Viva La Opera!!
Posted on March 21, 2014 by Music Teacher

I attended an opera recently and the demographics of the audience’s average age was about 75 years old. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but we need to educate our young about the joys and beauty of opera.  Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Music Knowledge | Tagged opera, opera houses, San Diego Opera Company, singing lessons | Leave a comment

Morten Lauridsen – Get to Know Him
Posted on March 18, 2014 by Music Teacher

On Sunday March 16th, I was lucky enough to nab a seat in Disney Hall to listen to a whole concert of Morten Lauridsen’s gorgeous choral music. The concert was a tribute to the composer and his volume of choral works performed by the LA Master Chorale. It was the kind of music where at the end of each piece you did not want to break the beautiful silence with the obligatory applause. It was that stunning. Continue reading →
Posted in Music Knowledge, News | Tagged American composer, choral composer, choral music, la master chorale, Morten Lauridsen | Leave a comment

The Music of St. Patrick’s Day
Posted on March 17, 2014 by Music TeacherSt.

Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite holidays because I love the sound of Celtic music sonorities. Every year this holiday gives me a good “excuse” to teach my young Cornerstone Music Conservatory students the joy of the rhythms and harmonies of this music. Continue reading →

Posted in Music Knowledge | Tagged Celtic music, irish music, music, music lessons, music school, St. Patrick's Day | Leave a comment

The Magic of Musical Expression
Posted on March 26, 2012 by Music TeacherWritten by guest blogger and Cornerstone student Silvana Ferrarin

I remember a day in my sophomore year of high school when everything just fell apart. My parents had gotten into a fight at home, and I had just found out that I had literally failed my math final. Not to mention that a love confession had gone horribly wrong, and my favourite TV series had gone on a hiatus. I had sat there on my bed, mulling over the events that had reduced me to an emotional wreck. Continue reading →

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Introducing Classical Music to Kids
Posted on August 30, 2011 by Music Teacher

from August 30, 2011 MENC comment – Using popular music examples to introduce classical  music to kidsSometimes the best way to reach students in public school music classes who have never really been exposed to the beauty of classical music is to approach them on their level. Continue reading →

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Alex Davies, now an alumni from CMC
Posted on August 30, 2011 by Music Teacher

Last night our director, Ann Pittel, shared Japanese food with Alex Davies, 18, who has taken music lessons at Cornerstone Music Conservatory since he was 3 years old.  Alex was first enrolled in our toddler prep program, then the Harmony Road piano class, then private piano lessons with Ann, and has studied cello for many years with Dr. Stephen Reis.  It was a farewell sushi dinner as Alex, a recent 4.0 GPA graduate of Santa Monica High School embarks on his new adventure at Brown University, cello in tow. Alex will audition to be come a member of the BU orchestra in Providence, RI.  Major undeclared.  We wish Alex all the best success and will miss his cello playing at Cornerstone very much

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Cellos on Airplanes
Posted on August 30, 2011 by Music Teacher

Did you know that if one takes a cello on a plane, one must pay for an extra seat for the cello?  The cello actually then is entitled to bring one piece of stored luggage and one smaller under the seat carry-on.  Alex Davies, an alumni student at Cornerstone is carting one back to Brown Universityso he can continue practicing and audition for the BU orchestra.  We wonder if the airline steward will be bringing the cello a snack or a meal

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Proposed Cuts to Middle School Music Programs
Posted on August 22, 2011 by Music Teacher

I have just read the sad news in the LA Times that Los Angeles Middle Schools will be cutting out some of their music classes as part of the effort to trim the school budget.  It is always music and the arts that are first to go when there are necessary school budget cuts.  When will we ever realize that the arts is not just a frill, but a necessity—not just for art and music alone, but for bringing meaning and focus to all the other academic disciplines?  I am sure that I am not mentioning all  the benefits now, but here are just a few to consider:  music promotes creativity, cooperation, language development, abstract thinking, memory, community and self-discipline.  If we must eliminate some of these music programs in our schools now, let us hope that the curriculum planners might be creative enough to integrate more music in the teaching of the academic core curriculum.  I am up for brainstorming on this one. Let’s not let a lack of money interfere with music for our children.  Let’s get creative.

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VisionWalk: Foundation Fighting Blindness
Posted on October 17, 2010 by Music Teacher

VisionWalk: Foundation Fighting Blindness
VisionWalk is the national signature fundraising event of the Foundation Fighting Blindness.  Since its inception in the Spring of 2006, the program has raised over $13 million to fund sight-saving research.  As promising treatments move into critical human studies, the need for research funding is greater than ever before.Join the tens of thousands of people who have taken important steps toward a cure by participating in a 5K VisionWalk.Date: October 24th, Sunday,
Time: 10:00 am
Where:  Meet at UCLA Dickson CourtDonate: please donate at www.VisionWalk.org

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