Category Archives: Fun Extras!

Happy New Year and a Special Offer!

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Welcome to 2013!

It’s always exciting to start a New Year, contemplate possibilities for growth, launch new ideas in the studio, renew each student’s vision for success, and dream that maybe, just maybe, this is the year when I will become completely organized and efficient as a business owner/teacher! It’s good to dream, right? :-)

We should be back to a regular blogging schedule next week, but in the meantime I thought I would launch the New Year with a special offer for all Music Matters Blog readers. From now until January 15th, you can get $5 off any purchase in the Music Matters Blog Store! Maybe a new Practice Incentive Theme, or the 5 for Fun book of games and activities for the private piano lesson, or a beautiful and organized Book of Scales and Keys will be just the thing to jumpstart the New Year in your studio. Enter this coupon code and you’ll get $5 off your total order amount: 06PF9J98

Beethoven’s Birthday Giveaway and Promotion: Guest Post by Marcia Washburn

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One week only! In honor of Beethoven’s 242nd birthday anniversary on December 16, your family can enjoy learning about music together in Marcia Washburn’s all-inclusive e-course, Beethoven Who? Family Fun with Music. No expensive CDs to buy! No prior musical knowledge required!

A $29.99 value but order today for half-price–just $14.99. Special price ends Dec. 16, so don’t put it off. A great gift or something fresh to start your new year in January.

That’s not all! She’s throwing in a free bonus e-book for all who order this week: Teach Your Family to Play the Soprano Recorder. Marcia teaches you how to play the recorder, even if you can’t read a note!

To order, or for more information, go to http://www.marciawashburn.com/BeethovenWho.html.

Remember: this half-price offer ends Dec. 16. Order Beethoven Who? Family Fun with Music now so you won’t miss out on half-price plus the free recorder book.

Marcia is graciously giving away one copy of Beethoven Who? to a Music Matters Blog reader. Just leave a comment below to be entered to win the drawing. The winner will be chosen using a random number generator at noon (CST) this Thursday, December 13.

And I Thought 16 Pianos Was a Lot!

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For many years I have been intrigued by the concept of a multi-piano concert. This year, thanks to an invitation from the Kansas City Music Teachers Association, six of my students and I are going to participate for the first time in their flagship event featuring 16 pianos and 32 pianists! We are so excited to have this opportunity and are having a great time working on the fabulous repertoire selected for the occasion.

However, I couldn’t help but be lured in when I saw a blog post recently titled, “Ever Heard 50 Pianos Playing Together?” Apparently, at the International Choir Championships coming up on November 8-14, 5- pianos will be placed at the base of the Canton Tower in China for the closing concert. BTW, have you ever heard of these choir championships and the World Choir Games? I’m not a singer, but what a unique cultural experience it would be to go and observe something like this! Check out the promo video:

Visit the INTERKULTUR YouTube channel for more videos!

Young People’s Concerts

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Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a Young People’s Concert put on by our Wichita Symphony Orchestra. I have been organizing a group of homeschoolers to attend for several years now and this was by far the best production I’ve ever seen!
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Here’s a shot from our seats in the box! After some young students from the youth symphonies performed Bach, and a mime enacted visual entertainment for a Rossini overture, the part I was most excited about commenced – Carnival of the Animals!

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It was even better than I could have imagined! The Ogden Nash narration was included in the performance and a troupe of dancers did a masterful job portraying each selection. The coolest one was The Aquarium with its use of black lighting for an amazing visual effect!

If your area has a Young People’s Concert program, I highly encourage you to check it out!

Taking Classical Music to the Masses!

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Earlier this week, one of my students (are you reading this, Luke? :-) ) commented how much he loves classical music and would like to help other people develop more of an appreciation for it. Apparently Daria van den Bercken feels the same way, especially about the keyboard works of George Frideric Handel. For anyone who has ever bemoaned the piano’s lack of portability, think again! Check out this amazingly innovative approach to sharing the music of Handel with audiences everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. :-)

Handel hits the road! from Daria van den Bercken on Vimeo.

Daria plans to record Handel’s works next January. Her passion for his music is evident: “There have been moments in my life when certain music — more than normally — struck a chord in me and I felt this sense of incredible beauty. It happened again a while ago when playing the keyboard works of George Frideric Handel.” I look forward to keeping up with her Handel at the Piano project via Facebook and Twitter in the coming months!

(HT: Chris Foley of the Collaborative Piano Blog)