Center Stage

To this date The Beatles remain an influential force over pop music. Their groundbreaking songwriting and production techniques paved the way for virtually every musician that followed them. Their own evolution is also quite remarkable, changing from traditional 1960s pop to rock, psychedelia and everything in between. The Beatles formed in the early 1960s in…

The Beatles were groundbreaking with their compositions, and were innovators of certain recording techniques. While they may not have necessarily invented all of these ideas, they certainly were champions of these processes. Take a look and see if you can incorporate them next time you write a song! 1. The Middle Eight: The middle eight…

It is often asked if artistry can be taught/learned as opposed to being an innate skill one is seemingly gifted with. Usually a question without answer, we will examine a few examples in an attempt to understand this mysterious side of performing. Artistry is the ability to take good technique (execution of the notes) and…

This month we celebrate one of the most famous Baroque era composers’ birthdays, George Frideric Handel. Born February 23, 1685 and died April 14, 1759, Handel was German in origin, but made his living predominantly in England. During his life, he was well known throughout Europe, even more so than other Baroque composers, whom of…

After seeing the general landscape of 90s music and culture, it’s time now to dive into a few bands and artists of the era. Here are a few groups and people from different genres that were key contributors to 90s music. I’ve also selected these based on what I think you may be interested in…

With the brutal winter weather well upon us, it is important to take care of your instrument. Your instrument is an investment that is both worth money and perhaps sentimental value. Here are some tips and reminders to keep your instrument happy and healthy! 1. Humidity: Too much or too little humidity can cause your…

Very often, a parents’ involvement will drastically change the experience of their child’s music lessons. Here are a couple of ideas to help your child reach their maximum potential in their musical studies! 1. Communicate: Communication is key to understanding what your child is doing in their lesson. Especially for young children, the parent is…

Instructor Angela O’Reilly playing violin solo NYSSMA Level 1: The Clown by Etling   Instructor Angela O’Reilly playing violin solo NYSSMA Level 2: Minuet No.2 by J.S.Bach   Instructor Angela O’Reilly playing violin solo NYSSMA Level 3: Bouree by G.F.Handel

Instructor Kelby Khan playing Piano Solo NYSSMA Level 1: First Sonatina by Olson, L.   Instructor Kelby Khan playing Piano Solo NYSSMA Level 2: Minuet in G by J.S. Bach   Instructor Kelby Khan playing Piano Solo NYSSMA Level 3 (part 1): Arabesque by Burgmuller, F.

With NYSSMA season soon approaching (early March for most of you), it’s important to make sure that you are staying in shape with your practicing. Here are a couple of goals you’ll have wanted to complete by now – if you haven’t, consider it a red flag and fix it before it’s too late! 1….