Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all!!










And... a Happy NEW YEAR!

Torq Percussion Quartet - "Martian Tribes"

THis one is my absolute favorite! A must see!

Torq Percussion Quartet - "Stinkin' Garbage"

So fuN!

Sleep on Marimba Quartet

I saw this on Eric Whitacre's blog, and I wanted to post it too! It's so amazing!! I cried.



A promotional video for TorQ Percussion Quartet.
Check out www.torqpercussion.ca for more information!

Played by Richard Burrows, Adam Campbell, Jamie Drake and Daniel Morphy

Exciting News!

Well,
this is just some exciting news that I recieved today!

On Monday, December 8, 2008, I auditioned as an alto for the Vermont High School Winter Districts Choir this year!

Today, Wednesday, December 10, 2008, I got in! It's so exciting! As a sophmore in highschool, this is big news!

I'm not sure when the concert is, or what school we are performing, but, I'll keep you posted! =D

Oh, and one other thing:
My school christmas concert is this Friday at Mid Vermont Christian School in Queeche, Vermont, at 7:00 p.m. If your interested, please come! I'm an alto this christmas! Last year, I was a soprano. Anways, we are singing some good ole christmas carols and two pieces by Palestrina! Well, I'm singing two because I am also in Chamber Choir. =D PLEASE COME and have the concert of your life!

just kidding...

Elgar - Nimrod from Enigma Variations

Bach: Piano Concerto No. 7

Performing on PIANO:
Glenn Gould *figures* =D

Stephen Collins Foster

Stephen Collins Foster is known as the “Father of American Music” who lived from 1826 to 1864. His music is seen and heard as the fundamentals to Americana, or listening to the history of the United States. He started to write music during the pre-Civil War period when the white culture and black culture were starting to mix to later create a new American culture. Foster’s music combines different cultures together creating an ideal American.

Stephen Foster was born on Independence Day, July 4, 1826. He was the ninth child out of ten brothers and sisters on a wealthy plantation owned by his father, William B. Foster and his mother, Eliza T. Foster. His family was known to be very lively and musical. Misfortune started in the Foster family when little Stephen’s father lost all of his immense properties and started to drink excessively and later died. It is said that longing for a home is one of the foundations behind his music. In 1832, when Stephen was six years old, the family moved to the hustle and bustle of the city of Pittsburgh.

The beginnings of Stephen’s music career started when he was seven years old browsing in a music store. He bought a flageolet and mastered the flute-like instrument. He was often made fun of and scolded by his mother for neglecting to do his school work and spending all his time on the flute. His interest in music started very young and by age fourteen he composed his first piece arranged for four flutes. Stephen loved singing and playing in the parlor to his family. As he got older, his friends and him would stay up all night composing plays and fun songs. Sadly, Stephen was also influenced by the making fun of black slaves. A lot of his little melodies with lyrics were supposed to be comical in a crude black dialect. At eighteen years old, he published his first song, “Open Thy Lattice Love.”

Eventually, because of the hardships sweeping across the country, Foster’s family pushed him to get a job and leave his music composing ideas. At age 20, he worked for his brother in a steamship firm in Cincinnati. Oddly enough, this encouraged Stephen’s passion for music and opened up even more newer ideas for the type of music he wanted to write. His office overlooked where the steamboats would dock and right across the river was Kentucky, a slave state. The racial tension going around America started to spark Foster’s mind into trying to compose music that would combine the different cultures of black slaves, white middle class men, and other immigrants coming into the country. He wished to have all people take pleasure in the music he wrote. “Oh! Susanna” became a big hit and was sung by people all over the different states which became the biggest hit the world had ever known.

Stephen Foster, now 24 years old, returned to Pittsburgh to launch his new career that he dreamed of having. A few months later, he married Jane Denny McDowell on July 22. Unfortunately, Jane was by no means musical and was very practical. Stephen Foster and Jane McDowell were complete opposites. Foster and Jane moved in with his family which was very crowded, and he worked locked in an upstairs studio. This was the only time in his life where he would stay disciplined in his work. He published 16 compositions and many more the next year. He kept his songwriting draft ideas in a sketchbook which is still readable to this day. In 1852, as a honeymoon, Jane and Stephen took a steamboat to New Orleans. This opened up even more doors for Stephen’s music. He had a great opportunity to study various music and poetic styles circulating in the immigrant populations in America!

