Operas planned five years ahead...

Operas planned five years ahead...

I thought this article about how Operas are pretty much cast five years in advance. I think you all should read it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/arts/music/karita-mattila-and-peter-gelb-on-cancellations.html?ref=classicalmusic&_r=0

Barrage

http://www.barrage.org/

Check out this website.  This group, Barrage, originated in Canada.  They are a dancing, singing, violin playing group of young adults who know how to put on an AMAZING show!  I have seen them perform live three times now, and one of the members is a DePauw graduate!

http://www.barrage.org/videoGallery/videoPlayerV4/new_video.html      (VIDEO HERE)

PLEASE do yourself a favor, and become familiar with Barrage!
-Lisa

The music I mentioned in class - PSY's "Gangnam Style"

Last Friday, I have mentioned one of my favorite songs is PSY's "Gangnam Style". I know some of you might have heard it before, but I still want to share the video to those who might not heard of this interesting song. Hope you will like it!

Just a fun fact - PSY (Jae-Sang Park) received his education in Boston University and Berklee College of Music. Huh...

One voice = 108

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSLPH9d-jsI

I found this video interesting because there is only one guy singing the entire thing, as well as one violin. So they recorded themselves around 108 times to make one song. I thought this was really cool.

Drum Competitions in Hong Kong

Since we have been doing many Drum Circles, I thought I would share a clip or two of what we have back home. These clips were taken during the Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drum Competition in 2011. It is organized by Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. Each year, teams of young percussionists gather together to their passions and enthusiasm in drums. It is the 10th year of this competition in 2012.

I chose these two clips since several concepts we learned previously can be applied to these performances. The first clip has a lot solo parts and ostinatos, while the second one involves inviting other to join the playing. Interesting, both performances include some sort of a conductor leading the team, but they have different responsibilities and roles.

Hope you enjoy the clips like I do! I am going to miss Drum Circle loads!

Just random thought - can we do a flashmob of Drum Circle? We can make our own "drums" and play with them!

Ella Fitzgerald Scatting

i love her!

More than a Band

Yes I do still watch Disney Channel on occasion to bring back memories of my childhood but that it not the point. Like most songs, this song that I chose has an A-B-A layout or I feel/ hear one in it. This song starts out as the group members trying to help a friend grieve the loss of a loved one, but it turns into so much more. The lyrics and songs bring these friends closer together. They all met in detention in this movie, they all found a common idea among them; everyone of them loved music. The principal of their school was more concerned with athletics and was determined to shut the arts program down. These students came up with the idea to get their message across that shutting arts down was bad by forming a band and using their lyrics to songs. Music was what a lot of people listened to at the school so that's what they decided to do to get people to listen. Throughout the movie they had their struggles, but in the end they all came together as friends, got the student body to listen to their songs and the arts program stayed open.
In my hometown, a lot of public schools are struggling to keep their music programs a float. I think this would be a creative idea to help bring awareness to the issue. This relates to the idea in class of how we need to listen to the sounds we are all making and how we can combine them to form something incredible in the end. Drum circles like we have been doing brings the attention of others. music in general does that. Lets share our talent with everyone.