Music is often thought of as a personal journey—a way to express yourself and hone your individual skills. While solo practice and performances are important, the magic of music often shines brightest when shared with others. Whether in a duet, a band, a choir, or an orchestra, performing with other musicians offers unparalleled opportunities for growth, connection, and joy. Here’s a deep dive into the many benefits of performing with others and why it should be an integral part of every music student’s journey.

1. Enhanced Musical Skills

Collaborating with others challenges musicians to develop skills that are hard to cultivate in solo practice. These include:

• Listening Skills: Playing in a group requires acute listening. Musicians must balance their own part with others, ensuring the ensemble sounds cohesive.
• Timing and Rhythm: Synchronizing with others improves timing and rhythm. Musicians learn to adapt to the group’s tempo and dynamics.
• Adaptability: Group settings often bring unexpected changes. Musicians become more flexible, learning to adjust to variations in interpretation or tempo.

How This Helps:

These skills translate into improved solo performances, making musicians more versatile and confident.

2. Deeper Understanding of Ensemble Dynamics

Performing with others teaches musicians how different parts come together to create a harmonious whole. Whether you’re playing melody, harmony, or percussion, understanding your role within the ensemble fosters a sense of responsibility and teamwork.

Real-World Application:

This is particularly important for musicians who aspire to play in professional settings, where collaboration is key.

3. Boosted Confidence

For many, the thought of performing alone can be intimidating. Group performances offer a supportive environment where the spotlight is shared. This can help students build confidence in their abilities while reducing the pressure of being the sole focus.

Why It Works:

When surrounded by peers, students feel encouraged and empowered, making it easier to overcome stage fright and take pride in their contributions.

4. Social Connection and Teamwork

Music has a unique ability to bring people together. Performing with others fosters camaraderie and teamwork, creating bonds that often extend beyond the stage.

Benefits of Social Interaction:

• Builds friendships and a sense of community.
• Encourages communication and collaboration.
• Offers emotional support through shared experiences.

These connections can make music lessons and performances more enjoyable, motivating students to stay committed to their practice.

5. Exposure to Different Perspectives

Playing with others exposes musicians to a variety of interpretations, styles, and techniques. This broadens their musical horizons and encourages creativity.

Example:

A violinist might learn new bowing techniques from a fellow player or discover a unique phrasing idea from a pianist in a duet. These experiences enrich their overall musicianship.

6. Development of Leadership Skills

Group performances often require individuals to step into leadership roles, whether as a conductor, section leader, or ensemble coordinator. These opportunities teach:

• Communication Skills: Leaders must clearly convey ideas and directions.
• Decision-Making: Choosing tempos, dynamics, and interpretations requires confidence and decisiveness.
• Empathy: Effective leaders understand and respect the needs and abilities of their group members.

7. Improved Emotional Expression

Music is a powerful medium for expressing emotions, and performing with others amplifies this. The shared energy and emotion of a group can elevate the music and create a deeply moving experience for both performers and audiences.

Key Insight:

Group performances often lead to moments of musical synergy that are hard to achieve alone, leaving participants with a sense of fulfillment and connection.

8. Preparation for Real-World Scenarios

For students aspiring to a career in music, experience in group performances is invaluable. Most professional musicians perform in collaborative settings, whether in bands, orchestras, or studio sessions.

How It Prepares Students:

• Teaches professionalism and etiquette.
• Builds a network of fellow musicians.
• Provides opportunities to perform a diverse repertoire.

9. Increased Motivation and Accountability

When practicing alone, it’s easy to lose focus or motivation. Being part of a group creates a sense of accountability, as others rely on you to know your part and contribute to the ensemble’s success.

Motivation Boost:

Rehearsals and performances provide tangible goals to work toward, keeping students engaged and excited about their progress.

10. Memorable Experiences

Performing with others creates lasting memories that can define a musician’s journey. From the thrill of a successful concert to the laughter shared during rehearsals, these moments make the hard work worthwhile.

Personal Growth:

These experiences help students develop a deeper appreciation for music and its ability to bring people together.

Conclusion

Performing with others is an essential aspect of music education that goes far beyond the technical aspects of playing an instrument. It builds skills, confidence, and connections while providing a sense of purpose and joy. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced student, embracing opportunities to collaborate with others will enhance your musical journey and leave you with experiences that resonate for a lifetime.

If you’re looking for ways to get involved in group performances, our music lesson school offers ensembles, duets, and group classes designed to help students thrive in a collaborative environment. Join us and discover the transformative power of performing together!

Do you love bikes? Do you like helping those in need? Then we have the perfect place for you to visit, and to help. 

