Musings from The Music Academy

Welcome Karen!

2011-04-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled to announce that Karen Hayden will be joining our voice faculty!

Karen Hayden comes to The Music Academy of North Carolina from Greensboro Performing Arts, where she has taught voice lessons for the past year. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and will receive her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from UNC Greensboro this May. Operatic roles have included Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Lisetta in Haydn’s Il mondo della luna, Mrs. Nolan in Menotti's The Medium, and Miss Todd in The Old Maid and the Thief. Karen has also sung as a chorus member in various operas with the Magnolia Baroque Festival, UNCG, UNCSA, Greensboro Opera, and Piedmont Opera. She is looking forward to joining The Music Academy community.

Swing Triade!

2011-03-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

Swing Triade playing on our Friday night concert during the 12th Annual Cello, Viola, & Violin Competition!

New Clarinet Instructor!

2011-02-17T10:01:00.000-08:00

We are excited to announce that a new clarinet teacher is joining our faculty at MANC!

Mrs. Catherine Keen Hock, originally from Four Oaks, NC, is pursuing a DMA in clarinet performance and jazz studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she is a graduate teaching assistant for the jazz department. She holds the MM in Clarinet Performance from UNCG and the BA with Honors in Music Performance with a minor in international studies from Wake Forest University. Mrs. Keen Hock was a William L. Poteat Scholar, and winner of the Concerto Competition and Giles-Harris Competition for Performance at Wake Forest.

She currently performs with the UNCG Wind Ensemble, University Symphony Orchestra, Casella Sinfonietta and Jazz Band, and is the bass clarinetist for the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra. As a member of the Obsidian Clarinet Quartet, she premiered two new compositions at the 2008 ClarinetFest in Kansas City. Her primary teachers include Michael Waddell, Eileen Young, Edwin Riley, and Kelly Burke, and she is a member of Alpha Phi Omega, Sigma Alpha Iota, and the International Clarinet Association.

Welcome to The Music Academy!

Inside the Instrument

2011-02-15T09:14:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we held a fascinating workshop with Evelyn Smith, of Noteworthy Piano Services. She talked about the inside workings of the piano, the history of its design, and how to take care of your instrument. Some good tips we learned:

Regulate the temperature of your piano by keeping it in a space with about 40% humidity....absolutely NOT in a basement or garage!
Keep your piano away from heating registers, radiators, fireplaces, and air conditioning vents.
Have your piano tuned and cared for regularly.
The price of a piano can vary from a used $1,000 instrument to a whopping $300,000 depending on the materials, make, and whether or not it is "handmade".
Your piano strings can be under nearly 30 tons of pressure as they are stretched and wound within the instrument. To help offset this pressure, the piano includes a cast iron frame that holds the parts of the piano together. This is why your instrument is so heavy and should only be moved by professionals!

Students Annika Preheim, Tate Overbey, Aidan Welsford, and Sam McDowell performed before and immediately after the workshop as guests mingled and munched on reception food. Thank you to Evelyn for an entertaining and educational afternoon!

'Tis the Season

2010-12-11T06:37:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to all of our students who have performed on the Showcase Recital Series this Fall, and elsewhere in the community. All of you have been making so much progress, and it is a joy to hear all of the improvements that you've made! To those of you who haven't performed yet, I know we'll be hearing from you soon!

Little Zachary Kroeger was very excited to be performing at the last recital on December 5th. Here he is with Miss Janice:

and after the performance:

Below is a video taken last weekend at our Violin and Cello Ensemble class. The two groups joined to perform Christmas Carols for a rapt audience!

Thank you to all of our students for bringing the holiday spirit to life!

New Teacher!

2010-12-02T14:46:00.000-08:00

The Music Academy of North Carolina is proud to announce that Peter Shanahan will be joining the music faculty as a flute instructor. Peter regularly performs as a freelance musician with the Charleston, Winston-Salem, Western Piedmont, Salisbury, and Greensboro Symphonies, as well as with the Carolina Chamber Symphony and Southwest Florida Symphony. His students have placed at the highest levels of local and state-wide competitions and have attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and the Cleveland Institute of Music.

As a performer and teaching artist with the Open Dream Ensemble, he has performed hundreds of concerts and many teaching residencies across the Southeast. In the Open Dream Ensemble, Peter performs as a flutist, singer, and actor in creative, original works of theater for children and adults and can be seen in the first educational web series for kids: The Adventures of the Open Dream Ensemble.

