Category Archives: Students

Feel Free to Sing/Play Happy Birthday

Posted by MaryO on

happy birthday

 

You’re legal now!

None of the companies that have collected royalties on the “Happy Birthday” song for the past 80 years held a valid copyright claim to one of the most popular songs in history, a federal judge in Los Angeles ruled on Tuesday.

In a stunning reversal of decades of copyright claims, the judge ruled that Warner/Chappell never had the right to charge for the use of the “Happy Birthday To You” song. Warner had been enforcing a copyright since 1988, when it bought Birch Tree Group, the successor to Clayton F. Summy Co., which claimed the original disputed copyright.

Judge George H. King ruled that a copyright filed by the Summy Co. in 1935 granted only the rights to specific piano arrangements of the music, not the actual song.

Read more at http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-happy-birthday-song-lawsuit-decision-20150922-story.html

The following version is in the O’Connor Music Studio library, if you wish to borrow it.  It is also available on amazon.com

Piano Explorer ~ October 2015

Posted by MaryO on

piano-explorer

 

Each month, young students will receive a copy of Piano Explorer magazine.  It is available to adults, on request.

Included are

Composer biographies
• Music history
• Instruments
• Theory, practice tips, composing ideas
• Beginner’s Corner
• Music Corner (featuring student compositions)

Colorful pictures, timelines, and maps capture students’ attention. At the end of each magazine is a quiz to test students’ comprehension of the material. Games, puzzles, riddles, and student contributions round out the magazine and keep things fun.

Additional Features: Check out our website for additional material. The student page includes links to music mentioned in the issue, additional quizzes, and other interesting information.

The October issue includes information about

  • Franz Schubert
  • Practice tips
  • Dynamics
  • Voice
  • E Major
  • Antonio Salieri

Please note that students will have assignments from each issue.

Another App from JoyTunes

Posted by MaryO on

Simply-Piano

 

Simply Piano helps you learn piano step by step, no previous knowledge required. It works with any piano or keyboard. Simply Piano is meant to teach people with little to no previous experience how to play songs and read music.

Run the app as you play and it provides real-time feedback as you progress through lessons. Just place your iPhone (or iPad) on your piano (or use your MIDI keyboard) and play, your iPhone will immediately recognize what you are playing!

The app slowly progresses from learning a few notes at a time to simple (and later, more complex) songs.

The app doesn’t let you skip ahead between lessons to maximize their effect. But not everyone has to start at square one. If you have some prior experience, you can indicate that the first time you use the app and it adjusts accordingly.

 

Free: iOS (I had to search for “Joytunes”)

IMAGE: JOYTUNES

Vivaldi’s Spring ~ on Piano Maestro!

Posted by MaryO on

vivaldi

 

Vivaldi, one of the greatest baroque composers, has a very interesting story. He ran an orphanage in the 18th century in Italy that became famous all over the western world for its musically talented children. A lot of his pieces were written for specific children in his school. Vivaldi learned the violin from his father, and was trained as a priest. He was nicknamed “the red priest” for his red hair and was apparently somewhat sure of himself, having claimed once he can compose a concerto faster than it can be copied.

Vivaldi wrote over 500 pieces, most of which are lost today. He is considered one of the greatest musical landmarks in history, having inspired many composers that followed him, including J.S.Bach and others.

Other fun facts about Vivaldi can be found here.

Vivaldi’s Spring is available on Piano Maestro, which is available to my students free of charge.

Happy Labor Day!

Posted by MaryO on

laborday1

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September celebrating the economic and social contributions of workers.

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.

In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a “workingmen’s holiday” on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

It was first nationally recognized in 1894 to placate unionists following the Pullman Strike. With the decline in union membership, the holiday is generally viewed as a time for barbecues and the end of summer vacations – and time to go back to school in Fairfax County – and piano lessons!

From 2014: Manuscript of Mozart’s Piano Sonata K331 Discovered in Budapest

Posted by MaryO on

mozart-sonata-k331

 

The manuscript of Mozart’s A major piano sonata K331 has recently been discovered in Budapest. Having spent the majority of its life in the Budapest’s National Széchényi Library for decades, the coveted manuscript was rediscovered by Haydn scholar Balazs Mikusi.

