Practicing 101: Everything from music learning and practicing strategies to performance anxiety
Release Date: 07/29/2020
Erica and Ashley’s Classical Picks for Every Situation
Practice Break
For the season 2 finale of Practice Break, Erica and Ashley share their favorite classical pieces once again, but this time with a twist! Hear excerpts from beautiful classical works as they pair favorite works with an assortment of scenarios. And as a thank you for spending your practice breaks with us for yet another season, listen to our playlist with the major pieces of music shared from this past season here: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/picks-from-practice-break-season-2/pl.u-MD0DIW4y3oGp
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TV Show Review: Your Lie in April
Practice Break
Longing for a new musical watch to take over your life? Fear not— Erica and Ashley are here to the rescue with the second installment of their classical TV show reviews. In this episode, they explore the first ten episodes of the Japanese animated series Your Lie in April, share first impressions, analyze its depiction of classical life, and discuss the repertoire that is performed throughout the show.
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Virtual Music Making w/ the Student Symphony Orchestra of USC
Practice Break
Ever wondered how orchestras play together while apart? In this episode, Erica and Ashley are joined by Elaine Huang, Linda Diaz, and Adam Karelin from the Student Symphony Orchestra of USC to share their experiences with virtual music-making. Tune in to hear how they navigate running an online orchestra, the types of software they use, and the ways they have pushed the envelope of classical music through this new medium. To learn more about SSO, visit their website: https://studentsymphonyorchestra.org/
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A Virtual Trip to the Opera
Practice Break
Ah, opera— the drama queen sister of the classical music family, in the best possible way. This week, Erica and Ashley take you on a virtual trip to the opera house to review its history, discuss exoticism in famous works, and gush over angelic arias and dreamy set design. You won’t even have to change out of your sweatpants.
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2020 Wrap-up
Practice Break
2020 has been... a very long year. To wrap it up, Erica and Ashley review moments from Season 1 and share goals for the new year. The best part: to spread some love for music before the year closes, we asked our friends, family, and the PCM community why they’re thankful for music this year. To hear their responses, tune in to this year-end episode of Practice Break.
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Holiday Special: Deck the Halls with Music from Christmas Past and Present
Practice Break
What better way to kick off the winter season than by talking about holiday tunes? In this episode, Erica and Ashley recount the history of Christmas music from the pre-1700’s to the 21st century, share holiday favorites, and reminisce on the best musical festivities to celebrate the season. (Hot cocoa or your favorite warm beverage recommended.)
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Winter Season Trailer
Practice Break
Winter means hot cocoa, holiday cheer, and a new season of Practice Break with Erica and Ashley! Join us for a sneak peek of what we’re cooking up for our winter season and catch us every week on Wednesdays starting on December 23.
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A Film Music Finale: Classical vs. Film, Favorite Scores, and Joe Hisaishi
Practice Break
A season finale deserves an epic topic, so for the last episode of Season 1 of Practice Break, Erica and Ashley are joined by guests Andrew Zhao and Sam Ostroff to talk about the distinctions between film and classical and share all their favorite scores.
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College App Survival Guide (the music stuff): Tips on prescreening recordings, writing personal statements, and live auditions
Practice Break
To those considering music school— this episode is for you! This week, Erica and Ashley recount their experiences with the intense college application process for prospective music majors, from prescreening recordings to live auditions. Tune in to hear their audition success (and horror) stories, and for tips on navigating the whole darn thing.
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Let’s Talk: The Classical Canon vs. New Music
Practice Break
Although it may evoke associations limited to the likes of Bach and Beethoven, classical music is very much a living, ever-changing thing. So today, Erica and Ashley are joined by guests Sarah Koo and Sam Ostroff to discuss the implications of the classical canon and the importance of new works in our musical age today. Tune in to hear their stories on working with living composers, experiences with writing music today, and new music recommendations!
info_outlinePracticing — love it or hate it, every musician’s gotta do it. So this week, Erica and Ashley will be discussing the tUmUlTuOuS process of tackling a piece of new repertoire, from cracking the score open for the first time to performing it in a recital hall. Tune in to hear their learning tips, practicing strategies, performance rituals, and personal stories about grappling with frustration and performance anxiety. As always, if you enjoy hearing from Erica and Ashley, make sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes. Episodes are presented by the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. Feel free to connect with Erica and Ashley via email at [email protected] for questions and suggestions :)