Archive for December, 2011
Music Education for Parents: Why Learning Music in Classrooms Is Essential For Young Musical Talents
It is no big secret that parents are the most important people in the life of a child. Teaching the child music in classrooms or at home makes no difference to the responsibility of parents in mentoring him and supporting him by all means.
You need to awaken his interest and eagerness towards his musical education so that studies become joy and not compulsion. One way to do this is to encourage him to learn music in classrooms and play in groups before an audience.
Everyone, including private music tutors, knows the benefits of playing or singing to an audience. They even organize small gatherings if they have a dozen students or so under their tutelage. But learning music in classrooms is more favorable because the child gets to play in concerts and in group performances. This is actually great for shy children to shed their inhibitions and become more confident.
Music stands on three supports: composers, performers and listeners. If any one is absent, the other two are meaningless. What good is it if a composer creates a marvelous piece, the performer plays it, but there is nobody to listen to it? Will they keep playing to themselves and enjoy?
Just as there cannot be music without a composer and a performer, there cannot be music if there is no audience. It is the audience who value the music created. Learning music in classrooms provides the third support – audience.
If your child strives that extra bit for perfecting how to play his musical instrument in order to draw acclaim from the audience, what can be better? You as parents might have also dreamed that your child will be able to play in front of friends and family and make you proud. This is the amazing power of listeners.
Who do you think your child needs to realize the power of his musical talents? A music teacher? No doubt he is needed. But he meets the child hardly twice or thrice a week. So who is it that boosts the confidence of the child 24×7?
You, dear parents!
Your child needs you to praise him, support him in his every effort, and listen to him practice after learning a new piece of music in classrooms…
The important thing you need to remember is: ignore each one of his mistakes, no matter what! Just speak positive things. If you do this simple job, dear parents, you will create a music genius out of your child even if his abilities were average at the start of his musical education.
Tags: confident music, marvelous piece, music tutors, musical talents, shy children
Still time to catch some of the summer’s best European arts festivals
Summer is traditionally the time of year when cultural calendars are at their busiest, and your favourite Art Guide is full to bursting point with unmissable events.
While the English summer is slowly drawing to an end, other European countries continue to be bathed in sunshine, with a whole host of cultural and artistic events still to come before the clocks go back.
If you haven’t yet managed to get away for a summer break, now is the perfect opportunity to soak up those last rays of late-summer sun and take in some of the wonderful and diverse cultural events that Europe has to offer. Here are just a few of the events that lie in store over the next couple of months.
Schwarzenberg in Austria hosts a major chamber music festival from 27 August-12 September, attracting some of the world’s leading artists. Bernarda Fink, Ian Bostridge, Magdalena Kozena and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau all appear at this year’s edition, which will take place at the purpose-built Angelika Kauffmann Hall.
Opera lovers should head to Verona in Italy, where the world-renowned Arena festival is well under way. Running until 29 August, this year’s event features a guest performance by veteran performer Maria Guleghina, in Franco Zeffirelli’s Turandot. Festival-goers will also be treated to performances of Madama Butterfly and Carmen, among others.
Greece’s Athens and Epidauros festival, running until 12 September, offers a spectacular celebration of contemporary and classical arts. This year’s edition features a new Greek staging of the opera Parsifal, as well as a French version of A Streetcar Named Desire and a performance by the New York City Ballet.
Opera-lovers in for a treat if they make the journey to Bayreuth in Germany, where the legendary Wagner opera festival runs until 28 August. The event, organised by Wagner’s two great-granddaughters, features a performance of Lohengrin, as well as Parsifal, starring bright young opera talent Christopher Ventris.
Finally, Lucerne in Switzerland hosts one of the world’s greatest classical music festivals, with a programme that stretches until 18 September. The festival is a who’s who of classical musicians, with conductors Claudio Abbado and Simon Rattle, violinists Frank Peter Zimmermann and Anne-Sophie Mutter and pianists András Schiff and Helene Grimaud all featuring. Vienna Philharmonic and San Francisco Symphony orchestra also appear in what is sure to be a fantastic event, set to the backdrop of Lucerne’s beautiful lakes and mountains.
Tags: franco zeffirelli, madama butterfly, new york city ballet, opera parsifal, york city ballet
Beginning Blues Guitar – What is the Ragtime Blues and Why Is It the Best Blues To Play
When beginning blues guitar you must learn that blues music is far more complex than it seems. This is why it is important to choose a specific blues style and pattern your music after it. One of the specific styles recommended by blues experts is the ragtime blues. To find out why it is the best blues style to play, you can find out more details below.
