Happy Halloween!

Music From a Tree

If you don't know by now I am a big crafter. One of my secret pleasures is reading all of the posts from craft websites that I have in my RSS feeder with Google. I just love that thing. Today's video came from Dudecraft. You should hop over there once you read this post. Really cool stuff posted there.

Diego Stocco was curious if the large tree in his backyard could make music. This curiosity led him to put together this film, "Music From a Tree". For more information check out this link. Enjoy!

Diego Stocco - Music From A Tree from Diego Stocco on Vimeo.

Tactile metronome - So Cool!

So, where do you get this awesome thing? Check out their website for kits.

Quote of the Week "Success is important only..."

"Success is important only to the extent that it puts one in a position to do more things one likes to do."

- Sarah Caldwell

Playing the Right Music for your Monkey Friends

I love monkeys! I have been collecting monkey items for several years and now share my collection with my kids. So, when I received an article related to music and monkeys I was quite curious. Wired Science brings us this interesting article about the music preferences of monkeys. It turns out that monkeys prefer silence over what humans consider quality music. The author makes the point that we shouldn't expect monkeys to appreciate the sounds we enjoy. They are however effected by different kinds of music just like we are. Experiments took place that showed that calm music would result in a calming effect and that anxiousness would result from music that was more tension filled.

So, research has been done to create music in sounds that monkeys are more familiar and might be more comfortable with. Check out the audio clips in the article. It's quite fascinating. So, music for monkeys...Who knew?

Quote of the Week "No one can..."

"No one can figure out your worth but you."

- Pearl Bailey

TMG "Science is Real:"

They Might be Giants' latest album Here Comes Science has been a hit in my household and is regularly requested when mom is searching on youtube. We also love TMG's entire collection for kids including, Here Come the ABCs and Here Come the 123s. Enjoy this weeks video from Here Come Science, "Science is Real"!

Quote of the Week "What I have in my heart..."

“What I have in my heart and soul must find a way out. That is the reason for music…”

– Ludwig Van Beethoven

"All People That On Earth Do Dwell" by The Martins

I was blown away by this video recording this week and have been listening to it quite a bit in the last couple days. The United Methodist musician's list serv shares some of the coolest stuff and this was definitely one of them and I couldn't wait to share it with you. The Martins are a three voice a cappella group that has rocked my musical world. They are capable of some amazing unison's and harmonies. Enjoy this week's video "All People That On Earth Do Dwell" from the Martins newly released DVD "Rock of Ages". (ACAPELLA)

Quote of the Week "Twenty years from now..."

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream."

-Mark Twain

Musical Mobius Strip

See the video at moonmilk.com to hear this neat music box.

Wear Sunscreen

This speech resurfaced a few days ago and has been in my head ever since. It reminds me that life is a lot simpler than we make it sometimes. I need that advice right now and I bet you do, too. Enjoy!

Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young
by Mary Schmich
Chicago Tribune June 1, 1997

Inside every adult lurks a graduation speaker dying to get out, some world-weary pundit eager to pontificate on life to young people who'd rather be Rollerblading. Most of us, alas, will never be invited to sow our words of wisdom among an audience of caps and gowns, but there's no reason we can't entertain ourselves by composing a Guide to Life for Graduates.

I encourage anyone over 26 to try this and thank you for indulging my attempt.

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97:

Wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

Source

http://www.chicagotribune.com

New Presentation Mini Master Class on The Singer Link

Maestro Doug Lawrence presents...

The Presentation Mini Class Series

Weekly tips for all of those who perform in front of audiences.

I have enjoyed Doug Lawrence's series for singers and conductors so much I had to pass this along as well for all those looking to perfect their performance. Do send your comments to Doug on The Singer Link (ask Doug to be your friend and send him messages about the series or ask questions - he wants to know what you want to learn.)

Presentation Mini Master Class #1

How to do a walk on...
You don't just walk...on!

Thinking about a degree in Music?

When I was starting college in 2000, music students either tried music education or performance on their chosen instrument and if you were really crazy you did both. Nowadays there are quite a few options for people who are interested in music study and careers in music. MusTech.net has a great article entitled, "So, What Can You Do With a Music Degree". This is a great reference for those trying to make that important college decision. It's also great information for those trying to convince their parents that a career in music is worthwhile.