Blog
By Andrew White
“Doe, a deer, a female deer…”
“Tale as old as time…”
“I dreamed a dream in time gone by…”
“Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor…”
“From the day, we arrive, on the planet…”
If your whistling, humming or full opera singing hasn't broken out yet, there’s something wrong! There’s nothing quite like a night at the musicals, whether it be a Broadway Show, West End Musical or Las Vegas Spectacular, they are nights you remember forever.
By Nathan Straub
Have you ever enjoyed the music that plays during a movie? Do you suddenly have “aha!” moments when you learn that a theme from an old cartoon was actually a legitimate composition (thank you, Looney Tunes!)?
You can thank the Romantic Period for these familiar sensations. The fact is that when most people think of classical music, they are thinking of the symphonies, concertos, operas, and sonatas of the Romantic period. Composers such as Chopin, Wagner, Debussy, Verdi, Puccini, Mahler, Schumann, Schubert, Beethoven (to be discussed a separate time!), and many more composed thousands of pieces still performed around the world.
By Kate MacKenzie
This is an exciting time to be apart of the AWSOM family! In July we rolled out our official Chamber Ensemble Program, which gives our students the opportunity to make music with other students! The possible instrument combinations are endless, and the music written for these groups is quite fun! Each chamber music ensemble will meet once a week with their coach (one of AWSOM's awesome teachers). It is a great way to meet other like-minded musicians, make some fantastic music, and learn in a group atmosphere!
By Maile Allen and John Hart
There are many ways students benefit from learning to play an instrument. Numerous students show students who take music lessons perform better academically, see an increase in verbal intelligence, and even see a boost to their IQ. Homeschooling families can enhance their students’ education and experience by adding music lessons to their curriculum.
By Megan Grady
The college decision process can be daunting - everyone has an opinion about what you should study, where you should go and what you should want. With so many options, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when deciding what you want to study, what kind of college you want, and where you want to apply. These decisions feel like they will impact the rest of your life!
By Justin Hansen
During an introductory piano lesson, aside from getting a glimpse of the student’s personality, the primary goal for the teacher is to assess the skill level of the prospective student. If this student is new to piano, there are some fun rudimentary lessons we can give to ignite interest and provide a snapshot of any learning styles that become apparent. Some instructors may focus on teaching this student a simple song on the black keys using finger numbers. Others may focus on note heads and their values. One thing most of us choose not to start out with is teaching the keys of the piano; that perhaps the student will gradually learn these later with the help of method books, and it may just be too much information out of the gate.
By Nathan Straub
Have you ever wondered how music evolved into its current state? How did power chords, symphonies, rock concerts, Michael Jackson, and operas all come to be? This week, I will be covering three musical eras that answer a small part of these questions. These are known as the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic musical periods.
That's why our teachers have taken a moment to answer some questions in between their busy teaching schedules. Read on to learn more about our amazing piano teacher Justin Hansen!
By Kate MacKenzie
One of my favorite composers was an Italian mastermind of the Baroque era, Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741). His beautiful treatment of melodies paired with appeasing Alberti bass and harmonic structure have made him an important figure of music history. Sure, most people fall in love with perhaps his most famous piece, The Four Seasons, but for me it was his Bassoon Concerto in A Minor that started my deep admiration for his music.
By William Muñoz
When I started learning the trumpet one of my goals was to eventually be good enough to play salsa music. After all, growing up in Puerto Rico, that is one of the most popular styles of music and I thought it would be awesome to be in a salsa band. My first trumpet teacher played in many salsa bands, some of which he also directed, additionally, he also performed with the Puerto Rico Symphony and Puerto Rico Philharmonic among other ensembles. I remember that after a few lessons he asked: “why do you want to play the trumpet?” to which I replied: “I want to play salsa.” He then responded: “Well, I am going to teach you how to be a trumpet player, more importantly, I will teach you to be a good musician.”
