Sound Investments

Fall 2011 Department Workshop Schedule and Information

2011-10-25T11:55:00.001-04:00

Departmental Workshop Week is for any student who is enrolled in the 2011 Fall Semester! Built into the Fall Semester curriculum, workshop week is designed to help students learn about topics, styles and techniques that go beyond their private lesson, ensemble or class. Each student will choose one workshop to attend (lessons, ensembles and classes will not take place during workshop week). Students must sign up in advance for the workshop of their choice by calling PMAC at 603-431-4278, e-mailing katie@pmaconline.org, registering online at www.pmaconline.org or by simply enrolling for a workshop through your instructor!

Below is detailed information pertaining to the upcoming Departmental Workshops (including descriptions of each workshop at the bottom of this post). This is PMAC's eighth year of providing workshops for private lesson students. It is one of the advantages of studying at a community school and designed to be fun and informative for all students. PMAC students can register for a workshop online by clicking here.

FALL 2011 DEPARTMENTAL WORKSHOPS:
November 20 - 22, 2010

What are Departmental Workshops? Departmental Workshops are master classes for all PMAC students: music and art; youth and adult; private lesson, ensemble and class. These workshops are presented by our faculty and focus on creativity including musicianship, artisic development, performance techniques, listening and understanding, music equipment, artistic mediums and repertoire.

Why do I have to attend? As a PMAC student, workshop attendance is strongly encouraged. This is an opportunity to work with different teachers, meet students with similar interests and learn something new. There are no lessons, ensembles or classes the week of Departmental Workshops to give everyone time to attend.

When are the Workshops? The dates of the workshops are November 20 - 22, 2011.

Please note some important changes, based on feedback from students, parents and faculty during our 2010 Strategic Plan listening sessions and surveys: Departmetal workshops are now desiged for ALL students, music and art. Music students may take an art workshop and art students may take a music workshop. There are a wider variety of workshops for adults and several that are for youth and adults combined. We also are working to incorporate workshops that discuss the relationships between music and visual art. We hope you like these changes and welcome feedback.

Where are they located? All Workshops take place in our PMAC Recital Hall.

How do I sign-up? Please talk to your instructor directly to get their recommendation for the best workshop for your ability. All workshops are limited to 25 participants – no exceptions! – so be sure to sign up early to get the class of your choice. If you have any questions, please call the PMAC Office at 431-4278, register for a workshop online at www.pmaconline.org or e-mail Katie at katie@pmaconline.org.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2011

Mural Making Party!, 2:00 - 3:00pm
Come enjoy hands-on fun and create a GIANT masterpiece mural that reflects YOUR creative side! Share your artistic and musical inspirations as well as ALL the things you love through this art project!! The mural will be hung at PMAC, and go on tour to PMAC events in the future! We will also create our own individual works of art to take home that day! Workshop Teaching Team: Anna Nuttall & Laura Beaudoin. Open to students ages 7-12 (maximum 8).

Swing Feeling, 3:00 - 4:00pm
What is swing? Who invented it? Students will learn to snap on “two and four,” and play swung eigth notes on their instruments. We will also listen to some hot examples of swinging beats as well as discuss how to use a metronome to practice swing at home. Workshop teaching team: Bryan Bergeron Killough, Jim Rudolf, and John Peiffer. Open at all ages & abilities.

From “It’s Gonna Rain” to “WTC 9/11”: The Spoken Word and Social Commentary in the Music of Steve Reich, 4:30 - 6:00pm
Join PMAC founder and composer Russ Grazier in a discussion of the music of New York composer Steve Reich, focusing on four works that incorporate spoken word recordings: “It’s Gonna Rain” (1964), “Come Out” (1966), “Different Trains” (1988), and “WTC 9/11” (2011). Reich, a prominent American minimalist composer, has explored the integration of spoken word and music throughout his career, most recently with the controversial “WTC 9/11,” a reaction to the World Trade Center attack of 9/11/01. This workshop centers on a discussion of two ways Reich has incorporated spoken word recordings into his music. These recordings contain graphic content that is not suitable for younger students. For youth students who choose to attend, parents are encouraged to attend the workshop with their child (parents must reserve a spot on the sign-up sheet, as there is only room for 30 people in the recital hall for this type of workshop). Please e-mail russ@pmaconline.org with any questions. Recordings will be available from the PMAC office to allow for listening sessions prior to the workshop. A listening station will be set up in the extended lobby - the CDs may not be copied or removed from the building. (Recommended for ages 13 and up with parental consent for youth students due to the graphic nature of the material). Workshop teaching team: Russ Grazier and Nick Phaneuf.

Adult Student Performance Workshop, 7:00 - 9:00pm
Adult private lesson students are invited to attend this important session where we get the opportunity to play our pieces for each other, discuss the unique challenges and joys of learning music as an adult, and partake in wonderful food and libations! Limited to Adult Students age 21+. Workshop teaching team: Katie Backus and Jeff Auger.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

Active Listening for Beginning Students, 3:30 - 4:30pmListening to music is as important to young students as practicing. We will explore the difference between listening to music in the background and 'actively' listening. In this workshop students will discuss identifying instruments and recognizing melodic themes. For Students age 5 - 8. Workshop teaching team: Diane Tiezzi, Jeff Auger, and Nicole Hajj. Parents are welcome.

History of Guitar in the Americas: 1840-1930, 4:45 - 5:45pm
We will be discussing the period from the first steel string acoustic to the beginning of the electric era. We will discuss the influence that construction had on the guitars role in modern music and the way players' desires drove innovation. Students will also learn about other South American chordophones that have influenced the modern guitar. For all students age 8 +. Workshop teaching team: Jim Dozet, Nick Phaneuf, and Carlos Sabina.

Which Came First? Voice and Lyrics in Jazz, 6:00 - 7:00pm
Some songs begin their life with lyrics and vocals and then become instrumentals. Some songs have gone the other way. Faculty will demonstrate a number of jazz songs and discuss the influence that the human voice has had the way jazz melodies are played and how vocalists are influenced by the sounds that various instruments make. For all students/instruments age 9 +. Workshop teaching team: Eric Klaxton, Nicole Hajj, Jeff Auger, and Mike Walsh.

Rhythm Section: Working Together, 7:15 - 8:15pm
Bring your instruments! The Rhythm Section, working as a team, is responsible for creating the 'feel' of a song. Faculty will demonstrate a few different types of grooves and explain each instruments role in creating it. Then they will turn it over to the students and give them a chance to try them out in small groups. For Drums, Guitar, Bass and Piano ages 12+. Workshop teaching team: Mike Walsh, Nick Phaneuf, Mike Effenberger, and Jim Dozet.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Active Listening for Beginning Students, 3:30 - 4:30pm
Listening to music is as important to young students as practicing. We will explore the difference between listening to music in the background and ‘actively’ listening. In this workshop students will discuss identifying instruments and recognizing melodic themes. For Students age 5 - 8. Workshop teaching team: Michelle Enos, Judy McCann, and Katie Backus. Parents are welcome.

Developing Musicianship: Learn Techniques to Make Practicing More Rewarding & Performing More Fun!,
4:45 - 5:45pm
Boston Symphony musician Eli Epstein put together a booklet for students to help them make the most of their time and energy with their music. This workshop material will be explored with workshop faculty and can be further expanded on in lessons with their instructor. Students will learn practical practice techniques and how to make the most of their own learning style. For Students ages 10+. Workshop teaching team: Ginna Macdonald, Michelle Enos and Nicole Hajj.

See a Song; Hear a Painting, 6:00 - 7:00pm
In this workshop attendees will discover the connections between sight and sound from two perspectives: that of art-maker, and art appreciator. We will view works of art, hear musical selections, and even do a short art activity. Direct connections between emotions and moods, lines and colors, and tone and tempos will be explored! Open to all music and art students ages 12+. Workshop teaching team: Anna Nuttall, Nick Phaneuf, Matt Langley, and Jeff Moses.

Singing for the Untrained Singer, 7:15 - 8:15pm
If you sing but you don't consider yourself a 'singer' then this workshop is for you! In this workshop students will learn the basics of breathing as well as techniques to sing safely and to maximize their sound! Open to all of all instruments age 11+. Workshop teaching team: Judy McCann, Nicole Hajj, and Nick Phaneuf.

QUESTIONS? Please call us at PMAC at 603-431-4278 or e-mail katie@pmaconline.org

Heartened by City's Music Program

2011-03-20T14:15:00.000-04:00

I wrote the following for today's Portsmouth Herald Opinion Page. It's also available online here.

Last evening I attended Portsmouth Middle School’s wonderful “Music in Our Schools Month” Concert in the PHS auditorium. The annual event featured performances by the Jazz Band, Rock Band, 6th Grade Chorus, 7th and 8th Grade Chorus, Flute Ensemble, Clarinet Ensemble and 8th Grade Band. I came away from the night proud of our community’s well established and flourishing music program. For the several hundred parents and grandparents in the audience, it was immediately evident that these programs are embraced by the students, who fill the stage and appear to be participating in record numbers. There is no doubt that music is an important part of their lives.

As an educator, I realize the power of a balanced curriculum that includes strong creative studies. Our economy is increasingly shaped by innovation and technological advancement. The skills that define the workforce of the 21st century are learned not only in the science lab and mathematics classroom, but also in art and band rooms. It was not by chance that during my years at the University of Chicago, the student orchestra was filled with physics, science, mathematics and medical students. The great thinkers of our future will depend on creative problem solving skills that are significantly developed through music and art studies.

As a musician I can attest to the role music plays in building social capital. What is social capital? Lew Feldstein, former president of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation describes it best: social capital "refers to the bonds that tie a community together - bonds that make communities safer, schools better and people healthier. When people are invested in their communities, they are more likely to vote, volunteer and care for one another." Participation in music programs from the earliest ages through adulthood is one of the strongest ways to build social capital in your community. I see it every day here in Portsmouth.

As a parent I am proud to see my sons express themselves through music. It’s not easy being a teenager, and in this day of cyber-bullying, and the constant bombardment of commercial entertainment, creative outlets are critical to the health and well-being of our children. It was a joy to hear them perform Benny Goodman’s “Sing Sing Sing” with their friends Wednesday night.

As a citizen of Portsmouth, I value the education our children receive in the public schools - every aspect of that education. I am grateful to our music teachers for the high quality education they provide. I congratulate the students for a job well done. And I have some hope for our future because our community has deemed education to be of great value. Let’s keep it that way.

Russ Grazier Jr.
Executive Director of the Portsmouth Music and Arts Center
Vice President of the Parents Music Club
PHS Class of 1986
Proud Parent

Ten concerts I'm glad I didn't miss in 2010

2010-12-29T14:08:00.002-05:00

2010 was a great year for live music - if you are interested in smaller theaters and independent artists. For big acts it was a year to forget, with ticket sales down and and the industry's unsustainable practices finally catching up with them. Here are the concerts that highlighted my year - I fell in love with music all over again at each one. I post them here to celebrate the amazing work of these musicians and to encourage YOU to get out there and hear live music. There is an amazing scene out there right now if you know where to look.

10) ftet, the "Chris Klaxton farewell show" at The Press Room, Portsmouth, NH - This fall the Portsmouth music scene lost one of its budding icons to a Masters Degree program in Miami. Chris Klaxton had become such an integral part of our local music that his departure was met with disbelief as well as a cover story in Spotlight Magazine. Keeping my fingers crossed that he gets that degree finished quickly and comes home, but wishing him much success wherever he lands. Mike Effenberger's ftet featured Klaxton on trumpet, Matt Langley on sax, Jim Rudolf on drums and Effenberger on organ. A great jazz combo playing tunes from the newest American songbook - Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Nirvana and more.

9) The Monterrey Jazz All-Stars featuring Regina Carter, Kurt Elling and Russell Malone at The Music Hall, Portsmouth, NH - The Music Hall continues to be a focal point in Portsmouth by bringing amazing artists to town week after week and 2010 was no exception. A highlight of the evening was when most of the band left the stage to let Regina Carter and Russell Malone do their thing. Playful, joyous, and communicative on so many levels.

8) fiveighthirteen with The Attic Bits at The Barley Pub, Dover, NH - The trio of Phaneuf, Effenberger and Walsh delivered a stellar performance of their long awaited release, GLACIAL, which was no surprise. What was unexpected was the amazingly creative 8-bit sounds of The Attic Bits. I never thought I could enjoy the sounds of a vintage Gameboy so thoroughly.

7) Ron Carter with Russell Malone at The Blue Note, NYC - Our first time at The Blue Note, with the legendary Ron Carter leading the drumless trio. Mulgrew Miller was supposed to be on the bill, but for some reason was replaced by Renee Rosnes. Short set, but oh so sweet. They performed the best rendition of My Funny Valentine I've ever heard. Anyone who can make that tune sound new blows my mind.

6) Herbie Hancock at The Music Hall, Portsmouth, NH - With Vinnie Colaiuta on drums and Tal Wilkenfeld on bass, this was one great show.

5) Buika at The Music Hall, Portsmouth, NH - Ever go to a show not knowing anything about the artist? And then they floor you? That sums it up. Great band, amazing singing by Buika whose distinctive voice and style capture you from the first note. Jazzy, bluesy and lots of soul. Another reason to love The Music Hall.

4) Dan Blakeslee, Tatnic Tales CD Release Party at The Press Room, Portsmouth, NH - Tatnic Tales is without a doubt one of the jewels of 2010. And a fantastic live show bringing it to life with Dan, Nick Phaneuf on bass and Jim Rudolf on drums.

3) David Binney with Brian Blade at Joe's Pub, NYC - Indie jazz? That's the scene these guys are making. We were up close an personal at this show...so close I could reach out and touch Binney, though that would've been creepy. Blade stole the show, which was hard to do since the whole band was on fire. Great, great jazz, but another case of NYC shows being way too short. Can't wait to catch Binney again. We'll be seeing Blade again in just a few months with Wayne Shorter. Looking forward to that.

2) Tegan and Sara at The Orpheum, Boston - I've been in love with their music since I first heard The Con in 2007. Sainthood continues in that tradition and the show, before about 3,000 adoring fans, was remarkably intimate. Especially considering their electronic, 80's style songwriting. So many musicians could learn a lot about connecting with an audience from these two.

1) The Dresden Dolls 10th Anniversary Reunion Show, night one, at The Wilbur Theatre, Boston - And speaking of connection with the audience, Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione are the masters of rock intimacy. The first night of their 2-night reunion show in Boston featured a complete performance of thier first studio release, the self-titled Dresden Dolls as well as some great covers and songs from their other two albums. We went to both shows, but night one stood out as being quite remarkable. Not much else I could say that I haven't already said about the wonder duo. Could a new album be in their future. Let's hold hands and pray...please!

HONORABLE MENTION:
Elsa Cross at The Press Room, Portsmouth, NH

Spinal Tarp II at The Barley Pub, Dover, NH

Robert Gerry Trio at The Barley Pub, Dover, NH

Jerry Bergonzi and Phil Grenadier with the Ryan Parker Trio at The Press Room, Portsmouth, NH

Rush at Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT

Fall 2010 Music Department Workshops

2010-11-08T11:09:00.000-05:00

Below is detailed information pertaining to the upcoming Departmental Workshops. This is PMAC's seventh year of providing workshops for private lesson students. It is one of the advantages of studying at a community school and designed to be fun and informative for all students. PMAC lesson students can register for a workshop online by clicking here. Also check out my May 2005 Blog Post: The Value of Departmental Workshops.

MUSIC DEPARTMENTAL WORKSHOPS:
November 21 - 23, 2010

What are Departmental Workshops? Departmental Workshops are master classes for all private music lesson students who study at PMAC. These workshops are presented by our faculty and focus on musicianship, performance techniques, music equipment and repertoire.

Why do I have to attend? As a private music lesson student, workshop attendance is mandatory. This is an opportunity to work with different teachers, meet students with similar interests and learn something new. There are no lessons the week of Departmental Workshops to give everyone time to attend.

When are the Workshops? The dates are the workshops are June 1-5, 2010. Please note the following: We’ve added two Friday workshops and a Saturday workshop to accommodate 5th grade students who will be attending Environmental Camp this week and the Adult Workshop will be on Tuesday evening.

Where are they located? All Workshops take place in our PMAC Recital Hall.

