Mr. B. has asked me to share some information with you about a workshop he attended and is quite excited about! He considers it to be one of the best he has been to (and he has been to A LOT.) He was one of the excellent instructors brought in for the weekend to teach violin, mandolin, banjo, guitar, and piano. The program is called "Shivering Strings" and you can find out more about it on their website here: Shivering Strings West.
From what I read, it seems like a bargain at $75 for participants 18 and under. If you would like to find out more about it, ask Mr. Bernier!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Take a breath before exams!
I came across this reminder to slow down and appreciate life on my sister's facebook tonight. I've read it before, but since it applies to the strings program, I thought I would share it here. It was originally an article in The Washington Post, but this version is summarized by "The Joyful Mother."
THE SITUATION
In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.
About 4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
At 10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.
At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After 1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.
This experiment raised several questions:
*In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
*If so, do we stop to appreciate it?
*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . .. ..
How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?
And here's a brief video of that morning in the metro:
THE SITUATION
In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.
About 4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
At 10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.
At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After 1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.
This experiment raised several questions:
*In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
*If so, do we stop to appreciate it?
*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . .. ..
How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Some Cool Artists to Watch!
The new issue of Strings magazine arrived today and as I browsed through I notice an article on page 41 entitled "6 Essential Effects: from Metal to Magic" which mentioned electric cellist Tina Guo. Have a look at her playing:
She was playing for a group of children and actually let the kids come up and try playing her cello afterwards!
And just because I have to...
Have a great day!
She was playing for a group of children and actually let the kids come up and try playing her cello afterwards!
And just because I have to...
Have a great day!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
January Orchestra Schedule and It's Time To Shine!
Happy New Year Musicians! I'm trying something a little different with the orchestra schedule this time. The new format causes me some frustration, so I am scanning into this post and hoping that it works for everyone! I find that if I double-click on it the calendar enlarges and I can easily read everything. Let me know if it doesn't work that way for everyone!
Remember to be choosing your pieces for Music Festival - registration day is approaching quickly! Every year the adjudicators give such wonderful feedback and tips to all who perform; it is truly a great experience for all performers. I know it can be an anxiety-ridden experience to get up there on stage (I still remember!) but you really, really should consider it.
Remember to be choosing your pieces for Music Festival - registration day is approaching quickly! Every year the adjudicators give such wonderful feedback and tips to all who perform; it is truly a great experience for all performers. I know it can be an anxiety-ridden experience to get up there on stage (I still remember!) but you really, really should consider it.
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