Or that the accordion is the national instrument of Finland? The percussion triangle used to have as many as eight angles? The celesta looks like a piano but is actually a percussion instrument that is relatively new to history? There is a pocket trumpet that is wound tightly so it is only 8 inches in …
Continue reading Fun Fact Friday: The Stories of Musical Instruments
Did you know that February 8th was John Williams’ 90th birthday?! Not only has this incredible man had a lifetime of composing many of the most recognizable movie soundtracks (Star Wars, Home Alone, Jaws, Jurassic Park, among many, many others), but he continues to conduct orchestras today! By the time he was out of grade …
Any C.S. Lewis fans out there? Concept albums are always fun adventures ... and this month I'm drawing my student's attention to one of my recent favorites from The Gray Havens! Blue Flower is based off of C.S. Lewis's autobiography, Surprised by Joy. Each song on the album depicts an idea that shaped Lewis. In …
Sometimes the oldies are still the best 🙂 Take a listen here! Most recently? Soul won the award in 2021. Joker won 2020. Black Panther in 2019. The Shape of Water won 2018. And La La Land in 2017 🙂
It's not always a straight shot through the creative process .... You can check out the full album here 🙂
Interested in learning more about the history of jazz? One of my favorite resources is Welcome to Jazz. You can check out my review of it here, or purchase the book on Amazon here.
String instruments have been around for thousands of years. The violin itself has experienced numerous changes in design over the past several centuries. The final and most recent change occurred in the 19th century when larger auditoriums and violin virtuosos entered the scene. You can check out more of the violin's history here 🙂
In other news, The Rolling Stones published an article in 2013 on the thirteen worst band names ... and The Beatles made the list.... "Before you start writing furious comments, stand back and think about this stupid band name." wrote Andy Greene. "The Beatles is a dumb pun. That's all. They took the idea of …
They were also both born in Germany - a mere month apart. Although they knew each other's music, they never met.
All music has roots. And as gospel music spread from the church venue to the streets, this vibrant musical style influenced all types of music in America - including what you hear on the radio today! Interested in learning more of the history behind it? Check out a timeline article here 🙂
Piano Possibilities 