The first family of jazz was there. The first family of the United
States (minus the nation's No. 1 jazz fan, who was busy with
health-care reform) was there. And 150 talented young jazz musicians
were in the White House, too, all celebrating an original American art
form in the most exclusive jazz workshop this city has ever seen.
First lady Michelle Obama told the group that jazz was always in the
air when she was growing up in Chicago. Her grandfather put speakers in
every room of his house, turned up the stereo and listened to music all
day long. "At Christmas, birthdays, Easter, it didn't matter," she
said, "there was jazz playing in our household."
Now that she's in the White House, the beat goes on. "Today's event
exemplifies what I think the White House, the people's house, should be
about," Obama said.
The event took place in conjunction with the Duke Ellington Jazz
Festival, Washington's largest music celebration, which concluded last
night with a concert at the Kennedy Center. The students, who were
chosen by their teachers, participate in programs sponsored by the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, which paid for some of them to fly
to Washington.
Parts of the White House became an elaborate rehearsal room, where
students from 8 to 18 absorbed the feeling of jazz and the blues from
those who know it best. The entire Marsalis family — father Ellis and
sons Branford, Wynton, Delfeayo and Jason — participated, along with
Cuban jazz master Paquito D'Rivera and D.C.'s own Davey Yarborough,
passing along jazz tips and the larger lessons they've learned from
music. In one workshop, the students paraded across the stage of the
East Room, improvising variations on the blues under the gaze of the
portraits of George and Martha Washington.
"Blues is what connects us to the earth," Wynton Marsalis told the
students in his advanced tutorial. "It keeps us grounded, gives us the
spirit behind this music. It makes us holler and scream and shout
through our horns."
After the intensive hour-long workshops, conducted in three separate
rooms of the White House, the students gathered in the East Room for a
brief concert featuring D'Rivera and a teenage combo, including three
D.C. area musicians: Elijah Easton on sax, Zach Brown on bass, Kusha
Abadey on drums. "This kind of interaction was the first of its kind,"
said Thomas R. Carter, president of the Monk Institute, who has
presented jazz events at the White House during the past three
administrations. "It was groundbreaking and truly sets a precedent for
bringing music education itself into the White House."
The Obama administration plans to continue its hands-on program in
arts education in the future, but it was jazz, America's indigenous art
form, that got the first turn in the spotlight.
"There's probably no better example of democracy than a jazz
ensemble — individual freedom, but with responsibility to the group,"
said Michelle Obama, who was wearing a white skirt and sweater.
For longtime Washington jazz musician and educator Yarborough, it
was important to see not just the history of jazz honored at the White
House, but its future as well.
"To be able to witness the music being perfected in the White House,
to be requested to bring my band here," he said, "is a wonderful
honor."
The first lady was joined at the afternoon concert by her mother and
her daughters — because, she said, she wanted to introduce the girls
to "all kinds of music other than hip-hop."
As Marsalis and D'Rivera swung into Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night in
Tunisia" to bring the day of jazz to a close, the first lady bobbed her
head to the music, and 150 students had an experience they're not
likely to forget.
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Each year the California Arts Council promotes the first Friday in October as California Arts Day to highlight the importance of the arts and creativity in the state. This year the agency has a contest for California college students who are talented graphic artists and designers, with a grand prize of $500.
The assignment: create the California Arts Day 2009 poster, illustrating the lyrics, concepts and/or intention of the song “The Art in Me,” also known as The California Arts Song.
Poster Competition
Background Each year the California Arts Council prints a poster to celebrate California Arts Day, the first Friday in October. While California Arts Day generally celebrates arts and creativity, each specific year is centered around specific themes and images to highlight different artistic and creative aspects of our state. People today are expressing themselves creatively, especially through the use of computer and digital tools to create images, music, videos, and other artwork simply for the joy of it. For 2009, the main theme for California Arts Day is “The Art in Me” and focuses on the individual creativity of each Californian.
Eligibility: Students at California fine art and design colleges
Deadline: June 22, 2009
Prize: Winner receives $500. The poster will be printed by California Arts Council and distributed statewide to schools, libraries, arts organizations, museums, city and county offices, the Governor’s Office, and state legislative and agency offices.
