Aug 16
Around this time every year, as the musical season gears up again, we see a lot of new string players preparing to start a new adventure. There are inevitably A LOT of questions, and we are happy to address them. In the past, on the blog, we have covered many topics about Beginner Basics. One that …
Jul 23
Looking for something to do this summer? Take part in Kennedy Violins first official video contest. The theme of the video contest is: “Play.” We want to see how you play, why you play, where you play, your favorite way to play, anything! We will choose a winner based on their ability to best embody …
May 30
Which instrument you play (or even want to play) somehow becomes an indelible part of your identity. Even now when I talk about my musicianship with strangers, I often hear, “Oh, I played the cello growing up,” or “I’ve always wanted to learn the guitar.” To the former I say, “Do you still play?” to …
May 20
In high school at the beginning of each concert, like all orchestras, we would take some time to tune. Once the squeaking and squawking settled into a common A natural, our conductor would say, “Thank you very much. Our first song was ‘The Fine Art of Tuning.’” The audience, slightly confused, would laugh and we …
Apr 26
This past Sunday, April 22, the Oregon Cello Society held their annual scholarship auditions. The auditions were open to students in Oregon and SW Washington. The OCS auditions have several divisions and levels for students to participate in with awards at each level. The major award that the students were vying for was the Bud …
Jan 19
When I found out this last summer that I was pregnant with my first child, I knew that I would have to make adjustments to my everyday life. I wasn’t sure exactly what all of those would be since I had never been a mom before. Luckily, there is a lot of information available online …
Dec 11
At Kennedy Violins, we get calls all the time from people who want to get back to playing after taking a hiatus of several years. The one thing that these individuals have in common is that they regret not keeping up with the violin. As a side note, if you are a current violin student …
Dec 02
In case you haven’t noticed, the Holiday season is upon us and for many families out there that means exchanging gifts of some kind. If you read this blog, I assume that you or someone close to you is a string musician. So, what do you buy for a musician and where do you get …
Nov 08
Some might say that it’s too early to be thinking about Christmas, but this is the best time for everyone to dig out all of the Christmas music and get prepared for this year’s festivities! Make it a family activity and “wow” everyone at the family, work, or neighborhood gathering! Everyone in my family plays …
Sep 26
Your kid just came home from school and announced that he wants to join orchestra. How did THAT happen, especially since nobody else in the family has ever touched a stringed instrument before? Basically, your child has three to four choices, depending on the orchestra program — violin, viola, cello, or bass. What makes these …
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