Music in the Family

I got an email today with a link to a video of a girl and her dad playing music together, which I thought I would share with you:

“I was walking around through the internet. Wanted to see what new fun and exciting things are on YouTube as it is always fun to see new things. I came across a really unique ensemble that was done by a family. Check it out, proof that families are still playing music together. Haven’t seen much of that since the Partridge Family. Of course that was a lot of singing also. Anyways, enjoy the video, I thought it was pretty creative…Jamie”

Music is one thing many families use to build a bond, I know my own family had nights where we’d each hop on an instrument and have a little fun.  I’m not going to say we sounded great, but it was fun and I wish we’d had the time to do it more, now that we’re so far from each other.  I also often hear about the influence of families with music when meeting with teachers, I’ve learned that many people follow music as a lifelong hobby or career because they had a family member introduce them to their instrument or a love of music in general.  I know this is also true in my own family.  It’s great to see families continue to bond and grow together with music.

Music in the Park!

I went to a live music festival this weekend!  I went for a walk with the kiddo and we found an acoustic music festival happening at Loring Park.

We sat in the grass, listened to some great bands, danced, watched other people dance and in general had a great time.  The weather was great and the music was fantastic!  It was great to see local musicians and to also see the local community support them.  The festival was free to attend, you could purchase bottles of water, homemade ice cream, tacos and other snacks at a variety of vendors.  There were also booths with information on the Minnesota Bluegrass Association, the Loring Park Friends, etc.  The festival was from noon to 8 pm.  We left for a while but ended up coming back for more in the evening, we had such a good time!

Being at the festival made me think of how rich our community is in music performance.  Throughout the summer cities and groups sponsor events that include live music, often for free!

Here are some websites to check out:

The Schubert Club in St Paul
City of St Paul
City of Hopkins
City of Shorewood
City of Rochester
City of Minneapolis Event Calendar for Parks
City of Minneapolis Music and Movies in the Parks

Let us know if you find any other interesting things you’d like us to share!

Have you Ever Seen (or Heard) a Theremin?

The theremin was created by a Russian inventor, Leon Theremin (this is an Anglicized version of his name), in 1920 who you’ll see below playing his invention.  Theremin patented his invention in 1928.
It is an instrument played without being touched.  The performer uses their body (primarily hands and fingers)  to change the pitch and volume.  This is an extremely subtle instrument that is very difficult to master.  See the video below to watch the theremin be played by it’s inventor.

While initially created during a project for the Russian government, the theremin is now popular for use in soundtracks as well as modern rock or independent music groups.   The theremin can be used to play classical pieces as Leon Theremin’s student Lydia Kavina shows in this rendition of “Clare de Lune”.  Ms. Kavina has become one of the most sought-after instructors of this unique instrument. 

Finally, an example of other ways to use a theremin!  Check out some of this guy’s other links on YouTube, he also plays video game themes and other popular music covers.
Enjoy!

For more information about the theremin, please check out this Wikipedia Article about the subject.  You’ll be amazed at the different uses, sounds and skills produced and utilized by theremin players.