Category Archives: musics

The Extra Terrestrials Show At Chennai Music Academy

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The Premiere of the show Extra Terrestrials was held today at the Music Academy.

The show began with a performance by the Golden Power- the two men Sandor Vlah and Gyula Takacs who were painted in gold displayed an amazing combination of strength, skill and art by effortlessly performing hand balancing acts and taking on each other’s weight.

The audience was still recovering from the wonderful feats performed by them, when Wolfgang Bientzle the German Wheel Acrobat, came up with an awesome performance on the wheel to exclamations of ‘wow’ in the audience.

Erik Ivarsson’s antics on the unicycle left the audience speechless with amazement, while Jerome Murat a mime, illusionist and ventriloquist captivated the audience with his act. Watching him was like watching a magic performance- should be watched to be believed.

The audience was enthralled by Anton Monastyrsky as they watched him get in an out of the hula hoop and spin circles around it until the hoops almost became a blur. No wonder he is also called The Lord of the Rings.

Not only was Roma Hervida’s performance spell binding but her very presence was magnetic. Her dazzling performance had most of us in the audience at the edge of our seats!

The final performance by Laser man, Theo Dari who was bending, cutting and restoring laser points to create a visual display that was truly enchanting. You can take it from us-we did not want the performance to end!

What else can we say about the performances other than ‘Wow’?
You have to watch the show to believe how good it is.

The shows are taking place on February 3,4,5,6 and 7, 2010 thrice a day, at Music Academy.

Is ‘Classical Music’ Dead in the Water

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On various blogs and message boards I’ve read lately I’ve encountered a lively argument on top of could you repeat that? We ought to call Classical Music. You know the kind of composition I mean: A conductor by the front, a cluster of musicians scraping, blowing, plucking and striking a variety of instruments ranging from the ‘fit your pocket’ small, to the ‘I need a dump truck to move this mother’ behemoth; all appraisal from printed scores, the largest part likely formally dressed, seldom smiling, earnest in their endeavours.

Polite applause ripples around the audience, generally initiated either by the ‘I know my stuff, so have under surveillance my go in front and praise as I do’ cognoscenti, or, more unsuccessfully, though admittedly more hilariously, by the enthusiastic ingenue who inadvertently claps linking schedule of a line quartet — “tut, tut!” Stifled guffaws and a kind of ‘there but pro the leniency of God perform I’ embarrassment wafts around the concert entry pro a instant. The cognoscenti get pleasure from their instant of schadenfreude, the Minuet begins.

This kind of composition bears the generic label ‘Classical’, but this is inaccurate, both in the significance of Classical Literature, which refers to Ancient Greece and Rome, and in the significance of Classical Music as a episode of musical history (see below).

Here are the minority quick view: ‘Classical Music’, in musicological provisions refers specifically to composition on paper roughly linking 1750 – 1820. It’s dominated by Sonata- and Ternary-form structures and adheres to a hierarchical vocal order proven as functional tonality. So, I say, don’t untidiness with it – it’s a sound, commonly expected label of reference. We know someplace we are with it; like comfy old slippers we give birth to grown-up accustomed to its feel — it fits. It ain’t broke, so don’t arrange it.

But, ‘Houston, we give birth to a problem’ – the label ‘Classical Music’ has been hijacked by indolent thinkers and good-for-nothing generalists to mean in the least form of composition someplace you might give birth to lone or more of the following:

A) a conductor

B) musicians appraisal from notated scores

C) musicians dressed as penguins

D) an absence of bare midriffs, thongs and lycra (and that’s only this minute the men!)e) singers singing lacking amplification, but mangling syllables and consonants into a ‘projected sound’, the volume of which would deposit in the least self-respecting Town Crier to disgrace. Come to think of it, they would produce a Jumbo jet a run pro its money in the decibel stakes.

So, composition on paper since 1820, even composition on paper remaining month, gets labelled ‘Classical’ if it meets the criteria traditional banned higher than.

Recently I’ve approach across various blogs and online articles discussing this publication, with more or less attention-grabbing suggestions pro alternatives. Let’s take a look by more or less of them:

Knack Music – Pleeeeease!!! Are you fatally suggesting with the aim of the Miles Davis / Gil Evans collaborations, or Charlie Parker’s pioneering attitude to harmony doesn’t amount to art? You can’t smash-and-grab a monopoly on the disguised worth associated with such a label lacking making by hand severely unpopular with musicians of other genres.

