Composers Insult Each Other

Composer Insults

Now if you think my directors come up with some doozies, try the quips some of our favorite composers gave to their fellow composers (though I'm not sure they would call them 'fellow' as that would imply too much camaraderie.)

This one's my favorite: "Bach on the wrong notes." Prokofiev on Stravinsky

Berlin the new New York of Classical Music?

Berlin and Classical Music

This NY Times article talks about the rush of classical musicians to Berlin within the last several years and the rise of classical music there. Many say it is musically what New York was 30 years ago, with all the benefits and less craziness.

Now I've never been to Berlin, but I love anything that advances classical music throughout society and also provides much needed and deserved jobs for the musicians who make all of this possible, and now it makes me want to go to Berlin! But I'm scared because I don't know German and I'm having a hard enough time learning French right now (and Spanish never did stick, even after 3 years of classes). Think it would work anyway?

Hobey-ho.

Music Joke for the Organists

Rank and Forte

Go ahead - click the link. It's just a 3 panel comic strip, but it will have you on the floor due to the pun.

And seriously, if you're not following Odd Quartet you are living a sad and unfulfilled musical life.

Hobey-ho.

Brain Seizure Music

Listen to a Brain Seizure Turned into Music

This is insane. These scientists have done something so creepy and yet fascinating and I so hope they are able to use this technology to help people and alleviate their suffering.

10 Values Marching Band Students Learn

10 Values Marching Band Students Learn

I really have so little to add to this. It's short, to the point, and unabashedly true. The only thing I would mention is that these are aspects any performing music group will teach students. I play bassoon, and I attended private schools my entire life. So, needless to say, I have never been in a marching band. But I have been in orchestras and bands (often both at the same time, and once even 3 orchestras in the same semester on top of the school band) and I have to say, all of this still applies. 

Just today actually, I was thinking about some things that I missed growing up due to music. This was brought on by passing a street advertisement for adult volleyball leagues and my dismay to find out there was no beginner group option (I played just a tiny bit in middle school, and then through my work at a high school last year, was assistant coach for the volleyball team, which refreshed my - somewhat limited - skills and reminded me of how much fun it is to play volleyball). I thought back to high school or college when I could have gained those volleyball skills easier, and yet it wasn't in a "If only I had..." or even a "Wonder what would've happened if..." moment. My thought went, "I'm sure I would've had fun doing that." But it was in no way a regret. 

Music has been hands down the best thing that has ever happened to my life for more reasons than this blog would fill.

Feel free to share your similar experiences or thoughts (or different, for that matter. PLEASE TALK TO ME! *shameless plug over*).

Hobey-ho!

Is Music the Key to Success?

Is Music the Key to Success? -NY Times Article

There are more famous successful people (several of whom may surprise you by their instrument/music training) name-dropped in this article than I care to reiterate, so I will just sum up this article using their closing paragraph:

Consider the qualities these high achievers say music has sharpened: collaboration, creativity, discipline and the capacity to reconcile conflicting ideas. All are qualities notably absent from public life. Music may not make you a genius, or rich, or even a better person. But it helps train you to think differently, to process different points of view — and most important, to take pleasure in listening.

 I have a BA in music. I have been interacting with music since I was 4 years old. Out of all the things I have learned through music, I'm not sure the four mentioned here would be my "top" list (although discipline and collaboration is certainly up there, and yet I still hate group projects with a passion, so maybe I can't claim the collaboration bit?). Even so, they are so essential to being a mature human being, much less successful in the work field, and I can definitely see how they relate to both music and our society as a whole.

What are your thoughts on what you have learned from music? Or, of those four qualities mentioned above, how have you learned them outside of music?

(If you haven't noticed, I'm desperate for some collaboration of our own on this blog, so if you're reading this - or anything on the blog - I'd love your input please!)

Hobey-ho.

New Random Interval Strategy Improves Practice

Why the progress in the practice room seems to disappear overnight

This is a fantastic article on Bulletproof Musician written by clarinetist Dr. Christine Carter. In it, she talks about what we have been doing for practicing and why it isn't working. (this in and of itself is nothing new) What is life-changing is that she then goes on to explain something called Random Practice which is all about practicing the same stuff in the same amount of time, but randomly so that our brain stays active and alert through the whole thing.

WHY HAVE I NEVER HEARD THIS BEFORE?!

It is so simple. And it gives me such hope.

I'm not sure it will take the monotony out of certain practice elements (*cough scales cough* although I do love my lower octave 9-note segments, don't ask me why), and I know it will take an adjustment period to retrain my practice sessions, but just reading this article excited me so much I wanted to take my bassoon out and start practicing right away (but I have contained myself, given that it is 1:15am...).

Has anyone used this new practice technique? What are your thoughts on it? Does it work? What are the pros and cons?

GIVE ME KNOWLEDGE! :-)

Hobey-ho.