Resources

Season 2 of the Time to Practice Podcast is here, featuring our first guest Crystal Boyack, and I’m so excited to share a new episode with you.

On this week’s episode Crystal Boyack speaks with us about her journey as a young musician, what she’s learned about practice from being a parent, and how wanting to change the dynamics in her relationship with her own child in their beginning stages of practice together totally changed her approach to working with beginners and led her to created her Wee Violin (and now Wee Cello and Wee Viola) method and materials.

To Listen to the full episode, you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible , Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below:

Musicality & Joy from the Beginning with Crystal Boyack – Time To Practice

Welcome to season 2!  On this week's episode, we're speaking with Crystal Boyack: violinist, parent, and creator of Wee Violin (and Wee Cello & Wee Viola which are newly out this week!).  We talk about her own practice journey, what she learned from practicing with her own children, and what inspired her to create Wee Violin. Links in this episode: Crystal Boyack's Instagram Website: crystalboyackmusicstudio.com Connect with your host Christine Goodner on Instagram Support the podcast by purchasing or recommending one of Christine's books: Amazon or Bookshop.org Show notes and transcript of our conversation can be found at www.SuzukiTriangle.com/TTPEpisode39

Highlights of our conversation with Crystal Boyack include:

Grazzia Rode-Sagastume is a Honduran born- American based Suzuki Viola, Violin, and Early Childhood educator. She began studying the viola at age 13 in her hometown, San Pedro Sula, Honduras at the Escuela de Música Victoriano López. She discovered her passion for teaching and mentoring while doing her Master degrees and Suzuki long-term training at the University of New Mexico with renowned Suzuki pedagogue, Susan Kempter. Grazzia has been teaching for ten years and loves working with different communities. In her teaching, she prioritizes empowering others through music and helping families succeed in their personal Suzuki music journey. Grazzia teaches Suzuki Viola, Violin, Early Childhood Music, Caregiver support, and String Sprouts at the Omaha Conservatory of Music in Omaha, Nebraska. She currently serves as the interim director for the Omaha Conservatory of Music Suzuki Institute and SoundWaves Summer Program.

On this week’s episode of the Time to Practice podcast we’re speaking with violist Grazzia Rode-Sagastume about how she fell in love with the Viola right from the start of her music journey, the importance of community, and how she works to support parents and caregivers in her program.

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible , Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below: 

Community & Support for Parents/Caregivers with Violist Grazzia Rode-Sagastume – Time To Practice

Highlights of our Conversation with Grazzia Rode-Sagastume Include:

This week on the podcast we’re speaking with freelance artist and viola & violin teacher Ángel Falú-García. We talk about his start in music and how he ended up playing the viola, what he learned the hard way about practice, and how that influences how he works with his students now and more. 

As a freelance artist, Ángel M. Falú-García has performed in a variety of venues including the US Virgin Islands; Guadalajara, Mexico; Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Akron and Green, Ohio; Westport, New York; Burlington, North Carolina; Portland, Oregon, and Rochester, Minnesota.  

Currently, Falú works as a Suzuki Viola and Violin teacher at his own studio located in downtown Rochester.  He is also the current membership chair and former board president of the Southeastern Minnesota Suzuki Association also known as SEMSA.

Mr. Falú holds a Bachelor’s degree in Viola Performance from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and a Masters of Music degree from the University of Akron. 

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible , Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below: 

Setting Goals for Music Practice with Ángel M. Falú-García – Time To Practice

Highlights from This Episode

This article is based on Time to Practice Podcast Episode 35, a solo episode with host Christine Goodner where we discuss different reasons we practice. The text has been edited slightly for ease of reading. This episode is sponsored by Music Practice Makeover. This new resource is out on March 21st, 2022 and is all about helping young musicians with home practice. You can pre-order the kindle version now to be delivered on publication day. You’ll be able to order a paperback copy, and through other platforms, on the 21^st.

At a talk I gave recently about practice, I mentioned in passing that there are many reasons why we practice. They are all different and all valid. At the end, a parent told me thank you for sharing that because their spouse was a professional musician who couldn’t wait to practice growing up, and it seemed like something was wrong since their own child was resistant to it.

That made me think about how important it is to talk about the discipline of practice.

I recently shared some thoughts about this on my Instagram account www.Instagram.com/Suzukitriangle. If you want to look for my post there you can read some of the ideas below with graphics.

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible , Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below:

Four Very Different Reasons We Practice – Time To Practice

Courtney Vowell Woodward is a wife, mom, former music educator, business owner, and author. After teaching music education in the classroom for 15 years, Courtney now hopes to share her passion for music through early children’s literature. Wanting to introduce a love of music in every family’s home, Courtney incorporates basic musical knowledge inside heartfelt stories — stories that include long-lasting life lessons.

Her classroom not only focused on upper-level musical skills, but on family, fun, and inclusion — themes that you will also see reflected in her writing. Courtney hopes that music education will become an easily accessible, essential subject for students of all ages! 

