Over the years, we have seen and shared findings that connect musicianship with brain development. If you take piano lessons, math scores improve. Reading comprehension increases. Hand-eye coordination grows by leaps and bounds. This is all, of course, absolutely true. The growth of your brain...
You may not be familiar with the corpus callosum. It is a bundle of nerve fibers that connects the left and right sides of the brain. Recent studies have shown that the bundle is significantly larger in musicians than in non-musicians. This difference in brain...
Compassion is not easy to measure. But for many public schools in the U.S., looking at the teaching of compassion and empathy is a crucial component to educational planning. Having students who treat each other respectfully, and who show concern for others’ well-being, is necessary,...
As the refugee crisis continues to expand, and as families seeking political asylum depart from Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq, communities across the United States and elsewhere look for ways to welcome them to their new homes. One way that has proven successful is through...
Funding for music lessons can come from a variety of sources. In many cases, parents invest in lessons for their children, or adult students pay for their own tutelage. Recently, non-profit groups have begun to flourish, which provide funding intended for private music study. This...
Keeping your kids excited about live music while school is out of session is, thankfully, not terribly difficult in Cincinnati. The Queen City has a rich tradition of summer music, and the Summer of 2017 is no exception. Here are some of the city’s musical...
One of the best parts of life in Cincinnati is the rich cultural tradition on this area. Since its founding – even back when it was Losantiville and then Porkopolis – music and performance culture have been a core part of this area’s charm. ...
As a musician, listening back to your sound, and evaluating what aspects of your performance and practice could use more attention, can be a valuable use of your time....
Selecting the right music for your instruments – and for your current stage of development as a musician – is an ongoing challenge. As you work with your teacher to expand your craft and your tone, there may be certain pieces which are ideally suited...
In many endeavors calling for diligence and sustained effort, finding partners can help immeasurably. If you are learning tennis, or starting a running routine, or embarking on a weight-loss regimen, you can do yourself a great service when you find a peer pursuing similar goals....
“Staying Frosty” is a term that we believe originated in military circles, but it refers to alertness. Preparedness. Freshness. “Stay frosty” means, basically, “stay on your toes.” “Don’t get sleepy.” And, when it comes to your instrument – whatever instrument that may be, and your...
Summer is approaching! Just because school may be out of session, it does not mean your musical progress needs to pause. Quite the contrary. You can use the summer to leap ahead in your musical advancement. Imagine returning to school in the fall being twice...
Cincinnati Voice lessons are a specialty of our private music school in Sharonville Ohio, and in coloratura soprano Danielle Adams and lyric soprano Jenna Schroer, we are proud to have two phenomenal teachers and coaches who work with students of all ages....
Here at Toedtman School of Music, cultural diversity is absolutely central to the work we do, and the environment our school provides. Now in our fifth decade of providing piano lessons, guitar lessons, drum lessons and more, we strive to make our musical home as...
The question of when to begin music lessons is often debated. We have all heard stories of people who were “forced” to take lessons at too young of an age – or took lessons which were more repetition and discipline than fun – and it...
(This article is addressed to parents of high school musicians, but is also applicable to those musicians themselves.) You may hear your children talking about the OMEA Solo and Ensemble Contest. What is this event? The OMEA (Ohio Music Education Association) is an affiliate of...
Cincinnati is a marching band town. We are very fortunate here in the Tri-State to have terrific public high schools – and some private and parochial schools as well – with fully-fledged, long-running marching bands. Even some of the smaller schools in southern Ohio and...
Studying music is a form of therapy. As a therapeutic pursuit, it is uniquely holistic and multi-disciplinary. Hearing music and engaging in deep listening is a form of healing. Performing and practicing music – using your body to create melodious sound – is an even...
Create Your Own Style When teaching art at our studio in Cincinnati, we encourage each student to pursue his or her individual style. Every person has a natural artist within them – we work to nurture and refine that artistic spirit at Toedtman. As you...
The study of bass in Cincinnati is a pursuit that is time-honored. Many great bassists have come from Hamilton County and the greater Tri-State area, including one of the most famous bass players to have ever played R&B, soul and funk: Cincinnati’s own Bootsy Collins,...
If you or your child is looking to learn the violin, we are proud to announce that Toedtman School of Music in Cincinnati has three of the country’s finest violin instructors on staff. The world-class violin lessons at Toedtman are well suited for students of...
Much like the upright bass in jazz, or the bowed double bass in an orchestra, or the thunderbroom (bass guitar) in a rock band, the tuba holds a special position of honor. Holding down the low end is a fundamental duty. It is a badge...
Voice lessons are a very personal journey. To sing — to perform with your body and breath — is an expression that is rewarding, but also very instinctive. Learning the techniques that help you focus and express those instincts involves an understanding of your respiration,...
1974 was a much different time. Star Wars was still just a twinkle in John Williams’ ear. Queen wouldn’t put out “Bohemian Rhapsody” until the following summer. Herbie Hancock had just released his Head Hunters album, featuring “Chameleon.” Dmitri Shostakovich and Benjamin Britten were still...
The benefits that young children gain from musical play are immense. By having movement – dance, wiggling, rocking, crawling, early walking, early running – be accompanied by music, it starts planting the seeds that music is fun and entertaining, and that our physical motions can...
As the oldest private music school in the area, it’s no surprise that the Toedtman School of Music provides Cincinnati Bass Lessons to children and adults of all ages. But if you have interest in learning the bass, you may have been confused that there...
Studying viola is a rewarding and deeply satisfying pursuit. The slightly larger and lower-pitched sibling to the violin, the viola is alto to the cello’s tenor and the violin’s soprano in the string quartet. Reading the alto clef is a terrific mental exercise. Playing a...
Young kids love music. Dancing, clapping, singing, and celebrating through song are excellent ways for kids to learn and have fun. Here in Cincinnati, Toedtman School of Music offers three “Joy of Music” classes, for different age levels. In Wee One, infants discover music through...
So you have decided you want some guitar lessons! Great, we’ve got you covered! Whether you are an adult guitarist looking to expand your range and technique, an adult who has never played guitar, or a young student looking to begin a musical journey, classical...
Listen to an orchestra play the opening 54 seconds of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody In Blue.” Then read this rest of this post. Okay. Seriously, go listen to it. We’ll wait. …………………… How was that clarinet, eh? Wasn’t that clarinet fantastic? Didn’t those runs and peals...
When Einstein had difficulty solving a mathematical problem, he would sit and play music until his brain would find the solution. Playing the violin or piano would help the left and right hemispheres of his brain send messages to each other. While scientists are still...
Interested in Voice Lessons? Taking voice lessons can be an exhilarating, even life changing experience. Why? Well, learning how to sing is a fulfilling and fascinating process. Using your body as an instrument is a tradition as old as music itself, and improving as a...
Want to learn an instrument that can be used in a variety of different kinds of music? Well then, consider bass lessons! Bass is a remarkably versatile instrument, and the study of bass is an excellent pursuit for people who enjoy variety in their musical...
Here is a video of a former Toedtman School of Music student, Maurice Ellis, playing on Jimmy Fallon last Thursday night with Meghan Trainor! Did you catch it? Check it out below!...
A concert for the ages. Dear and gentle reader. Without revealing my exact age I can tell you that during my high school years I remember hearing the Cincinnati Symphony under the direction of Max Rudolph, one of the great German conductors of the 50’s...
This past Saturday I had the distinct pleasure of hearing world famous pianist Andre Watts perform Edward MacDowell’s Second Concerto in D Minor with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. MacDowell was an American born composer who lived from 1860 to 1908. Contrary to the pre concert...
