Music and Life---All in the Mix
Talking about issues related to tying music into your life...practice habits, music variety, creating your own sound, etc
March 10th 2008
Every student! Ask your parents to download this! (updated)
We're beginning work on our compositions this month, and you don't have to wait for your teacher to enter your compositions in the computer...try it yourself at home! Finale has a great new upgrade to their free Notepad software that is really intuitive and easy to use. Here is the link: http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/ Remember, ask Mom or Dad first, but this software lets you write out your own music, listen to it playback, enter lyrics, and then print it out! You'll love it!
Advanced students...or super-creative beginning ones: Finale notepad is very basic, so if you get fancy you'll run into these limitations:
In NotePad, you can't...
...Change key signature mid-piece.
...Change time signature mid-piece.
...Use time signatures other than those offered in the set-up wizard (No 5/4, 7/8, etc.)
...Have a pick-up measure.
...Have more than one line of lyrics. (Use text tool to add additional lines)
...Adjust where measures fall on the page.
...Have repeats that function during playback (if created in NotePad)
Have Guitar chords that transpose (use text tool)
Have brackets on repeat endings (use SmartShape lines if you're patient and determined)
Change measure numbers
Change instrumentation after creating the score
Create a file with more than 8 staves
NotePad can't create swing playback,
Notepad can't extract parts from a conductor's score, although you can copy and paste the parts into a new score
Notepad can't create multimeasure rests or block rests
NotePad can't create grace notes.
IN SPITE of those limitations, this is a good basic music writing program to play around with. If you want something more substantial, your parent may need to ask Santa to bring you Sibelius, Cakewalk, or the full-blown Finale version.
Enjoy!! 0 comments | post comment |
October 13th 2007
Musicians, Past and Present
Where to begin...well, in the last post I talked about Gershwin...and last night I got to hear Leon Bates and the Chattanooga Symphony give an amazing performance of Rhapsody in Blue. He performed completely from memory...a few missed notes (for those of you students who are obsessed with a perfect performance, did you know that it rarely happens to ANYONE...even a pro??), but the emotion and energy...wow! Good stuff!
What a gift of music Gershwin was given and turned toward us...and think of the hundreds of other classical composers who have done the same or even more to contribute to our musical heritage! But more recently, I'm feeling the loss of other musicians, both in my life and outside of it....
--Luciano Pavoratti....the great tenor voice of our generation, passed away last month. He made opera cool for this century.
--Max Roach...drummer who worked with Dizzy Gillespie
But they don't always have to be famous to miss them...
--Dr. Bruce Short, a supportive piano parent for many years in my studio,
--Greg Milam, a good friend from high school who just visited us with his family 2 just weeks ago, died today suddenly. He played a mean saxophone in high school, and continued to be a music afficiondo his whole (too short) life. Our hearts go out to his wife Linda and little daughter Alana tonight.
Who are the musicians who have most influenced you? Are they from the past or from your present? I thank God daily for that handful of people who have most influenced me in my music skill and in my music exposure...most are sadly not a part of my life anymore but their influence is felt constantly. 0 comments | post comment |
April 13th 2007
Gershwin--Short and Sweet
This Saturday our group classes will have a composer focus of George Gershwin. If you want to get your foot tapping and a good bit of nostalgia flowing, just put on a Gershwin CD. I expect even kids who haven't heard his name before have heard his music!
A fascinating thing about him...he only lived to be 39 years old. It is always difficult to understand when something doesn't last as long as you think it should, a pet runs away, a sturdy tree falls unexpectedly, a frost kills off the beginnings of spring. And yet, as Gershwin shows by example, a lot can be accomplished in a short time. He successfully blended pop broadway stylings with classical style--and audiences everywhere were spellbound by the exciting rhythms and soaring melodies of the great classics like "American in Paris," "Rhapsody in Blue," and "Porgy and Bess."
What about when life isn't cut short? My parents just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, and I had the opportunity to completely wow them with a surprise celebration in Michigan. The same week, I connected with old classmates for my 20 year high school reunion. None of us who attended really had changed that much. Celebration moments like that really make you think---have I accomplished what I should have for the years that I have put in?
Guess this blog entry has taken a dark turn, which was not intended...but it certainly inspires you when you think of how much some people can accomplish in a short time. The sweet music that George (and his brother Ira) left to us is an amazing collection that has staying power! 0 comments | post comment |
January 31st 2007
Inspiration
I'm amazed at the wonderful and creative compositions that my students are working on this month! Most are not even close to the finished product yet, but every day I've had moments of jumping out of my skin with joy when I hear something super-creative from a student's fingers!! You guys are awesome!
