So welcome to summer everyone. This is the time when many of us get a chance to relax and recharge. And if we teach college it's when we get to prepare for next year. Curriculum to revise, syllabi to update, students to contact etc. Sometimes it seems it never stops. So, for all the students out there here is my list of some things for you to do over the summer:

1) PLAY! Make sure that you get on your instrument regularly. You will be amazed at how much you can lose over the summer. You will also be amazed at how much you can progress over the summer!

2) Sight-read regularly. I know many artists who will spend the summer just reading through new lit. to see what's out there and to see what they might what to add to their repertoire. Also there is no better way to improve sight-reading than to do it a lot.

3) Work technique. Improve something you started working on during school or find a couple of things you don't know how to do yet and learn them. This is also a great time to get back to the basics of your instrument (which we all need occassionally).

4) Got to camp. There are many great festivals and camps around you can attend. Can't afford to go to a camp? Then find one near you and attend some concerts. Listening never hurts.

5) Read. This is also a great time to read about the history of your instrument or a biography or two that interest you about musicians. It is great to read about music when you don't have to!

6) Listen. Find a couple of pieces in your area that you feel like you should know and really listen to them. Look at a score if you can get one. You will be amazed what you can learn but really looking at just a couple of pieces over the summer. Also listen to an style of music or instrument that you don't normally study. It never hurts to expand your horizons.

7) Take a lesson. Find a teacher you respect and go study with them. Yes they may be expensive but think of what you will get out of the studies.

8) Learn rep. Teacher give you a summer assignment? Work on it. You will NEVER have this much time to prepare for a single (i.e. the first next fall) lesson again. You teacher will be thrilled if you come in prepared on what they assigned (and even more).

Hope these give you a few ideas for the summer. Remember that being a musician never stops.