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Have Musical Heroes! In the early stages, and in every stage, of your musical journey take advantage of learning from people who have mastered skills you are working on, who have meaningful careers in music, or who have incorporated music into their own life, into their family or community in ways that make a difference.
Christmas is just around the corner, and whether you’ve been listening to Christmas music all year-round or holding out until December, the time has finally come to embrace those holiday favorites. Listening to Christmas music always brings a nostalgic joy to my heart, but even I can admit that those same old songs grow a bit stale after the 1,000th time hearing them. So, to save yourself from becoming a Scrooge this year, check out this list of 5 holiday pieces to bring fresh life to your Christmas music playlist.
December is here, and the time has finally come to deck the halls and get into the holiday spirit! Christmas has so many rich traditions that always cast a warm glow over the season, but one of the holiday’s greatest treats is to hear the variety of sounds and instruments are reserved specifically for Christmas time. So grab yourself a cup of hot cocoa, eggnog, or maybe even wassail, and enjoy these 12 instruments of the Christmas season.
Have you ever had a time in your life where one song / artist seemed to be the soundtrack of that season? And now every time you go back there in your memory, your brain can’t help but to play that music in the background?
Think about what was going on in that memory; Where were you? Who were you with? What did you feel? If you indulged me and followed along, you probably can easily equate the sense of emotion of that season with the music of that season.
The weather has turned cooler, the leaves have begun to change, and pumpkins and ghoulish creatures are decorating department store shelves. Fall is in the air, and with it comes the anticipation of one of America’s favorite holidays—Halloween. The 31st of October may be known mostly for its sights, smells, and tastes (hello candy!), but Halloween can also be a treat for your ears as you listen to these 5 festive favorites.
It’s finally October, and as the leaves change and the air turns colder, we’re getting in the mood for the beloved fall holiday Halloween. Although you may have already curated a list of spooky tunes for yourself, you might be interested to know that the tradition of spooky music goes back for centuries to a plainchant written in the 1200s. This haunting melody, known as the Dies Irae, has frightened and enthralled listeners for centuries, establishing itself as a harbinger of death and doom from Medieval times until today.
No Fourth of July is complete without the inspiring sounds of patriotic music. Although pieces like the National Anthem and “Stars and Stripes Forever” are obvious favorites for the season, there is a whole wealth of other patriotic repertoire that is sure to give your Fourth of July cookout some extra flair. This post highlights five of these lesser-known patriotic pieces that will make the perfect addition to your Independence Day playlist.
In our current society, listening is the root of all music-making. Have you ever watched a two-year-old sit at a piano and explore it by touching any key he or she chooses? If a musician had never been exposed to piano players that make great sounds and had no idea which keys made great sounds when pressed simultaneously, this musician may be no more talented than the two-year-old. By contextualizing what we attempt to create musically, it instantly becomes recognizable and pleasurable to the ear. So, where do we begin?
Classical Music? Isn’t that OLD-people music? The loud groans I used to hear in a classroom, or the rolled eyes at the piano bench often asked that question without even saying a word. Often, in my middle school classes, I would start to “rap” a Nas beat and then sing the beginning of “Fur Elise” within that beat. My students would then say, “Hey I know that song!” My response? “Then you know classical music!”
Whether you started listening to Christmas music last week or back in October, the tide of Christmas tunes is now entirely inescapable. With festive music blaring from every radio and department store speaker, we can easily become overwhelmed (or annoyed) with hearing those same-old Christmas staples over and over again. So, to avoid turning into the Grinch this holiday season, here is a list of 5 Christmas tunes from various genres to freshen up your holiday playlist.