For those who are still struggling with the conceptual stage, look around you for simple things to inspire you:
--a favorite book
--a toy or stuffed animal that you've had your whole life
--a friend or family member who makes you smile
--something you pass daily on the way to school
For me, some of my best compositions were inspired by places I wished I could visit...the ocean, a quiet beach, castle ruins in an Irish countryside, a warm fireplace in a quiet woodland cabin...anything that sparks your imagination when you read or when you dream can be a spark for a song as well.
I'm inspired by all of you...keep up the good work! 0 comments | post comment |
December 14th 2006
Twisty Christmas
Here we are, in the middle of a hectic holiday season once again! This year seems much more busy musically than almost any year since I was in college! My involvement with the children's choirs program at church has brought me through two dinner theatre performances with all the pre-show rehearsals, a Sunday night program involving combined choirs as well as my beginning handbell group and jr. division kid's choir, a mall performance this Friday, and a mass choir rehearsal and then performance on Sunday night!
In addition, this Saturday over 24 of my studio students will perform a Christmas concert for the residents of Morning Pointe Assisted Living on Shallowford Road. I know that will be probably the highlight of the season.
But it could be more hectic! In passing the other night, I saw a jaw-dropping performance (?) on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.....it was the group Twisted Sister singing their rendition of "O Come All Ye Faithful" ! There was nothing peaceful or particularly warm and fuzzy about their punk-rock, heavy make-up, blinding costumed version....in fact, as the rockers wailed out their last note, Jay closed the show and thanked the rockers, he then turned to the camera and audience and said, "By the way, ladies and gentleman, CHRISTMAS HAS BEEN CANCELLED! Goodnight, everybody!"
While those musicians have a right to wail the carols in the way they see fit (and frankly, it was entertaining in a off-setting sort of way!), I'm so proud of my students who are learning to use their gifts to inspire others...and in the process, learning discipline and respect for both themselves and those around them. Rock on, guys--and happy holidays!
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November 2nd 2006
Daily Disciplines
This week I've challenged my students to meet specific daily practice goals appropriate to their level of study...with the pay-off of getting additional "piano bucks" toward their purchases in the piano store in a couple weeks. I wonder...how many of you are already settling into a good habit of setting a specific time of day to practice as a result?
I know that my own two piano girls have found new motivation for practice as a result. Bethany has found a time every day to go down and sneak in a few minutes of extra practice. Christen was downstairs this afternoon playing one of her pieces...must have been at least twenty times in a row I heard her repeat it!! After only two days she clearly knows her piece...probably almost without looking at the notes. It brought into focus even more clearly to me that it doesn't take a LOT of practice to really learn a piece: but it does take consistency.
When I hear a student sit in front of me at a lesson and stumble through a piece with multiple mistakes in fingering, rhythm, and notes, I always look at their practice record before I make a comment about their performance. If the practice record shows a lot of "blank space"...the problem is clear--they simply don't know the piece because they spent no time with it. However, if the practice record is filled and still they stumble, I must wonder how that time was spent? only on reviewing old pieces? only on attempts to play the beginning of the new piece without paying attention to fingerings? was the practice session full of distraction? did a parent have a chance to sit down and verify that the student was actually rehearsing the correct piece and with the correct note position? did they practice everything else on their assignment but not this piece?
And only very rarely, do I have the passing thought--did the student fill in "pretend" times on their practice chart just to please the teacher/to meet required practice? I trust none of my students resort to this. The older I get, the more dearly I cherish true integrity, and I want my students to embrace honesty as earnestly as they do any other trait.
The thing is, the discipline of practice done well carries over into every part of the student's learning life...and even into their handling of emotional situations Repitition, taking difficult things in small steps, finding ways to face unpleasant tasks with determination, evaluating and re-evaluating your own ability....these details of self-motivation and self-teaching are valuable tools.
Want some GREAT new ideas for practice? Go to www.practicespot.com for an unbelievable array of games, articles, ideas, and hints for making practice more fun and more fulfilling. There's no need to practice the same old way everyday...check out the cool ideas for turning practice into play! And let me know when you try some of them--and what your favorites were!
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October 15th 2006
Piano Gigs
Now that I've had a nice relaxing week off the normal schedule, I'll take a second to update my blog. (Not that Disney was a true 'relaxing' vacation, but it is regardless always inspiring! Especially Epcot...so much culture and thus lots of music to uplift the spirit!)
The past few weeks have kept me fairly busy..really from August onward...with special performances in piano. Yes, even the teacher must keep practicing, and I've done more the past month than I've done in ages!
In August, I had a brief fill-in job at a sister Baptist church, as their pianist had left and they needed someone on Sunday mornings until they could find a replacement long term. It was quite the experience. On the down side, I played with a hodge podge of instrumentalists...from an advanced cellist to a drummer who (unfortunately somewhat typically) pretty much varied the tempo of his beat throughout the songs. Yikes. On the plus side, I was pleasantly amazed to find myself get reaquainted with some dear old hymns, some of which I've not heard or sung in over 11 years! This church incorporated a couple praise and worship songs in their worship order, but they centered on hymns, and what an unexpected joy it was to let my fingers dwell on them again!