What is Ragtime Blues?
When it comes to producing blues music, even the smallest details that musicians include could go a long way. This is a lesson that many have learned from the so-called blues guitar master, Gary Davis. Several musicians who wanted to learn more about blues music included Gary Davis and ragtime blues in their study, which has led to a great deal of success.
One of his songs in particular, Candy Man, is recognized as one of the best examples of ragtime blues music. When he is playing this song with his guitar, Gary Davis uses only one finger and his thumb when picking the guitar. However, this is just a glimpse into the techniques that practitioners of ragtime blues use to produce their own song.
Gary Davis: Ragtime Blues Master
Gary Davis made a name for himself by mastering the ragtime blues style. Those with an ear for blues music will easily recognize his songs due to their complexity and diversity of musical elements. It is quite impressive how Davis managed to preserve his skills despite all these years. Unlike other blues musicians, he took a break from playing but he never fully let go of playing blues. Instead, he started again after re-discovering his blues skills and has managed to become really successful throughout his musical career. He showcased his style by making records and performing in live gigs. He also managed to pass on his techniques to other aspiring blues musicians including Stephan Grossman.
Learning Davis’ Techniques
Gary Davis uses only two fingers to pick on his blues guitar: his thumb and forefinger. And yet, these two are able to produce a wonderfully rich sound. This forefinger naturally moves quickly and is independent of his thumb’s movements. He also uses picks instead of his bare fingers because it is far more accurate in producing the desired sound. Another crucial component that makes Davis’ ragtime blues music stand out from others is the thumb beat timing. You must also be quick in moving your thumb such that you can easily switch treble strings to create the illusion that more than two fingers are used at the same time.
Allure of Ragtime Blues Music Until Today
The classic Candy Man song from Gary Davis is something that will forever be embedded into the history of blues music. It is one of the perfect examples of ragtime blues music, as far as structure goes. You can therefore follow the patterns of this song or some of Gary Davis’ musical patterns in general to replicate his own musical style. Another important tip to consider for beginning blues guitar students is to have fun. Learn to enjoy this process and take it easy. If you can begin by enjoying the music itself, then you will find it easier to learn and develop enthusiasm into the learning process.
Tags: beginning blues guitar, blues musicians, candy man, ragtime blues, stephan grossman
Take Flights to Italy to Attend the Grand Pistoia Blues Festival 2010 Italy!
Blues Music Festival is one of the oldest music festivals in Italy. It is helding every year in the month of July since 1980. This year’s festival is helding from 14th July to 18th July in beautiful Duomo Square of Pistoia. This is one of the prettiest areas in Italy, and is a center with old walls, striped churches, frescoes, medieval watchtowers, and arcaded piazzas. This area is lined with attractive original buildings on both sides. By taking Italy flights you will be able to listen to great musicians like; John Lee Hooker, Frank Zappa, Jimmy Page, B.B. King, Blues Brothers, Santana, Bob Dylan, Deep Purple, Patti Smith and so on. It’s an open air music fare in the main square of the beautiful Tuscan village, and other venues.
Twenty one performances are scheduled in this event. Artists will be scattered all over the old town city center, as well as main stage in the Cathedral square. Visitors are delightfully taking flights to Italy to attend this event. Like every year this July audiences will see the greatest stars among Italian and international blues singers and players. One should not be fooled by title; it’s not just a music festival as it has expanded its horizons to include artists from many other genres. If you are a hippy minded person your cheap flights to Italy will provide you the opportunity of joining hundreds of hippies freaks and alternative style people from everywhere in this rocking event. This event will provide every one a chance of fully enjoying this time. Every one will be getting something of his or her interest.
Although every one may come and celebrate this event but it is most popular among youngsters. Every year a large number of youngsters take flights to Italy to attend this event. Music evening will start around 7pm and will continue till mid night every evening of the event. A nominal entry fee is charged to enter in the music venue. People from every corner of the world like to be audiences of this fair. As it’s a European festival huge crowds of travelers join this festival by taking flights to Italy from UK and other European countries. This is a must see show in the mid of this month
Tags: blues singers, festivals in italy, john lee hooker, pistoia blues festival, tuscan village