International School of Music inspires local music students to achieve more with the Musical Ladder System® Trophies, Certificates and Award Wristbands to Celebrate Musical Achievement Practice. It’s not the most fun word ever created and it’s definitely not a favorite activity of music students. But the International School of Music has helped to solve that age-old problem by being the first school in the Washington, D.C. area to license the Musical Ladder System®. The music teaching system is being used by music schools nationwide to inspire music students to practice more and enhance their love for music. Similar to karate belt tests, every 90 days or so students have a test with their private music instructor. When they pass, they receive really cool color wristbands with the name of the level they passed. They also receive a certificate , and at some levels, a trophy. The system has helped director Inja Stanic to help inspire her students. About the system she says: “Music lessons have come a long way since I was a kid! Our school’s mission is to provide fun, quality education in a way that keeps students engaged and excited about music. We’re always looking for apps, media, teaching methods, and motivational tools to help you reach your goals. Our students are excited to earn wristbands and trophies with the Musical Ladder system. They can’t wait to get home and practice!” The Musical Ladder System® has also been a big hit with local music students and their parents, as evidenced by the International School of Music Facebook page which showcases pictures of the students when they pass their achievement tests. “Our students’ parents thank us every day for providing the motivation to their children. ‘This is the first trophy he has ever earned!’ ‘I can’t believe I don’t have to remind her to practice!'” Parents and students interested in checking out this cutting edge music teaching system can contact the International School of Music at 301-365-5888 or at info@ismw.org

The Benefits Of Music Performance Evaluation As parents, you want your children to be successful in all that they do. At school, you might pore over their homework and tests, searching for teacher comments and feedback, making sure that your kids are on track and are gleaning something —– anything! —– from their studies. At soccer practice, you attend matches and scrimmages, supervise practices, and ask the coach for updates on their abilities. At karate, you watch as your students endure belt tests to advance from belt to belt and graduate to the next level. We know that parents are always looking for a tangible way to measure progress, so how can we gauge students’ progress at music lessons? Is it just a fun outlet for your kid to play a few fun tunes, or are you invested and interested in how well your child is learning their instrument? Hopefully, you’re looking for the latter, and you’re looking for ways to gauge how quickly and effectively your child is learning their instrument. However, finding a comprehensive learning program can be challenging, as few extracurricular music schools and even fewer out-of-home independent music teachers have a method of assessing progress over time. Luckily, at the International School of Music, we offer our very own Evaluation Program for our students (and their parents) to track their progress. Our music school utilizes a personalized curriculum that allows you to watch your child blossom and grow into the musician they’ve wanted to become! Below, we’ve answered some Frequently Asked Questions to help you understand the benefits of Music Evaluation and why it’s important! What is a music evaluation? A music evaluation is a short, sweet, simple way for your child to be evaluated by an unbiased adjudicator at our music school. Your student will play or sing their latest and greatest repertoire, and maybe some scales or chords, for an unbiased adjudicator. The adjudicator will point out all the wonderful things your child is already doing in their playing, and will provide suggestions for improvement in the future. All students receive a written evaluation of their performance and a medal with a colored lanyard so they can collect all the different colors! What are the benefits of music evaluations? Evaluations are a great way for students to celebrate their achievements and receive feedback for continued study. The positive reinforcement of earning a medal and certificate motivates students to continue studying and delve further into the music. Evaluations provide an invaluable opportunity for students to give a formal presentation of their prepared repertoire, technical exercises and musicianship in front of the faculty. Evaluations are a great model for teaching students about setting goals and achieving them. Participating in music evaluations presents an opportunity to recognize musical, technical, and mental obstacles, and plan a strategy for overcoming them. Evaluations show how far you’ve come! As you collect different medals and advance to higher levels of musicianship, it’s fun to track your progress and celebrate your success! The Path to Musical Success The path to musical success is dotted with milestones and obstacles that you can overcome. With encouragement from the right teacher, careful planning, and a positive attitude, your student will be well on their way to success! Here are some landmarks you’ll encounter on your path: Enroll in music lessons on the instrument of your choice with a fun, encouraging, and engaging at the International School of Music! Attend weekly lessons, supplemented with frequent practice (practicing outside of our music school is a must). Participate in recitals throughout the year. Complete method books and master increasingly difficult repertoire. Undergo a music evaluation. Continue lessons year round (including summer!). CONTINUED PROGRESS! We know motivation to practice, to stay involved, and to come to lessons can ebb and flow over time. Scheduling gets difficult as the seasons and semesters change. Life gets in the way. But we also know that having the ability and access to a structured program is a surefire way to keep boosting morale and set students up for a positive and musical learning experience. If you’d like to start your journey of tangible musical progress, give our music school a call and schedule an introductory lesson today! Whether you want to learn the bass guitar or the bassoon , piano or percussion , we have music lessons for everyone at The International School of Music.