During this certain period of time was a great downfall to Stephen Foster because there were no such thing as a music business. There was no system of publishers and agents competing to sell new songs, no “performing rights” fees, and no way of earning money with your written music either being played in people‘s homes or in concerts. The only way to earn money was by a 5 to 10 percent royalty on sheet music sales of your own editions by your original publisher, or through the outright purchase of a song by a publisher. There was absolutely no way to know whether or not you were being paid for all the copies your publisher sold as well because there were no attorneys specializing in author’s rights. There were no such thing as a copyright. Before Stephen Foster, the largest scale of sheet music was 5,000 sheets total. With “Oh! Susanna” alone there were 100,000 sheets throughout the states. Foster’s music publisher made tens of thousands of dollars and others profited from pirated versions of his sheet music. For the first time, Foster realized that he too could make money off of his written pieces of music! He never fully grasped the whole idea of making a career with profit making, but it gave great opportunities for other composers after Foster to take in mind how to make a living off of your compositions. People later learned from his mistakes and saw the need to protect your own artistic property. Foster never earned anything from his broadside printings of his lyrics, or from other publishers’ editions of his music. Today, he would be worth millions of dollars a year. Back then, he wasn’t worth anything, but popularity.

Stephen Collins Foster wanted so much to write music that could be widely understood by all groups and cultures in the states. He worked so hard at writing and sometimes took several months just to craft words, melody, and accompaniment before giving it to a publisher. His sketchbook shows that he often labored over the smallest of details, even a simple comma. Foster sought to give meaning to his songs and to have a sense that all people, regardless of their ethnic identities or social and economic class, share the same longings and needs for family and home. His mission was to have a sense of unity in music with white and black races in America. His song, “Old Folks at Home” became a huge hit within the white audience and black audiences. Slaves sang it in the cotton fields and white people played it with their families on the piano in the parlor, both with different images in their heads, but the singing the same thing. His most complex piece was probably the “Social Orchestra,” published in 1854, with 73 arrangements for flute, violin, piano, and other instruments. He was now known as “The Songwriter of America”!

After Stephen Foster’s peak, everything seemed to go downhill. His marriage was no longer because Jane separated him with their only daughter, Marion. His mother died of a stroke and his brother of tuberculosis in January 1855. Foster began to drink more and write less. The contracts ended with two of his only publishers, and he resorted to selling the future rights that he had to all his songs. He moved to New York City to try to save his career. His last song, with the help of George Cooper, was “Beautiful Dreamer” which was one of his most enduring songs. On January 10, 1864, Foster caught a fever and fell in his hotel room and somehow cut his neck. His chambermaid came and saw him lying on the ground in his pool of blood, and he was taken to a hospital three days later, only to die.

Stephen Collins Foster wrote 286 works in less than 20 years: 156 songs with piano accompaniment, 27 hymns, 5 piano pieces, 74 instrumental works and arrangements, 19 arrangements for guitar solo, two translations (from French and German), and three new lyrics to pre-existing melodies.

Foster was a man with a dream, who, with his misfortunes and period of time, did his best to unite America with music. His music has separate styles of songs including: American minstrel, German-art, Irish melodies, Scottish ballads, English pleasure garden style, Italian opera, and African-American religious music. His remarkable work of mixing these styles of music, symbolizes America’s mixture in culture, creating the distinctly American music!

Oh! Susanna Lyrics:

I come from Alabama with my Banjo on my knee I'se gwine to Lou'siana my true lub for to see. It rain'd all night de day I left, de wedder it was dry; The sun so hot I froze to def -- Susanna, don't you cry.

chorus: Oh! Susanna, do not cry for me; I come from Alabama, Wid my Banjo on my knee.

I jump'd aboard the telegraph and trabbled down de ribber, De lectrick fluid magnified, and kill'd five hundred Nigga. De bulgine bust and de hoss ran off, I really thought I'd die; I shut my eyes to hold my bref--Susanna don't you cry.