Hymn playing is unlike any other performance music...it involves a good deal of improvisation and supplementation to what is on the written page. It also requires a substantial flexibility as you are in a major sense directing all the voices. Yes, truly most churches have a worship leader who stands and leads the song, but the true director is generally the pianist or organist...they set the tempo, keep the momentum, and help dictate the flow between verses of a hymn and between the hymns in the worship order.
Once that gig ended, I began preparing for a wedding...Among other things I accompanied a soloist (who almost didn't show up for the wedding...five minutes til the bride walked in, the soloist finally showed up and we ran to a side room to rehearse quickly. Good grief.).
My latest performance was at Cadek Hall, accompanying Dr. Anne Fouquet in a Concerti Lecture series. I played the orchestra reduction on second piano as she played the solo parts of one movement each from the concertos of Haydn, Beethoven, and Mozart. Those students who walked in on me as I was cramming in practice between private lessons know that this was quite the work-out for me!! Thank you to Gwen Strange and her family who came and represented my studio and enjoyed the recital! I found this experience to be a great thing for me musically and professionally....it got my fingers moving like they haven't in years and it also was a very informative lecture Dr. Anne gave. I look forward to teaching one or two of my high school students how to play these concertos in the next few years.
This week...it is my students' turn to shine! Group classes occur this week...with lots of great performances and fun. Practicing your performance technique and poise in front of your classmates is great preparation for the day some church calls you to fill in on the spur of the moment...or a friend asks you to play for their wedding...or who knows...Carnegie Hall? The Kennedy Center? That could be you!
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August 18th 2006
Notes and.....Rests!
I'm on the verge of starting a new teaching year, with seven new students coming on board and lots of music waiting to be learned. In the middle of all this preparation, I'm trying to get my body to cooperate. Sometimes we don't know how hard we are pushing ourselves until we've gone over the line.
In music, the sound of silence is just as important as the tones produced. A piece of music without ANY rests throughout would be monotonous, boring...and would put you to sleep faster than a past-his-prime college professor! I'm slowly learning to reduce my pace in life and find those periods of rest.
Some may know about my health battles this year...I had what I thought was strep back in May, turned out to be a case of mono...but at the same time my bloodwork showed I was anemic. I started iron supplements, but my docs thought we should dig a little deeper, so they ordered a series of other tests (some not fun at all!). Everything checked out, colon, liver, esophogas, etc...a little irritation in my stomach, but otherwise fine. But yet, last week my latest bloodwork showed I'm increasingly MORE anemic in spite of the iron and other treatments. I'm moving the wrong direction!
They've tripled my iron and want to test again in three weeks, and from there will do more tests to try and find out what is going on. In the meantime, I'm slowing down, simply because I have no other choice! I stepped down early summer from the writing position at Central Baptist that I've undertaken for nearly 10 years....a very difficult choice but one that I know God brought me to. The stress of deadlines and other pressures were difficult to manage alongside my family and health.
I've found that sometimes going from one room to another drains me....other days I feel more energy and can manage a trip out to the store. I know that learning the balance between the "notes" and the "rests" in my life will make a difference...and trusting the Master Musician to bring my health into Harmony!
Every time I see a rest on a page of music lately, I think about how difficult it has been for me over the years to learn to do that in life...still have a long way to go, but hopefully I'll be better as a result of letting go of the noisy notes and embracing silence now and then.
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July 17th 2006
Summer's flying by!
Hi everyone!
First of all, I'm checking in with my web host service to find out how to avoid getting hit by spammers on the comment section of the blog...I want to be able to let my students comment on my blog postings, but I don't want you to have to wade through advertising spammers who leave their comments too! We'll work through it!
I have more students taking summer lessons this year than any other summer, bravo for you! Summer is a great time to focus on developing as a pianist since the stress of school homework and deadlines don't exist! It is also a fun season to pick up a variety of "fun" pieces and take a break from some of the serious music you focus on during the rest of the year!
A few of my teenage students plugged in to their studies in full force by participating in my all-day "So, You Want to Teach Piano?" workshop on July 15. Besides a yummy pizza lunch and a treat of root beer floats, we dug into all the ins and outs of starting up a new beginning piano student and how to tackle your first piano teaching! It was such a success, I plan to offer the workshop again in September for those who were on vacation this month and unable to join us, plus extend it to other teen students in the area.
Only a few weeks remain until Fall start up...keep on practicing, even 10 minutes at a time make a difference :)
Margy0 comments | post comment |
July 17th 2006
Milestones
This week, our studio celebrates two hard-working students at a high point in their study!