How do I sign-up? Please talk to your instructor directly to get their recommendation for the best workshop for your ability. All workshops are limited to 25 participants – no exceptions! – so be sure to sign up early to get the class of your choice. If you have any questions, please call the PMAC Office at 431-4278, register for a workshop online at www.pmaconline.org or e-mail Katie at katie@pmaconline.org.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2010
2:30 - 4:00pm: Time-Feel Listening Workshop (for youth students of all levels/instruments)

In this workshop we will deal with listening for time-feel: pocket, vibe, energy, color, etc. These ideas are a vital part of the way that musicians approach the relative evenness or un-evenness of tempo to suit the music being expressed. We will listen to music ranging from hip-hop to rock to electronic music to jazz to early/classical music. We will also make time at the end of this workshop for students to provide feedback about PMAC, its programs and facility. Workshop Teaching Team: Mike Effenberger and Nick Phaneuf

7:00 - 8:30pm: Adult Student Workshop: You’ve Got Rhythm (Who Could Ask for Anything More?)
Rhythm is one of the core elements of Western music and can transcend style and genre. This workshop explores beginner to advanced concepts in rhythm, providing a starting point for further study in your lessons. What are some strategies for learning to read rhythms fluently? How do improvisers use rhythm to structure a solo? What is a non-retrogradable rhythm? How can subdividing time help us understand complex rhythms? These questions and more will be addressed as we examine rhythm as it applies to classical, jazz, swing, blues, rock, pop music and more. Bring your instruments (we’ll all play some rhythms), your hands (we’ll all clap some rhythms), your feet (we’ll tap...), and your mouths (we’ll speak, sing and ask questions). Workshop Teaching Team: Russ Grazier, Katie Papini Backus and Judy McCann

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2010
3:30 - 4:30pm: Young Student Workshop (for students age 9 and under, all levels/instruments)
How many notes does it take you to Name That Tune? Do you hear what she hears when you play Music In Your Head? Can you shape the music when you Conduct a Cacophony, Come join in all of the fun and games with music at the Young Student Workshop! Workshop Teaching Team: Bryan Bergeron-Killough and Ginna Macdonald

4:45-5:45pm: Guitar Effects (for youth guitar studentsof all levels)
We will discuss the tools and methods available to sculpt, shape and mangle the sounds of one’s instrument. Workshop Teaching Team: Nick Phaneuf, Carlos Sabina, Bryan Bergeron-Killough and Jim Dozet

6:00-7:00pm: “Blue Monk” (intermediate/advanced students, ages 12-18. Piano, Guitar, Drums, Bass, Brass, Woodwinds & Strings)
In this workshop we’ll be exploring Thelonious Monk’s “Blue Monk” and discuss different approaches on improvising with it. It is recommended that the attending students listen to at least one recorded version of the tune via iTunes, youtube, record, CD, wax cylinder, etc. Workshop Teaching Team: Mike Effenberger, Jeff Auger, Mike Walsh, Nick Phaneuf and Bryan Bergeron-Killough

7:15-8:15pm: Percussion/Drums Workshop (for youth drum students of all levels)
Most drum students are familiar with such drumming greats such as Neil Pert, Buddy Rich, John Bohnam, and Travis Barker, but are you familiar with Tony Williams, Max Roach, Steve Gadd, or Jimmy Chamberlin? These are some of the drummers we will be listening to and discussing why they are important drummers. Jim and I will also demonstrate and explain some of their classic grooves and fills that made them famous. Workshop Teaching Team: Mike Walsh and Jim Rudolf

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2010
3:30-4:30pm: String Workshop - Making Sounds With and Without the Bow (for youth string students of all levels)
We will review all of the parts of your instruments and their roles in creating sound. Then we will learn the different ways we create sound other than with the bow and try them out on your instrument. Workshop Teaching Team: Katie Papini Backus, Diane Tiezzi and Adam MacDougall

4:45-5:45pm: Pedaling Techniques for Pianists (for youth piano students of all levels)
This workshop will explore the three foot pedals, including how and when they are used, the history of their development, and especially learning and improving pedaling techniques. It is appropriate both for curious beginners who may never have used any of the pedals, and advanced students looking to add more expressiveness and excitement to their piano playing. Workshop Teaching Team: Adam MacDougall, Heather Bissell and Nicole Hajj

6:00-7:00pm: Vocal Performance (for youth voice students of all levels)
Bring a song you've been working on to share with the group. A great opportunity to prepare for an upcoming recital and to sing in a fun, friendly setting. THIS IS NOT A RECITAL! This is an opportunity for students to try out different approaches to their singing in front of others in a non-performance setting. Workshop Teaching Team: Nicole Hajj, Judy McCann, Adam MacDougall

QUESTIONS? Please call us at PMAC at 603-431-4278 or e-mail katie@pmaconline.org

Spring 2010 Deptartmental Workshops

2010-05-24T10:35:00.004-04:00

Below is detailed information pertaining to the upcoming Departmental Workshops. This is PMAC's sixth year of providing workshops for private lesson students. It is one of the advantages of studying at a community school and designed to be fun and informative for all students. Also check out my May 2005 Blog Post: The Value of Departmental Workshops.

MUSIC DEPARTMENTAL WORKSHOPS:

June 1 - 5, 2010

What are Departmental Workshops? Departmental Workshops are master classes for all private music lesson students who study at PMAC. These workshops are presented by our faculty and focus on musicianship, performance techniques, music equipment and repertoire.

Why do I have to attend? As a private music lesson student, workshop attendance is mandatory. This is an opportunity to work with different teachers, meet students with similar interests and learn something new. There are no lessons the week of Departmental Workshops to give everyone time to attend.

When are the Workshops? The dates are the workshops are June 1-5, 2010. Please note the following: We’ve added two Friday workshops and a Saturday workshop to accommodate 5th grade students who will be attending Environmental Camp this week and the Adult Workshop will be on Tuesday evening.

Where are they located? All Workshops take place in our PMAC Recital Hall.

How do I sign-up? Please talk to your instructor directly to get their recommendation for the best workshop for your ability. All workshops are limited to 25 participants – no exceptions! – so be sure to sign up early to get the class of your choice. If you have any questions, please call the PMAC Office at 431-4278, register online at www.pmaconline.org or e-mail Katie at katie@pmaconline.org.

TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2010

3:30-4:30pm: Vocal Workshop (for any youth voice student) – Bring a song you've been working on to share with the group. A great opportunity to prepare for an upcoming recital and to sing in a fun, friendly setting. THIS IS NOT A RECITAL! This is an opportunity for students to try out different approaches to their singing in front of others in a non-performance setting. - Workshop Leader: Nicole Hajj; Supporting Teachers: Judy McCann, Margo Nothnagel

5:00-6:00pm: Listening Workshop – Covers and Transcriptions (for any student ages 9 to 18) – What is the difference between a cover song and a music transcription? How do these re-workings of music compare to the originals? Come find out in this fun listening session! - Workshop Leader: Adam MacDougall; Supporting Teacher: Nick Phaneuf

7:00-9:00pm: Adult Workshop (for all adult students (ages 21+) – ALL adult private lesson students are asked to attend this important session where we get the opportunity to play our pieces for each other, discuss the unique challenges and joys of learning music as an adult, and partake in wonderful food and libations! - Workshop Leader: Russ Grazier; Supporting Teachers: Adam MacDougall, Mark Zielinski

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2010

3:30-4:30pm: Young Student Workshop (for students ages 8 and younger) – Designed for our youngest lesson students, this workshop encourages joy and fun in music making. - Workshop Leader: Virginia Macdonald; Supporting Teacher: Nicole Hajj

4:45-5:45pm: Violin Workshop: Ensemble Playing (for any violin student) – Play violin in a large group with other violin students. Diane Tiezzi will provide music to prepare - pick up in the PMAC office prior to the workshop! Workshop Leader: Diane Tiezzi; Supporting Teacher: Katie Backus

6-7pm: Guitar Workshop: Capos (for any guitar student) – Learn about the capo or more formally "capo tasto," a clamp-like device used on the neck of a guitar or other string instrument to shorten the strings and raise pitch. The capo has a long history and many practical uses! - Workshop Leader: Bryan Bergeron-Killough Supporting Teachers: Nick Phaneuf, Carlos Sabina

THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2010

3:30-4:30pm: Listening Workshop: JAZZ (for all youth students) – Jazz has a rich history as America's true art form. Come spend an hour with Mike Effenberger and learn about the amazing world of jazz music through many exciting recordings. - Workshop Leader: Mike Effenberger; Supporting Teacher: Chris Klaxton

***Just Added!*** 5-6pm: Young Student Workshop (for students ages 8 and younger) – Designed for our youngest lesson students, this workshop encourages joy and fun in music making. - Workshop Leader: Virginia Macdonald; Supporting Teacher: TBA
FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2010

3:30-4:30pm: Percussion Workshop: Drum Set Jam (for all youth drum students) – What happens when we set up five drum sets in one room and unleash a bunch of drum students? You'll only know if you come play. - Workshop Leader: Mike Walsh; Supporting Teacher: Mike Effenberger

4:45-5:45pm: How Scales Work (for any youth student) – Many of us practice scales on our instruments, but do you know how they work? Do you know how many scales exist? Going far beyond major and minor, we'll learn why E-sharp is NOT an F and how you can make amazing music with wild scale creations. Workshop Leader: Russ Grazier; Supporting Teacher: Bryan Killough

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

11:00am-12:00pm: Play the Blues (for all youth instrumentalists) – Join our faculty as we explore playing the blues. One of America's richest musical idioms, it is important for all young musicians to have a basic understanding of the blues. In this special workshop we'll play as a group - bring your instrument! Everyone will get a chance to join in and play. Even if you've never played the blues or improvised before, this workshop is a great way to start! - Workshop Leader: Matt Langley; Supporting Teachers: Nate Therrien, Mike Walsh, Jeff Auger

QUESTIONS? Please call us at PMAC at 603-431-4278 or e-mail katie@pmaconline.org

The Internet as a Music Resource

2010-04-19T07:33:00.001-04:00

PMAC is about to launch a new blog - "Living Composer of the Month." It will be an educational resource, providing information about composers who are actively writing music today. I believe it is vitally important that our young music students, particularly classical and jazz students, understand that there is a thriving world of new music. Even our rock students sometimes get caught up playing the music of The Beatles, Led Zepplin and Cream - though they tend to be much more in touch with the music of the moment.

There is great music being written TODAY. Even though we cherish and continue to perform Beethoven, Ellington, Bach, Coltrane, and Mozart, there are wonderful composers living among us who are writing music that young musicians should be learning to play and programming on their concerts.

Our first "Living Composer of the Month" is a wonderful example of how the internet can be used to learn about today's music. Information about her music appears all over the net. There are wonderful interviews with her on YouTube and you can even stream complete recordings of some of her major compositions - without paying a penny. Of course, you can also buy her music on iTunes, or on CD from any music store (online or otherwise). You can also purchase her actual music (scores and parts) on the internet and learn to play it yourself. If you want to hear her music live, there are many resources for finding her concerts and purchasing tickets. And, through the wonders of the internet, I was able to interview her via e-mail - she doesn't live in this part of the world, yet communicating with her was remarkably easy.

I am hoping that this new project will be embraced by our students and reach an even larger audience. It is important that musicians champion the music of their time. Check back later this week - I will provide the link to the new blog. And then on May 1st we'll unveil our first Living Composer of the Month. I hope you'll come along for the ride.

FriPod

2010-04-09T10:00:00.017-04:00

Today's random playlist, with some notes.

1. Victory at Sea (Richard Rodgers) The Portsmouth New Horizons Band "Concert of Thanksgiving 2008" - This has never happened before, but I hit shuffle and the first recording to pop up is a PMAC student performance. One of our clarinet players recently asked me to put this arrangement back into our repertoire for this summer. Listening to it both reminds me how much rehearsal it takes to put it together, and how much fun it is to play. We might just have to bring this one out of the library again soon.

2. The Larger Bowl Rush "Snakes and Arrows Live" - My two sons are huge Rush fans, thus the presence of about a dozen Rush albums in my iTunes catalog. Do have to admit that taking the boys to see them in concert in 2008 was fun.

3. Off the Wall Michael Jackson "The Essential Michael Jackson" - Katie picked this one up last summer after his untimely passing. The title track from his pre-Thriller masterpiece. It can be hard to remember back to pre-scandal, even pre-Thriller Michael, but if you can ignore all the baggage, you can still groove to the self-proclaimed "King of Pop" who I think would have been better crowned the "King of Soul," as clearly evidenced in this track.

4. You Dress Up For Armageddon, I Dress For Summer The Hives "The Black and White Album" - Reminiscent of the punk-pop anthems of the early 1980s, I've never thought of The Hives as a terribly original band. But they can provide some great background music for a summer party. I'd sooner listen to the Arctic Monkeys any day.

5. Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) The Jacksons "The Essential Michael Jackson" - Guess it's going to be one of those FriPods. Alright, I admit it. I hit the advance button as soon as this came on.

6. Piano Sonata No. 3 in F-sharp minor, Op. 23 - Andante (Third Movement) (Scriabin) Evgeny Kissin "Scriabin: Sonata No. 3, 5 Preludes; Medtner: Sonata Reminiscenza; Stravinsky: Three Movements from Pétrouchka" - Finally, something to really share! If you do not know Scriabin, listen to some of his piano music ASAP. This gorgeous recording is a great place to start - with the bonus of Stravinsky.

7. La la La the bird and the bee "the bird and the bee" - Another recommendation. Some of the more catchy pop out there right now with just the right amount of saccharine. Fun - but some explicit lyrics (not on this tune).

8. Perdido de Amor Luiz Bonfá "In the Mind of Jamie Cullum" - From an intriguing compilation album put together by jazz hipster Jamie Cullum. Beautiful piece. I might need to go out and find some more Bonfá. Cullum has achieved his goal.

9. I'm Shipping Up To Boston Dropkick Murphys "The Warrior's Code" - Love it. Dropkick at their best. Al Barr told me the story behind the discovery of this tune after a clinic he did with the youth rock bands at PMAC. Ask him about it the next time you run into him at Cafe Kilim.

10. Hook Blues Traveler "four" - From the definitive Blues Traveler album. Reminds me of Cat Stevens, in a really good way.

Well, that's what you sometimes get when you hit shuffle. The Scriabin alone makes it worth hitting "publish." Enjoy your weekend and I hope to see you tonight at PMAC's Spring Fever for the Arts!

Spring Fever for the Arts is tomorrow night!!!

2010-04-08T10:00:00.002-04:00

It finally arrives tomorrow night: PMAC's Third Annual "Spring Fever for the Arts."

This is an amazing party. Please join us tomorrow night at the Discover Portsmouth Center - pre-party at 7:00 pm, and full-raging party at 8:00 pm. Everything you need to know can be found by clicking HERE.

This event raises funds for youth music and arts scholarship and community education programs. The Portsmouth Music and Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit school, and support is needed to keep programs accessible to all in the community. This is a great way to show your support and have a blast at the same time. Hope to see you there!

practicing and breathing

2010-04-07T10:00:00.000-04:00

In order to have productive practice sessions, you really need to be there, in the moment. Find ways to shed the stresses of life, to remove preoccupations when you begin your practice routine each day. In my casual reading about Zen practices (I am no expert), breathing plays a significant role in attaining focus on the now. Being a saxophonist, I have the advantage of my breathes being an integral part of my music making. But in reality, breathing plays a role in the making of all music, for music is a living and breathing art form. If you play violin or piano or guitar - or any "non-wind instrument" - you must pay extra attention to the way you breathe as you play. Breathe with your musical phrases.

I begin most practice session with long tones. They allow for deep breathing and have a calming effect. They also focus me for the work ahead. How does breathing factor into your practice?

Do you play an instrument?

2010-04-06T10:00:00.001-04:00

This one goes out to adults in particular.

Do you play an instrument? I'm looking to grow our adult New Horizons Band. It's an early-intermediate level concert band that meets on Tuesday nights and performs about 4-5 times a year in the community. We currently have about 20 adult student musicians in this group. ANYONE over the age of 21 can come sit in and play with this group to try it out for free. If you join, there is a tuition, but it is definitely worth it. This band is really designed for two types of adults:

Those who played a band instrument in their youth and following a period of not playing want to return to their instrument and play in a band setting.
Those who never had the chance to learn an instrument and play in a band. We can teach you how to play and get you into the band setting quickly so you can have all the fun of a band experience.

