28 easy-to-read interviews of professional musicians, radio hosts and music educators from all segments of Musicianland – violinists to vocalists – and musical styles – from classics to jazz to rock and mariachi – reinforce the author’s five powerful reasons why kids should hang in there with the music lessons… and parents should encourage their kids every day. The work of it can pay off with a lifetime of playing or singing, for fun – and perhaps even for profit.

Read chapters from the book…

Studying for Finals? Let Classical Music Help

As a season of cramming and finals approaches, students can get help with a healthy and free study aid — classical music. Studies recently looked at classical music, which showed that listening benefits the brain, sleep patterns, our immune system and stress levels. So helpful when facing those important tests! Read more…

The Cello Showed Up, But the Girl Didn’t

You never know, as a musician, when you might be desperately needed. Traveling in Northern Spain one summer with my son, we were simply “roadies” on a youth concert tour, enjoying the sights, tastes and sounds of a beautiful country we’d never seen. The young musicians (aged 13 through 20) had been rehearsing for this trip for many months, excited to play in famous churches and cathedrals in Spain, still having plenty of free time to have fun. Matt, my son, had played in this youth orchestra, but he was now a young man in college who hadn’t touched his cello in over two years. He was along to discover Northern Spain and not play the cello. Read more…

What Happened to Play?

Remember when you were a little kid and you played baseball? Or you played with your dolls? Or you played soccer? Or you played piano or trumpet or cello or guitar? When did the word perform start to creep into the playing of your music? As you grow older and improve with your instrument or voice, expectations from your parents and teachers lead to you excellence, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that! Read more…

Purchase your copy of the book Kids in Musicianland: 5 Reasons to Stick With It by Karyn Rashoff.