An interview with Robbie Schaeffer truly inspired me. He had the opportunity to take his music to Uganda and work with kids and develop his foundation OneVoice "to help to create and cultivate peace and cultural awareness through musical sister-school relationships between kids abroad and kids here in the U.S. Kind of like musical pen pals whose "conversation" would then be broadcast to our audience." Robbie is a performing artist and also a dj on Sirius XM’s Kids Place Live.
The interview continues on Cathy and Marcy's blog to talk about the wonderfully empowering effect he and the children had on each other. Read more...
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Musical Preferences: Are we "prewired"?
From "Ask the Expert" on NOVA's Musical Minds special with Oliver Sacks, Neurologist and expert on Music and the brain at pbs.org ("oliver sacks"):
Q: Do you think we are prewired for our music preferences? I find that folk and Celtic music speak to my soul. My son, who is a music major, is a jazz lover. We each hate each other's preferences. I don't understand why we are so different. My daughter, who is an autistic savant with vocal music, is totally eclectic in her musical tastes. She is able to memorize songs immediately.
Anonymous
A: I suspect that relatively little of our musical preference is prewired. It is more likely that they are formed by the music we are exposed to in our childhood and youth—but also colored by associations, experiences, and emotions which we link to a particular type of music.
Dr. Sacks goes on to say how important it is to continue to introduce our children to other sorts of music...
Q: Do you think we are prewired for our music preferences? I find that folk and Celtic music speak to my soul. My son, who is a music major, is a jazz lover. We each hate each other's preferences. I don't understand why we are so different. My daughter, who is an autistic savant with vocal music, is totally eclectic in her musical tastes. She is able to memorize songs immediately.
Anonymous
A: I suspect that relatively little of our musical preference is prewired. It is more likely that they are formed by the music we are exposed to in our childhood and youth—but also colored by associations, experiences, and emotions which we link to a particular type of music.
Dr. Sacks goes on to say how important it is to continue to introduce our children to other sorts of music...
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
You think you're singing....Part I
You think you're singing---there's a melody, the words, some sort of pattern----However you look at it or think about it, that's singing. There you are, tapping into one of the very things that makes you human.
Children do this so naturally. I think even if they've never heard another soul singing, children will sing. One parent told me recently that her child is singing in sentences before she's actually talking.
And when you sing with your child, you're doing so much more than simply sustaining notes and sticking in words. You're communicating in vital, empowering, meaningful ways.
Children do this so naturally. I think even if they've never heard another soul singing, children will sing. One parent told me recently that her child is singing in sentences before she's actually talking.
And when you sing with your child, you're doing so much more than simply sustaining notes and sticking in words. You're communicating in vital, empowering, meaningful ways.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Hoopa and the Hupa culture and language
Tomorrow, Saturday May 8th, I play at the Hoopa Public library in Hoopa, CA. I'll be doing a program of songs for families, and I want very much to include a few words in the Hupa language.
Googling this subject brings up some fascinating information, including the sweetest collection of songs in Hupa by Alice Pratt, recorded and posted on a Humboldt University site. Wikepedia gives some links and background info.
Hupa...of Na-Dene stock is a language in which nearly all of the nouns are derived from verbs. Now, for us language nerds, such details are so interesting. And for this native Californian, the study of a new language is always rich with opportunities to expand our world view!
From Danny Ammon, who teaches Hupa at Hoopa High School, this is thank you in Hupa: ts'ehdiya When I find out the correct pronunciation, I'll provide that in a future blog!
Googling this subject brings up some fascinating information, including the sweetest collection of songs in Hupa by Alice Pratt, recorded and posted on a Humboldt University site. Wikepedia gives some links and background info.
Hupa...of Na-Dene stock is a language in which nearly all of the nouns are derived from verbs. Now, for us language nerds, such details are so interesting. And for this native Californian, the study of a new language is always rich with opportunities to expand our world view!
From Danny Ammon, who teaches Hupa at Hoopa High School, this is thank you in Hupa: ts'ehdiya When I find out the correct pronunciation, I'll provide that in a future blog!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
The Merry Month of May!
I played at an Arts Alive event last night, and it was inspiring to be a part of community singing at its best. All ages were drawn into the music, from familiar medleys to fun echo songs. Little toddlers to elegant seniors found themselves responding to the magic of music shared. Pure joy. Halleluiah.
Big thanks to all those who came out to support this event, and to the merchants and sponsors who provide venues for the artists and keep the magic flowing!
Big thanks to all those who came out to support this event, and to the merchants and sponsors who provide venues for the artists and keep the magic flowing!