Peter received his Master of Music from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Music from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. His past teachers include Tadeu Coelho, Philip Dunigan, and Thomas Robertello.

Music: The Book

2010-11-14T14:36:00.000-08:00

(via Care2 blog)

“If music be the food of life, play on.” ~ Shakespeare

According to The NAMM Foundation, a nonprofit organization with the mission of advancing active participation in music-making across the lifespan, music has a positive effect on the social, emotional and physical well-being of individuals. The emerging scientific data about music’s relationship to brainpower and wellness is positively encouraging!

Music can be truly mind-altering:

1. Playing a musical instrument can reverse stress at the molecular level.
2. Making music can help reduce job burnout and improve your mood.
3. Playing music increases human growth hormones.

Music is fun and beneficial for children:

1. Music positively affects the development of cognitive skills in children.
2. Music builds confidence and self-discipline.
3. Playing music can increase productivity and help connect socially with peers.

Music is fun and beneficial for adults and seniors:

1. Playing music stimulates the brain and helps fight memory loss.
2. Music reduces stress and lowers blood pressure.
3. Playing music can ward off depression and loneliness.

3 things you many not know about the benefits of making music:

1. Music majors are the most likely group of college grads to be admitted to medical school.
2. Self-esteem is improved in the students who are given piano instruction.
3. The world’s top academic countries place a high value on music education. Hungary, Netherlands and Japan stand atop worldwide science achievement and have strong commitment to music education.

Possibly, even more remarkable than all those glowing accolades, is how music feeds creativity and the soul. Music is a new book by photographer and filmmaker, Andrew Zuckerman. In this highly entertaining trailer for the book (via SwissMiss), hear what musicians across the disciplines feel about making music.

Welcome to The Music Academy!

2010-11-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

Brent Davis, saxophone instructor, graduated cum laude from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and Bachelor of Arts degree in Performance. He has also completed a Master in Music Performance degree at the University of North Carolina - Greensboro. Brent is an active MENC, NCMEA, CDBA and American Federation of Musicians member. A recipient of the 2002 Fischoff National Competition Bronze Medal, Brent has performed with the John Phillip Sousa National Honors Band, U.S. Navy Saxophone Symposium, UNCG Wind Ensemble, UNCG Miles Davis Jazz Ensemble, Greensboro Community Concert Band, and is the founder of the Greensboro Saxophone Quartet. Currently a full-time band teacher at Mendenhall Middle School, Brent performs regularly with his Jazz Combo and “Big Bump and the Stun Guns”, an R&B/Blues Group.

Jack Dougherty, guitar instructor, holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Guitar Performance, cum laude, from The University of North Carolina - Greensboro. He was a featured artist at the Chatham County Guitar Festival, and teaches a weekly guitar class for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Hillsborough, NC. Jack has performed with local bands, and as a solo performer throughout the Triad area, as well as in Greenville, NC.

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T07:05:00.000-07:00

Let It Be

2010-10-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

I saw Maureen McGovern in concert in Rochester, NY last week. Apparently, she is a big name with the Baby Boomer generation, due to her movie soundtrack hits and success in Broadway productions such as Pirates of Penzance, The Sound of Music, and Little Women. During her musical review, she connected pivotal events in the U.S. and moving episodes from her own life to songs -- singing covers of tunes by Pete Seager, The Beatles, and Bob Dylan. Of course, she also sang her own hit songs, such as:

What amazed me was not only how well she performed (she's 61) and how perfect her tuning was during a cappella renditions of pop song extractions - but how well she connected to her audience. When she broke into Let it Be after describing the assassination of JFK, the whole crowd held its breath. She reminded me of how much we connect important times in our lives to music, from an argument, to a first kiss, to a tragedy. She also reminded me of how therapeutic music can be during a challenging time in one's life.

Here's the review from Rochester's Democrat & Chronicle: Maureen McGovern Carries It On With Grace.

And, just for inspiration:

Drumming our way into Fall

2010-10-01T13:55:00.000-07:00

Today was the Drum Circle Event at the Interactive Resource Center for "OneCity OneBook"! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I hoped it would be a fun, informal lunch hour that brought some much needed joy to a few people.