While we welcome new members on any instrument, I am particularly looking for:

trombones
flutes
clarinets
percussionists
French horns
baritone saxophone
bass clarinet
bassoons

Shoot me an e-mail at russ@pmaconline.org if you are interested. For more information, check us out at http://pmaconline.org/New-Horizons-Band.html

A new week, a new blog entry

2010-04-05T10:00:00.002-04:00

2010 has been a non-blogging year thus far. The rise of Facebook and Twitter changed where I focus my online efforts. But there's only so much you can say in 140 characters, and both mediums are so "in the moment" that each posting takes on a fleeting quality. Therefore I've decided to devote a little time to blogging again. Post may be short at first (call it a side-effect of Tweeting), but I do feel it is important to tackle weightier issues of music and art education - such as listing random iPod playlists, or reviewing the occasional exhibit or concert. So, with that said, I'm back.

Memorable concerts I've attended thus far this year:

Tegan and Sara at the Orpheum
The Monterey Jazz Festival Tour at The Music Hall with Kurt Elling, Regina Carter, Russell Malone and Kenny Baron.
Michelle Enos and Ben Tibbetts Junior Piano and Composition Recital at UNH
Jared Steer Trio at The Barley Pub

Come Join the Puppet Party

2010-01-03T15:25:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break! Lessons resume at PMAC tomorrow, though most classes and ensembles are on hiatus until February - except the new art classes! And, speaking of art, check out PMAC's first-ever Saturday workshop (one day only):

PUPPET PARTY!
Saturday, January 16th from 1 to 3 p.m. at PMAC
For Children in Grades 1 & 2 (enrollment is limited!)
Led by PMAC Visual Arts Instructor Anna Nuttall
$30 per student for this workshop plus a $5 materials fee
Enjoy a magical session of puppet-making! Join us for this FUN and unique experience “carving” FOAM to create super hand puppets! We will create your favorite animals or people, or invent your own creatures from your imagination! Dream up parrots with personality, purple polka-dotted beings from outer space, or make yourself a human-like foam friend! When finished, children will develop a personality for their puppet and we’ll let the conversations begin! Art comes to life with puppet-making!

Amanda Palmer with The Boston Pops - New Years Eve 2009-10

2010-01-02T15:29:00.003-05:00

Had a great time with Adam at the Boston Pops' New Year's Eve gala bash. Unfortunately, Katie came down with a cold, so her seat was empty. :-(

Here's the setlist from Amanda's portion of the concert:

They opened her half of the concert with the U.S. Premiere of "Statuesque" a short film by Neil Gaiman (Amanda's boyfriend), starring none other than Amanda Palmer. Watch the film on YouTube here.

Then the second half (Amanda's half) of the concert began:

Missed Me

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1

Astronaut

Mein Herr

Runs in the Family

Hurt (Nine Inch Nails cover)

Coin-Operated Boy

countdown to midnight

Auld Lang Syne

We Are The Champions (Queen cover)

encores:

Neil Gaiman read his New Year's Benediction

Poker Face (Lady Gaga cover)

Leeds United

It was a great show, though similar in many ways to her show of June 2008. Read my blog entry about that show here.

Resolutions for the New Year

2010-01-01T12:49:00.003-05:00

I start off each year with a list of resolutions, a reminder to myself of how I would live my life in an ideal world. Just the act of writing them down often instigates action. I just read my list from last year and I like it. Read it here. This year I'm going in a different direction, with some specific actions. Though I'll still try to live up to the lofty ideals of last year's list. For 2010 I resolve to:

Read - Katie gave me a Kindle for Christmas. Add that to the vast quantities of books on my shelves that I've wanted to read for some time, I've come to the decision that I need to read more. This should be an easy resolution to follow through on, since I really do enjoy books. Right now I'm reading The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon, as well as Robin Kelley's new biography of jazzman Thelonious Monk. I think that's a good start.
Perform - In 2010 I'll be performing quite a bit more than I have in recent years. PMAC has absorbed all aspects of my life for nearly a decade. I think I've come to a point now where I can resume my life as a performing musician and balance it with my PMAC responsibilities. So I hope to see you at a gig soon!
Compose - I plan on writing more music this year. Ditto to what I said about performing.
Play - This is the year my disc golf game will come of age. My breakthrough year. Count on it.
Ride - My bicycle, that is. As often as I can, which is not as much as I'd like in this "challenging" climate.
Listen - I love music. Can't state that enough. Will continue to listen as much as I can - live, recorded, whatever.
Live - Enough said.

Happy New Year!

Top Ten Concerts of 2009

2009-12-23T08:06:00.018-05:00

Continuing tradition, here is my list of the top ten concerts of 2009. Remember, only concerts that I attended are on the list. This is at least my fourth year doing this, though I only have the previous two years on this blog (I lost 2006 in a transfer from another blog site!) Click the following to see my top concerts of 2008 and my top concerts of 2007. While I do see my fair share of national acts, I highly recommend everyone support local acts and local venues! This is where much of the best music is made today!

10. St. Vincent, Somerville Theater - I was really looking forward to this concert. In 2008, I had tickets to their show at The Middle East in Cambridge and missed it because I was sick with a severe cold. In early 2009 they released their latest CD - Actor - and their May show at the Somerville Theater seemed the perfect opportunity to make up for 2008's loss. Unfortunately, the concert was a bit of a disappointment. So why does it come in at number ten? We'll, I really love their music and even though the concert wasn't all I'd hoped for, I still cherished the opportunity to see the amazing Annie Clark (pictured - in a photo from the Somerville show) do her thing live. She is an amazing composer, vocalist and guitarist, and I think that since the show we saw was the opening night of the tour, things weren't quite there yet. She didn't really connect with the crowd, and the band sound was a bit on the sterile side. But the musicianship was really top notch. Just disconnected from the room. I hope to have the opportunity to give them another try soon.

9. Tim Webb and Friends, The Press Room in Portsmouth - This January show was quite possibly my first show of 2009 and still lingers with me. I wrote a blog entry about the show here. The line-up of Tim, Titus Abbott, Matt Langley, Mike Effenberger and Mike Walsh (with guests Chris Klaxton and Jim Clark) was stellar - many of the area's top jazz players. There isn't enough free jazz being done around here. Unfortunately it is under appreciated in this neck of the woods.

8. Philip Glass and Friends, The Music Hall in Portsmouth - The show was a little uneven musically, but hey, it was Philip Glass. He did a great hour-long session with a group of PMAC students the afternoon of the concert (pictured), and was as kind and informative as could be. Though the new cello pieces that were on the concert are not really my thing, it was wonderful to have this 20th (and now 21st) century icon visit Portsmouth. Bravo to The Music Hall for bringing him here!

7. Bryan Killough and the Hot Club of Portland, The Portsmouth Gaslight Company - Not enough restaurants in town have live music. And those that do sometimes don't offer the top local talent. But for a several month run in 2009, you could catch Bryan Killough and his Hot Club of Portland every Friday night while enjoying a meal at the Portsmouth Gaslight Company. Unfortunately, that run came to an end in the late summer or early fall, but luckily Katie and I got the chance to catch their show several times this year. The line-up changed, depending on musician availability from week to week, but the music never failed to inspire. Whether it was Joyce Anderson on jazz violin and vocals or Charlie Jennison on soprano sax, the music was always joyous, capturing the spark of genius that Django Reinhardt left to the world. If the people at the Gaslight are reading this, please bring them back in 2010. I haven't been back since they left and I'm longing for a great dinner with their beautiful soundtrack.

6. Green Day, Boston's Banknorth Garden - This was it. The big, national, touring, spectacular that our two sons chose for their 2009 major concert outing. In 2008 we began this tradition with a trip to Manchester to see Rush. This year it was Green Day in Boston. It was a classic rock show, with the obligatory obscenities, t-shirt cannon, audience singing competitions, confetti, explosions, and more. We definitely got our money's worth, and Katie and I got to relive our youth with a concert that lived up to all the expectations of 1980s spectacles. Billy Joe Armstrong and the gang gave it their all and the kids have a golden memory that will most likely last a lifetime. I can't wait to find out what show they want to see in 2010!

5. Charlie Kohlhase and The Explorers' Club with Eric Hoffbauer, West End Studio Theatre in Portsmouth As I said, there is not enough free jazz in Portsmouth. And on a cold, wintery night in early 2009, Charlie and his free-thinking cohorts were determined to do something about that. I wish more people attended this show. It was a small audience, and the music deserved to be heard. A CD release show for the Explorers Club's latest effort, the wonderful musicians in Charlie's band were ON. Free jazz at its finest. Eric Hoffbauer, who is the Explorers Club guitarist, also opened the show with many of his originals. I hope I have more notice the next time these guys come to town. I'll beat the drum and get people out. They are definitely worth it.

4. Clara's Dream, The Music Hall in Portsmouth - As wintery as it was, there was nothing cold about this hot show of jazz and tap. It was the second time I've seen Clara's Dream and though I remember the show as being amazing in 2004, everyone I was with said this run was much better. I don't care to compare the two, but I will say that this year's production was fantastic, one of the best shows of the year. Even though it is a dance show, the live band on stage gave one of the best jazz performances I've heard all year and are deserving of high honors on this list. I'm glad the Music Hall let Drika Overton bring this gem back, and hope this wasn't its last hurrah. My Christmas wish is that this show should have a long life for many more seasons.

3. Spinal Tarp, The Barley Pub in Dover - O.M.G. It was tough deciding not to make this the #1 show of the year. If you missed it, I'm sorry. You missed something very, very special. In my opinion, it is nearly impossible to pull of a good parody of a parody, but somehow these guys managed to do just that. I have never, ever had so much fun at a Halloween concert. My full blog report is here. This was one for the books. Can they top this for 2010? If they come close, I'll be floored. Wow.

2. Amanda Palmer with Nervous Cabaret, the Portland Music Hall - This was a great show - and adding Nevous Cabaret really changed up the mix of Amanda's music in a great way. Now I'm looking forward to her New Year's Eve show with the Boston Pops. I decided not to wait and got this list out now, but I have a feeling that the final show of 2009 might give the top of this list a run for its money. (the picture is of me and Amanda right after the November 2009 show)

1. The Dirty Projectors, the Somerville Theatre - The Dirty Projectors are, without a doubt, one of the most creative, unique bands of today. The vocal work is complex and startling - in the best of ways. The arrangements are unexpected and clever. And the music is truly original. Katie and I were thrilled to catch them in June and are eagerly hoping to see them again (we missed their last trek through Boston due to a scheduling conflict). This show was the gem of the year. If you don't know their music, go buy their CDs immediately. I can't guarantee that you'll love, or even like them. But they deserve a listen.

And with that I come to the end of another list and another year. Let me know what your favorite show of 2009 was. You just might convince me to go see your favorite band in 2010.

Amanda Palmer 11/12/109 Setlist

2009-12-12T07:49:00.003-05:00

Those who know me well know that I am a pretty big fan of Amanda Palmer. I went to her November 12th concert in Portland and will be going to see her with Katie on New Years Eve with the Boston Pops - yes, that's less than 3 weeks away and I can't think of many better ways to ring in the new year. I've been meaning to do my customary posting of her setlist from the Portland show for some time, but concert happenings at PMAC have been keeping me too busy. So here it is, better late than never:

Amanda Palmer with Nervous Cabaret

Portland Music Hall, Nov. 12, 2009

Missed Me

Astronaut

Guitar Hero

Mrs. O

Coin-Operated Boy

Point of it All

I Google You

Sex Changes

Ampersand

Delilah

Mandy Goes to Med School

House of the Rising Sun (Animals cover)

Leeds United

encores:

Makin' Whoopie (cover on ukulele)

That's Not My Name (Ting Tings cover)

Oasis

The Music Ensemble/Sports Team analogy

2009-12-07T14:06:00.005-05:00

I have two sons who are active Little League players - actually only one now, since my older son has aged out of the league. Both are also very active musicians. Sometimes I'll talk with parents who will make comparisons between team sports and music ensemble experiences. I'll often hear a music rehearsal (or class) compared to a sports team practice, an analogy that doesn't hold up for me. I think of it a little differently. Here are some comparisons, with the sports team concept first, followed by the music ensemble concept.

manager/coach=conductor/instructor (easy enough)

player (athlete)=player (musician) (as easy as it gets)

team practice=practicing instrument/music at home (I'll explain some of these more at the end)

regular season game=music ensemble rehearsal/class

playoff game=performance/concert

You may be asking: "Why isn't a rehearsal analogous to a practice and a performance analogous to a game?" Well, in most youth sports programs there are many games that lead up to some form of championship series. In most leagues, such a Little League, regular season games are all about equal playing time (as much as is possible) and learning the game. Team records in Little League are cleared at the beginning of the playoffs - all teams begin the post-season on equal footing. Only in the playoffs do wins and losses determine rank in the league.

In a music ensemble, there tend to be far fewer performances than games in a sports season. In fact, in most American educational ensembles (not just PMAC, but public schools and other music opportunities) there tends to be only one or two performances at the end of a long series of rehearsals. The same weight is put on such performances as is put on sports playoff games. Performances, like playoff games, are taken very seriously, even though the point (like in sports) is to experience the thrill and joy of participation in such an event. Good Little League programs are able to balance fun with the gravity of a playoff game, and good music programs are able to balance fun with the gravity of live performance in front of an audience.

Regular season games are very important. Each season I see my sons' teams improve vastly, especially in the area of defense (which is the aspect of baseball that requires the most team interaction), over the course of the regular season. It is the regular season games that provide the educational atmosphere that make compelling and well-played playoff games possible.

A baseball game can't be played without all 9 fielders, and some pitching and fielding relief in the dugout. Basically, a team plays at its best when everyone is present. The same holds true for music ensembles. Whether an orchestra, rock band or sax quartet, all ensembles play their best when everyone is present. In a music ensemble, the need for all members to be present and playing is analogous to a team's need for all players at a regular season game.

In sports teams, practices are opportunities isolate fundamentals and work on drills. I see this as analogous to practicing one's part at home or in private lessons with a teacher. Just as a sports team can't run onto the field and play a game without practicing drills and learning rules in practice, a music ensemble can't play pieces of music in a rehearsal without the players practicing and learning their parts independently. Just as baseball players will practice fielding ground balls during drills at their team practice, music students should be practicing isolated passages from their music in independent practice sessions and lessons. Yes, the first several rehearsals are spent putting isolated parts of music together, but in most music ensembles entire pieces are being played after the first couple rehearsals (if not from the very first rehearsal). And once the musical group starts playing full pieces in rehearsal, independent practice does not stop, but rather continues to be an important part of the preparation cycle.

As with all analogies, these comparisons are not iron-clad definitions. I present them purely to demonstrate expectation similarities. Similar to sports, each player in a music ensemble plays a specific, unique role. And as such, each player is as indispensable to their ensemble as a player is to his team.

In rehearsals, much like sports games, the absence of players creates challenges that are sometimes impossible to overcome. When there aren't enough players to field, games are forfeited, and teams miss the opportunity to prepare for the playoffs. When playing in an ensemble, the same level of commitment is expected of a musician as is expected of an athlete on a sports team. And when student musicians rise to the occasion, remarkable things happen. That is why a spectacular music performance can often give audiences the same feelings of excitement and joy that sports fans experience during a playoff win.

Vote for PMAC in the Chase Community Giving Program on Facbook

2009-12-05T17:32:00.002-05:00

Chase Bank is giving $5million to charities this year based on Facebook voting. The top vote-getter will receive $1million and the four runner-ups will each receive $100,000 each. The 100 charities that receive the most votes will each receive $25,000. The link to vote for the Portsmouth Music and Arts Center is at the bottom of this blog entry.

Now, you're thinking this is a long shot. Maybe. But the Facebook Application that is taking the votes is only allowing one vote per Facebook member. So most organizations are not getting that many votes. As I write this, PMAC already had 62 votes. It doesn't seem like a lot, but I've been searching though a lot of big nonprofits and I've only come across 5 with more than 100 votes. The largest vote getter I've found is the American Cancer Society of New York with a little over 700 votes. That is one of the largest charities in the world, with a HUGE Facebook population. So I'm thinking that any charity that can get into the hundreds might have a chance at this. So VOTE for PMAC!

The $25,000 is an unrestricted grant. It will make our educational programs more accessible to families who are facing tough financial times. It will help us develop new educational programs. We're working on expanding our visual arts classes - a grant like this would help us do more now.

