the answer. Every musician already knows this joke. How about if you're a teen, ages sixteen to nineteen? The answer's the same, except now you can become part of the National Youth Orchestra of the U.S.A.

Carnegie Hall

Learning to Love a Piece of Music

Written by: Amy Tobin of Fein Violins

Music is an incredible thing! From the first reading, to the hours spent practicing, to performance, a piece of music can become a part of your life in a way that few other things can. Most of the time, a piece of music will be a great partner from start to finish, but there will be those rare instances when you just don't seem to connect with a piece no matter how hard you try. How, then, do you find a way to make that piece of music something that you can relate to and find beauty in?

The Fine Art of Practicing

 Written by: Amy Tobin of Fein Violins

It may sound a little funny, but knowing how to practice takes practice! When you are learning a new piece, I think you will agree that just playing it over and over again isn't going to make you learn it any faster or better. In fact, it might even slow your progress! Sometimes we need to take baby steps in order to be able to make those giant leaps!

In any practice session, the first thing you absolutely need to do is warm up. This is crucial! You would never see a major league pitcher come right from the dressing room and start pitching full force, whether it was for a practice or a game. He takes the time to warm up his muscles by doing some stretching and specific exercises.

How to Prepare For an Audition

 Written by: Amy Tobin of Fein Violins

Auditions are stressful situations, and preparing for them can feel overwhelming. You want to play as perfectly as you can, and you want to impress the people listening to you, but with music being such a subjective thing, what, exactly does that really mean?

First of all, let me help you to alleviate some of the stress. I think that, many times, the words we use can create certain feelings within us. For instance, if I say the word "audition," I think there is an entirely different visceral response than if I say the word "performance."