“When I first laid eyes upon the manuscript, the handwriting already looked suspiciously ‘Mozartish’,” said Mikusi, who is the head of the music collection at National Szechenyi Library. “Then I started reading the notes, and realised it is the famous A Major sonata … My heart rate shot up.”

The piece was composed in 1783 and contains Mozart’s most popular jam, “Turkish March,” which has become a piano lesson staple all over the world.

Although, unfortunately, Mikusi can’t say how or when these pages found their way to Hungary; they reveal subtle differences from the published editions of the sonata. The key variances are seen in the phrasing, dynamics and occasionally the notes themselves.

“It is very rare that a Mozart manuscript pops up. Moreover the A Major Sonata had no known manuscript, so it is a really big discovery,” he said.

The library has only released teasing images of the manuscript, nothing more.

 

From Manuscript of Mozart’s Piano Sonata K331 Discovered in Budapest’s National Széchényi Library : Classical : Classicalite.

The whole sonata:

 

Music for Very Young Children

Posted by MaryO on

 

fun-with-music

 

MOMs, DADS, are you looking for a place to have fun and fellowship with your children and other parents? We begin our 3rd year on Sept. 18th at 10am on Fridays in the Cornerstone Room (Rm. 215) at Pender United Methodist Church on Route 50. This program is for all parents and their children, ages 0 to 5.

The morning starts with 30 minutes of age appropriate interactive music followed by a snack and then playing with toys while the parents enjoy a time of fellowship and breakfast. These activities all take place in the same room.

This program continues though the school year and each semester there is a fee of $30 per family to cover the food and snacks.

For more information, please email Roberta Pont by clicking on this link.

Pender is located at 12401 Alder Woods Drive which is off Route 50 just east of the Fairfax County Parkway, about 10 minutes away from the O’Connor Music Studio.

From the Fairfax County Parkway: Take the exit marked Route 50, East. Get in left lane as soon as possible. Turn left at first light. Follow Alder Woods Drive to the church entrance on the left.

From I-66: Take the exit marked Route 50, West. Turn right at the third traffic light. Follow Alder Woods Drive to the left to the church entrance on the left.

NOTE: When you enter Alder Woods Drive you will see Christ Presbyterian Church in front of you.  They are very nice people, but that’s not where you’re headed. Go left. When Alder Woods Drive curves to the right, Pender Church will be on the left side.

How Do We Know If Children Are Ready To Begin Music Lessons?

Posted by MaryO on

child-piano

 

These days, there is much pressure for parents to begin their children in activities from an early age.  We know that children tend to pick up new skills easily and we want for them to have an opportunity to become experts at these new skills.  We also see curiosity, desire and eagerness to learn in our children and want to capitalize on that.

Music lessons are no exception.  We often get calls asking the question, “When is the best time to enroll my child in piano lessons?”  The answer to that is a tricky one, and varies for each child.  The right age for one may not be the right age for another.  Here are a few questions to ask yourself if you are considering enrolling your child in music lessons:

1.   Does my child have an attention span to sit still for chunks of time and listen to instruction?

Many teachers today are very creative in using off-bench activities during lessons and have a plethora of activities to make lessons fun and engaging.  However, the fact remains that your child will need to sit at the piano for some periods of time during the lesson.  It is important that your child have the attention span to do this.

Read more at  How do we know if children are ready to begin music lessons? « Piano Pedagogy @ The New School for Music Study.

Roadtrip! Preschool Method Book Released

Posted by MaryO on

RT_Front-cover
Roadtrip! Released…

Kris Skaletski and Jennifer Eklund are happy to announce that, Roadtrip!, the first book in our new preschool method book series, is officially for sale! Student books are available now in both digital and hardcopy. The teacher guidebook, with comprehensive lesson plans and multiple teacher duets for all 18 songs, is available digitally now. Hardcopies of the guidebook will be available next Wednesday, July 29th.

  • Ideal for students ages 4 and up.
  • On the staff from the start
  • Music is a mix of familiar tunes and original pieces
  • Multi-key approach
  • 18 songs that can be learned by note or rote
  • Clean easy-to-follow pages (great for special needs students!)

BONUS: The soundtrack is FREE in the introductory selling period! You can hear all the music and see the insides of the student book and teacher guidebook on the website. Full-time fun ahead!

Show me the Roadtrip! Student Book