Happy Birthday to American singer/songwriter Patty Smyth, who began her career in the 1980s as the lead singer for the band Scandal. In the 1990s, she won a Grammy and an Academy Award for her songwriting efforts.
Here, she sings lead vocals in Scandal’s biggest hit, “The Warrior.”
Here is the scenario:
Johnny began taking piano lessons at a private school. His teacher was moving and mentioned it in passing to Johnny’s mother. They were happy to learn that the teacher was moving closer to Johnny’s house.
“Can we start lessons in your home instead of driving all the way to the school?”
“Sure. It’s better for me because I stay at home.”
“Ok. When can we start?”
It seems innocent. There is no intent of malice. It was Johnny’s mother, the paying customer, who suggested the idea. On the upside, Johnny keeps the teacher with whom he began his lessons. Johnny’s mother doesn’t drive out of her way. Johnny’s teacher continues teaching. Everyone wins.
Or do they? Johnny’s teacher was hired by the school to teach the school’s students, not the teacher’s students. The school’s owners and directors have spent money on advertising their services to both students and teachers, great efforts toward a good reputation. Albeit, done unconsciously, Johnny’s teacher involved himself in a practice known as “poaching” students.
What would have been a better way of handling this?
“Can we start lessons in your home instead of driving all the way to the school?”
“That’s a great suggestion. I’ll consider it, and we’ll talk more about it next week.”
Johnny’s teacher approaches the school’s directors and lets them know what is happening, keeping his own reputation as an honorable and trustworthy peripatetic teacher intact. After that, there are many avenues that all parties can consider if they would like to keep Johnny’s best interest in mind.
Happy Birthday to extraordinarily gifted American musician David Paich, b. 1954, who has contributed as a keyboardist, vocalist, songwriter, producer, and arranger to the works of many artists in the music industry including Cher, Rod Stewart, Quincy Jones, and Michael Jackson.
Here he is singing lead vocals with the band Toto.
This day in music history, 1846, Paris, France: The saxophone is patented by Belgian-born Adolphe Sax. Today, the saxophone is popular in blues, soul, rhythm and blues, reggae, ska, and funk.
Long Live Lisa Simpson.
Happy Birthday to Kris Kristofferson, b. 1936, who, with Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, formed The Highwaymen. In 2004, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Celebrate by enjoying this little ditty written by him:
If today is your birthday, you share it with Beach Boy Brian Wilson (b.1942), Commodore Lionel Richie (b.1949), Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony (b. 1954), and Duran Duran bassist John Taylor (b.1960).
Happy Birthday!
Celebrate by enjoying some beautiful a cappella by the Beach Boys:
You have wanted to learn piano since childhood, but you never had the resources. Now that you have the instrument and the support you need for lesson, you feel that you’re too old to begin. If this is so, please read on. I have taught many adult students and have learned a thing or two about how they learn and their limits to learning.
Before you rush into piano lessons, keep in mind that you have an adult’s schedule filled with work, appointments, dinners, and other responsibilities that come with being a grown up. Be realistic about the frequency of lessons, the amount of work that you want your instructor to give you to work on between lessons, and the pace at which you want to learn. If you have a 40-hour work week, volunteer as your children’s soccer coach, and sing in your church chior, you probably won’t have much time between lessons to practice. Consider one lesson every ten to fourteen days.
If today is your birthday, you share it with Paul McCartney (b. 1942) and Dizzy Reed (b. 1963). Paul McCartney is an English musician, best known as a member of the Beatles (1960-1970). He wrote “Live and Let Die” in 1973 with his band Wings. Dizzy Reed is an American musician, best known as the keyboardist for Guns N’ Roses.
Enjoy this video of Guns N’ Roses playing “Live and Let Die.”
Happy Birthday to Rivers Cuomo, born 1970, American musician, best known as the frontman for the band Weezer.
Q: I have a feeling that my child is not learning to read music. Instead, she memorizes the pieces. When I ask her to name one specific note in the written music, she cannot answer. I would like for her to know to read music, but she is just memorizing songs. What can you suggest to help her to play by reading?
A: This is a problem that many students have. What is a solution for one child may not be the solution for the next.
If memorization is the student’s strength, flash cards that have individual notes (such as Complete Color Coded Flash Cards for All Beginning Music Students
Another method, one that I use when teaching, is to hover a book or a magazine (nothing distracting) over the student’s hands so that she can play by “feel” and associate the heads of the notes with the pitches of the tones. If the notes go up, her fingers play to the right, and the pitches are higher. This is very practical because it develops the recognition of musical patterns.
Theory workbooks that concentrate on identifying individual notes are helpful. Schaum Note Spellers Book 1 (Schaum Method Supplement)
Over time, with practice, reading musical notation will be like reading English.