Getting a membership at Facebook is easy. Click here: JOIN FACEBOOK. Once you're a member, be sure to become a friend of The Portsmouth Music and Arts Center. Our Facebook page is HERE. You'll get updates about PMAC and be able to interact with our Facebook community. Sometimes our Facebook fans are the first to learn about new PMAC happenings.

If you're a bit cautious about the net, you can still vote without creating an active account. Just make an account that is fully private and vote. No one will ever see who you are. But you will make a difference. (FYI: Several PMAC supporters have already done this and their votes count equally.)

So click the link below and help us get over the 100 vote mark. That's our goal. Let's see if we can hit it together. Thanks for helping us build community through the arts.

Social Capital

2009-12-03T16:11:00.002-05:00

Lew Feldstein, president of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, spoke before the Portsmouth Rotary Club today. The topic: What is social capital? Direct from Lew's literature, social capital "refers to the bonds that tie a community together - bonds that make communities safer, schools better and people healthier. When people are invested in their communities, they are more likely to vote, volunteer and care for one another."

The core message was that our connections with other people count. These connections have more than casual meaning. Such connections impact every aspect of our life, and the more meaningful the connection, the more positive the impact. This means that volunteering for an organization - getting involved - has as many benefits for you as it does for the organization you're helping. Maybe more.

When a community has a high level of social capital, benefits are seen in the areas of educational achievement, government performance, economic growth, and community safety. That's right - the higher the social capital in your community, the lower the crime rate.

This is a similar message as is heard in relation to "take back our streets" nights, when communities gather outside to celebrate while simultaneously "taking back the streets from criminals." In Portsmouth we participate in "National Night Out" every August for that very reason. This builds social capital.

Being a community member that participates also builds social capital - for you and your community. When you sing in a choir, play in a band, take an art class, or even go for a walk with your friends.

The Portsmouth Music and Arts Center is an organization that prides itself in building social capital. Here are some examples of the PMAC experience that result in a higher level of social capital:

We encourage ensemble experiences for all of our music students and classroom experiences for our art students. The interaction between students is a powerful experience.
Our students are able to network within our school - especially adult students. I can name several bands that were formed by adult music students (and professionals) who met in the walls of PMAC (Crabshack, George Rinalducci and the J Notes, Elissa Margolin and Friends, to name a few).
Our faculty and staff is a "family." We all know each other, collaborate, share in our lives outside work, and often get together socially outside of the school. We tell each other jokes, and while we take our work very seriously, we try not to take ourselves too seriously.
Our board of directors and volunteers are passionate about arts education. They all love PMAC - they really do. This becomes a unifying bond that results in life-long relationships outside of our organization.

What does all of this mean? Lew puts it simply: the more you are involved in your community, the healthier you and your community will become. And he closed his talk with a warning. Social capital is in decline. People are less involved with one another these days. There are fewer and fewer families spending early evenings on the front porch conversing with neighbors. Fewer people are seeking out others for meaningful relationships.

My hope is that an understanding of social capital will encourage more people to become engaged with their community. With other people. We're one outlet for such interaction, but there are dozens of other opportunities presented to each and every one of us daily. The next time such an option pops up, think about saying yes.

Fall 2009 Departmental Workshops

2009-11-04T14:39:00.002-05:00

Below is detailed information pertaining to the upcoming Departmental Workshops. This is PMAC's sixth year of providing workshops for private lesson students. It is one of the advantages of studying at a community school and designed to be fun and informative for all students. Also check out my May 2005 Blog Post: The Value of Departmental Workshops.

MUSIC DEPARTMENTAL WORKSHOPS:
NOVEMBER 22 - 24, 2009

What are Departmental Workshops? Departmental Workshops are master classes for all private music lesson students who study at PMAC. These workshops are presented by our faculty and focus on musicianship, performance techniques, music equipment and repertoire.

Why do I have to attend? As a private music lesson student, workshop attendance is mandatory. This is an opportunity to work with different teachers, meet students with similar interests and learn something new. There are no lessons the week of Departmental Workshops to give everyone time to attend.

When are the Workshops? The dates are the workshops are November 22-24, 2009. Note the following changes: We’ve moved the two Wednesday workshops to the prior Sunday afternoon to accommodate families with full schedules and to move them farther away from Thanksgiving Day; and we’ve moved the Adult Workshop to Monday evening.

Where are they located? All Workshops take place in our PMAC Recital Hall.

How do I sign-up? Please talk to your instructor directly to get their recommendation for the best workshop for your ability. All workshops are limited to 25 participants – no exceptions! – so be sure to sign up early to get the class of your choice. If you have any questions, please call the PMAC Office at 431-4278 or e-mail Katie at katie@pmaconline.org.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
2-3pm: Music Theory Games (for any student, ages 7 to 14) – Instructor Bryan Killough presents several music theory concepts using games and interactive materials. Learn about intervals, scales and more in an entertaining and fun way! Workshop Leader: Bryan Bergeron Killough; Supporting Teacher: Nick Phaneuf

3:30-4:30pm: Listening Workshop – Song Forms (for any student ages 9 to 18) – In this listening based workshop hear a wide variety of songs from the world of popular music and learn what to listen for to reveal clues about how they are put together. Workshop Leader: Nick Phaneuf; Supporting Teacher: Bryan Bergeron Killough

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
3:30-4:30pm: Improvisation (for any instrumental student ages 9 to 18) – Get out your instruments and improvise along with our jazz faculty – even if you’ve never tried to improvise before! All instruments are welcome. Workshop Leader: Chris Klaxton; Supporting Teachers: Matt Langley, Mike Walsh, Jeff Auger

4:45-5:45pm: Guitar Amplifiers (for any guitar student, ages 5 to 18) – Learn about guitar amplifiers including how they work and techniques for getting the best sound production. Guest artist Dave Hunter invites all guitar students to bring their amplifier along to learn more about it. Workshop Leader: Dave Hunter (guest artist); Supporting Teachers: Nick Phaneuf, Carlos Sabina, Mike Effenberger

6-7pm: Auxilliary Percussion (for any student, ages 8 to 18) – Guest artist Shane Kinney from the Drum Shop of Portsmouth will bring a wide variety of auxiliary percussion instrument to this workshop where students will learn about and play the instruments. From bongos and congas to tambourines and triangles, there will be a lot of fun music to be made! - Workshop Leader: Shane Kinney (guest artist); Supporting Teachers: Mike Walsh, Adam MacDougall, Diane Tiezzi

7:15-9pm: Adult Workshop (for all adult students (ages 21+) – ALL adult private lesson students are asked to attend this important session where we get the opportunity to play our pieces for each other, discuss the unique challenges and joys of learning music as an adult, and partake in wonderful food and libations! - Workshop Leader: Mike Effenberger; Supporting Teachers: Diane Tiezzi, Adam MacDougall, Russ Grazier

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009
3:30-4:30pm: Composition (for all students ages 8 to 18) – Do you write music? Have you ever wanted to write a song but don’t know where to begin? This special workshop provides insight into the craft of composition and gives easy tips to help you start writing your own original music. - Workshop Leader: Russ Grazier; Supporting Teachers: Katie Papini Backus, Adam MacDougall, Nicole Hajj

4:45-5:45pm: Young Student Workshop (for students ages 8 and younger) – Designed for our youngest lesson students, this workshop encourages joy and fun in music making. - Workshop Leader: Virginia Macdonald; Supporting Teachers: Nicole Hajj, Kibbie Straw

6-7pm: Listening Workshop - Opera (for students ages 8 to 18) – Listen to and learn about one of history’s great art-forms: opera. Great for all students, especially young singers. - Workshop Leader: Judy McCann; Supporting Teacher: Mark Zielinski, Nate Therrien

The Best Halloween Show Ever

2009-11-03T07:03:00.003-05:00

Spinal Tarp (a Spinal Tap tribute band) gave one of 2009's best performances on Halloween night at The Barley Pub. Featuring PMAC guitar and bass instructor Nick Phaneuf as Spinal Tap bassist Derek Smalls and PMAC piano dept. chair Mike Effenberger as Viv Savage, the performance captured the true essence of Tap. And both the music and costumes were dead on. They performed EVERY song from the classic 1980 mock-u-mentary, even creating full arrangements of the first Tap tune and fully performing Elvis' Heartbreak Hotel, both of which were only snippets in the film and not on the soundtrack. It's definitely going to make 2009's top ten list!

New Website

2009-10-28T10:16:00.002-04:00

The new PMAC website is live! Let us know what you think. In our humble opinion it is a clean, clear upgrade that is fully up to date with calendar info and more. Thanks to John Shore for the most excellent design!

Long time, no blog

2009-10-12T09:42:00.002-04:00

Listening to the new Brandi Carlile on my iPod, eager for the upcoming Tegan and Sara release (next week!) and pretty much all-around content these days - though still actively pushing all boundaries. 2009 has been an extremely busy year, and thus very little blogging. But as PMAC continues to grow and thrive, I've promised my new marketing committee and webmaster that I will start updating the blog again. Shouldn't be too difficult, as I do like blogging.

And speaking of PMAC's new marketing committee and new webmaster, keep your eyes out for our NEW WEBSITE! It will debut very soon - before the end of October. In fact, it is on the verge of being launched. Very cool new site - simplified, but packed with up-to-date useful PMAC info.

Thanks for your patience during my time away. I back and ready to blog. Look for a lot more soon. For now, I need to get up and dance to Brandi's "Carolina" featuring Elton John.

-Russ

Fried Dough

2009-07-23T07:34:00.003-04:00

Haven't been blogging for some time - since discovering Facebook, where you will find me daily. Sorry blogosphere!

OK - Thought of posting this to Facebook this morning, but it is too long a story, so here goes:

Took Jake to Water Country yesterday morning. Upon leaving he requests fried dough. Being the pushover I am, I agree, but the guy at the fried dough stand says, "sorry - we don't open for another hour." WHAT'S UP WITH THAT? Doesn't everyone want fried dough at 10:30 a.m.? I say to Jake (who wants to stand there and wait for an hour), "dude - I'll make you some fried dough at home." Agreed and we're off.

Later that day I pick up some frozen bread dough, a bottle of vegetable oil and a bag of confectioners sugar at Hannaford. The plan is going well. We all get home for dinner and I sit the bag of frozen dough - five loaves, each rock solid frozen and pretty small - on the kitchen counter to thaw. Don't open the bag, just sit it there on the counter. We have dinner. I load and run the dishwasher. I head to rehearsal - the kids home with the sitter for the evening.

I get home around 9:30 p.m. The location on the counter where I sat the bag of dough is right over the dishwasher - can get a bit warm (hot) when the dishwasher runs, right? What was five loaves sitting loosely in a big plastic bag is now a giant dough ball, the bag now like a balloon filled with dough instead of helium. OMG - I should put that in the fridge for tomorrow. I put it on the bottom shelf and go to bed for the night.

Wake up this morning, go to the fridge for milk for the kids cereal. Boy, that bag on the bottom shelf seems a little bigger now. I pull it out and immediately notice that the bag has burst and there is almost as much dough outside the bag as there is inside, the bag still stretched to its limits. Damn - must do something immediately before this turns into the film "The Blob".

Solution - fried dough for breakfast. Oh yeah, I just became the coolest dad on the block. And I learned how to separate frozen loaves and thaw them one at a time in a controlled environment along the way...

I'm back

2009-04-05T09:12:00.002-04:00

Most of the past month has been an enormous push to Friday night's Spring Fever for the Arts - which was an overwhelming success! Needless to say, it left me with no time to blog, and for that I apologize. I plan to be back on the blogging wagon this week, so look for more web antics in the days to come.

Today I head to Boston with the family to D2E:Down 2 Earth, a huge sustainability fair that was co-founded by my sister, Lori. It is at the Hynes Convention Center in the heart of Boston and we are really looking forward to it. I'll take notes so I have plenty to report here tomorrow. Should be AMAZING.

For now, a few Broadway tidbits:

Did you know that Bono and The Edge are composing a new musical based on Spiderman (yes, the superhero) that debuts in NYC in February 2010?

Green Day is also heading to the stage with a musical adaptation of American Idiot.

We recently saw Coraline at the movies - it too is being adapted into a musical with music by a member of the Magnetic Fields.

And finally, a personal favorite, Amanda Palmer, is producing a play based on Neutral Milk Hotel's In an Aeroplane Over The Sea at her alma mater, Lexington High School. Don't know if I'll be able to get to this, since tickets are supposedly hard to come by, but don't be surprised if I manage to find a way to go see it!

Getting Spring Fever

2009-03-12T17:48:00.002-04:00

It is FREEZING out. But I haven't been on the blog this week because I've got a case of Spring Fever. That's right - spring is just around the corner and to celebrate, PMAC is holding its second annual SPRING FEVER FOR THE ARTS on Friday, April 3rd at 7:30 pm at the Discover Portsmouth Center - formerly the Portsmouth Public Library. More details to come!

Recommended Listening (2)

2009-03-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

I got a pretty good response from last Sunday's recommended listening (Yael Naim), so I thought I'd throw another one out there.

Check out Ethel. In many ways they are the heir apparent to the Kronos Quartet. Young, vibrant, they are a string quartet out of NYC mixing classical, rock and jazz influences to create their own unique sound. They perform amplified and are everything that you would hope Kronos would still be. Rockers. You can listen here: www.ethelcentral.com/music. I hope you enjoy.

U2

2009-03-07T07:34:00.004-05:00

Picked up their new CD, "No Line On The Horizon" this week. Still absorbing it - haven't fallen in love at first sound as was the case with a few of their earlier CDs. I recommend re-listening (or listening to for the first time if for some reason you've never heard this) to "Wide Awake In America". For me it is the definitive U2 recording. It captures the group live - when they are at their best - and in their prime, way back in the 1980s. I've seen them live twice, and I have never, ever seen a single person connect so intimately with a crowd of 60,000 people (no, Barack Obama doesn't even come close to the connection Bono has with his audience). Hope you find it, listen, and enjoy.

The Strangers

2009-03-06T12:25:00.003-05:00

It's been a busy, busy week. (A poor attempt to explain the days of silence on this blog.) Here's some fun weekend listening:

I'm a huge St. Vincent fan. Still bummed I missed thier Boston show last year due to a bout with the flu. Singer Annie Clark is amazing. The track above is the first from their upcoming CD "Actor" scheduled to be released in May. You can find more about them and more music here. Hope you enjoy.

Snow Day Shuffle

2009-03-02T17:48:00.004-05:00

iPod on All-Tracks Shuffle:

Radiohead - Reckoner from In_Rainbows
The Fiery Furnaces - The Old Hag is Sleeping from Widow City
Miles Davis - Softly As In A Morning Sunrise from In Person Saturday Night at the Blackhawk
Bill Evans - I Wish I Knew from Explorations
The Dresden Dolls - Bad Habit from The Dresden Dolls
The Dresden Dolls - A Night At The Roses from No, Virginia (iTunes Bonus Tracks)
James Carter - Low Flame from Live At Baker's Keyboard Lounge
Bjork - Where Is The Line from Medulla
David Bowie - I'm Deranged from Outside
Chris Weisman - Weak Dollar from Bicycle Operator And Coach

Recommended Listening

2009-03-01T18:08:00.003-05:00

I'm listening to Jake (age 10) practice the drums upstairs. He's got his groove going. There's nothing like listening to your child while he or she is totally immersed in making music.

I've also been listening to a lot of amazing recordings from my library that I'd not heard for some time. All a result of loading up that new iPod (still loading - only about 1/6 of the way through the memory!). If you're looking for something to check out, try listening to this:

Yael Naim & David Donatien. It was a gift from a friend last year and I'd listened to it a little bit when I first received it, but now that it's on my iPod, I've been exploring it. Her voice is beautiful, and the songs are interesting. You can sample their music at http://www.myspace.com/yaelnaim. You can also visit their site: http://www.yaelweb.com/. Let me know what you think.

Done

2009-02-28T17:12:00.003-05:00

The Poo Poo Platters handed in their CD at RPM Central (the offices of The Wire newspaper) this afternoon at approximately 3:30 pm. We ran into George on our way in - he had just dropped off his CD. Congrats to George and all the others who completed this year's challenge. I, unfortunately, never found the time to record. I take solace in the fact that I make my living as a musician/educator, so I get to make music every day.

