April 2016 Wrapup

A Few Facts: 

- The Digital Age has changed the way the recording industry chooses music to publish.  The industry now is able to rely on data collected on what people want to hear, so they no longer publish based on the gut instincts of music experts.  This means we're getting more of what we want.  This is great for business, but is it so great for music?

-Conducting class gave me a reverential respect for large ensemble conductors.  They truly have the most challenging performance job, in my humble opinion.



Awesome thing from this month:  
- I've had the pleasure of perusing my former piano teacher's new book, Piano Student's Tool Kit, and discovering his new website: http://www.pianoinstructionandtuning.com


To-do's and Goals for this Month: 
- Finish the examples in the aforementioned Piano Student's Tool Kit, including Advanced Blues Licks

-Reach performing proficiency with my by ear piece, A Perfect Day, from (don't laugh) the Peter Rabbit Sountrack. Truly one of the most melodically calming and mysteriously searching pieces I've ever heard.

-Review one Baroque piece to performance proficiency

Canned Laughter

Of course Weird Al Yankovich is the king of musical comedians.  Tim Hawkins is a great second.

And what was his name?  Oh yes, found him:Victor Borge.  I knew it started with a B.

He did musical stand up comedy to make uprights fall over.
I tried.

Oh, and I must insert my favorite piano joke:

Which kind of piano does God love best? 

God favors the upright.

*canned laughter*



Not as much a shining group, but maybe worth perusing: 10 Essential Musical Comedians - About.com Comedians

Monthly Wrapup: August 2014

A Few Facts: 

- It's been over 3 years since my last piano lesson.  I want to find a teacher for a 2 month stint.  I could also find some masterclasses to attend at a school of music.

- Film composers often have a motley assortment of projects they've worked on.  Often you can look up the works of your favorite composer and find new ear candy. 


 - Michael W. Smith's Freedom is one of my favorite instrumental albums.  Orchestral, celtic, drama, epic, sweet...

- Weird Al does the greatest parodies.  New album just came out!  You have to watch the music videos.

-  "From his earliest days as a prodigy in Bonn, Ludwig van Beethoven's great ambition had been to travel to Vienna to meet - and take lessons with - the man he knew was the greatest living composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart." Read more.



Awesome thing from this month:  
- I've had seven prospective students with whom I've been chatting or arranging meetings.  Since I only taught ONE lesson this month, I realized how much I would miss it if I got much more of a vacation!  I'd miss the interaction, involvement, relationship, and I'd loose my touch.  Use it or loose it, as I always say.  For all you students/parents who read this, I hope you know that you make my day and add so much zest to my life! :)  Thank you!


To-do's and Goals for this Month: 
- Finish memorizing Finlandia.  I've performed this so many times over the last 4 years that it's almost there, and has almost been there for too long.
- Change my quickly updated cell phone answering greeting - It's many people's first impression of me!
- Speed up the first page of Flight of the Bumblebee - one of the pieces I'm reviewing.