Dear Ones,

I offer two services which can help you. One is a CUSTOM sight reading service, where I provide and suggest music for you to sight read based on your current skill set and musical needs.

The other is LISTENING TO YOU - where I listen to you and tell you what I hear, offer some coaching and suggestions.

Why practice and develop sight reading skills?

1) It advances your technique as both a solo and an ensemble player.
2) It extends your ability to learn without a teacher - if fosters independence and liberation without NEEDED or requiring someone else to play music or explain it to you …. enough so you can figure it out enough based on the written page.

The danger of independent study is that you don’t know what you don’t know. Often, musicians make mistakes that they are unaware of making - when they do sight read. For example, there are many common mistakes amateurs make such as:

Adding a beat to a measure.
Turning a half note into a quarter note
Playing the wrong key signature
Playing a rhythmic group incorrectly

This is where my LISTENING to you can be helpful - I can tell you what I hear which can help you advance in your self awareness of what your strengths are now and what you are ready to strengthen… By letting me listen to you, I can make you aware of things about your playing - technically, stylistically etc. that is NOT on your radar of awareness. Maybe you rush this part of a metric measure, maybe you play such and such a note sharp, maybe you’d like to know that you perform trill in this era of music when you are playing another era of music, maybe you play notes in a register consistently sharp or flat, maybe you can improve this aspect of technical elegance and POOF improve EVERYTHING you play….. furthermore, I can offer you playful techniques to bring out your own gorgeous artistic voice in all you play.

Something to think about…you know how to reach me kathrynjpotter@gmail.com subject LISTENING TO YOU or SIGHT READING - those two services are love donation based. SKYPE Lessons are $1 per minute and tips are appreciated.

Sight reading lets you know pretty quickly your strengths and weaknesses as a technical player. The more technique you have in your skill set, the more knowledge you have, the better and stronger player you are. Heart and imagination and talent are only as strong as your technique. Your technique is only as beautiful to hear as the heart behind it. IT ALL COUNTS : )

At your service dear ones…

The piece for the thumbnail poster of this blog, is MAGICAL FEATHERS - duet no. 4 from the book THE SECRETS OF RAVENS it’s a good duet to sight read with a student or friend. It’s a good example of an intermediate level work and a good barometer to assess how much harder or easier music is best for you at this time for whatever your goals and needs are for technical advancement.

Cheers beautiful oboe family - play on my pretties! Put your hot air to good use.
IT’S OK and a great idea to make beauty and increase your awareness of love, harmony and beauty.

Remember, music is like exercise and nourishment for our emotional health and cultivate higher love consciousness…. etc.

All best wishes for vibrant health and joy with a compassionate heart.

K.J.P.
March 27, 2020