TakeLessons Discover Your Music. TakeLessons™ lorem ipsum dolor sit amet Music Lesson Guide TakeLessons they learn much more than just how to perform! Benefits of Music & Voice Lessons Older adults find that music lessons are a great way to stay mentally active. Many will resume lessons for an instrument they played in the past to polish up their skills while others are interested in learning something brand new and acquiring a special talent. Music is known to be therapeutic and a great way to keep one's mind young! Did you know that music… When people of all ages take music and voice lessons, Parents find that music and voice lessons for kids not only improve their children's memorization and small motor skills, but strongly contribute to the building of their child's self-confidence. This in turn helps children succeed not only in music, but in school and other outside activities. Both children and their parents find it truly rewarding when a child reaches a pre-set goal or milestone; whether that is learning a new song, performing in front of others or just finding enjoyment in music. Adults in their 20's and 30's see lessons as a creative outlet and something to help them de-stress after a long day. For many, music and voice lessons are the beginning steps of a career in live performance or recorded music. For others, music lessons are a way to express emotion or impress others with their new-found talents through a birthday, wedding, or special event performance. • Helps develop skills needed in today's workforce: critical thinking, creative problem solving, effective communication, teamwork, and confidence • Keeps kids engaged in school and less likely to drop out while helping them achieve in other academic subjects like math, science, and reading • Helps communities share ideas and values among cultures and generations Finding the right instructor The Instructor It's About Chemistry For most students, music is about having fun, living your dream, and discovering your music. You'll want to be paired with an instructor that understands where you currently are and can relate to where you want to go. When you begin, you may not even know where you want to go – and that's ok. Your instructor should be able to help you take small steps that help guide you and help you see the picture of what you want to accomplish. The chemistry between the student and the instructor is really important. There should be a natural respect and friendliness between the two. There are many styles of instruction, so find someone that fits your personal style. Some people learn better with a more disciplined instructor that pushes them. Others learn better with a more laid-back, assertive style. Be honest with what works for you. When speaking to your lessons company, express the style of instructor that you think will work better for you. Chris Waldron, Director of Recruiting for TakeLessons Learning Centers, has hired thousands of instructors and says a key to good instructors is not only their musical aptitude, but their attitude as well. "A good instructor will share in your success and help you through the rough patches. He or she will challenge you to get better while giving you insight, tools, and training on the best way to improve. They are there to help you achieve higher skill levels and maximize your potential while providing constructive feedback that leads to continuous improvement.", Waldron says. Remember, however, that private lessons are a two-way street and the relationship should be mutually beneficial. Instructors are not baby-sitters or therapists and they will expect you to uphold your end of the bargain by practicing, trying hard, coming to the lessons prepared. They cannot make you great. YOU make yourself great. They are there to encourage and challenge you, but ultimately, your success is going to depend on your own motivation levels and how much you decide to apply yourself. Here's a checklist of what to look for in an instructor. Your instructor should: • Have passed a criminal background check • Have positive feedback from other students • Have a degree in music, working on a degree, or several years of experience • Enjoy the style and genre of music you wish to learn • Be a good listener • Focus more on you, and less about themselves • Helps you discover your strengths • Help you set high, yet attainable milestones • Be clear on what is expected of you each week • Hold you accountable for practicing and continued growth • Provide you with timely and specific feedback • Use technology to help keep track of lessons and monitor your growth • Offer the option for you to perform at a local concert or recital • Help you get excited about learning and staying involved with lessons • Be constantly growing themselves—musically and as a teacher Picking the Right Program & Instructor When moving forward with lessons, it's best to work with an established music learning company. When you call and speak with them, they should be friendly, excited to help you, and focused on what YOU want to learn instead of what they want to teach. Beware of instructors or programs that have an air of arrogance about them. Normally, these
