Stephen Collins Foster, the \"father of American music,\" wrote songs in the nineteenth century that live on to this day. He was the forerunner of today\'s professional songwriter, though he died in poverty. He expanded the musical tastes of America like no other before him.
Born in Pennsylvania, Foster was one of ten children. Though his family was middle class when he was young, his...
One of the all time greats of jazz is William \"Count\" Basie. He was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer. Widely regarded as one of the most important jazz bandleaders of his time, Basie led his popular Count Basie Orchestra for almost 50 years.
Count Basie was born William Basie on the 21st of August 1904 in Red Bank, New Jersey. He was formally taught piano in his younger...
From his earliest memory, Isaac Watts, author of Joy to the World and numerous other hymns, recalled being competitive. Albeit a bit on the cocky side, Watts\' confidence in his own talent gave the world some of its best-loved and timeless hymns.
Watts\' own mother recognized his outstanding gift when he was just a young child. To encourage him and her other eight children, Mrs. Watts...
It was a \'Silent Night\' indeed when this beloved song was first composed. If not for a broken pipe organ, the world likely would have been without its most popular Christmas carol.
Perhaps it was that very silence that inspired the Reverend Joseph Mohr to pen those now-famous words in 1818. At the time, it was probably sheer desperation rather than inspiration that motivated him.
As...
Many people are surprised to learn that \"Jingle Bells\" was actually written for American Thanksgiving. The song was composed by James Lord Pierpont, and details surrounding his life and the writing of the song have been contended over the years. In fact, in some older publications, the song\'s writer is listed as \'anonymous.\' It is commonly accepted today, however, that Pierpont was...
Will you become smarter if you play the piano? Does piano study increase the capability of your brain? The question is whether there is a correlation between mastering a musical instrument and one\'s brain increasing in potential.
Questions like these have been popping up all over the place in the past few years, and not just in scientific journals either. Currently the media has been...
Aside from the academic study of music theory, which explores the theories surrounding music issues, such as whether or not a piece of music fits into one category or another, music theory is really the nuts and bolts of music.
It\'s the way that music is composed, and performed. Whether you are thinking about musical harmony, the way a concerto is orchestrated, and even the simple basics...
Before starting to explain what musical syncopation is, it is necessary to cover a couple of other basic music terms so that the description of syncopation makes more sense.
1 Beat - the ryhthm - think about a song on the radio, and the way the drummer accents the music. He is picking up on the beat of the piece. This is usually where the emphasis is placed in the music. If you watch a...
Learning to play the piano is about more than learning the names of notes. Students and parents have a variety of different piano methods to choose from. All teach the basics of playing piano. The differences lie in their respective emphases and their suitability for particular age groups and learning styles.
* The Suzuki method: This method of teaching piano originated in Japan in the mid...
Maybe you\'ve always wanted to learn to play the piano but never had the opportunity. Perhaps you\'re a parent with a child who has expressed interest in the piano. The question is: where do you begin? How to start depends on your age and your goals.
First, you need to find a program of study that is age appropriate. For children, formal lessons are usually recommended. It\'s important for...
