African American Appalachian Music Upon watching the prequel, “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes1,” I found myself fascinated with the fictional band from the movie known as the Covey2. They are rumored to be inspired by, but not limited to, the people of Appalachia. Who and what defines Appalachian music? Appalachian music […]
Exploring the Frontiers of Musical Expression Introduction: In the early 20th century, a group of composers in Vienna, Austria, embarked on a musical revolution that challenged the very foundations of traditional music. Known as the Second Viennese School, this avant-garde movement, led by Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern, sought to break free from
The Second Viennese School Read More »
Why am I not getting any better? Along our musical career it’s easy to get discouraged when we aren’t seeing the progress we expect. Frist you’ll want to make sure you are practicing efficiently. In past blogs, we have gone over the practice of practice, but if you’re taking those steps and spending hours a
Improvement is not linear Read More »
The whole world looked on today as the cathedral of Notre Dame burned in a violent fire that has destroyed the roof and its 150 year old spire. Notre-Dame de Paris; meaning (“Our Lady of Paris”), also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral or simply Notre-Dame, is a medieval catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. The
Walk into the Resonance School of Music in Sewell, NJ on a Friday afternoon, say sometime between 7 and 9 PM, and lend your ear to the cacophony of education. As one would expect, the sounds of scales, metronomes, the whispered conversations in the lounge, and the improvement of pieces both practiced and ignored spiral
The Resonance Studio of Rock Read More »
Benefits of Music for Babies and Kids. How do you know your children are ready to start their musical journey? Here is a helpful guide from our friends at Mom Loves Best about benefits of music education, with helpful tips to get you started. Learn more about the benefits of music for babies and kids at Mom
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Were I to give you the name John Henry, would images of a “steel-drivin’ man”, beating spikes into the ground, pushing against all odds to prove man over machine come to mind? Furthermore, would a pulsing hammer reverberate through your thoughts, keeping steady tempo along the lines of singing men at work, on top of
A Brief Story of Storytelling and Song Read More »
When I find myself lost in the endless sea of sounds, being lifted and tossed about in the different practices, participation, and performance of music, my mind turns to what I love about this art. While it does accompany life, feeding an extra plateful of beauty into the world and can be paired with any
An Approach to Songwriting Read More »
Now the crux of it all, the part where we get our hands dirty. After a long arduous search for the perfect practice space and the tediousness of preparation is in the past we can begin to dig into the music, the sirens’ call to which none can save their triremes from the foreboding rocks
The Practice of Practice (Part 2): The Application Read More »
You find yourself ready to practice. Instrument at the ready and notes on the verge of cutting through the air with the madness of pure expression and virtuosity. But wait! A problem arises and a wall is placed firmly between your abilities and the far reaches of your imagination. You may ask yourself, “How do
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