Welcome to the Con Brio page of the Lawrence Conservatory Woodwind Department!

The studio faculty in the Woodwind Department has developed a program of study for new students to complete during the summer in preparation for their arrival on campus for Welcome Week and the beginning of their undergraduate education.  These activities will help new students to understand the expectations of the Woodwind Department and develop the habits of thought and practice essential to success in our Conservatory.

The amount of time students will be expected to practice as Lawrence Conservatory students – approximately 3 hours each day – and the way in which students use that time, may be one of the biggest adjustments that new students are asked to make when they begin study each fall.  In order for new students to be prepared to meet this challenge successfully, the Woodwind Department Faculty asks incoming students to complete the following activities prior to arriving on campus for Welcome Week:

Activity 1: The Musician's Way

  1. Acquire a copy of The Musician’s Way, by Gerald Klickstein.  (available in print and digitally from www.amazon.com)
  2. Visit and familiarize yourself with the resources at www.musiciansway.com
  3. Read the following sections of The Musician’s Way, Chapter 1:

Getting Organized
Defining Practice
Creating a Practice Environment: Practice Room Essentials

Activity 2: Assemble a "Practice Tool Kit"

Referring to Table 1.1 "Practice Room Essentials" in The Musician's Way, put together your own Practice Tool Kit. Use this tool kit in your daily practice for the rest of the summer and when you start classes in the Fall.

Activity 3: Further reading 

Continue reading in Chapter 1 of The Musician’s Way:

The Five Practice Zones
Planning Your Practice
Scheduling Practice Sessions

Activity 4: Model Practice Sheet

  1. Download a copy of the Model Practice Sheet here.
  2. Using this format, design and follow practice sheets for your instrument’s excerpts on the Conservatory ensemble placement audition list. (The list of audition pieces for Fall 2016 will be posted on the Conservatory website after June 1.)

Preparation for Welcome Week

During Welcome Week, the Woodwind Department Faculty will meet with all the new students in the Department as a group for discussion of the activities for summer study. In preparation for this meeting, please prepare answers to the following questions, and be ready to discuss your answers with the group:

1. Define practice in your own words.
2. Describe your practice environment(s).
3. Which of the Practice Room Essentials did you incorporate on a regular basis?
4. Describe the regular practice schedule that you developed over the summer.
5. Describe the challenges you faced in keeping a regular practice schedule.