In this episode, we talk about what Courtney shared with her students in the classroom about practice, how the process of writing and publishing a book is so related to music, and all about her new children’s book out today!

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible , Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below:

Practice, Performance, & The Creative Process with Courtney Woodward – Time To Practice

Highlights Include:

On practice advice to her students in the classroom: “You have to keep it short and then end

This week on the Time to Practice Podcast we’re speaking with music educator Barbie Wong. We talk about her research into the lives of musicians, how we can create an environment that supports young musicians’ growth, and some great tips for motivation and music practice.

More about Barbie: Barbie Wong is a music educator who helps parents raise joyful, musical kids. With music degrees from Stanford University and Smith College, Barbie believes that everyone has the capacity to learn music. She teaches parents how to raise musical children through her classes, workshops, and videos. Over the course of two decades, Barbie has taught over 200 music students spanning various ages and backgrounds. Through her extensive research into the lives of musicians, Barbie has discovered simple, practical ways for parents to raise kids who love music. When she is not teaching or making music, Barbie loves to do parkour and hang out with her teenage kids.

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below: 

Motivation & A Musical Environment with Barbie Wong – Time To Practice

Highlights Include:

“You know, getting kids to practice, it’s not a black and white issue. There’s so many nuances and it depends on so many different things. And I think all so a lot of times parents and I had this idea too that “oh, I really want practicing to just be fun. I want everything to go smoothly.” And the reality is that sometimes practicing is hard. Some days I know even adults, I have musician friends who say, “yeah, I don’t want to practice,” but this that’s just part of the whole package. And if you can see the big picture and most kids can’t, you know, we adults have to help them either see it for them and then guide them along or eventually help them see the big picture.”

This week we’re speaking with violinist, performer, & Suzuki Teacher Tiana Angus. Tiana Angus is an enthusiastic and passionate Suzuki violin teacher in QLD, Australia. 

Tiana loves creating resources to help violinists learn and practice with colour and fun at www.dolcestrings.com.au.  She has two young children who play, with whom Tiana is an enthusiastic practice partner – a 6 year old son who plays cello, and a 3-year-old daughter who plays violin. Tiana is an artistic associate of Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, and has been performing with this ensemble since 2005.  Tiana is passionate about music education for young people, and absolutely loves sharing the joy of music with her students. 

We talk about what she remembers about music growing up, the unexpected declaration she made to her very first teacher, and ideas for keeping practice motivating for young musicians. 

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below:

Building Motivation & Enjoyment in Music Practice with Tiana Angus – Time To Practice

Highlights from Tiana Angus Include:

This week we’re speaking with Violist and movement specialist Kayleigh Miller. Kayleigh is certified in yoga, pilates, and personal training. She is also a performing musician in the Pacific Northwest. We talk about how her relationship to practice has changed over time, the connection between movement and music, and many thoughts about practice and life as a musician. 

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below:

The Connection Between Feeling & Sound with Kayleigh Miller – Time To Practice

Highlights with Kayleigh Miller Include:

This week on the Time to Practice podcast we’re talking about working as a team, with our young musicians, to get practice done. Adopting this mindset, or approach can be a huge game-changer! You can read more about this in this article HERE. This blog post is a transcript, with a few edits for ease of reading, of this week’s podcast episode where I talk about this idea more, including a clip from a recent talk to teachers and parents. I hope you find it helpful as you create a positive, productive working relationship around home music practice.

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below:

Teamwork & Practice with Young Musicians – Time To Practice

Teamwork & Young Musicians

This week we’re speaking with violinist & violist Raymond Mallari. We talk about motivation, how he used to think he didn’t like to practice when he was younger but has changed his mind, and the importance of incorporating the human side of ourselves as musicians into our music. I hope you find this episode as fun & inspirational as I did.

Raymond Mallari acquired his advancing musical powers from West Chester University in Pennsylvania. Much to his crazy ambition, he completed his degrees in both violin & viola! A great example of his craziness was when he participated in the MTNA Music Competition not once, but 4 times. No – he didn’t win 1st place, but the judges did like his playing as he was awarded “2nd” & “Honorable Mention” in some categories. His orchestral experience includes many groups, but these days he just plays with Kennett Symphony & Berks Sinfonietta as a section violist. One orchestra even hired him to tour China back in the day! Another time he left the country was when he earned a diploma of chamber music in Madrid, Spain.

“Mr. Ray,” has over 15 years experience teaching at many institutes. He is currently a faculty member at Immaculata University Malvern & West Chester Music Academy. He is also wildly active with the Greater Philadelphia Suzuki Association — having the honor of being a Board Member. Most recently, he joined another team of excellent Board Members with the Youth Orchestra of Bucks County. He is passionate about the Suzuki method & heavily incorporates it into his lessons & lectures. Outside of music, he is currently attempting yoga, attempting a 5K, & attempting to navigate the huge grocery store Wegmans. 

To Listen to the full episode you can find the Time to Practice Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also listen directly from the link below: 

Bringing Our Human Experience to Music with Violinist & Violist Raymond Mallari – Time To Practice