Tiffani Tallent presents her Junior Piano recital on Saturday afternoon. Her program includes several works from the masters, including her "sugar-stick" piece "Lyric Waltz" by Shostakovitch. She and her friend Zac will also perform a vocal duet, and she will present a short vocal aria in solo as well.
Earlier this year, Brianne Roddy also gave her junior recital. Right before Christmas, she poured her heart into a wonderful Debussy piece, Padrewski, and several others...and closed with a powerful Christian contemporary piece sung with her sister.
On Friday night, it is Kara Rice's night! A graduated senior, she has prepared a recital filled with great classic favorites! Bach, Chopin, Mozart, and Schumann are featured....and her closer is the beloved "Moonlight Sonata." I've only taught Kara for a year...and how much I'll miss her when she heads to UT for her major in French!
It isn't easy giving a solo performance, but such a great milestone should be commended and lifted up! Most students hesitate (even violently object in some cases) when we first begin talking about solo performance recitals....but the hard work of so many years deserves a spotlight. The music itself takes on a life of its own, and it is a breath-taking moment when a student who has put in months of diligent practice steps into center stage and breathes passion into the keys!!
I make every effort in my studio to encourage celebrations of milestones ALL along the musical journey! Why wait until the junior or senior year to let a student go solo? Suzuki students recital at the end of every book (a well-earned point of rejoicing, especially in the difficult Book 2!). All my students generally are featured at least once a year (sometimes twice) in all-studio recitals. And every week I feel blessed to sit alongside the student as they eagerly dance their fingers across the keys to show where their study has taken them in the previous week. And beyond music...what a joy to hear about other milestones...a students' first all 'A' report card....their first communion...the Girl Scout cookie high sales award...the smile on mom's face because of the dandelion given with love before a lesson................all these are moments of celebration for me, and I trust for every parent of every child who touches the keys of my Nordiska.
"To develop a beautiful soul" was the response Dr. Suzuki gave when asked what his goal was for his music students. I am thrilled to say that my juniors and senior who have hit milestones this year are lovely, godly examples of what constitutes a beautiful soul. Join me in expressing your appreciation for their dedication and character--how proud we are of these girls!
Margy 0 comments | post comment |
July 17th 2006
Music History with Tom & Jerry
Some piano students (none of mine, of course!) simply wince when you try to talk about music history. Even after years of piano study, the influence of their friends makes them kick back to that old addage, "But classical music is BORING!!!"
For Easter weekend, my hubby rented a Tom & Jerry compilation DVD, and my girls have been watching it non-stop! I'm willing to bet that most Americans' first exposure to classical repertoire was through cartoon background music! Tom & Jerry, Bugs and the Gang, good ol' Mickey...these guys raced around, cooked up countless schemes, and got into general trouble accompanied by a backdrop of solid classical themes!
For fun...who can name the composer/era of the selections featured on these episodes of Tom & Jerry? No prize for the winner except to have the prestige and honor to be the first winner of a Barber blog brain teaser!
I listed the name of the episode and the year it first aired along with the classical piece featured...you tell me the composer name and what era of music the piece is from (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modern).
Cat Concerto - 1947 - "Hungarian Rhapsody no.2"
Kitty Foiled - 1948 - "The Barber of Seville"
Tom and Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl - 1950 - "Die Fledermaus"
The Two Mouseketeers - 1952 - "Alouette"
The Flying Cat - 1952 - "Grande Valse brillante in E-flat major, Op.18"
Pecos Pest - 1955 - "Froggy Went a Courtin'"
Royal Cat Nap - 1958 - "FrÈre Jacques"
Carmen Get It - 1962 - "Carmen"
Snowbody Loves Me - 1964 - " Waltz in A-Flat major, Op. 34 No.1"
The Cat Above and The Mouse Below - 1964 - "The Barber of Seville"
If this subject interests you, I hear there is a great book on the subject called:
Listen close next time you see a cartoon, you might find yourself lost in a beloved classical tune!
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January 30th 2006
Blogging ...and Mozart
This is my first attempt at a blog online, and I hope it becomes a helpful tool for parents and students alike!
Last weekend the world recognized the 250th birthday of Wolfgang Amadaus Mozart. Most of you have heard and even played his music, and some have even heard his amazing story. I get chills when I think about how his first composition came to him at the age of four, before he really could even read his own language. He got an early start and hardly put his pen down his whole short life...and poured out an immense amount of literature for us to enjoy. And had he lived to be a ripe old age as many other composers such as Haydn, we'd be flooded with Mozart...there might even have been an entire music history period named after him!
You students are creating compositions this month...and I've already been inspired by some of your first notes! I love the "Too Much Lemonade" piece that one student used to reflect how she felt when the call of nature hit her in the middle of a soccer game! And the exciting background music one teen composed to go along with the short story her friend is writing...this is what music is to me...life reflected in sound.
Compose on, students! The next Mozart is probably in my studio!1 comment | post comment |
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