The new CD is titled "Devil's Beat" and the tracks are as follows:

Disco Devil
Knights and Kings
Devil's Beat
The Bird Keeps Crying
Vanity Fair
Brazil
Splat
Flags of the World
Drum Beat
Funkin' It 2000
Shoot Me
August
Jam/Those Girls
Dad Says Homework, I Say Rock

Two of the tracks are up at www.myspace.com/thepoopooplatters. The boys wrote all of the songs themselves. The only title they didn't come up with on their own is "Dad Says Homework, I Say Rock", which was the winning title in a title contest they had on the RPM website discussion board. It was another amazing February of bonding with the boys and recording their music. Hard to believe this is the third straight year we've done this. Awesome.

The Point of It All

2009-02-26T23:12:00.004-05:00

I was just reminded of the brilliance of Amanda Palmer and her marketing team.

I had a great day today. Spent the day in Boston with Katie and the boys. The Poo Poo Platters had to check out the guitar collection at the Boston Hard Rock Cafe - their first time there (and actually the first time I'd stepped into a Hard Rock Cafe since the 1980s). Then we walked down Newbury Street, went to visit my sister Lori at her office, got some dessert at the Trident Bookstore/Cafe (another place I hadn't been to since the 1980s), and then some CD shopping at Newbury Comics. Off to Quincy Market for a light dinner, followed by a visit to the Institute of Contemporary Art to see the Shepard Fairey exhibit (hopefully more on that in a future post). Then the short drive back to Portsmouth - a wonderful vacation day since the boys have no school this week. Very cool.

So I arrive home to a ton a e-mail, and there in the middle is notification from Amanda that the Alternate Takes version of her latest CD is ready for me to download. For those who didn't read my posts on Amanda's latest album, look here. This is where the brilliant marketing comes in.

When I bought my advance copy of "Who Killed Amanda Palmer" last September, I paid a higher price than for just the CD. I paid for some cool bonus stuff - some of which came immediately, and some of which I had to wait for. The bonus items included a t-shirt (mailed with the CD), the ability to download the CD a week prior to its release, the actual CD with the case autographed by Amanda, some bonus tracks immediately with the early download, and finally, the promise of another CD, to be downloadable in the future. It was originally promised for November/December, but didn't arrive. I didn't give up, knowing that it is not unusual for these things to take more time than expected - especially with a small outfit, like Amanda's, considering she's been touring almost constantly since the fall.

Well, the bonus CD arrived today and it is an alternate version of the album released in September. Not a fully polished CD, but an interesting take on the material, with different versions of many of the songs, some songs that were never recorded for the CD, and even a song titled "Boyfriend in a Coma" which at first I thought was Smiths cover but turned out to be another original that didn't make the CD (the Smiths tune is actually "Girlfriend in a Coma"). I'd listened to "Who Killed Amanda Palmer" a lot last fall. Went to the Boston show. And have not been listening to it a lot lately, because I've moved on to other recordings. This new CD (I say CD, but really it is just a series of tracks I downloaded to my iPod - I'll most likely never own a hard copy of this one, truly bringing the media into the new age) is reaquainting me with the music, in a fresh and exciting way.

The music I know is different on this CD. Sometimes with different chord changes, sometimes with added sections. It's very cool for a fan to hear this - a snapshot of a particular moment in the music's evolution. As a composer, I love hearing this stuff. Not polished, but in many cases they are works in progress.

Amanda gets it. Why the labels don't, I can't figure out. I'm tired of hearing record producers refer to artists as "products" or "commodities". It's nice to be treated like a music fan, and not a consumer. Thanks, Amanda and friends for making that a reality. Again, very cool.

Some great CD (re)discoveries while populating my iPod

2009-02-26T09:49:00.001-05:00

The New Poo Poo Platters Logos

2009-02-24T16:57:00.006-05:00

Here are the new Poo Poo Platters logos. The first logo was designed by Max (age 11 when he designed it) but it was tidied up and made into reality by my sister Ruth. It is based on the initials TPPP. The second logo is a caricature of the boys by Ruth's boyfriend, Lou.

Making the leap to an iPod

2009-02-24T11:07:00.002-05:00

I've never owned an iPod, until Katie bought me one this week for my birthday. Don't get me wrong - I've owned mp3 players for the past 5-10 years - mostly Creative Zen media players. I carry my music with me everywhere. But I'd resisted owning an iPod because iTunes does not offer a subscription service. I've been waiting for another company to design a device to rival the iPod, allowing me to purchase a great device and access the Napster To Go subscription library (unlimited downloads to your mp3 player for a small montly fee). Napster To Go has been great for my teaching, since I've been able to download any recording and play them for my students, without having to go out and buy the CD. This is great for teaching jazz tunes, when you want your student to hear ten different versions of "Autumn Leaves" (all of them classics) without having to seek out and purchase ten different CDs. This is where iTunes falls behind, and why I hope it will one day be a subscription service. When that happens, music listening will explode, as people will be able to access millions of recordings for a small monthly fee. That, in my opinion, is the future.

For now, I am going through the wonderful journey of populating my new iPod with my music library. I've been collecting CDs for over 20 years. Since I am a musician by profession, my guess is that my collection is larger than that of the average person - though maybe not as impressive as many music enthusiasts. So far I've loaded about 75 CDs onto my device and I'm just scratching the surface of its memory capabilities. This is a good thing, since I have several hundred more to add.

I find myself rediscovering music. Things I've not listened to in ages. And I'm finding misplaced CDs. The treasure of this morning was discovering Michael Brecker's "Pilgrimage" inside the case for the Debussy and Ravel String Quartets. I've been looking for that CD for over a year! As I type this, I am loading Ornette Coleman's Pulitzer Prize winning CD "Sound Grammar". Next up, Glenn Gould's recording of Bach's "Goldberg Variations" - the 1955 recording. As a music lover, this is downright exciting.

Of course, the newness of the whole deal will pass - but I will, for the very first time, have nearly my entire CD collection in the palm of my hand. This is very cool. I highly recommend it.

RPM Status Report

2009-02-22T05:13:00.002-05:00

It is February 22nd, and the boys are about half-way done with their RPM CD. I have yet to start. It's been a busy month at work, so I'm behind scheudle. But, knock on wood, I've yet to get sick this month, even with the flu begin passed around the school. It is very convenient that this week is school vacation, so my hope is that during these last seven days of February, I can create my RPM CD. The Boys will be done today or tomorrow.

Yesterday Chip and Mickey from Shagbark came to record a tune with the boys. It was a good session, and Mickey is coming back today to finish up the vocal track. My hope is that the boys can lay down another four or five tracks today and almost finish thier CD (they have six of 14 tracks laid down).

It should be a busy week.

Saturday Shuffle

2009-02-21T14:02:00.008-05:00

I received an iPod from Katie for my birthday. Believe it or not, I've never owned an iPod. I've had several Creative Zen Media Players, but never the iconic pod. I've been populating the huge drive (120 gig) with my library. As I type this I'm actually ripping the 22 disc Stravinsky collection I recently purchased to iTunes. As I do this, I have the iPod, with the 300 or so tunes I've already synched, playing on shuffle. Here's the random selection my iPod picked out, just for me (listed with song title first, followed by artist):

Coin-Operated Boy - The Dresden Dolls
Stumbleine - The Smashing Pumpkins
Tag Along - Missy Bly
Automatic Husband - The Fiery Furnaces
Cat People (Putting Out Fire) - David Bowie
The Con - Tegan and Sara
Life On Mars? (Live at Fashion Rocks) - Arcade Fire with David Bowie
Panic in Detroit - David Bowie
Five Years (Live at Fashion Rocks) - Arcade Fire with David Bowie
The Family Llama - Missy Bly
Guitar Hero - Amanda Palmer
Radio Free Europe - R.E.M.
The Dreamers - David Bowie
Poor Little Rich Boy - Regina Spektor
Beat's Remark - Branford Marsalis
Dewey Baby - Branford Marsalis
B.O.A.C. - Chris Weisman
Battle for Britain (The Letter) - David Bowie
Muzzle - The Smashing Pumpkins
O.K.O.T.F. - Chris Weisman (fyi - one of my favorite of Chris' songs!)

Noting the obvious: I've only just begun to load my library, and it is currently a bit David Bowie heavy, and has very little jazz or classical. That will change day by day - I hope to have it fully loaded by March 1! Now you know how I'll be spending my evenings this week...

GET GREEN!

2009-02-20T13:47:00.003-05:00

My sister Lori is the co-founder of D2E (Down To Earth), a green, sustainability fair held annually in Boston. Our whole family went down last year to the event to support her. This year we'll be going not because of her, but because it is AMAZING. I got turned on to so many green products from environmentally conscious businesses - not schlock, but practical things that replace what I already know and love with a better, environmenatally friendly alternative. Favorite finds from 2008 - LUSH soaps, Shootflying Hill Sauces (amazing butterscotch ice cream topping!), and 360 Vodka (NOT FOR THE KIDS!). The video below gives a cool overview of the event, which is the first weekend in April. (Go on Saturday or Sunday after attending Friday, April 3rd's Spring Fever for the Arts, benefitting PMAC!)

It is Radiohead

2009-02-18T18:00:00.001-05:00

Several people have asked me about the video I posted last week from the Grammys. The singer is Thom Yorke and the guitarist is Jonny Greenwood, both from Radiohead, performing Radiohead's 15 Step with the USC Marching Band. Katie and I saw Radiohead at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, MA last August. (Not sure what they will be calling the venue now that Tweeter has gone belly up.) The song is from In_Rainbows Radiohead's late 2007 release that was met with much press when they sold it over the internet without a distributor, and allowed the public to pay whatever they wanted for the album - even nothing if the buyer didn't want to pay. A groundbreaking way to market music in today's evolving market.

To see the AMAZING Grammys video again, click here.

And for my rant on the evolution of the record inductry, go here.

Laura Gibson

2009-02-18T06:36:00.006-05:00

I'm not at all familiar with the music of Laura Gibson, so I'm very intrigued by NPR's assertation that her new CD (to be released next week, 2/24), Beasts of Seasons, "is nothing short of a masterpiece, both for its flawless and often haunting execution and for its inspired statements on the human experience." It is a sentiment that I'm running into in various other places on the net - so I'm curious.

On first listening, she reminds me of the incredilby awesome Regina Spektor - and I get worried when an artist sounds so similar to another. But the more I listen, the more I hear Laura Gibson, not a Regina Spektor rip-off. The songs are very touching. NPR is so excited about this release, they are currently streaming the CD in its entirety. You can listen to it here. At just over 39 minutes, its relatively short. Let me know what you think.

2009 Summer Camps

2009-02-17T07:27:00.003-05:00

Be on the lookout for PMAC's 2009 Summer Camp brochures - they are going out in the mail this week.

New this summer:

Adult Fiddle Camp with Joyce Anderson
One-week Rock and Jazz Camps for teens
Camps that combine both Music and Art for young children
Adult Dixieland Camp
Adult Painting Camp

Also, one of our most popular instructors, Chris Weisman, who moved to Vermont in late August, will be returning this summer to teach all of our Rock camps! Don't miss the opportunity to work with this amazing teacher.

Movie Recommendation

2009-02-14T19:35:00.003-05:00

I took Katie out on a Valentine's date this afternoon - lunch and a movie, and a little shopping excursion. We ended up celebrating during the day as opposed to tonight because our regular sitter has a big Valentine's date tonight.

We went to see Slumdog Millionaire out in Newington and really, really enjoyed the movie. A deeply moving story, with a compelling narrative. I'm not sure if it should be the best picture of 2008, but is certainly one of the best of the year. If you haven't seen it, it is definitely worth it.

Remembering Dave

2009-02-13T20:56:00.004-05:00

It is always tough losing someone.

I am in awe of what Roy Ernst has created. When he founded the first New Horizons Band at the Eastman School of Music in the late 1980s, his mission was to give adults the opportunity to live. Roy understands that life is about passion. It is about never-ending education, connecting with others and being creative. That is the genius of New Horizons Band. Give adults the opportunity to bring music into their lives and see what happens.

Roy targets senior citizens. He knows that after retirement, life can lose meaning for some people. Children have grown up and begun their independent lives. Your profession carries on without you. Roy's mission was to bring interactive music - ensemble music - into the lives of retirees. Those who played music in their youth and had stopped as adults. Those with a desire to return to their youthful pasttime. And those who never had the opportunity to play. Teach them - it doesn't matter if a person is 9 or 90, they can learn to interact musically with others.

I shared a week with Roy and 200 senior citizens this past September in Chatauqua, NY at the International New Horizons Band Camp. Everyone there was living proof that playing music late in life brings joy and meaning into one's life.

Dave came to us about five years ago, picking up the trombone for the first time since the sixth grade. Having just retired, he had the time to return to a favorite childhood activity. He picked the instrument back up quickly. He practiced like a madman - to the point that he would give my mother, who played euphonium beside him in the band, a hard time for not practicing enough. He dove right in and became a core member of the band.

Dave never stopped learning. It was his goal to constantly explore new musical ideas and improve his skills. He recorded rehearsals on a mini tape recorder so he could practice with the recording at home. He joined the PMAC adult blues band to learn to improvise, and played in our summer big band, soloing from the heart without a shred of music to rely on.

Dave lived. He was always the first to volunteer to come help move equipment. Just last month he was carrying timpani and music stands into the church before our winter concert. First to arrive, last to leave. He constructed Christmas parade floats for the band, took out the PMAC trash and recycling every week, and gave a helping hand wherever needed.

We should all be so lucky to live our lives as fully and completely as Dave. And I am honored to have had him as a friend. Losing Dave yesterday came as a shock to me. It shocked us all. Less than two weeks ago he was playing and recording our band rehearsal. It was Dave's last rehearsal, and I'm proud to say it was a damned good one. He played better than ever, and that's the honest truth.

Thank you, Dave. We'll miss you. And I for one will try to live up to your example.

The following video was taken about two years ago. I found it on my hard drive - a short example from a rehearsal - a mere 45 seconds. Dave is playing the trombone, and yes, that's my mother sitting beside him (and my father is on trumpet behind him).

the only reason i watched the grammys this year

2009-02-12T21:30:00.001-05:00

otherwise, the show is pretty irrelevant. enjoy the video:

New Poo Poo Platters Video

2009-02-11T22:49:00.004-05:00

Last week, when Max and Jake recorded their first RPM Challenge song of 2009, I filmed the session with their Flip Video Camera. Here is a video I put together from the recording sesson. Enjoy!

I'm back

2009-02-11T08:14:00.002-05:00

Took me a few days to recover from Jazz Night - two great, packed shows. It's a lot of work, but well worth the effort. Thus, I neglect the blog.

Recommended listening for today:

The Bad Plus - For All I Care

The Fiery Furnaces - Remember (live)

Luminescent Orchestrii - Too Hot To Sleep

Among the many good reasons why iTunes should become a subscription based service, finally allowing me to purchase my first iPod....for now I'll live with Napster.

Tonight's Setlist

2009-02-07T07:25:00.002-05:00

For the regular readers of this blog, a little surprise sneak peek at tonight's Jazz Night shows. Here's the set list:

In A Mellow Tone
Atomic Minor (original by Bryan Bergeron-Killough)
So What (celebrating the 50th anniversary of the recording of Kind of Blue)
I've Got You Under My Skin
Springtime Can Really Hang You Up The Most
Blue Skies
You're Welcome (original by Nate Therrien)
Seven Steps to Heaven

Hope to see you at the show - and if you are too far away to attend, be sure to think of us - we'll be thinking of you...

Knights and Kings

2009-02-07T07:23:00.002-05:00

The first track of the new Poo Poo Platters album is up on their MySpace Music Page. Check it out.

Tomorrow Night is Jazz Night!

2009-02-06T07:56:00.002-05:00

Most of today will be spent getting ready for tomorrow's Jazz Night at the West End Studio Theatre. Two great shows, 7 & 9 pm, with an awesome 8-piece jazz band. Tickets are still available, though the 7 pm show is nearly sold out. Don't miss this awesome event - it only happens once a year. Hope to see you there!

In the car this morning

2009-02-05T09:13:00.002-05:00

On the way to elementary school at 8:30 am - it is very cold and there is still a lot of snow on the ground....

