Have you attended a concert where the soloist dazzled the crowd? Flowing melodies, crisp rhythms, shimmering tone that swept you into a world of captivating sound . . . Contrast that with sitting at your piano, practicing, practicing, searching for the beauty . . . and coming up short. All hope is not lost! Your daily practice can shine with freshness. The key is to practice musically. How does a player do just that, and make the music sparkle? Let's look at two vital, but of

There is a debate among independent music teachers about how long students should practice their instruments each day. It is part of a larger conversation about music practice in general -- not only how many minutes or hours per day, but also how many days per week. Let's focus on the former -- how long to practice each day? -- with a look at the prevailing schools of thought behind the question. Should practice be specified for X minutes per day? If yes, how long? If not, sh