instructors are focused more on what you can do for them instead of what they can do for you. Also, beware of programs that are so strict that the lessons no longer are fun. Your lessons company should also have a documented, thorough application procedure for their instructors. This includes interviews, reference checks, background checks and ongoing quality certifications. They should also require liability insurance for their instructors. Feel free to ask them to see their liability insurance paperwork. If they cannot provide documentation, you are risking a higher liability with the instructor. Finally, working with a lessons company helps ensure your money is safe. There have been many stories from unsuspecting students who write a check or pay cash to an instructor they found online or in a classifieds ad, and that instructor never showing up after the first lesson. Others have paid for a semester or year's worth of lessons, only to find their instructor has left town or shut down their studio. A Reputable Learning Company A Reputable Learning Company • The company should offer several instructors in your area. This way, if the first one doesn't fit your style, you can switch to another at no cost to you. pellentesque: Checklist • The lessons programs should be focused and tailored around what you want to learn, and the company should provide an instructor that is suited for your style of music and your skill level. Nam vestibulum dolor quis libero. • The company should always protect your money. If their instructor does not show up, their policy should be to issue you a quick and full refund. • The company should allow you to obtain a refund if, after your first lesson, you do not wish to continue. • Never pay for more than a quarter's worth of lessons upfront (three months). • Always pay by credit card or debit card. This way, if there are billing issues, you have recourse through your bank or card company. • Check the Better Business Bureau to ensure the company treats its customers well. • Check the company's web site for the owners and employees. They should be transparent about who runs the company. Also check for press releases, financial backing, advisory boards, and partners. All of these items help you see if they are an established, reputable company. • Look to see if they have partnered with community organizations such as the YMCA or PTA and if they run programs for private schools after-school programs, or corporate wellness. If they have proven themselves by working with these partners, there is a good probability they are reputable. • Look for a company that has instructor certification processes which includes criminal background checks and ongoing quality ratings. Ask the percentage of instructor applicants that get hired. If it's more than 40%, the company may be accepting anyone who applies and may have a quality problem. • The pricing should reflect your skill level. If you are a beginner, chances are you don't need the instructor with a PhD and 30 years of experience. You'll overpay. Find a company that has a selection of instructors with differing levels of experience and reasonable rates. • Make sure the company has an established online lessons tracking system. This allows you to access your lesson notes from anywhere on the web and creates accountability between you and the instructor. If you are a parent, this allows you to see what your children are working on during the lessons, thus ensuring you are getting your money's worth. Why Take Lessons? Tak eL essons Discover Your Music. Why Not Learn on your Own? There are a myriad of music self-study courses, books, CD's, and DVD's. Add in the hours of video on YouTube and across the Internet, and you've got an endless supply of information. But information alone isn't the key to having fun and learning. It's the application of the information that makes the difference. When you take lessons with a live instructor, you get added benefits that simply cannot be attained through all the do-it-yourself media. Speed Up Your Learning Curve, Slow Down Your Frustration When you first start with music, it will most likely be a bit odd to you. That's ok. Its normal. It takes some time to understand the fundamentals and mentally digest why notes, chords, and songs sound good together. Working with a private instructor helps you quickly understand the fundamentals while making learning fun. You will learn faster, which helps build your confidence and increases the likelihood of you continuing with your lessons. The First Step is the Hardest With music, there's a phenomenon called the "First Month Hump". During the first month, you're at an important stage that determines whether you keep going or whether you call it quits. Everything is new. Some things make sense—other things do not. And inside, you're trying to decide whether the dream of making music is worth the fear of failing at it. It's at this stage where private instruction really starts to make a difference. With the help of a good program and instruction, you see more improvement, which helps build your confidence and increases the likelihood of continuing. Your lessons are customized around you, so you get to learn the things you're most interested in. This naturally speeds up your learning curve as well. You also have personalized attention that helps you fast-track through