Cola Town Bike Collective (CTBC) is a community bike shop whose mission is “to educate and empower the community by providing a welcoming space to learn about bicycle repair, engage in maintenance practices, and promote safe operation through outreach and advocacy activities.” They help spread their good natured mission throughout Columbia with their bicycle repair network, which provides accessible and free-to-use bike repair stands throughout the Midlands, as well as The Reliable Transportation Initiative.

For every bike they sell, they donate back to the community. Every paid repair equals five free or low cost repairs for someone in need. In a sense, what you give them, they return to the community tenfold. This program ensures that nobody is without a good pair of wheels to help them get to where they need to be. Access to bikes helps those experiencing homeless achieve a more stable living situation than if they were on their feet all day. 

Their mission is a valiant one, and unfortunately, now this shop needs your help. They’re in danger of losing their space, as the building is being sold, which puts all the progress they’ve made to better our community at risk. Recently, Freeway’s talented rock band, the Midnight Monarchs, performed at their #SaveOurShop campaign to raise money and awareness to the shop and the circumstances they’ve found themselves in. Big thanks to Will Brennan of Columbia’s City Council for having us! 

Everybody deserves a mode of transportation, because without it, getting ahead in life is that much tougher. CTBC gives them a leg up. Or rather, a pedal up. 

If you wish to help them out, or just want to donate to a great cause, visit their website and help them save their shop. They’re currently 30k away from their goal in their efforts to buy the location and get necessary repairs done on the building, and anything you can provide helps. 

Over the weekend, on August 19th, Charleston-based band Homemade Haircuts released their debut album Sun Showers. They celebrated its release—and the coinciding birthday of drummer and Freeway teacher Blake Hunter—by performing downtown in Columbia’s New Brookland Tavern, with three opening bands who absolutely knocked it out of the park, keeping the energy high the entire night with performance after epic performance. 

First up was Clay Dixon and The Piccadillies, a folk-indie band from Gainesville, Florida, who came to Columbia while on a mini-tour. They opened with a cover of Hozier’s Like Real People Do, setting the tone before performing the first of their many great original songs that just kept raising the bar. The lead singer was definitely a crowd-pleaser, charismatic and kind, telling the backstory of each eclectic song they played. With the surprising and wicked use of a banjo and cello came songs such as Vice and The Warlock Witch of Armageddon that are guaranteed to worm—no pun intended—their way into your mind for weeks after hearing them for the first time. This band is geeky and colorful, and every member was a joy to interact with. What more could you ask from your next favorite band? Their EP, Live From My Home, is available on Spotify and YouTube. 

Following the Piccadillies is an indie-rock band also based out of Charleston, Whitehall, The Band. From the very first song they played, it was obvious that their eccentric and pulsing music was going to rock the tavern. Every member made the stage their own, moving around in the way only dedicated rockers do, headbanging and swinging long hair around. They filled every inch of the space with life, matching the crowd’s high-energy with their own ten-fold. It’s obvious that every member is in love with their experimental and loud jamming songs that will leave your ears ringing and head spinning in the best way possible. And if that wasn’t cool enough, they’ll be going on tour with the Goo Goo Dolls. Yes, THE Goo Goo Dolls. Be sure to check out their album Ocean Fiction and their latest EP Garden Song, also on Spotify. 

The final opener of the night was Paisley and the Birdwalkers based in South Carolina, with the frontwoman being Freeway’s very own awesome teacher Paisley Marie Suttlemyre. This all-girl band absolutely dominated the stage with their killer vocals, lovely harmonies, and fun fairy lights decorating the drum set. They seamlessly mixed multiple genres together—country, folk, pop, indie, rock, probably every other one— into a lively and killer rendition of their creative and dynamic original songs, including my personal favorite Solar Flare, a powerful ballad of female power. They kept the crowd’s energy up even as the night and drinks waned down, readying the stage for Homemade Haircuts. Even though they played last, they cemented a spot into the memory of all the listeners for many months to come. Check out their singles, Solar Flare and Hide from the Rain, on Spotify.

And finally, for the reason we’re here: the homies themselves, Homemade Haircuts. Paisley returned to the stage as the bassist, and this band took the lull of the late Friday night and ramped the energy all the way back to a thousand. Heavy and fast drums, killer guitars, and creative lyrics, the performance was a celebration of Sun Showers and all bands that played before them. At one point the lead singer of the Picaddillies hopped on stage to assist on a song with a tambourine. Voices were hoarse from all the well-deserved cheering and singing. They played every song on their new album before ending the night with their most popular song, Fairy Tale, as a thrilling finisher. 

Overall, the night was one to remember. Every single band that played that night was amazing, the musicians were kind on and off the stage, and they deserve every ounce of praise that can be given. 

Stream Sun Showers on Spotify, and support all these other bands! 

Join our Rockbands as they kick off the town of Blythewood’s Independence Day celebrations in Doko Park! The bands will be performing all afternoon leading up to Blythewood’s celebration later in the evening.