Method
Music lessons are for everybody!
Christine is committed to helping her students grow and discover the joy of satisfying music-making, regardless of their current skill-level, age, or goals.
“Music is best learned by laying a foundation of core skills that, once learned, bring a student to eventual independence as a musical artist.”
All students can benefit from the guidance of an accomplished musician who also wants to help students keep music in balance with the rest of life. We can have fun while learning, and we all flourish in an environment of encouragement. Students benefit from having a coach’s help to move through obstacles—gaining not only in musical ability, but in other areas that produce a flourishing life—from increased confidence and poise, to having experience at complex problem-solving and perseverance towards a goal.
The ‘Flourish’ Philosophy
Focus on a foundation of fundamentals which form the basis for excellence and mastery
Love learning through games and activities along with playing a variety of music
Overcome obstacles, push back boundaries, and solve problems while keeping a positive mindset
Understand the music (an on-going process) and grow in understanding ourselves and others through it
Reach for our personal best while enjoying the process and celebrating what we can do today
Investigate and stay curious as we approach technique, music theory, practice and more
Share our music with others
Have fun learning!
Students at Flourishing Foundations Music Studio work on skills from the list below and more.
As a teacher and musician, Christine feels that the only true path to musical excellence and deep artistic enjoyment in any style of music is to lay a solid foundation in the musical skills common to all styles of music. This foundation provides the freedom as a musician to create and interpret with the fullest possible range of artistic expression available to the individual.
FFMS students often learn through method and technique books which are designed to ensure a complete education, while constantly being inspired and challenged to develop their own unique musical voice and creativity. Method books are always supplemented with a variety of other music, (including music the student requests to learn), rhythm work, sight-reading, theory and more -and whenever possible, games and activities that enhance learning, retention and mastery of musical concepts are part of the lesson time.
Christine’s goals include helping a student to lay a solid foundation for musical performance. Foundational skills that students pursue include:
Develop a sense of a steady beat
Read rhythm notation and perform rhythms correctly
Read music (pitch) notation
Ear-training (recognize intervals, scales, chords, rhythms and more)
Understand tempo and selecting the correct speed for performance
Understand meter and its impact on the music’s style and the shaping of phrases
Understand common musical terms and perform music in the style that they indicate
Understand what creates a musically artistic performance
Develop interpretative abilities
Learn basic music theory skills and apply those to musical interpretation as well as to master technical skills
Develop a healthy and free technique that allows for a full range of artistic expression
Be able to research and understand the musical implications of the history and culture of a piece of music
Use technology that is relevant to learning music
Learn basic care techniques for the instrument
Practice improvising and use improvising as a practice tool
Have a basic familiarity with lead sheets (common notation for pop, rock and other styles)
Develop sight-reading ability
Develop stage presence and performance skills
Mental preparation for performance and/or auditions
Care for their instrument
Develop the ability to practice effectively
Learn and practice good habits of organization, work ethic, completing tasks and meeting deadlines
Flute students will learn how to take in deep breaths as well as learn how to control air flow with the body and embouchure and learn how to produce an excellent tone
Develop as an individual—increase self-awareness and self-confidence; learn to celebrate successes and handle setbacks, frustration and negative and self-defeating self-talk; learn to give encouraging feedback and use ones gifts to bless others