the First Month Hump and into the next phase of learning. Staying Motivated Without a doubt, there will be times during the first few months when you feel disappointed with your playing. Perhaps you didn't find time to practice, or you can't quite figure out how to work your left and right hand with the proper timing. Again, that's ok! It's normal. The benefit of working with a private lessons company is that you have the support of your music counselor, your instructor, and a community of other people learning at your level. A good lessons program will help you A.I.M. High! A — Accountability I — Inspiration M — Milestones Accountability Private or group lessons help you become accountable to yourself, to your instructor, and others. As a general rule, we always work harder when we know someone else is counting on us. By telling others what our goals are, we trigger something inside the mind that helps us give a little extra effort. A good program will help you set your first goal and then help you share that goal with others. Inspiration A good lessons program helps inspire you by having people that believe in you. You get to hear stories of how other people are living their dream and can then apply their learning to your own situation. By taking lessons, you'll tap into the wisdom of instructors that have been through your situation before, and are willing to help you get to where you want to be. Milestones Part of the job of private instruction is to help you see yourself living your dream and discovering the music inside you. A good lessons company will understand your current skill level and help you set reasonable milestones for your growth. Using online tools, your music program should be able to help you keep track of your progress with lesson notes and practice pages that can be accessed via the web. They should provide you with candid feedback after each lesson to help you see where you're doing great, and where you need help. “Nobody's a natural. You work hard to get good and then work hard to get better. “ -Paul Coffey With music, you'll never hit your target if you don't know what you're shooting for. With a solid lessons program, you'll always know where you're heading. TakeLessons Discover Your Music. For questions or to find a certified instructor in your area, please contact TakeLessons 1-877-231-8505 TakeLessons 624 Broadway Suite 504 San Diego, CA 92101
TakeLessons is powering the NAMM's Wanna Play Music Lesson Locator. This free "Find Music Lessons Near You" search tool at www.wannaplaymusic.com,
features one of the most comprehensive databases of music teachers on
the Web from NAMM's network of Member stores, the Music Teachers
National Association (MTNA) and TakeLessons. This easy-to-use tool helps people who are interested in
learning to play music to easily find a qualified music teacher in
their neighborhood by simply entering their zip code or city
information.
Here is the full release from our friends at NAMM.
Celebrities Rally with Kids in Nationwide Effort to
Promote Music Making as NAMM Wraps Up Second Annual National Wanna Play
Music Week
National
Survey Shows 85 percent of Americans Wanna Play Music, as Thousands of
Aspiring Musicians Flock to 'Wanna Play Music' Web site
Carlsbad, Calif. (PRWEB)
May 8, 2009 — NAMM, the 108-year-old, not-for-profit association of
the international music products industry, concluded its annual
National Wanna Play Music Week today, after a monumental period of
music making that drew the participation of stars, such as Kevin Bacon
and Yoko Ono. With the goal to build awareness of the proven benefits
of playing musical instruments for people of all ages, NAMM executed
the week-long series of events to encourage the music maker in every
American.
Kevin
Bacon, left with brother Michael Bacon, right and Yoko Ono, center,
joined students from LaGuardia High School in New York, May 4, 2009, to
kick Wanna Play Music Week which runs from May 4th-8th. The program
aims to build awareness for the benefits of playing music.
Music Week Launch with The Bacon Brothers, Yoko Ono and the "Jimmy Kimmel Live" House Band.
NAMM kicked off the week with "Music Monday," a five-year tradition
started by the Canadian-based Coalition for Music Education that
encourages musicians, music organizations, school bands and music
lovers everywhere to play music at the same time to demonstrate the
galvanizing power of making music. During NAMM's second year
participating in "Music Monday," more 2,000 schools and organizations
rallied across North America to simultaneously play music together with
celebrity musicians participating in the effort on both coasts.
In New York, The Bacon Brothers, featuring acclaimed actor Kevin
Bacon and his brother, award-winning film and TV composer Michael
Bacon, helped to launch National Wanna Play Music Week in the U.S., and
appeared nationally on "Fox & Friends," on behalf of NAMM. On Music
Monday, The Bacon Brothers performed before a crowd of students at the
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing
Arts, promoting music in schools, along with Yoko Ono and the John
Lennon Educational Tour Bus.
"We wanted to show our support for what NAMM and others are doing to
help encourage people to get out and play music," said Kevin Bacon.