What I experienced was so much more than that. While I watched the men and women drumming on pails and buckets, laughing, and moving to the beats, I was reminded of a few very important things:

1. Improvised music and rhythm is FUN. No stressing over notes, accuracy, entrances...just plain old impulse and movement.

2. Adults are scared of kid-like things. When they let go of their inhibitions and join in, they remember what it's like to be a child again. It feels free.

3. Community service is good for the soul. Sharing an experience with others in need really puts things into perspective.

I hope these happy thoughts bring a smile to your face as you kick off your Fall season. Do something nice for someone today!

WB&PF!

2010-09-27T11:45:00.001-07:00

Save the Date....

The Music Academy of North Carolina will be hosting its 2^nd Annual Woodwinds, Brass & Percussion Festival on Saturday, November 20^th from 8:45am – 5:00pm. This is the first year that the festival will be open to the general public!

Students can perform for ratings and constructive comments from experienced music teachers to help them prepare for upcoming All-County, District, All-State, and College Auditions. Master classes will be available throughout the day by Brass Instructor Wayne Bennett, Woodwind Instructor Justin Gore, and Percussion Instructor Andrew Dancy.

For more information, check out our website at www.MusicAcademyNC.org. Don't forget to register by Friday, November 12^th.

The Soloist

2010-09-22T12:03:00.002-07:00

Every other year, the Greensboro Public Library organizes "One City One Book" events centered around one particular book. This year, that book is Steve Lopez's The Soloist, which tells the story of the friendship between Steve and Nathaniel Ayers. Nathaniel is a classically trained musician who dropped out of Julliard when he developed schizophrenia. He became homeless, living on the streets of Los Angeles, where he and Steve met.
Programming and book discussions are concentrating on the main themes of the book: homelessness, mental illness, friendship, and the healing power of music. MANC is very excited to be a part of this programming:
Friday 10/1 12:30pm at the Interactive Resource Center - our percussion instructor Todd Ayers will lead a fun, free, drum circle!
Sunday 10/17 12:30 - 3:30pm at MANC - Themed student recitals - free & open to the public.
Book Discussion Group - TBA!

Other events include a stage production of The Soloist at Triad Stage, an exhibit at Guilford College Art Gallery, and a Symphony concert with cellist Julie Albers, preceded by a visit from Jennifer Ayers-Moore (Nathaniel's sister).

We hope you'll take advantage of these fun, educational events around the city this fall!

Welcome!

2010-09-22T12:03:00.001-07:00

Please welcome our new string teacher, Stephanie Greco:

Stephanie Greco is currently a graduate assistant at the University of NC-Greensboro school of music. She graduated magna cum laude in 2009 from Florida State University with degrees in Music Education and Violin Performance. Stephanie is an experienced teacher, having maintained a private studio for the past ten years. As a performer, Stephanie has played in masterclasses for artists such as James Ehnes, Michael Davis, Janet Sung, and the Audubon and Cavani string quartets. In Tallahassee, Stephanie was a contracted member of the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra and assistant director of the fundamentals violin class for the youth orchestra. Summer festivals include the Brevard Music Center, the Hot Springs Music Festival, LyricaFest, and the Aria International Music Academy. In addition to performing classical music, Stephanie enjoys playing Irish, Old Time, and Bluegrass music. Her principal teachers include Marjorie Bagley, Beth Newdome, William Goodwin, and Melody Brock.

and our new piano teacher, Jacob Hahn!
Jacob received his Master of Music degree in piano performance from Syracuse University, and his Bachelor of Music degree from Capital University. While at Syracuse, he received a Certificate in University Teaching through the Future Professoriate Program. Jacob has also studied at the Kodaly Institute of Pedagogy in Kecskemet, Hungary. Currently, Jacob works as a staff accompanist at Catawba College, and is also on the faculty at the Community Music School at the College. As a performer, he has won the Concerto Competition at Capital University, and placed 1st at the 2006 OMTA Collegiate Buckeye Auditions. Recently, Jacob was awarded the Evalina Vernon Honsinger Memorial Prize for excellence in keyboard performance from Syracuse University.

Piano Teacher on Tour!

2010-09-06T06:55:00.000-07:00

Piano faculty member, Christy Wisuthseriwong is playing in a series of saxophone concerts this week with saxophone professors Steve Stusek (from UNCG) and Drew Hayes (from Guilford College). The group will be performing solo and duo saxophone and piano music at:

Duquesne University in Pennsylvania
Youngstown State University in Pennsylvania
University of Maryland - College Park
University of North Carolina - Greensboro

The program at UNCG is on Monday, September 13th at 7:30pm, in the Organ Recital Hall of the Music Building. The concert is about 1 hour long, and is free and open to the public. Hope to see you there!

