Interesting Facts with a Musical Undertone...
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The truth about piano lessons: Opinion
Nov 16, 2019 - CBC News The "results" of beginner piano lessons may not always be obvious, but trust me, your child is getting so much more from their piano lessons than you can see (or hear!). Learning to play an instrument, from a brain science perspective, is extraordinarily difficult. Why? Because the ENTIRE experience is inherently a struggle. |
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A Canadian Master Pianist
Did you know beloved Canadian jazz legend Oscar Peterson, a dedicated performer continued to perform live even after a stroke in 1993 limited use of his left hand? An eminent jazz pianist with technical mastery and limitless creativity, Oscar Peterson was a performer who could instantly inspire awe. Get more information from: https://canadianmusichalloffame.ca/inductee/oscar-peterson/ |
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How playing an instrument benefits your brain - Anita Collins (Ted-ED)
When you listen to music, multiple areas of your brain become engaged and active. But when you actually play an instrument, that activity becomes more like a full-body brain workout. What's going on? Anita Collins explains the fireworks that go off in musicians' brains when they play, and examines some of the long-term positive effects of this mental workout. Watch on youtube.com. |
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"The theory of relativity occurred to me by intuition, and music is the driving force behind this intuition. My parents had me study the violin from the time I was six. My new discovery is the result of musical perception." - Albert Einstein |
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This flamboyant Venezuelan conductor, Gustavo Dudamel (b. 1981), is a product of his country's inspired music education program, El Sistema (the system). Thirty years ago, Venezuelan economist and musician Jose Antonio Abreu was alarmed by the number of children living in poverty, so he gave them instruments and music lessons. El Sistema now supports 15,000 music teachers, 30 professional orchestras, 150 youth orchestras and 250,000 students.
From "Great Musicians", by Eyewitness Books |
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Did you know Béla Bartók (1881-1945) considered one of the greatest composers of the 20th century was also one of the founders of the field of ethnomusicology, the study and ethnography of folk music. Bartók also made a lasting contribution to the piano literature for younger students: for his son Péter's music lessons, he composed Mikrokosmos, a six-volume collection of graded piano pieces which remains popular with piano teachers today.
Get more info from Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Béla_Bartók |
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Did you know that Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) one of the greatest composers of all time, had 20 children? Four went on to become well-known composers and musicians. Get more info from Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bach |
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Did you know Franz Liszt (1811 - 1886), a Hungarian virtuoso pianist and composer of the Romantic period, was like a Rock Star in the 19th century? Liszt recitals were in overwhelming demand. Ladies fought over his handkerchiefs and silk gloves as souvenirs, often ripping them to pieces in their struggle. Today he is considered to be one of the greatest pianists in history, and credited with re-defining piano playing itself.
Get more info from Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Liszt |
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Did you know that Alexander Graham Bell (1847 – 1922), the inventor of the telephone, was a gifted pianist. When he was a teenager he discovered if he played a chord on the piano in one room, it would echo on a piano in another room. He realized that whole chords could be sent through the air, vibrating at exactly the same pitch. This was the beginning of his path to inventing the telephone.
From "Those Amazing Musical Instruments!" by Genevieve Helsby |
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Many women in the 1800s learned to play the piano, but very few performed in public. One exception was Clara Schumann. Taught from a young age by her father, Clara was a hugely talented pianist. She started her concert career at the age of eleven. Later, she married the composer Robert Schumann and often performed his works. She became well known as a concert pianist throughout Europe.
From 'Should I Play the Piano?" by Nicola Barber |
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Hearing the Music, Honing the Mind Music produces profound and lasting changes in the brain. Schools should add classes, not cut them. More info here: Scientific America |
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Did you know that Robert Schumann (1810–1856) a German composer and pianist, permanently injured his right hand by the use of his own invention intended to improve his technique. With his ambitions as a pianist being suddenly ruined, he devoted himself entirely to composition and became one of the most famous Romantic composers of the nineteenth century.
Get more info from Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Schumann |