Me: You look cold - where are your gloves?
My 10 year old son: I don't know.
Me: Did you leave them at school?
Son: I don't know.
Me: I guess I'll have to e-mail your teacher and let her know you need to stay inside during recess.
Son: Wait...let me check here (unzips the outer pocket of his backpack)...oh, here they are! (seems genuinely surprised - pretty good acting job)

I'm going to be in big trouble when the things he values most aren't as innocent as elementary school recess...

February is already CRAZY!!!

2009-02-04T15:57:00.001-05:00

Been oh-so-busy the past few days, without time to post. For those interested in the dymanic duo of Max and Jake (my sons), aka The Poo Poo Platters, check out their latest tune, recorded just this Sunday, Feb. 1, for the RPM Challenge. It is called Knights and Kings and is the first track on their MySpace Music page here.

RPM Waltz

2009-02-01T21:56:00.001-05:00

It seems the link in my last post didn't work. Let's see if this does - let me know if you can hear my piece "RPM Waltz". BTW, I am playing all parts, saxophones and percussion. Enjoy.

The RPM Challenge Begins Today!

2009-02-01T07:18:00.008-05:00

Record an album in 28 days - the month of February - a challenge too tempting for any musician to dismiss. I recorded one two years ago, in 2007. Some of that album I love, some of it I hate, but the sense of accomplishment for getting it done in 28 days was significant. Last year I got the flu, and wasn't able to participate. This year I've begun my February with 8.5 hours of sleep (last night), a healthy breakfast, and my vitamins. I WILL NOT GET SICK THIS MONTH.

My sons are a rock duo - The Poo Poo Platters. They have recorded two RPM CDs, 2007's BARR and 2008's A Chinese Dish (I managed to record their album in the first two weeks of February last year before getting sick). I engineer their recordings, but they compose all of the music and perform everything. I keep a healthy distance from the creative aspect of their project, letting them be free to do what they do. Mostly, they're just kids being kids, but sometimes they create a little magic and they've built a significant internet fanbase because of that. Their MySpace page gets way more hits than mine.

This morning, at 9:30 a.m. to be precise, the boys hit the studio to record the first track or two of Devil's Beat, their third RPM CD. They've been hard at work composing and rehearsing their music. This is a big deal for us - a great father/sons bonding experience. We will also sit down today and map out our recording sessions for the remainder of the month.

I, on the other hand, will record late at night, whenever I can find the time. And I'll be composing the music as I go along. I have not yet written a note, lyric, anything for my 2009 RPM album. Yet I know, that in 28 days, I'll have a fully completed CD of new music in my hands. That is very cool.

I will be tracking the progress of both the PPP and I on this blog for the entire month. I will try to post recordings as they become available. To get things started, here is a track from my 2007 RPM CD, Eclecticality. It is a little tune called RPM Waltz. Hope you enjoy listening.

If two are better than one, how good be four B3?

2009-01-31T12:12:00.003-05:00

Once you get past the windy intro by Paul Schaeffer, this is a rare specimen of musical awesomeness. The music starts at 2:05. Thanks to Bryan for leading me to this - ENJOY!

Shocking Amazon Purchase

2009-01-30T12:07:00.002-05:00

I got this tip from Alex Ross' blog - The Rest Is Noise. I just purchased from Amazon UK the COMPLETE Stravinsky on CD - 22 CDs in all - on Sony, including shipping to my house from England for US $30.11. That's right: THIRTY DOLLARS. I'm in shock. The CDs are set to arrive next week. If you are a fan of 20th century classical music, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. When I was in college I drooled over the library's copy of this very set, which at that time would have cost several hundreds of dollars. If you're interested, check it out here. Thanks for the tip, Alex!

My brother and sister-in-law's photography

2009-01-30T08:27:00.004-05:00

I hope my brother Matt and sister-in-law Enna will forgive me for lifting this amazing photo from thier blog - it is a picture from a bar in Anguilla where they watched Obama's inauguration. After all, I'm posting it here to tell all of you what wonderful photographers they are, and to go check out their work. I'm a very proud big brother. And this is an amazing picture of an even more amazing moment.

Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"

2009-01-28T08:24:00.003-05:00

Late last night I finished reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy. In 2007 the book won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature - but don't assume it's a challenging read. It is beautifully written without being overly complex. And the story is compelling. The core of the book is about being a parent - in particular being a father - and therefore it resonated strongly with me. I won't spoil the book - go out, buy a copy (at RiverRun Books on Congress Street in Portsmouth if possible!), and read it before the movie comes out (I'm worried the movie will destroy it). In fact, I'll say very little about the actual story. What is facinating me at the moment is the book's structure, its form. What struck me is that the ending of the book was not very powerful for me - what was amazing was the journey that got you there. And as a parable on life, that seems fitting. So many books are driven by a constant buildup to an inevitable climax. This was far from the case in The Road. It is a story about a journey, about life, and while reading it you may think it is about the end goal - but then you come to realize, like in life, it isn't. And in that simple fact, it is quite beautiful.

New PMAC Radio Ad coming

2009-01-27T21:38:00.002-05:00

This spring a new radio advertisement for PMAC will be airing on WFNX thanks to a donation by my brother, a photographer who shoots the WFNX Halloween Party every year. I am proud to announce that two well-known rock musicians have stepped up and recorded voice-overs for the radio ad - Al Barr of Dropkick Murphys and Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls. Amanda is about to head to Europe on tour for her solo album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer, which I highly recommend. Al is also on tour, currently in Australia. AND, we are awaiting a possible third rock star to lend his talents - I've got my fingers crossed I'll have more on that very soon...

R.I.P. John Updike

2009-01-27T14:05:00.003-05:00

John Updike has passed away at the age of 76 from lung cancer. Read more here.

Tim Webb and friends at The Press Room

2009-01-27T07:05:00.005-05:00

Last night Katie and I caught bassist Tim Webb at The Press Room with three PMAC faculty members, Mike Effenberger on piano, Matt Langley on saxophones and Mike Walsh on drums. They were joined by saxophonist Titus Abbott, and both Jim Clark and Chris Klaxton on trumpet - though Jim and Chris shared one horn, never playing at the same time. We arrived for the second and final set of the evening and were treated to a solid 75 minutes of pure, free, creative jazz exploration - completely improvised. There were some stunning moments - Titus and Matt going at it in what was less a saxophone duel and more an intricate conversation. Throughout the evening, Webb laid down a foundation that provided just enought structure, yet plenty of freedom. His contributions were key.

It is exciting to hear this happening in Portsmouth - I'd become accustomed to such events when in Chicago or Baltimore, but it is an unfortunately rarer occasion here. An inspired evening to say the least.

And if anyone reading this managed to catch The Molenes' unplugged set at The Red Door last night, let me know how it went. I couldn't tear myself away from The Press Room, so unfortunately missed my good friends right around the corner.

Spring Semester Begins Today

2009-01-26T07:58:00.002-05:00

Today is day one of the Spring Semester at PMAC - which runs for 18 weeks and ends mid-June. We have a lot planned for this semester - here are some highlights:

Wendell Purrington will take the podium and lead the Portsmouth Men's Chorus this semester. This group is open to all adult men who wish to "raise their voice in song." No audition required!
The PMAC jazz faculty will present the second annual PMAC JAZZ NIGHT on Saturday, Feburay 7th. Two shows: 7 & 9 p.m. Get your tickets today!
In addition to being Music In Our Schools Month, March will feature our fifth annual Practice-a-thon. Sponsor a young student as they work to build solid practice habits!
The Bow Street Youth Orchestra will collaborate with Ballet New England in March to present a dance performance at Portsmouth High School. This is a first and is sure to be a wonderful time.
The second annual Spring Fever for the Arts will be at the Discover Portsmouth Center on Friday, April 3. Don't miss PMAC's marquee fundraiser!
The PMAC Youth Jazz Band will play this year's Jazzmouth Festival in Portsmouth!
Several of our adult ensembles will be performing at Kittery Estates this Spring!
The sixth annual Jumpin' in June faculty concert will be on Friday, June 5th at South Church.
AND...we have an exciting Summer planned for 2009 - details coming soon

This is just a small bit of what we'll be doing this spring. Come join us!

Theme Song

2009-01-25T10:43:00.003-05:00

As I read rapidly through Cormac McCarthy's "The Road", I can't help but think that Yael Naim's song Lonely fits the story extremely well. It would be a great song to license for the upcoming film.

This book is an amazing, fast read. A very touching story about being a father. I'm nearly half-way through and just began it yesterday evening. I guess I really needed a weekend of pleasure reading.

A Sunday Morning Playlist

2009-01-25T09:47:00.002-05:00

Song Title - Album - Performer

B.O.A.C. - Bicycle Operator and Coach - Chris Weisman
Dark Come Soon - The Con - Tegan and Sara
Cologne - The Way To Normal - Ben Folds
I Want You, But I Don't Need You - Ping Pong - Momus
20 Years of Snow - Begin to Hope - Regina Spektor
Motion Picture Soundtrack - Kid A - Radiohead
Lonely - Yael Naim & David Donatien - Yael Naim & David Donatien
The Point Of It All - Who Killed Amanda Palmer - Amanda Palmer
Unravel - Homogenic - Bjork
Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine - Elephant - The White Stripes
Girl Sailor - Wincing the Night Away - The Shins

Simultaneous Reading

2009-01-24T18:15:00.003-05:00

I can't seem to just read one book at a time. I get four or five going simultaneously and it sometimes seems like it takes forever to get through one - though I sometimes have spurts where the finishing of four or five books happens nearly simultaneously. So, as I continue to read Alex Ross' The Rest Is Noise (loving it) and Don DiLillo's Underworld (really enjoying it as, on pg. 350, I am approaching the half-way point), I've just added Cormac McCarthy's The Road. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, I just can't resist apocalyptic fiction. Maybe I'll finish one of them by the end of February? I do have to say that reading Miss Liberty's twittering about all the reading she's been doing has been inspiring. But there are still only so many hours in a day and so very little I can devote to my love of reading.

Ashlee Simpson would be proud

2009-01-23T06:35:00.006-05:00

Yo Yo Simpson? Apparently, the weather on inauguration day was just too much. Rather than risk a snapped cello, violin, or piano string (what an embarrassment!) the inaugural quartet of Yo Yo Ma, Itzak Perlman, Anthony McGill and Gabriella Montero played along to a recording of the newly commissioned John Williams piece "Air and Simple Gifts" during Tuesday's ceremony. That's right, the instrumental equivalent of lip syncing.

Perlman told The New York Times: “It would have been a disaster if we had done it any other way...This occasion’s got to be perfect. You can’t have any slip-ups.” Yada, yada, yada. Not the best symbolism for the occasion. It seems that how everything "looked" was of the utmost importance. In this age of amazing technology including jumbo trons and live feeds, why not honor the music and simulcast the performance from the congressional rotunda? I personally thought the setting, outside, high up on the Capital Building seemed a bit absurd. But I guess it is easier to take the relatively few snickers of musical purists like myself, days afterward, than the ridicule of a full nation (and world) in the moment. Though I like to think people would have been very understanding. I for one am disappointed that the use of Ma's exquisite instrument really was just for show - not even needed for the music. That, in my opinion, was a big mistake. Forgive me for expecting more from our classical icons.

See the full New York Times story here. Thanks to Katie for sending it along!

Amorphous Band at Muddy River

2009-01-21T23:27:00.004-05:00

Caught The Amorphous Band at the Muddy River Smokehouse tonight with Dani and Michael. Small crowd - cold and mid-week - but they were rippin' it up. Great mix of funk, r&b and jazz. The guitar player in the picture is a former PMAC student, Charlie, who was sitting in for part of the first set. Charlie's new band, Superfrog, will be at The Blue Mermaid in Portsmouth this Saturday night, Jan. 24th. If you're out and about, be sure to stop by and hear whas going on with the next generation of local musicians.

And, lest I forget, the incomparable Mike Effenberger was on the keys tonight, wailin' away.

A Simple Gift

2009-01-20T14:02:00.002-05:00

In case you missed it, Yo Yo Ma (cello), Itzak Perlman (violin), Anthony McGill (clarinet), and Gabriella Montero (piano) perform at today's Presidential Inauguration. I'd be interested to hear this group play Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time. I don't think it a coincidence that John Williams chose this instrumentation.

Emiliana Torrini

2009-01-19T21:52:00.003-05:00

Somehow, Emiliana Torrini has eluded my radar for the past decade as she has built an impressive career. I came across her on the Brooklyn Vegan Blog. I can't say I'd never heard her sing before, since she is probably best known for singing "Gollum's Song" from Peter Jackson's The Lord of Rings trilogy. But that is not really representative of her music. She sounds like a cross between Bjork (but not as adventurous/experimental) and Feist (but not as upbeat/quirky). She, like Bjork, hails from Iceland. I'm going to need to spend some time listening to her music - not sure if it's for me. But I'm definitely intrigued.

Let Freedom Ring!

2009-01-19T11:37:00.002-05:00

The full, historic speech:

Exceprt from the September 11, 2005 performance of Aaron Copland's Lincoln Portrait with President-elect (for 24 more hours) Obama as narrator.

The Joke is on those "in the know"

2009-01-18T09:26:00.002-05:00

Emanuel has an axe to grind...Emanuel Ax that is. The concert pianist and conductor recently devoted a blog entry to the antiquated tradition of audiences remaining silent between the movements of classical piece. Many of us have experienced this - the orchestra, or pianist, or chamber group finishes a magnificent, boisterous first movement of a classical piece of music, and then a small group of audience members bursts into enthusiastic applause, only to find the rest of the audience - those "in the know" - glaring back at them, letting them know quite clearly that a terrible faux pas has been committed. Yet in reality, this is a strange tradition that was adopted long after the lives of Mozart and Beethoven. The idea that one can not judge a work, or a performance, even with applause, until the final note falls silent is a construct of the late-Romantic period, when composers like Richard Wagner took their music far too seriously. Some composers such as Richard Strauss solved the problem by writing epic single movement "Tone Poems" rather than symphonies.

Well, in my opinion the tradition has become rather absurd. Particularly when it comes to the flashy showpieces that the opening movements of concertos are. But also in the world of symphonies. I agree with Ax - that the music should direct the response. Conductors can convey this to an audience - though some refuse to - showing when the silence between movements is really not a break, but part of the mood. And by welcoming the joy that comes with an appreciative audiences response to a spectacular performance - even between movements.

In the world of jazz, audience response often comes during the music - applause for soloists, shouts of appreciation for amazing licks, cheering for dramatic moments of ensemble virtuosity. This is a world where the audience is a part of the experience - not just a passive listener. That's the world I want to live in - even at Symphony Hall.

Read Emanuel Ax's blog post on inter-movement applause here. Read the Boston Globe article that further elaborates on the topic here. And thanks to Chip Noon for bringing this to my attention via a Twitter comment!

Let The Right One In

2009-01-17T21:45:00.003-05:00

Katie and I just went to The Music Hall where we saw the Swedish film Let The Right One In. It was one of the best vampire movies I've ever seen - with an absolutely amazing and original screenplay. Brilliant! It's playing at The Music Hall for a few more nights, I think, so if you get a chance, check it out. Not one for the kids. While a bit bloody (it is a vampire flick, after all), it is not a horror movie so much as a drama/thriller/love story. It is about the relationship between a 12 year old and a "12 year old" vampire. (She says she's 12, but that she's been 12 for a very long time.) Beautifully directed, the script is so faithful to vampire lore, it is quite spectacular, without being grandiose. Second film I've been to this year, and I have to say the best by far. (OK, the first was Bedtime Stories with Adam Sandler - one for the kids.)

The final plane has left the island

2009-01-15T09:40:00.004-05:00

Ricardo Montalban has passed away at the age of 88. Fantasy Island was required viewing for my brother, sisters and I in the 1970s - immediately following The Love Boat on ABC every Saturday night. Simpler times...Read more here.

New Release by The Bad Plus

2009-01-14T21:59:00.002-05:00

The Bad Plus is releasing a new CD on February 3rd (the week of PMAC's Jazz Night, FYI), titled For All I Care with vocalist Wendy Lewis. I am really eager to hear this CD, as The Bad Plus are phenomenal. I'm a bit nervous as early reviews on the net are not great. But I'll wait to hear the recording before forming an opinion. They'll be at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on April 3rd. If you haven't seen them live, I HIGHLY recommend it.