I had a dream de udder night, when ebry ting was still; I thought I saw Susanna dear, coming down de hill, De buckwheat cake was in her mouf, de tear was in her eye, I says, I'se coming from de souf, --Susanna don't you cry.

Just for Fun!

This is a fun little piece that I thought could give you boring music freaks a laugh!

Played by Victor Borge and Leonoid Hambro.

I'm also studying Chopin's Minute Waltz right now, which is so much fun! You almost have to make your hands dance for the waltz to actually work.

Celtic Thunder

I had the greatest opportunity to go and see Celtic Thunder in concert in Boston, Massachusetts last Tuesday (Oct. 27). Mom and I had heard about them after school from a good friend who had posted videos on facebook the day before. We immediatly fell in love and went and saw a concert the day after.


Who is Celtic Thunder?
It consists of five men ages ranging from 15 to 40! They are all so talented and have been singing from a very young age. All of them have different tastes in music and twist Irish folk in with some contemporary type of music. They are so amazing!! I recommend going to see them in concert!

Ryan Kelly (30) *cough, cough* also known as: Bad Boy - my favorite

Paul Byron (i think he's 29 too) the opera voice!

Keith Harkin (22), he sings Lauren and I, which he wrote!

Damian McGinty (16...amazing and so adorable!) He sings the famous, Puppy Love!



George Donaldson (41) the BASS
Here is them singing Heartland and Raggle Taggle Gypsy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDlUME7ATKg

Bach's Sinfonia No. 8

Played by Glenn Gould

Only Hope

This Saturday at Christ Community Church was our yearly Talent Show. This year I decided to sing Only Hope by Mandy Moore from the film, A Walk To Remember. This was filmed on my friend's camera so the sound is a bit distorted. I'm hoping that it sounded better live! =)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDn2ZAcwvqE

Bach: Two-Part Invention No. 4 in D Minor

Just felt like posting something!
Haha. Yeah, I'm playing this right now, and Glenn Gould makes it sound easy. Once again!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORyJS6r6_n4&feature=related

Music Theory Website

So. I am also taking a music theory class this year. My teacher showed us this totally awesome website that is so cool! haha. Yeah, so I thought I would just post it for ya'll.

www.musictheory.net

ENJOY!

Golden Ticket

This year as a sophmore, I decided to take Aural Skills as an elective. The first class we had was an introduction to Intervals. As he was talking, I could recall learning this in 7th grade and making a "golden ticket" with the UP intervals and DOWN intervals with songs to remember the intervals! So, I thought it would be cool to post my GOLDEN TICKET! Also, the ones highlighted in red were the ones I couldn't think up a song for. If anyone has any ideas, please say so! =)

"UP" intervals:
m2 - "Jaws"
M2 - "Happy Birthday"
m3 - "Lullaby"
M3 - "Oh When The Saints..."
P4 - "Amazing Grace"
P5 - "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star..."
m6 - "Go Down Moses"
M6 - "Dashing through the snow!"
m7 - ?? any ideas ???
M7 - "Maria..."
P8 - "Somewhere over the rainbow"

"DOWN" intervals:
m2 - "For the Beauty of the Earth"
M2 - "We Three Kings"
m3 - "He Leadeth Me"
M3 - "AmazING Grace"
P4 - "Born Free" or "Thy Word"
P5 - ?? any ideas ??
m6 - ?? any ideas ??
M6 - "God Will Make a Way"
m7 - ?? any ideas??
P8 - ?? any ideas??

