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!
The Number One Song the Day I was Born
Oh boy! I found the name of the song that was number one on the charts the day I was born (“The One That You Love” by Air Supply) through this tool on This Day In Music’s website. You can find the tool at the following address: http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/birthdayno1
Obviously you don’t have to use just your birthday, you could also use the day you graduated from high school, or earned your driver’s license, or rode a two wheel bike by yourself for the first time. You decide what milestone you want to track and you can create your own life’s sound track.
Here’s mine:
“The One That You Love” by Air Supply – I am born
“Take My Breath Away” by Berlin – I start school
“Roll With It” by Steve Winwood – I restart piano lessons
“Close to You” by Maxi Priest – I start band
“Emotions” by Mariah Carey – I audition for local girls’ choir and am offered a spot (No, I didn’t sing this song, it was something by Bette Midler. That’s right.)
“Maria Maria” by Santana – I graduate from high school
“Lose Yourself” by Eminem – I graduate college
“Whatever You Like” by T.I. – I start working at Along Came Music
Why is Music Important? Here are some answers!
We’ve been told time and time again that music is important in our lives, right? Why is that? Do you ever wonder why music is important to other people?
Have you ever asked your children why music is important in their lives and the world as a whole? No? …well I haven’t either.
A school in Madison, Wisconsin asked that question of their 7th and 8th grade band students; the answers are amazing and wonderful as shown below. Music exercises the soul – I never thought about music in that way but it is really true.
Why don’t you take a few minutes out of your busy day and ask your children, grandchildren or even co-workers why music is important to them (I’ll do the same and ask my grandchildren).
Report your findings back on the Along Came Music company’s blog site… as a company that provides in-home private music lessons we believe very strongly in the importance of music in every person’s life.
Here are some of the statements given by the students in response to the questions, “Why is music important in your life?” and “Why is music important to the world as a whole?”:
(We’ve highlighted some of our favorites!)
♪ “Music is important to life because it brings happiness, tells stories, and adds detail to plays, movies, and many other things in life. I don’t think I could live without music!”
♪ “Because sometimes, words aren’t enough.”
♪ “Music is a universal language that everyone can appreciate.”
♪ “Music can tell stories. It is also a very good way to pass the time.”
♪ “Because music is basically in everything you do.”
♪ “Music exercises the soul.”
♪ “Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without ‘O Christmas Tree’!”
♪ “By playing music, I get to learn something unique and new.”
♪ “Music expresses who you are and your personality.”
♪ “Music is a way of learning about different cultures.”
♪ “Life would be really boring without music!”
♪ “Music is important in my life because it helps me understand things, and makes life more interesting.”
♪ “It is entertaining. It expresses our feelings without talking.”
♪ “Music is what keeps me going when I do homework.”
♪ “What would a scary movie be without scary music?!”
♪ “It can add mood to something that wasn’t visible otherwise.”
♪ “Music adds color and without it, the world would be very plain.”
♪ “Music is an outlet for everyone. It is a way of expressing yourself. It is a way to be creative.”