The Tan Vampires at The Red Door

2009-01-13T10:54:00.002-05:00

The band and venue seemed a match in heaven. The Tan Vampires played The Red Door last night, and even though they weren't listed at the headliner, they closed the show in the Red Door tradition of the headliner having to travel farther, therefore playing earlier in the show. But for the audience, the ordering seemed correct, as the stripped down music of Pictish Trail and Viking Moses was a fitting prelude to the six-piece band. It wasn't until the band went on stage that I realized that half of the group teaches at PMAC. I knew Mike Effenberger was a member, but I didn't know the group also features Nick Phaneuf on guitar and Chris Klaxton on trumpet.

TV has a classic 21st century indie sound. Interesting layers and no focus on individuals other than the lead singer. There were no solos to speak of - Klaxton was underutilized in my opinion, but Katie pointed out that his role fit in the band as a whole, a cog in an intricate machine of sound. They'll be at The Barley Pub in Dover on January 27th - I highly recommend them.

Gearing up for the 2009 RPM Challenge

2009-01-11T08:50:00.002-05:00

This will be my third year participating in RPM. In 2007 I recorded my own album, Eclecticality, and produced the first Poo Poo Platters CD. In 2008 I was sick for much of the month, so I only produced the PPP, and never had a chance to record an album of my own. Hopefully the health gods will be on my side this year and I'll be able to both record the third offering of the PPP and an album of my own. I've begun the process of brainstorming what I want this album to be. I might even attempt to post my tracks here as I record them - like the much esteemed Kim Vermillion. We'll see. Regardless, the PPP, are in top form and will be posting their tunes on their MySpace page as throughout February as they record.

Annoying fact: The "N" on my laptop keyboard is starting to fail. Any advice for quick keyboard fixes? It is currently working only about 70% of the time and I have a hunch that it will quickly decline if not addressed.

Kim Vermillions new songs

2009-01-10T13:49:00.006-05:00

Kim Vermillion, one half of the sisterly duo Vermillion Lies, is writing and recording a song every day for the month of January. (Sound familiar RPM Challengers?) The first nine are posted on her blog and she adds one each day. I am planning on pariticipating in this year's challenge and, of course, The Poo Poo Platters will be recording a new CD as well. Listening to Kim's songs is a great way to get in the mood for another long month. (RPM always seems to make the 28 days of February seem longer than any other month of the year!)

1st PMAC Performance of 2009

2009-01-10T13:27:00.002-05:00

Last night we had our first PMAC concert of 2009 - the make-up concert for the holiday show that was postponed last month due to the ice storm power outages. (Hard to believe that just 4 weeks ago much of NH was without power.)

The concert featured the PMAC Adult Jazz Band, The Portsmouth Men's Chorus, and the New Horizons Band. These three adult students ensembles are fun to listen to and an inspiration to all of us. Populated by adults who made music as a child, but stopped and have returned to music years later, or adults who never played a musical instrument (or sung), comming to music for the first time.

All of these adult groups, plus the Blues Band, string ensemble, flute choir, and saxophone ensemble will begin new sessions during the last week of January. If you have ever thought about trying music in an ensemble setting, maybe now is the time.

Amanda Palmer and Warner

2009-01-09T07:11:00.005-05:00

Nine days into the new year - time for a diatribe!

Funny story - one I heard from Amanda Palmer (she told the entire audience from the stage, and also from reading her blog), and from various other blogs and people. I don't know every detail, but think I have the gist of the story - please correct me if I'm wrong.

Amanda's a musician - one-half of the punk cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls, and currently touring her first solo effort, Who Killed Amanda Palmer? She has put out several CDs on Roadrunner Records, which was purchased a while back by Warner. It is therefore now a "Major Label," susceptible to idiotic ideas like forcing YouTube to remove videos of all of their artists by threatening legal action (Amanda's and the Doll's videos included).

Amanda and the label have been having a bit of a tiff lately. You see, the Label would like to see some "hits" written and performed by Amanda. I guess they want her to get some radio airplay exposure - like that is where it's at in the music business. Can anyone tell me (WITHOUT GOOGLING IT) who is number one on the charts this week? What song is at number one? I don't know who's been in the top ten in the past DECADE and I listen to TONS of music. I guess Coldplay's probably been there, but I don't know for sure. I just don't listen to the radio (with the two exceptions of NPR and our fabulous local community radio, WSCA 106.1 FM Portsmouth).

The label also got upset over a video in which Amanda's belly (her preferred term for her midriff) is exposed. Of course it's not because she's exposing skin - she keeps way more covered up than say, The Pussycat Dolls or Britney (ok, that's not saying much). They're upset because they think she could lose a bit of weight. Give me a break. She's TINY. What do they want, Lara Flynn Boyle?

What Roadrunner, and Warner in turn, doesn't get is that Amanda is actually DOING things to promote the CDs on their Label. Not just being ushered by handlers onto the sets of irrelevent MTV shows and DJ interviews. She has connected with a fanbase. Hasn't anyone at Warner taken a marketing class? She has LOYAL fans. They buy CDS - not download singles. They listen to and learn EVERY song. Buy concert tickets and merchandise. Why not work on building on her strengths? I'll tell you why. Because that's not where the instant buck is. Sure, a small team of people can make a decent living for a long time working together to connect with a finite fan base. But where are the big corporate dollars? What will be Amanda's "Who Let The Dogs Out?"?

This year we MIGHT get to finally see if a well-oiled machine can succeed doing what Amanda does, but on a larger scale. Without a Major Label. I'm eager to see what happens with Prince's new online effort. He's never been a friend to Major Labels. And this year he will release three albums on his own. Warner and every other label should be watching this story carefully. Because there are artists out there, signed by the labels already, artists like Amanda Palmer, who are poised to find success in this new paradigm. Will the labels help? Or will they die? We'll see.

Forever young

2009-01-08T22:43:00.002-05:00

Larry Bell, my first composition teacher, once told me that the key to compositional creativity is never losing your youth. What he meant was never forgetting how to be young, fresh. Can you call back the feeling of college, high school, middle school, or younger at a moments notice? Can you look at the world as if you've never seen it before? Find wonder in things that have become familiar? It's easier said than done. And worth the effort. Never forget.

Some interesting concert possibilities for 2009

2009-01-07T21:03:00.003-05:00

The Books are playing at Boston's ICA in April - that's where Katie and I caught John Zorn and Masada last year. I was introduced to The Books by PMAC piano department chair Mike Effenberger in this guest blog post.

Philip Glass will be in town with his ensemble at The Music Hall this spring. Still a chance some PMAC students may get to interact with Glass or one of his musicians during their visit.

Ani DiFranco will also be at The Music Hall - Katie will be there!

On March 29th, the wonderful radio/tv series "From the Top" will be at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall in Boston.

On April 3rd, The Bad Plus will be at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston. Would love to see them for a third time in as many years!

Prince is releasing not one, not two, but THREE albums in 2009. Could there be a tour in the works? Man, I want to be at that show, since I never got to see him in the 80's.

And I'll be regularly checking the calendars at some of the area's top live music venues: The Music Hall, The Space (Portland), The Press Room, among many, many others.

Klaxton at The Press Room

2009-01-06T06:50:00.003-05:00

Katie and I made our first trip of the new year to The Press Room last night to hear Chris Klaxton and friends. It was amazing how different the atmosphere is when the entire band is under the age of 30. Monday night jazz is a staple of the pub, but it can be hit or miss. Klaxton's band was tight, and I was amazed at the subtlty of the drummer - I'll have to ask Chris who he is. The excellent guitarist was also unfamiliar. Jim Clark was solid, as always, on bass. Chris is developing into an amazing jazz artist. Each time I hear him he explores new ground with his trumpet. Last night he was definitely ON. It's great to see young performers grow into their shoes, and Chris has definitely arrived.

Looking forward to playing with Chris next month at PMAC's second annual Jazz Night at the West End Studio Theatre. Tickets went on sale yesterday - we sold out both shows last year so if you're in the area and interested, call PMAC at 603-431-4278 and buy your tickets ASAP. The shows are at 7 & 9 pm on Saturday, February 7th here in Portsmouth.

I won't give away our setlist, but I will say that at one point in the evening we will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Miles' Kind of Blue. In addition to my contribution on saxes and Chris on trumpet, Nicole Hajj will be singing, Matt Langley will be playing saxes, Bryan Bergeron-Killough on guitar, Jeff Auger on keys, Nate Therrien on bass, and Mike Walsh will be manning the drum kit.

Volcano and Snow

2009-01-04T20:11:00.005-05:00

Katie and I took the boys to an all ages show yesterday afternoon at the Brick House in Dover. The first band, one we've seen a couple of times, is really coming together - great job guys! They are "Man Down":

Next up, the band we went to see: "Felix and Volcano":

We love this band and their Cure influenced sound because they have a most special keyboard player/singer - our boys' babysitter Sydney:

And I'm finally getting around to posting some pictures of our New Year's Eve snowstorm. Not the biggest of the year, but big enough. Here are some street shots in front of the house:

Happy New Year, again!

Current Listening

2009-01-03T15:21:00.002-05:00

Shamelessly Sassy recently twittered a request for new music, asking what people are listening to. I gave a brief twitter response, but have thought more about it since then. Here are some CDs I spent a lot of time listening to in 2008. They are not all new recordings, just recordings I've spent a lot of time with this past year. I highly recommend all of them (listed in no particular order):

Who Killed Amanda Palmer? - Amanda Palmer
Let Freedom Ring - Jackie McLean
Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys
No, Virginia - The Dresden Dolls
Widow City - The Fiery Furnaces
In Rainbows - Radiohead
The Way To Normal - Ben Folds
Soviet Kitsch - Regina Spektor
Rise Above - The Dirty Projectors
Viva la Vida - Coldplay
Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
The Odd Couple - Gnarls Barkley
The White Album - The Beatles

I'm eager for new listening - any recommendations?

Will the recording industry ever get it?

2009-01-02T13:35:00.002-05:00

The latest in the ongoing saga of declining CD sales from MSNBC:

"Album Sales Plunge, Digital Downloads Up"

This is not the economy. This is the decline and immenent demise of an antiquated business model. The recording industry is still trying to behave as if they are selling vinyl in 1975.

Here's the problem: Popular music sales are driven by kids. When my mother was a teenager, she accumulated a large collection of 45s (for the kids out there, I'm refering to 7 inch 45 RPM Vinyl record singles). She would spend the week eagerly waiting for the weekend so she could go add to her collection with the latest from Elvis or the Everly Brothers. Like most people, she hit her music consumer peak in her early teens. Sorry, but adults make up a fraction of the music market. Sure, we buy CDs, listen to music, have collections - but it is not like kids.

My son took his Christmas money and went out and bought a dozen CDs. Why? Because he's my son and is not yet into downloadable media. (Yes, I'm old fashioned and severely limit his online time.) But most kids are already there, and he'll be there by the time we ring in 2010. And while he bought CDs this year, the new MP3 player he got for Christmas will change all that. He'll be downloading soon. And the CD sales numbers will decline again next year.

Sorry, but labels are quickly becoming a thing of the past. (I can't wait until they want a Congressional bailout!) The internet is here - no longer the future. They haven't figured out how to make money there because they haven't figured out how to identify talent the right way. Sorry, but while Katy Perry may move a ton of tracks this year, she has no legs in internet terms. Not unless she really becomes an "artist" and not just an "act".

I could ramble on forever, but I'll just say this: the time for independent artists has arrived. They will lead the way and show the corporate WORLD (not America, the world)how it is done.

Yes, I actually did this and I'm going to tell you...

2009-01-01T20:32:00.002-05:00

It's a bit embarassing. Our family went to the movies today with another family, close friends. "Bedtime Stories" with Adam Sandler - not much to report there. Afterwards we all decided to go bowling. I took our car with all the kids and my friend (the husband) and my wife went in their car with our friend (the wife). When I got to my car I couldn't unlock any door. It was FREEZING out. Frozen locks. Lucky for cell phones. I called my wife to come to the rescue. We brought the kids into a local restaurant, out of the cold while we waited for them to return. When the wives returned with lock de-icer I discovered, much to my embarassment that my locks were not frozen. Since my car was actually about six parking spaces down the aisle from the identical make and model that I was trying to get into. Happy New Year.

p.s.- My wife and I first met in our college parking lot in 1989 as I tried to get into my car in which my keys were inadvertantly locked. Yes, she is very understanding.

Should auld aquaintance be forgot...

2008-12-31T07:48:00.003-05:00

New Years Resolutions for 2009

1) Be aware - understand where you are and what you are doing at all times and take control (easier said than done)
2) Be organized - not just with calendars and task lists, but in all areas of life
3) Be alive - don't forget to take time for yourself to live the life you want
4) Be kind - to those you know and those you meet
5) Be inquisitive - always ask questions, never stop learning
6) Be patient - all good things take time
7) Be appreciative - never forget all you have
8) Be frugal - not cheap, but efficient and wise with all resources
9) Be forthright - always understand your situation and never fear honesty with peers
10) Be

Different type of list than years past. I guess I get more serious about this stuff as I get older. Happy New Year!

Reading over the break

2008-12-30T22:57:00.002-05:00

While PMAC is closed for holiday break, I've been doing some catching up on my reading. As you can see in my Shelfari bookshelf (in my sidebar), I've been working on Alex Ross' "The Rest is Noise" for some time. I had actually put the book down for a bit and just picked it up again last week. I chose to start from the beginning again, and this time I've been following up my reading with listening to the audio examples Ross has provided on his website www.therestisnoise.com. I am familiar with much of the music from my years at Peabody and the University of Chicago (and Boston Conservatory, though I didn't listen so much as practice and compose constantly in those days), as well as through my own personal listening and concert-going, but it has been refreshing to go back and skip around from piece to piece, following Ross' perspective. I highly recommend this book for any music lover, especially those who don't "get" the music of the 20th century ("classical" concert music, not pop or jazz). The audio guide at the website makes the read that much better. It is amazing to put new technology to good educational use. The many publishers and labels that gave permission for the posting of excerpts should be commended, and hopefully they will see an increase in interest for this amazing music.

Freddie Hubbard 1938-2008

2008-12-29T20:35:00.002-05:00

Jazz has lost another of its great icons. For more, read here.

Top Ten Concerts of 2008

2008-12-26T09:25:00.009-05:00

As is tradition on this blog, I now give you the top ten concerts that I attended in 2008. It was a particularly good year for me, having seen and heard several of my favorite musicians for the first time (The Fiery Furnaces, Ben Folds, The Fringe, Radiohead, Masada). I am also happy to have frequented many of my favorite venues for live music - The Music Hall, The Press Room, The Space and Jordan Hall. Additionally, my sons find themselves at number 10 this year, off to an auspicious start - though I am their dad, so it would be hard to leave them off my top ten! It was a very good year.

10. Rush, Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, NH - and - The Poo Poo Platters, The Stratham Fair, Stratham, NH
I grouped these two events together because they were both special to our family. Rush was the first major rock concert we brought our two sons to (ages 9 and 11 at the time) and, of course, our two sons make up the duo known to the world as The Poo Poo Platters. Their August show at The Stratham Fair was nearly an hour long, a significant accomplishment for musicians their age. Check out a video clip from that show, an original tune titled Splat, here.

9. The NEC Jazz Big Band plays the Music of Charles Mingus, Jordan Hall, Boston, MA
Katie and I drove to Boston earlier this month to catch Nate Therrien, who teaches bass at PMAC, in this group. A rare opporunity to hear the music of Mingus in its large-scale glory, this group of student musicians (though they are all essentially at a professional level, many having played professionally for some time) brought the house down. Bravo!

8. The Fringe, The Press Room, Portsmouth, NH
Saxophonist George Garzone, bassist John Lockwood, and drummer Bob Gullotti make up this "free jazz" trio. An ensemble that explores timbre with the utmost intensity. Hearing them in the intimate setting of The Press Room was pure joy.

7. Ben Folds, The Orpheum, Boston, MA
A quirky show in which Folds spent 75 minutes playing music exclusively from his latest recording The Way to Normal, followed by four popular tunes as encores. Way too short, giving true meaning to "leaving them wanting more."

6. Joshua Bell, The Music Hall, Portsmouth, NH
In top form, Bell wowed the audience with repertoire from Tartini to Prokofiev. It was wonderful to hear such gorgeous, unamplified chamber music in the acoustically magical Music Hall. Accompanied by Jeremy Denk, this was one of the few classical concerts I attended this year - and I'm still not sure why classical music was not a priority for me. I'll need to fix that in 2009!

