Music is a magic that can change the world
Music might be this magical language of the soul, but it can still be infuriating to practice, especially if you're fairly new to the craft. Many teachers will tell you they don't teach students how to play; they teach students how to practice. Jeremy Denk writes that his teacher said You don’t teach piano playing …
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Meet Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Known as the "Prince of Music" he is responsible for hundreds of works that are known as "absolute perfection." I love his music so much that he is a supporting character in a novel I wrote (not yet published; I'll let you all know when it is). Perhaps this is …
Classical musicians are cover artists. We play the scores of composers from long ago, and we get to put our own spin on the music. But what about creating our own from scratch? It's not always easy to start off. Compare it to writing in your own native language (English for the sake of the …
Were you a child prodigy? Did you have to suffer through the same courses of practice and lessons as people obviously not as gifted as you? Then this post is for you! Presenting How to Practice Like a Prodigy: A guide for those incredible geniuses who only ever excelled at their craft. Play through your …
Inspired by the Daily Post's daily prompt, Retrospective. Looking back isn't always easy. A lot of you are probably thinking of cringey moments from high school or college when you should've done something differently, but you can't; the moment's passed. Until recently, I'd been pretty good about not letting myself regret mistakes or big decisions. …
While Langston Hughes was not a Jazz musician, he is known as a leader of the Jazz poetry genre. His poetic forms, remembered for their spirit, contain many stylistic devices also characteristic of music, especially the blues. This fully American music stemmed from the mixing of cultures, from the two traditions from which Langston Hughes …
Some say that magic is a metaphor. That magic can only be felt when listening to music or when falling in love. It’s something deep that seems it should be anything but natural, but it happens every single day. I cannot attest to falling in love, but I know how playing the violin makes me …
Today, we Americans remember those who have fought for the ideals of our nation. Although national pride isn't as rampant as it once was, the flag still inspires feelings of awe and gratitude in many citizens, and it's something that all Americans have looked upon at least once in their lives. The National Anthem, based …
Close your eyes. Take a breath and feel the world around you. In a dimly lit auditorium full of strangers and family, you sit in the warmest and brightest place. Seats creak, and someone coughs, but otherwise all is still. The air on the stage is warm. It smells of rosin, cork grease, and floor …
You made it to the weekend! I wanted to share one of my favorite pieces as a fun way to start the weekend. The "Rigaudon" from Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin is one of the pieces that made me fall in love with piano, and it's just a fun piece to both listen to and play …
Continue reading "Ravel: Rigaudon from Le Tombeau de Couperin"