MANC on the West Coast

2010-08-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

Our Sustainable Funding team just returned from a whirlwind trip to Seattle, WA, where we were lucky enough to see the view from the Space Needle, eat some fresh seafood, and experience the brief period of summer weather. The majority of our time was spent focusing on how to improve upon things at MANC, and ensure a long-lasting impact in our community.

A few of us had a chance to stop by the Experience Music Project, which is an interactive pop culture museum. Tourists can experiment on different instruments within sound-proof studios, and even record their own Demo CDS. Guitars, basses, keyboards, and other instruments are on display, including a special gallery featuring 50 extremely rare guitars used by famous musicians like Eddie Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, and George Harrison. A massive piece of artwork piled high with guitars is entitled, "Roots and Branches".

The most interactive part of the museum is the "On Stage" area, where you and your friends or family can get on stage and play along with an automated instrument. Our Music Academy folks chose to set the guitars on the manual setting and put their training to work!

Thanks to Jonathan Holley for the details.

Success from an alum!

2010-08-15T17:57:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Sam Gingher, who took first place in Brevard Music Center's piano competition on August 1st! Sam performed Bartok's Piano Sonata (1st movement), Bach's French Suite No. 2, Chopin's Nocturne in F Major, Op. 15, and Griffes' Roman Sketches ( "Clouds).

You can check out Brevard on Facebook here, and Sam's MySpace Music page here.

New Teachers!

2010-08-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

We're excited to announce the following new faculty at MANC:

Mr. Todd Ayers
Todd Ayers, percussion faculty member at The Music Academy of North Carolina, specializes in drum set instruction for students. Todd attended Greensboro College and received his Bachelor of Music Education degree in percussion. He frequently performs in rock and jazz bands throughout the triad. He can be reached at (336) 691-0672, ext. 206 or email: tayers@musicacademync.org.

Dr. Melanie Crump
Melanie has her Bachelor of Music in Choral Education, Master of Music in Choral Directing, and Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Appalachian State. In addition to being honored with the Voice Recital of Distinction Award from ASU, she was also winner of the concerto-aria competition. She later completed her Doctorate in Vocal Performance at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Melanie has extensive operatic performing experience, and has been nominated for The Excellence in Teaching Award at Guilford Technical Community College and at Mount Olive College. She can be reached at (336) 691-0672 ext 210 or by email at mcrump@musicacademync.org.

Ms. Lena Timmons
Lena completed her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Performance degrees at Baylor University in Waco, TX. While at Baylor, Lena also pursued a degree in Music History, under the direction of Dr. Jean Ann Boyd. In August of 2008, she began her doctoral work at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro as a student of Dr. Alexander Ezerman, and as a member of the UNCG Liberace String Quartet. She can be reached at (336) 691-0672 ext 228 or by email at ltimmons@musicacademync.org.

Congratulations!

2010-08-05T07:03:00.000-07:00

Guitar student Chris Staton has been accepted into the University of North Carolina School of the Art's High School program! This program offers young artists (grade 8 through college) a chance to focus on their art and prepare for a professional career in the arts, while also providing a broad, well-rounded academic education.

Although the school was not accepting new incoming students in his grade level, they made an exception for Chris based on his talent and skill as a guitarist. Chris studies with Master Teacher Kevin Dollar, who has been with The Music Academy since 1995. You can read Kevin's bio on our webpage here. Visit his website at http://www.swingtriade.com/ to learn more about his performances in the community, including his work with Swing Triade, a trio specializing in gypsy jazz.

Glimmerglass

2010-07-27T11:07:00.000-07:00

Most of my life I lived only hours away from Cooperstown, NY, a region bursting with history, a vibrant arts community, and numerous tourist attractions -- but I had never been to visit before! Last week, I swung by the area for a day to see my friend Stephanie Foley Davis perform as Ma Moss in The Tenderland, performed at Glimmerglass Opera. A few things I learned:

- Many recognize and love Aaron Copland's music for its folk-inspired melodies, dance rhythms, and slow harmonic progressions that bring to mind a soaring landscape. When paired with a beautiful state park, a cute historic town, and the Baseball Hall of Fame, you find yourself enraptured in Americana.