International School of Music Celebrates its 15th Year Anniversary With an Exciting Performance at Carnegie Hall this July “The International School of Music is a wonderful and happy community to walk into,“ Lucy, a voice ISM student says as she is waiting for her music lesson today. 2019 marks The International School of Music’s 15 th year of making a difference in its community with music! “We’re so grateful for our wonderful community of hardworking students, supportive families, talented teachers, and dedicated administrators who have made the International School of Music what we are today,” says Cara Stuart, director of ISM. In April 2004, the International School of Music opened its doors for the first time with only 30 students, 5 studios, and a lot of hope. Today, ISM faculty has grown to include over 130 world-class instructors teaching over 20 instruments and serving close to 1,500 students of all ages, levels and abilities. Rina, an ISM Parent, comments on how much she has watched her son Dilan grow both in musicianship and in his love of music under the wing of his teacher, Dimitri K. She tells us, “We have seen Dilan not only improve his musical abilities but his teacher has fostered a true love of music in Dilan. Dimitri is an incredible musician and a wonderful teacher and we have been honored to have him guide our son. We are constantly impressed how Dimitri not only encourages and motivates Dilan but all his students to perform at their best ability.” The International School of Music program has grown to become one of the biggest and best in the country because of its commitment to serving its community and its dedication to students' musical progress. With locations in Bethesda and Potomac, Maryland, their students have started music lessons at every age and experience level and have hit the ground running with ambition and drive to better their musicianship. Some students, who study multiple instruments, like sisters Nikki and Andrea, explain that their teachers each have caring and exciting ways of approaching their music lessons. Nikki, who studies voice and violin , says, “the teachers are nice and they keep track of you and care about you.” Andrea, a piano and flute student chimes in: “Ms. Alice pushes me to do my best and helps me practice all the hard parts that I can’t understand.” The International School of Music teachers are the true heroes, as they help their students reach new musical goals every week. Woodwinds teacher, Anna B., loves watching how different students learn and helping them find the best path for their musical journey. She marvels at how every student is very unique and “it’s really exciting to find just the right communication and teaching style to get to each student, so they can flourish and achieve their best” Performing July 13th at Carnegie Hall At the International School of Music , students play both professionally and for fun, and the most talented students have gone on to attend music conservatories all around the world. This year, the International School of Music will mark its 15th anniversary with a celebratory student recital at New York City's Carnegie Hall on July 13, 2019, showcasing some of their best students playing piano, guitar, violin and numerous ensembles! Inja Stanic, ISM's founder says: "Our mission is to make the world a better place by growing a generation of musically educated, loving, caring individuals, who will pass on their knowledge to future generations. We are building a school that responds to the community's needs and fosters a lifetime of musical enjoyment." The International School of Music is grateful for the community support over the last 15 years and they look forward to sharing many more musical experiences in the years to come and seeing the impact its music makes in the community. To start your musical journey and to try music lessons with our studio, stop by the International School of Music, visit the contact page , or give them a call at 301-365-5888 today!

International School of Music Honor Students to perform at the Carnegie Hall We are pleased to announce the International School of Music’s concert at the prestigious Carnegie Hall Weill Recital Hall on Saturday, 7/13/2019 at 1pm . Showcasing some of its most talented students, the International School of Music will be featuring performances on a wide variety of instruments and presenting many musical styles. This eclectic recital will include solos in piano, voice, guitar, violin, and cello, as well as ensemble pieces featuring the flute choir, piano trios, string quartets, guitar ensembles, and a fiddle band. We invite you to join us for our performance and hear some of our most talented students! To purchase tickets for our July 13 th performance the Weill Recital Hall, you can go directly to the Carnegie Hall website here. The International School of Music, voted best for music instruction by Washington Families, offers one of the finest music programs to the greater DC community. Founded in 2004, ISM's mission is to create extraordinary musical experiences that enrich lives and empower youth to become more confident, creative and empathetic human beings. ISM offers music lessons in all instruments and voice to over 1,500 students of all ages, levels and abilities, in addition to its Early Childhood Music classes, chamber ensembles and Adult music program. With locations in Bethesda and Potomac, ISM is renowned for its world-class faculty of professional musicians who facilitate a unique combination of high quality music education and performance opportunities that shape and inspire young, well-versed musicians. To view our last year Carnegie Hall performance check out our video here For more information about our program or to purchase tickets for this performance, call 301-365-5888 or email us at info@ismw.org