5. John Zorn and Masada, The Institue of Contemporary Art, Boston, MA
Tickets to this show were a gift from Katie and it quickly became one of the best gifts I've ever received when we arrived at the venue to discover that not only would the music of Zorn be performed by a wonderful classical duo (as was advertised) but that Zorn's amazing quartet, Masada, would perform that evening as well. The last minute change in program had to do with a world premiere that was not yet ready for performance, but the end result was that I got to hear one of my favorite bands for the first time. Zorn's alto playing in Masada is unique in the most amazing way. What a joy.

4. World Inferno Friendship Society, The Space, Portland, ME
As soon as we heard Brian Viglione had joined this amazing lineup, we were determined to go see this band. Amazing punk cabaret with full horn section, it was a great show. Can't wait to see them again.

3. The Fiery Furnaces, The Space, Portland, ME
In late 2007 I discovered this amazing band and they quickly became one of my favorites. I was thrilled to get the opportunity to head up to Portland last January with Katie, Anna and Jose to catch these guys. Amazing show. All I can say is that I was blown away.

2.Amanda Palmer with The Boston Pops, Symphony Hall, Boston, MA - and - Amanda Palmer, The Paradise, Boston, MA
While last year was "The Year of the Dresden Dolls", this year Amanda Palmer struck out on her own with her first solo release, Who Killed Amanda Palmer? In June she launched her world tour with two nights at Symphony Hall as a part of the Boston Pops' Edgefest. Keith Lockhart's direction was true to Amanda's theatrical nature and Brian Viglione made a wonderful guest appearance to sing "What A Wonderful World" and the Dolls anthem "Sing". Then, in November, Amanda was back in Boston, this time in her more usual setting at The Paradise. Performing with Australia's Danger Ensemble, an experimental theater troupe, Amanda was in top form. It was wonderful to finally see her twice post-vocal chord surgery. Can't wait for the next show.

1. Radiohead, The Tweeter Center, Mansfield, MA
Finally, Katie and I caught Radiohead last August. We LOVE them! And the show did not disappoint. In fact, we were happily surprised when they devoted a significant amount of the show to playing tune from one of our favorite albums, Kid A. With a light show that blew away anything we've seen and the best sound of any rock concert I've ever attended, this had to make the top of my list.

Honorable Mention: True Colors Tour, year two, with Cyndi Lauper, The B-52s, Regina Spektor, The Clicks, Rosie O'Donnell and more, Bank of America Pavillion, Boston, MA
We went to this show specifically to see Regina Spektor and she was amazing. The only problem was that she performed early on in the evening at the festival event, so the audience was less than great. Basically, everyone was there to dance to Cyndi Lauper and The B-52s and the subtlety of Spektor's one-woman show was lost on most of the crowd. It was our first time seeing 80's icons The B-52s and they were the did not let down - the party band of the century. Not sure if it will become an annual trek, but Cyndi Lauper is doing a wonderful thing for the Human Rights Campaign and we were proud to be there again.

Here's to another amazing year of music in 2009!

Been Busy!

2008-11-05T06:23:00.003-05:00

Tonight Katie and I are off to Portland to see the World Inferno Friendship Society. Very excited to hear them live. My sister Ruth is visiting from Seattle and she'll be coming to the concert with us. I'll post about the show in the coming days.

Rock on!

Faculty Guest - Cathy Meyer

2008-10-30T15:04:00.002-04:00

Cathy Meyer teaches art classes for children at PMAC, focusing in early childhood education. I have seen the movie she mentions, and agree that it is quite thought-provoking. Here are Cathy's answer's to October's questions:

Who was my most inspiring teacher?
One of my professors, Philia Yi. She introduced me to printmaking and to silkscreening as fine art, which I just fell in love with. She also helped me explore abstract art and dynamic movement within a piece, which I strive for still in my own work. She was incredibly enthusiastic, open minded and she pushed me hard in a very subtle and motivating way.

What is the most recent art exhibit you attended?
Early this fall I visited the Ogunquit Museum of American Art. I had never been there before. What an amazing location!! I was really taken with Robert Eric Moore's watercolors. They all have this incredible sense of movement within them, which always intrigues me. They dealt with the land and the water and some depicted animals or birds (in my mind he could have left out the critters and still had beautiful works of art), but I love the way he also scratched the paper to achieve some super detail and texture. I don't know if they are still there now, but if they are, check his work out.

What is my favorite movie about an artist?
Well, I guess I am going to change this question if that's ok, as a documentary that my husband and I saw recently jumped into my mind and stuck there when I read this question. So it's not my favorite movie per se, but a fascinating one that really brings up some great questions for debate about art - watch it with friends who like to debate all the angles! It is called "My Kid Could Paint That" about a four year old artist, Marla, who ends up showing her abstract works in galleries.

Where is the most unusual space you have exhibited your art?
I once exhibited at a yoga studio. Great people, nice space too! There are so many opportunities for artists to get their work out there these days.

Faculty Guest - Virginia Macdonald

2008-10-15T17:39:00.003-04:00

Ginna teaches clarinet, saxophone, and early childhood music classes including Jump Start Piano for 4 and 5 year old students. She has been with PMAC from the very beginning and has recently begun her studies for a Masters Degree in Music Therapy. Here are her responses to a few of my questions:

What was the most recent concert you attended? Did you like it? Why or why not?
I attended The Fab Faux's concert at Berklee. They are touted as the best Beatle's tribute band around and they did not disappoint! No synthesizers for the winds or strings - real people - right down to the piccolo trumpet solo on Penny Lane. Their specialty is the music from the Beatles' psychedelic years - the things they did not perform live, but with modern technology can be done.

At what age did you decide to become a professional musician or artist? How did you come to that decision?
I've always thought of myself as a band weenie. I was probably 16, but sometime in high school I decided that I wanted to be a high school band director. My high school had such a great program and our director Jeff Smith took us to the World's Fair, the Cherry Blossom parade in DC, and Mardi Gras. If it were not for music during those years, I don't know where my life might have gone. Music has gotten me through a lot. I am looking forward to learning all that I can on music's healing benefits as I pursue my graduate degree in Music Therapy. I'm loving it so far!

What advice do you have for a young student who is considering art or music as a career?
Look at all the possibilities. I was only aware of performance and education. There are so many careers in music that are not as apparent as others. I didn't even hear about the field of music therapy until I was an adult, although it has been around for 50 years or more.

What is your favorite movie about an artist or musician?
One that really sticks with me is Dancer In The Dark. Bjork stars in this musical about a woman who is working so hard to prevent her son from her fate of losing sight. Her dreamworld revolves around all the sounds she hears and the songs are truly beautiful. It is a heart-wrenching film and you may want some tissues nearby.

Faculty Guest - Mark Zielinski

2008-10-12T08:54:00.002-04:00

Mark is one of PMAC's trumpet instructors. In addition to teaching at PMAC, he is currently teaching a class at UNH in the Music Department. With an extensive background in music education, Mark is a wonderful teacher, conductor and trumpet player. Here are his answers to a few of my questions:

Who was your most important/inspiring teacher/mentor and why?
All of my private teachers and collegiate band directors. I learned a lot from every one of them, just at different stages in my development, so I can't say that one was more significant than another. They all shaped me into who I am now.

What was the most unusual performance you've given? Or most unusual venue you've performed at?
Playing in a Madrigal Dinner concert. We had to wear outfits typical of that time in history (Renaissance Period - 15th and 16th century) and play fanfares on piccolo trumpets. It is not like performing in a suit or tuxedo.

What album/CD do you love to listen to that you think others would be surprised to hear you like?
I like to listen to bluegrass music sometimes; not your typical trumpet player "stuff".

What advice do you have for a young student who is considering art or music as a career?
My advice would be to work hard at it. You will find that the harder you work at it, the more you will like it!

Disc Golfing in Vermont

2008-10-09T08:07:00.002-04:00

I haven't been able to blog for the past week because I took a five day vacation to Vermont - no internet access, very little cell reception - to play in a disc golf tournament. I won't reveal how I did, but it wasn't pretty. Here is a nice photo of me throwing a disc - I don't remember the details of this particular shot, but I assume it probably hit a tree and rolled into some nasty thorn bushes.

Faculty Guest - Dick Ray

2008-10-02T07:06:00.003-04:00

Next up: Dick Ray, PMAC's guest conductor for the fall session of the Portsmouth Men's Chorus. Formerly the choral director at Winnacunnet High School in Hampton, Dick has a long and interesting history as a musician, including being the leader of the well known rock band, The Spectras.

Name a musician who is relatively unknown, but whose work you think everyone should hear. Name examples of recordings if possible.
Bobby McFerrin is a singer/composer who is relatively unknown and if people do know of him, it may only be through his 1988 Top 40 hit “Don’t Worry Be Happy,” but you really don’t get the full picture of this man’s capabilities from that one song. He is perhaps the most amazing vocal artist I have had the pleasure of hearing in the past 40 years. His live, one-man concerts are jaw-dropping. He has the ability to sing a bass line, accompaniment, and melodic line all at the same time one note at a time but arranged so cleverly that you can’t believe all that music is coming from just one set of vocal chords.
To become further aquainted with his work I would recommend listening to two albums: Voice and Spontaneous Inventions. You’re in for a real treat!

Who was your most important/inspiring teacher/mentor and why?
Without a doubt, my most important music teacher and mentor was my father. He was not a trained musician or a singer, but what he imparted to me through years of personal example was that music was fun, it could be something you can do your whole life, and it can be approached on a lot of different skill levels for enjoyment. He taught my brothers and me how to sing vocal harmonies and to be part-independent when we were not yet in first grade! As we grew older, it became a family tradition to ‘bring out the books’ after dinner and sing four-part men choral arrangements. This simple love of the choral art was deeply etched on my soul by my dad, and I have tried to pass that tradition on to my two sons and daughter as well. It all started with a man who loved to sing.

What was the most unusual performance you've given? Or most unusual venue you've performed at?
I think the most unusual performance I ever gave was in the summer of 1968 when my rock band, The Spectras, opened for the Beach Boys at the Hampton Beach Casino. There were over 6,000 people jammed shoulder to shoulder on the floor, so that when you looked out at the crowd from the stage, all you saw was a floating sea of heads. It felt like we were on a bobbing life raft, and before long I actually began to experience some motion sickness! I looked over at the other guys in the band and they were looking a little green also! But we put on our stage face and drove on through the set without getting sick.

At what age did you decide to become a professional musician or artist? How did you come to that decision?
I was 17 years old and a freshman at UNH majoring in Chemical Engineering. I could do the science and the math, but I just felt that I wasn’t emotionally invested in that career path. I wanted to be two things – for the near term, I wanted to be a touring rock and roll star, and for the long term I wanted to be a high school music teacher. The rock star thing actually came to fruition on a regional level. As I look back at that experience, it was simply a way to feed my giant teenage ego and to get girls to notice me. The teaching thing went much deeper. I had had some wonderful high school music teachers, and I wanted to pass that experience on to other high school kids.

What is your favorite movie about an artist or musician?
I think my favorite movie about a musician is “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” probably because I feel like I’m watching my own life story when I see that film. I love the way he begins teaching music as a way to make ends meet while pursuing a career in another aspect of music (composing), but is slowly drawn in to the wonder and beauty of teaching music to high school kids. In the end he realizes that as he retires, the thousands of students he has taught over his career are his most important opus, and will have far more impact on the future than any composition he might have written. It can be a bit corny in spots, but on the whole, for me, it is deeply meaningful.

Faculty Guest - Jose Duque

2008-10-01T06:50:00.003-04:00

In October, several of the PMAC faculty will be featured on the blog. I've asked all of them a series of questions - ten questions to be exact - and asked them to answer at least four of them, to be posted on the blog. Today we begin with Jose Duque, who answered eight of the ten questions. Jose is the drum instructor for PMAC. For more about Jose and his music, visit his website www.zumbatres.com.

Name a musician who is relatively unknown, but whose work you think everyone should hear. Name examples of recordings if possible.
Nguyen Le' , an incredible French guitarist of Vietnamese descent, very unortodox way of playing, and great compositions, I would recomend, his album BAKIDA, it's gorgeus

Who was your most important/inspiring teacher/mentor and why?
I think mentors change according to your growth as a person and musician, at the beginning were all those drummers in the records I listened to, Bruford, Peart, Taylor, Mosley, Negus...then my drum teacher back home, a Cuban Master drummer, nick named Tutty, as of late in life, Jon Hazilla, my teacher at Berklee....a great source from whom I learned jazz, and lately my friend from back home, Pablo Bencid, a superb drummer, and a friend

What was the most unusual performance you've given?
Playing at a beauty pageant contests back home, in which after setting up, we never got a chance to play because time constrictions.

What was the most recent concert you attended? Did you like it? Why or why not?
RADIOHEAD, incredible, I like it coz it was definitelly a conveying of how rock music should sound today, incredible songwriting craftsmanship and performance

What album/CD do you love to listen to that you think others would be surprised to hear you like?
ARVO PART, TE DEUM, Scandinavian composer, very subtle and beautiful

At what age did you decide to become a professional musician or artist? How did you come to that decision?
I played drums since I was 12, but it wasn't until I was in college back home that I started doing gigs, around 23 I decided that Psychology wasn't my thing, so i went to music school, was hard, my dad didn't talk to me for 3 or 4 months

As a child, who was your favorite composer or artist? Are they still among your favorites? Why or why not?
BILL BRUFORD, and still is!!

What is your favorite movie about an artist or musician?
BIRD, by Clint Eastwood

Mission Accomplished (month 1)

2008-09-30T21:40:00.002-04:00

If you've been reading along, you'll remember my post of September 1st, when I decided to choose a daily challenge for each month of the coming year (September - August) and stick to whatever I chose to do. If it is not obvious, I chose to write every day in my blog for the month of Septmber. With this entry, I've accomplished that goal. It wasn't as difficult as I first thought, though I think it is the first time I've actually written every day for a month. My hope is that it has become a habit and I'll continue to write regularly in the blog. Which, in a way, is my hope for every activity I choose.

So, for the month of October, I will be writing a new work for solo piano. My goal is to compose every day of the month, and end up with a new work for solo piano on October 31st. I'll write about this journey in my blog, so I don't abandon all the work I did in September.

And if you have been reading, thanks for coming along for the ride.

More on scales in thirds

2008-09-29T16:43:00.002-04:00

To add to the previous post, once you've mastered the G major scale in thirds (for saxophonists - I recommend different scale starting points depending on the instrument) you can try the same process on other scales. C major naturally comes next (pun intended), and then I recommend F major. Then D major and B-flat major. With the exception of G major, these scales can be played up and down two full octaves. (G major can too, once you learn your altissimo range - but I'll save that topic for another day.)

Once you've mastered these first five major scales, I recommend moving on to minor scales, using the melodic minor at first. Many good saxophone instruction books introduce the major and minor scales, so I won't go into detail here about the various scale degrees - I'll just say that playing scales, including playing them in thirds, is a wonderful way to improve your playing ability.

Putting these ideas on the blog make me think that I should take the time to write a method book. I've been teaching saxophone now for over 20 years and its time I share some of what I've learned with others. The trick will be finding the time to write it! We'll see...

Scales in thirds

2008-09-28T19:49:00.003-04:00

I just received an e-mail from one of my Chautauqua saxophonists - so wonderful to hear from her. In the e-mail she asked about playing scales in thirds, an exercise I introduced to the Chautauqua saxophonists during the camp. Playing thirds in G major is a great warm-up on saxophone. Just remember that the notes are the same as a G major scale:

G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G

When you ascend a scale playing in thirds, you skip a note, and then come back down to the note you skipped, then repeat the process, until you descend to the high G:

Starting on low G:
G - B - A - C - B - D - C - E - D - F# - E - G - F# - A - G
(Ending on high G)

Coming back down the scale, you again skip a note, and then come back up to the note you skipped and repeat:

Starting on high G:
G - E - F# - D - E - C - D - B - C - A - B - G - A - F# - G
(Ending on low G)

Practice this slowly, and try to hear the pattern. It is best to learn it well enough to play by memory.

I'll try to post more tips for saxophonists in the future, since I hear some of the Chautauqua saxes have been reading this blog. Let me know what you think in the comments section! Or feel free to e-mail me at russ@pmaconline.org.