"Music is obviously a huge part of our lives. Playing a musical
instrument can help drive a passion that can last a lifetime and play
an integral part in maintaining a healthy mind and body."
In Los Angeles, late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live" lent the
talents of its house band, Cleto & the Cletones, toward the effort
of making music. Bandleader Cleto Escobedo III and lead guitarist Toshi
Yanagi performed music with a band class at Nightingale Middle School
in Los Angeles. Students were later treated to a private jam session
with Cleto & the Cletones, visiting the set of "Jimmy Kimmel Live"
and hanging out with the entire band and Jimmy Kimmel himself.
"The tremendous response to National Wanna Play Music Week, the
popularity of our music-making tools, and the support from so many
notable music makers reinforces our belief in the power of music
making," said Joe Lamond, NAMM's president and CEO. "NAMM is
consistently seeking out new ways to connect people with the enjoyment
and proven benefits of playing music and creating simple ways for
anyone to get involved. It's never too late to learn to play a musical
instrument, whether you are five or 85. Even beyond NAMM's National
Wanna Play Music Week, any time is a great time to give music making a
try."
Tools to Make Music Making Easy
According to the recent "2009 Public Attitudes Toward Music" Gallup
survey *, 85 percent of Americans wish they could play music. In
response to that desire, NAMM created several user-friendly services
and tools aimed to help anyone begin to play music. With the goal of
educating consumers on the benefits of playing music and empowering
them to easily find quality music instructors, NAMM also has developed
a variety of tools, which were unveiled during National Wanna Play
Music Week, including:
Music Lesson Locator – This free "Find Music Lessons Near You" search tool at www.wannaplaymusic.com,
features one of the most comprehensive databases of music educators on
the Web from NAMM's network of Member stores, the Music Teachers
National Association (MTNA) and TakeLessons.com, a nationwide provider
of lessons. This easy-to-use tool helps people who are interested in
learning to play music to easily find a qualified music teacher in
their neighborhood by simply entering their zip code or city
information.
So
You Wanna Play Music? Hotline – As an additional resource for National
Wanna Play Music Week, a special hotline was established to help
connect people curious about playing music with a NAMM representative
to ask any questions they may have about ways to get started, how to
select the best instrument, and how to overcome the most common
challenges.
Wanna
Play? Film Contest – NAMM reached out to more than 500,000 music and
film enthusiasts, asking them to participate in its short film contest,
highlighting the positive aspects of making music. Working with
OurStage, an online community site for filmmakers, submissions will be
accepted throughout May with the short film winner receiving $5,000
cash, a MacBook Pro, various computer software for video and audio
editing, and a trip to the Summer NAMM show in Nashville, Tenn. for a
world premiere of his or her film.
Music Making Resources – The www.wannaplaymusic.com
Web site also featured daily themes that help to educate and build
awareness around making music, and highlighted important trends, tools
and news in the world of music.
National Wanna Play Music Week is part of the association's ongoing
Wanna Play? public awareness campaign, which recognizes the vital role
that music and music education play in people's lives, and how
recreational music making can directly impact the health and social
well being of people in all stages of life.
About NAMM The National Association of Music Merchants, commonly
called NAMM in reference to the organization's popular NAMM trade
shows, is the not-for-profit association that unifies, leads and
strengthens the $17 billion global musical instruments and products
industry. NAMM's activities and programs are designed to promote music
making to people of all ages. NAMM is comprised of more than 9,000
Member companies. For more information about NAMM, interested parties
can visit www.namm.org or call 800-767-NAMM (6266).
*According to the April 2009 Gallup Poll entitled "2009 Public Attitudes Toward Music"
Today is a very special day here at the office. As a part of Teacher Appreciation Week, we'd like to take a few moments to recognize our incredibly AWESOME TakeLessons music teachers.
Each month, we get thousands of people looking for music jobs that apply for a teaching position with us, and after rigorous interviewing, background reviews, and reference checking, we hire just the top 3-5% of candidates.
To all our music instructors and singing teachers, we're very proud of you and all you do to bring music into the world. We believe the world is a better place because of you.
…And we've made a little video for you to say thanks!
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