When students first start to play a stringed instrument, they don’t usually have the hand strength or fine motor skills to hold the bow correctly and without tension. The muscles in the hand need to be trained and strengthened. So, as Arnold Swartzenegger said in the movie Kindergarten Cop, “It’s...
Session materials and links are online. Just click under “Topics” menu for information and the “Links” menu for hyperlinks to software and hardware. Essential Elements Interactive Automate and Motivate 21st Century String Players with Instructional Technology Envisioning and Developing the Complete Music Program It was a pleasure to present and...
Strings are technology too! Many students ask what brand/type of strings I use on my personal instruments, so I thought I would post my favorites and why I like them. Violin (First Choice): D’Addario Kaplan Amo Kaplan Am help provide a me with the greatest quality sound, projection, and response....
It was great to present again at the OSU String Teacher workshop! It’s always so fun meeting new people and learning about their experiences. Below are links to topics we covered during my sessions. I hope the information below is helpful. Please feel free to contact me should you have...
9:00 – The 21st Century String Classroom Topics Discussed: Understanding 21st Century Learners Classroom automation of daily routines Technology to assist home practice Communication – reaching out to your audiences Enrichment through Skype sessions 4:15 – Teaching Beginning Strings in the Digital Age Essential Elements Interactive is a new resource...
Clinics at a Distance: Using videoconferencing technology in your orchestra classroom or private studio. With shrinking budgets and increased costs of travel, it becomes more and more difficult to bring guests into your classroom. This session will discuss videoconferencing technology, particularly Skype software, and will show you a few of...
I’ve just discovered the most powerful and incredible tuner in the App Store – Tonal Energy Tuner. I can’t wait to start using it!! I will post more once I begin using it and let you know what I find. For now, it seems like this app will be another...
New from Hal Leonard Corporation is “Essential Elements Digital,” a new accompaniment to the Essential Elements 2000 (book 1) band and orchestra series method book. The DVD-ROM includes some tools that may come in handy. First and foremost, the disc includes a PDF of the entire teacher’s manual! For me,...
What a great deal on classical music today from Amazon.com! Under $4.00 for 50 selections! That’s only 8 cents a track – an excellent value. 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music performed by the London Philharmonic The tracks do not contain complete symphonies, but rather, the most popular movements from famous...
Thanks for attending my sessions! It was a lot of fun and I hope you took away some things that you can use. Just remember that you probably won’t do everything I demonstrated right away. It takes time and planning, but will be worth it in the end. Please let...
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Dr. Charles Laux is the Director of Orchestras at Lassiter High School in the Cobb County School District, located just north of Atlanta, Georgia. He also serves as Essential Elements clinician, consultant, and contributor for the Hal Leonard Corporation. Dr. Laux holds degrees in music education from Ohio University, the University of Nevada – Las Vegas, and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. A string educator in his 30th year, Dr. Laux has worked with diverse student populations from elementary school through the collegiate level. He taught at Alpharetta High School in Fulton County, Georgia from 2016-2022 where his duties include directing five levels of orchestra, including the nationally recognized AHS Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Laux served as Assistant Professor of String Music Education at Kennesaw State University from 2012-2016 where he taught string techniques and pedagogy, music education technology integration, supervised student teachers, conducted the KSU Philharmonic and coordinated string outreach activities, including serving as founding director of the KSU String Project. Under his leadership, Kennesaw State University became the largest string education program in Georgia and the KSU String Project grew to serve nearly 110 elementary school students. Previously Dr. Laux directed award-winning school orchestra programs in Nevada, Florida, and Ohio. Under his direction, the Winter Park High School Philharmonic Orchestra was selected to perform at the 60th annual Midwest Clinic in 2006 and the Alpharetta High School Symphony Strings were selected in 2018. Endorsed as an artist-educator by D’Addario Orchestral and Eastman Stringed Instruments, Dr. Laux has presented over 150 educational sessions for organizations such as the Midwest Clinic, American String Teachers Association, Technology Institute for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and at music conferences spanning 23 states. He regularly presents professional development in-services for school districts across the country and has presented internationally at Colegio Menor San Francisco near Quito, Ecuador. His performing experience includes seasons with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, the Nevada Chamber Symphony, the Columbus String Quartet, and a collaborative solo-performance with several members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Laux remains in frequent demand across the nation as an orchestra clinician, conductor, and adjudicator. He enjoys giving back to the string and orchestra community through “The Orchestra Teacher” website, YouTube channel, and podcast.
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