Serious Music – are you serious? Again, I know many Jazz musicians who are each crumb as serious with reference to their composition as in the least ‘Classical’ musician.

Notated Music – this is a no-go as well, for the reason that so many other forms of composition are notated, from Pop through to Jazz & Blues. You besides leave by hand inmate to the question ‘what is notation?’. Those who declare with the aim of notation doesn’t exist in Pop or stun composition are chatting rot – it’s alive and well and, with the advent of central processing unit notating software, more than continually obtainable to Popsters pro their horn and line arrangements.

Positive Effects Of Music Education For Your Child

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Over the years, documented studies have confirmed the benefits of music education on new born and children. Music education benefits include everything from changing a students’ mood to helping them solve math problems. In general, it helps a student become successful in the school environment. Music has immediate effects on brain activity which scientists are still studying today.

For example, a study was done that involved second graders and math. In this study, the school kids were divided into two groups. One group used newly-designed math software to augment their mathematical skills. The other group also used this software but in addition the kids in this group received piano keyboard training. What are the results?

Both groups were tested and the second group of students scored twenty-seven percent higher on the math exam than the first group, which seem to show the positive effects of combining music teaching into other studies. Numerous studies have shown that learning and exposure to music results in improved communication between students. Fights and arguments are reduced. Also students who play in school bands are less likely to use tobacco and alcohol.

Ongoing research at the University of California-Irvine and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (2) demonstrate that learning and playing music builds or modifies Neural pathways related to spatial reasoning tasks, which are crucial for higher brain functions like complex maths, chess and science.

The first studies showed that listening to a Mozart sonata temporarily improved a child’s spatial abilities. Further studies compared children who had computer lessons, children who had singing lessons, children who learned music using a Keyboard and children who did nothing additional. The children who had had the Music classes scored significantly higher – up to 35% higher – than the children did Who had computer classes or did nothing additional
Benefits of music education also include enhancing interpersonal communication skills. This result has also been proven by some of the many studies done throughout the years. A student who is having difficulty concentrating may find it easier when music classes have been added to the curriculum. Playing music helps a student become more self-disciplined and able to control their behavior better, because it provides an acceptable form of self expression.

If students learn to study music successfully they can use the same method to help them study in other classes. They will find it easier to understand instructions. Added benefits of music education include increasing a child’s creativity and helping him or her learn to cooperate with other students. Their social interaction skills improve after playing music together in a group.

In newborns, exposure to music is proven to help develop intelligence. Exposure to classical music helps develop reasoning and language skills in children when begun at an early age. In older children, music education helps them extend their knowledge of the world around them. Music education gives children an avenue to contribute to society, which in turn helps them in life. They are more likely to become well-rounded individuals.

Interview with Swedish boogie woogie pianist Johan Blohm

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Boogie woogie pianist Johan Blohm (born in 1962) is a Swede who spent his youth listening to his father’s country and rock -n’ roll records. The imprint of Jerry Lee Lewis, his musical idol, may indeed be noticed as part of his singing and piano style.

Could you tell how your discovery of boogie woogie music was?
My earliest encounter with truly authentic boogie woogie was once when I watched a historical video recording on television showing Albert Ammons with Pete Johnson jamming a fabulous duet, the actual track was -Boogie Woogie Dreams- and I was mesmerised with the grove combined with the power that came out of these two pianos. Since that day I have been an absolute Boogie Woogie fanatic.

Did you already play the piano before that day you heard boogie woogie sounds?
You bet, I did indeed play piano for a few years before I discovered genuine Boogie Woogie music. I began playing piano when I was about six years old and right up until I became about thirty years old I performed rock -n’ roll as well as country from the style of Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich and Mickey Gilley. And this is what I continue to play most of the time but these days I spice it up slightly playing boogie woogie.

What boogie woogie written music books did you benefit from whilst mastering this specific music genre?
I haven’t ever used any specific written music books, I taught my own self to perform boogie woogie. I really can’t understand written music. I paid attention to the ancient pianists such as Albert Ammons, Amos Milburn, Pete Johnson and Freddie Slack and gained techniques and also inspiration through them.

