Friday Fun Link #13

Ooh, how auspicious. Friday Fun Link #13 on Friday the 13th.

I found out about this funky website from one of my students (Thanks Leah!). Called Take a Piano Sheet Music Break, this site offers FREE popular sheet music, transcribed or arranged for piano. There is a good selection of songs, ranging from classic rock to the 80s and from easy listening to what’s hot on the Top 40 charts today.

Happy exploring! © 2006, Musespeak™, Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Injury Prevention for Musicians

Yes, it’s true, even musicians are afflicted by injuries. Several classmates from university and I have suffered from repetitive strain injuries (RSI) off an on for over 10 years. Once you get RSI, it’s virtually impossible to cure completely. Sometimes, it's piano related. Other times, it's computer related.  

The problems stem from poor technique, poor posture and repetitive motions. Chiropractors and physiotherapists told me that strengthening the muscles around the damaged tendons through exercise is the best way to combat the recurrence of RSI.

Calgary-based teacher, clinician, adjudicator and composer Dr. Peter Jancewicz has written several articles on the topic, having suffered from RSI. Practicing the Alexander Technique has done wonders for him.

At the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Associations (CFMTA-FCAPM) conference held in Calgary July 2005, there was a session on the Feldenkrais method, which also is helpful for musicians with RSI.

Other musicians use sports and/or martial arts to strengthen their muscles. Doctors often recommend swimming and strength training. Yoga and martial arts are good activities as they not only keep musicians physically fit, but help with calming the nerves, settling the mind and focusing. That was part of my motivation for studying Iaido.

Whatever method you choose, it is best to do research first and consult with your doctor before taking on a new physical activity.

© 2006, Musespeak™, Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Friday Fun Link #12

One of the most enjoyable concerts I ever attended was by Victor Borge, a Danish musical comedian. His rendition of a vocal recital is notably memorable. You can hear some sound clips of his performances at A Tribute to Victor Borge. Enjoy!

Music Teaching 101

Happy New Year everyone! I am enjoying my Christmas break immensely, catching up with family and friends whom I haven’t seen nearly as much as I’d like to in the past year and playing extra rounds of catch and tag with Maestro. I even managed to squeeze in some creative writing (alas, still stumped on my book).

It hasn’t been all play and no work. My filing piles began to walk on their own, I simply led them to their correct places. I'm nearly caught up on my bookkeeping while the home, studio and office got a thorough re-org. Next on the list are: my Alberta Registered Music Teachers’ Association (Calgary Branch) projects, fixing the music library, preparing for the upcoming student recital and a manageable pile of administrative tasks.

My blog topic came to me while making my "to do" list - music teaching. Some students think they can set up shop at Grade 7 piano (or less), but that is extremely dangerous. You simply don’t have enough technical, musicianship and rhythmic tools in your arsenal at that level. Most teachers recommend that students begin teaching when they are in Grade 9 or 10 piano.

There is so much more to teaching than having your Grade 9 piano certificate. My blog entry titled The Most Common Question touches upon the non-teaching aspects of being a teacher. For more information about piano pedagogy, I recommend the following sites, which provide learning opportunities and certification for those wishing to become music teachers:

• Alberta Piano Teachers’ Association: workshops, conferences and coffee parties

• Alberta Registered Music Teachers’ Association (Calgary Branch): Join the Piano Pedagogy Group and find out about workshops and conferences here.

• Canadian National Conservatory of Music: See "Pedagogy" programs

• Conservatory Canada: View/purchase the “Diploma Syllabus” at your local music store

• Nazarene University College: Music program includes music pedagogy

• RCM Examinations: Click on “Piano Pedagogy Certificate Program”

© 2006, Musespeak™, Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Movie Music Musings

Christmas Break gives me a chance to catch up on all the movies and shows I want to see. I finally got around to watching The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe. Excellent story but excessive use of the blue screen. The actors were a delight to watch. Casting was excellent. As a writer and musician, I couldn’t help but analyze the movie from these two angles. I’ve never read the books (but I will next year). The writer within reveled at picking out symbolism and foreshadowing, while the musician was moved to tears when Aslan went to meet his fate. The drum’s tattoo filled the theatre with dread as Aslan padded up to face the witch. The strings sang out their doleful melodies, swelling into a heartbreaking crescendo as the terms of Aslan's bargain with the witch were fulfilled.

Music makes a huge difference in movies, I think. If the music doesn’t match what is happening on the screen, it does make it more difficult to connect with the characters emotionally.

Both The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and the Star Wars Trilogies are superb examples of when the music, action and dialogue are seamlessly joined and balanced. It’s Wagnerian, really.

Wag-huh? Richard Wagner (pronounced VAHG-ner) was a German composer, conductor and writer who lived in the 1800s. He revolutionized opera by his use of leitmotifs – a recurring theme that is associated with a certain character or event. Look no further than Luke Skywalker’s theme played when he contemplated his destiny standing before Tatooine’s twin suns or the theme for the Fellowship of the Ring.

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On a final note, this will be my last post for 2005. Happy New Year everyone! May 2006 be a healthy, prosperous and happy one for you.

© 2005, Musespeak™, Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.