- The entire region is named after the author, James Fenimore Cooper. His Leatherstocking Tales inspired the naming of "The Leatherstocking Region," and his reference to that "glimmer glass" led to the naming of the lake, state park, and opera company.

- Glimmerglass Opera is the place to go to hear extremely talented young performers (ie: in their 20's). The Tenderland featured all up-and-coming singers participating in the Young Artist Program for the summer. The production was stellar, and the cast had strong, clear, warm voices with well-honed techniques. You can check out one of the reviews here.

Interested in learning more about opera? Our voice teachers can help!

Kids!

2010-07-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

Friday wraps up Week 1 of the Eastern Music Festival Kid's Camp/Music Academy Collaboration! Kids ages 4-6 got a chance to work with our teachers - learning about instrument families, singing songs, and working on basic exercises in melody, harmony, and rhythm. Props to our teachers who battled with a roomful of tots for hours on end! That's tough work. Tomorrow, the little ones will be visiting The Music Academy to attend a violin class, guitar class, and learn about our Recording Studio.

If you don't know about the camps, check them out here.

Twelve Benefits of Music Education (in a Nutshell):
summarized from Children's Music Workshop.com

1. Brain development, specifically in the areas involved with language and reasoning.

2. Spatial intelligence (the ability to perceive the world accurately and to form mental pictures of things).

3. Creative thinking and problem solving.

4. Success in school, and a tendency towards higher grades.

5. Cultural awareness, tolerance, and compassion.

6. High standards, excellence, and reaching goals.

7. Understanding the concrete results of hard work and sustained effort.

8. Teamwork and discipline through rehearsals, ensembles, practicing, and performing.

9. Self-expression, meaningfulness, and self-esteem.

10. The creation of multi-dimensional workers, and good communicators.

11. Taking chances, conquering fear, and working through anxiety.

12. An arts education exposes children to the incomparable.

and.....IT'S FUN!

Louisville Leopard Percussionists

2010-06-28T08:08:00.000-07:00

This weekend I caught the last 10 minutes of an HBO special about a group called The Lousiville Leopards Percussionists, and it didn't take long before I was in tears watching these kids. A group of about 65 students between the ages of 7-12, this Kentucky-based nonprofit brings together children of all different backgrounds and teaches them to play a number of percussion instruments, including marimba, xylophone, vibraphone, drums, and bongos to name a few.

In 2006, this group performed at the International Association of Jazz Educators concert in New York City, playing "Spain" as one of their opening numbers to introduce Chick Corea, Eddie Gomez, and Jack DeJohnette. Wow!

What really got me was not how talented these kids are (and they are), or how hard their teacher worked to get them to that point, but the looks of absolute joy on their faces as they played. The HBO special highlighted the students learning and growing through music: overcoming obstacles, learning teamwork and dedication, and having that sense of overwhelming pride as the audience went wild for their version of "Sing, sing, sing".

Check out the video below:

Sing for Hope in NYC

2010-06-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

The non-profit Sing for Hope recently distributed 60 pianos all over New York City in order to bring "art to the people". Volunteers are unlocking the pianos every morning and standing by all day to make sure things run smoothly for 2 full weeks, before the pianos are all donated to schools and hospitals. A video of someone playing a piano in the Brooklyn Bridge Park is below, and you can read the full story here.

Pretty cool!

Cowboys, Competitions, and Classical Guitar

2010-06-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

The Music Academy is sending good luck vibes to student David Smith, who is competing at the Guitar Foundation of America's 2010 Convention & Competition in Austin, Texas this week! This is the biggest classical guitar competition in the nation, and we're so proud to have one of our students there.

David has been preparing for this competition with faculty member Kevin Dollar, who has been with MANC since 1995.

Austin is the "live music capital of the world", with more than 1,900 bands and performing artists living in and around the city.

Having been there once myself, I would also strongly recommend Kirby Lane Pancakes, and Amy's Ice Creams. Yum.

Opening Night

2010-06-17T13:58:00.001-07:00

Welcome to The Music Academy's debut in the blogosphere!

We plan to update this page with photos and reviews from our events, competitions, festivals, and recitals, and maybe someday post videos too! Check back here for updates on our faculty, student successes, and the latest info from the music community in and around the Triad.

Thanks for reading and sharing with your friends.

Happy Summer!