Musicians Fight Against The Wuhan Virus- Part 2

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Robson Ranch Rhythm and Roots Ramblers is a traditional Bluegrass/Country band that performs from driveway to driveway around the Robson Ranch (Denton, Texas) community bringing songs, stories and fun to our friends and neighbors.  Charlotte Ivy (the groups leader) along with Rachel Yeatts, Larry McCarley, Bruce Chidester, Michael Weaver and Chris Corbitt have found a way during this time of social restrictions to continue sharing their music with others! We would love  to play for you, your friends and your neighbors.  All we need is  good weather, shade and a big driveway!

Musicians Fight Against The Wuhan Virus

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With all the discussion centered around the steps being taken to curb this terribly pandemic, few words are being shared about the legions of musicians who have taken upon themselves to help in this cause. I’m speaking of the many (actual numbers unknown) who are giving free concerts so that our friends and neighbors can enjoy  some relief from the constant bad news spread hourly by the medial. Many have decided to give from their abilities to entertain with live music. I have never seen such an outpouring of generosity from so many fellow musicians. In this and the following…

August 19, 2020 I Stopped Playing Trumpet!

August 19, 2020 I Stopped Playing Trumpet!

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To my readers, this might come as a surprise for I have played this humbling instrument from my fourth grade days till now. You may ask why I have decided to forgo the trumpet and this is the purpose of this Blog. My decision to change comes from several different reasons and I will share with you those reasons. 1.Due to my heart attack several years ago, I was not able to get back my full vital capacity of air which, as we all know is important to a wind player. The large and even the Medium large horns which…

Aerosol Studies on Spreading the Virus

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Thanks to our good friend (Corky Maschinot) from The Villages in Florida for sharing this with us. NHIMA New Horizons International Music Association Aerosol Studies Preliminary Results, July 2020 Below you will find 2 links to very important studies to provide information about aerosol distribution for wind instruments. The first link shows the preliminary results (July 10, 2020) of the “Performing Arts Aerosol Study” conducted at the University of Colorado. NHIMA has provided financial support for this study. These preliminary results are for woodwinds and brass only, future results will be posted for vocalists. Final results (peer reviewed) are not…

Which is more important in the development of a student- the teacher or the environment? Part 3

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In the previous post we discussed the advantages of private lessons on a student’s development as well as the contributing factors to the development of the self-motivated student. Self motivated students , as I will discuss will begin to have a profound effect on the players around them. This influence will be the factor which will advance his/her fellow students in their improvement in addition to their private instructor’s help. The question will be this- will this influence have more affect on the other students than the one on one influence the private teach has on the same students? Pier…

Could Meditation Help In Playing the Trumpet? Part 2

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Starting to Meditate Now that you have decided on a mantra to use, we will now begin our crash course in general meditation. I am in no way instructing you to use the Transcendental meditation form for I am not a qualified instructor and to do so would be against my better judgment. What I will share with you is a similar exercise which has been published in magazines and newspapers around the world. This is a very general yet effective exercise which can be used by anyone. 1. Sit comfortably in a chair which is for the time isolated…

Could Meditation Help In Playing the Trumpet?

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A Little Information and History about Meditating Meditation is many things to many people. Some think it is a religious experience. Some think it is a cult. And some, including your author are aware of its benefits to better health. I will try to summarize the technique and benefits of meditation as completely as I can in this post. Meditation From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The term meditation refers to a broad variety of practices (much like the term sports), which range from techniques designed to promote relaxation, contacting spiritual guides, building internal energy (chi, ki, prana, etc.), receiving psychic…

Which is more important in the development of a student- the teacher or the environment? Part 2

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The importance of personal contact on a regular basis cannot be over stated for the concentrated time given on a one to one basis is fundamental in the concept of private lessons. During a lesson, the instructor is able to listen, evaluate and make recommendations to the student drawing from the instructor’s personal experience. This one on one environment in most cases builds confidence in the student and the knowledge shared can be of great benefit to the student. Private lessons can be a non-threatening encounter where the students problems are observed, analyzed and through carefully planned assignments, improve the…

Which is more important in the musical development of a student- the teacher or the environment?

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This post has not come easily for I’m not sure that I will be able to articulate my thoughts effectively. The ultimate goal will be to cause thought, evaluation and deep reflection on a very debatable issue which is “Does a student’s improvement depend on the ability of the teacher, or is success more dependent on competition from the student’s environment”? One of the greatest benefits of advanced age coupled with retirement is the fact that one has time to sit back and reflect on issues which are seemingly important to the retiree, even if not as important to his/her…