I taught myself everything I play, almost everything I perform is more or less improvised and doesen’t sound the same every time. The flipside of teaching your own self is that you don’t get every aspect correct though the good thing is basically that you get a unique style, haha!

Who were your big examples in music in general and also boogie woogie specifically?
My personal boogie woogie idols are the players I mentioned before. My all-time musical idol is Jerry Lee Lewis, no person will ever come near him in terms of playing rock -n’ roll piano and/or performing. Hank Williams, Gram Parsons, Charlie Rich, Patsy Cline along with Merle Haggard are also good examples of my musical heroes.

Do you have dreams for your own work and if so, what exactly are these?
On a basic level I will be satisfied if I am able to play my songs and make a living with playing until I am very old. But I also want to be able to do concerts around the globe and have my music extend to everyone who love piano rock -n’ roll as well as boogie woogie. And I wouldn’t mind If I could easily earn some income along the way as well!

What makes me more than happy happens I perform a show for an crowd that is genuinely excited about my music and that’s really being attentive experiencing and enjoying the concert. Often times I’ve found myself performing in a bar where nobody is there to listen to the music, they simply have to get drunk and don’t care about the music. If only I were playing more often for genuine boogie woogie fans and do less of the uninspiring performances in bars but in reality it’s important to take what you can get, everybody has bills to cover.

What can recreational boogie woogie pianists do in order to arrange their first concert? To be honest, I actually don’t have a very good solution, I’m afraid. In my youth I used to be looking for locations myself, I called all of them and made an effort to convince these folks to book me. Once every 10th attempt or so the managers did. Eventually I got tired of this and I got connected with people in the industry who were far better at organizing gigs than I would ever be. I feel the key is to get yourself a booker who is able to help. However it’s a struggle, nobody really wants to book you when you’re unknown and also you won’t get known if you don’t get any gigs.

Kids Music – Audiation And Learning

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An important building block for learning music skills and concepts is audiation. You may be familiar with the term inner hearing. The term audiation (inner hearing of music or silently hearing music) was coined by music education researcher Edwin E. Gordon.

Audiation is Gordons term for hearing music in the mind with understanding. It is the process of thinking music and comprehending music in the mind. Gordon describes audiation as the foundation of musicianship.

Audiation is the process of mentally hearing and comprehending music, even when no physical sound is present. It is a cognitive process by which the brain gives meaning to musical sounds. In essence, audiation of music is analogous to thinking in a language, as said by Edwin E. Gordon

Mary Ellen Pinzino states that audiation is a way of knowing in melody and rhythm. It is a unique human capacity outside the realm of words. To audiate is to “think” music, but in melody and rhythm rather than in words. Audiation is another way of knowing. Audiation is the musical imagination. It is the man-made music of the mind. It is the sound fantasy that provides the framework for understanding the music we listen to, the music we perform, and the music we read and write.

Audiation is a process. It is the construction of meaning in music. It is the process of making musical sense of the music we hear, perform, read, and write. Just as thinking is essential to speaking, listening, reading, and writing language, audiation is essential to tuneful and rhythmic performance, music listening, reading, and writing. Audiation is the whole of music literacy, as said by Mary Ellen Pinzino

Audiation or inner hearing takes place when we silently hear and give meaning to music without the sound, i.e., thinking a melody, clapping a rhythm pattern from a song while thinking the melody. The development of audiation is basic and invaluable in building all musical skills. We should always strive to cultivate the audiation of rhythm and tonal patterns, melodic lines, and phrases. Audiation must be the first step in ones music experience prior to introducing notation, and other aspects of music theory.

Try this exercise to experience audiation or inner hearing. Silently think the melody of Mary Had a Little Lamb. Did you think one note at a time? Or did you think groups of notes. Did you internally hear the notes as a pattern?

We do the same thing when we silently hear language. We hear words, not letters one at a time. The more words we have in our vocabularies, the better we hear and comprehend the meaning of what we are hearing. Just as we give meaning to language, we must give meaning to music through relevant patterns of tones and rhythms. Likewise, the more tonal and rhythm patterns we have in our music vocabularies, the better we will hear and comprehend the meaning of the music. To help your child or student develop music listening and speaking vocabularies, have the child listen and move to a variety of tunes. Invite them to sing many different melodies.

It is very important to develop audiation or inner hearing and listening skills in the early years of a childs life. What a powerful gift and music foundation to give a child.