MORE IDEAS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

The Stolen Child- Eric Whitacre

Ever since my choir at school has sung an Eric Whitacre piece, I've been obcessesed with his music. This is a beautiful piece that I really like. =) Enjoy!

http://ericwhitacre.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/the-stolen-child-world-premiere-with-recording/

Lessons to learn from the piano

I have just gotten off the piano bench.
It was a nightmare.
I had a piano lesson last week, and I left with tears in my eyes because it was a disaster. The thoughts running through my head was that I just had an off day. I realized just a few seconds ago that it wasn't "just an off day," but it was a day with little effort and determination.
Yes, that does sound a bit cheesy, but it is the truth.
I didn't want to open my piano bag or teacher's notebook because I knew that if I did, I would just get frustrated again and start to cry. What's the point if I just keep having "off days?" So, I thought a break would be good for me. I didn't practice for a week, just to cool off. Hmmm....from what just happened, that wasn't a good idea.
I started my warm-up Hanon. OUCH! It was awful. Terrible. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? I thought,
"ok...that didn't go well...my scales should be fine." HA! that's funny.
"Alright. I know. I'll run throught the Bach Invention and I'll be all set to go, and I can go back to the scales." Yeah, right.
"UGH!!! I GIVE UP!!!!" Well, that's what I thought.
I ended up still keep going even though I had already started to cry and just wanted to get the axe from the barn and cut my piano into pieces. I still kept going. I opened Scarlatti.
"Alright. You got this Alisha. Just hit all the right notes and add dynamics. I know you can do this." I hate this.
I was seriously fuming mad. BUT, I didn't walk away. I got into the most uncomfortable position, with my foot pressed against the piano. I bit my lip, and read through again my teacher's notes.
"I HAVE TO DO THIS. I CAN'T walk away. I've done that way too many times. Do it again. And Again. AND AGAIN!!!" SUCCES!
I finally got in the groove, and off my fingers went. It not only takes practice (which you can never get enough of...ahem....), but determination, willpower, and to keep in mind the purpose of why you are practicing. Why am I practicing? Why do I keep going? Why didn't I quit, and go get the axe? Why didn't I burn my piano books? WHY?
I play piano to worship God...the One who gave me the gift to play piano. I play piano, to glorify God through music. He has taught me many lessons during my practice times or even enduring the long, frustrating piano lessons with my teacher. My attitude this summer towards piano has been terrible. It was not honoring God at all. I learned that I must be thankful for the tough times with Bach or Scarlatti, and to be very greatful for the corrections and wise advice from my piano teacher (and accept the fact that he's smarter than me). I learned to be humble, and not lash out in anger and frustration. I learned to be patient, that I can't do everything right the first time. I learned endurance, to keep going no matter what. And most important, I learned to pray and trust in God's soveriegnty whenever I approach the piano keys. He has a plan and purpose for me. If He decides I have an off day, so be it. If He decides for me to have the greatest day of my life, so be it.

Psalm 34:1-3
"I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together."

World's Most Amazing Instrument!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKyH8B1yOf8

Love Is Waiting

LOVE IS WAITING

In the autumn on the ground
Between the traffic and the ordinary sounds
I am thinking signs and seasons
While a north wind blows through

I watch as lovers pass me by
Walking stories, who’s and how’s and why’s
Musing lazily on love, pondering you

Let’s give it time, give it space
And be still for a spell
When it’s time to walk that way
We wanna walk it well

CHORUS
I’ll be waiting for you baby
I’ll be holding back the darkest night
Love is waiting ‘til we’re ready
‘Til it’s right
Love is waiting

It’s my caution not the cold
There’s no other hand that I would rather hold
The climate changes, I’m singing for strangers about you

Don’t keep time, slow the pace
Honey hold on if you can
The bets are getting surer now
That you’re my man

CHORUS

Bridge
I could write a million songs about the way you say my name
I could live a lifetime with you and then do it all again
And like I can’t force the sun to rise
Or hasten summer’s start
Neither should I rush my way into your heart

C.S. Lewis Song

C.S. LEWIS SONG

If I find in myself desires nothing in this world can satisfy
I can only conclude that I was not made for here
If the flesh that I fight is at best only light and momentary
Then of course I’ll feel nude when to where I’m destined I’m compared

CHORUS
Speak to me in the light of the dawn
Mercy comes with the morning
I will sigh and with all creation groan
As I wait for hope to come for me

Am I lost or just less found,
On the straight or on the roundabout of the wrong way?
Is this a soul that stirs in me,
Is it breaking free, wanting to come alive?

‘Cause my comfort would prefer for me to be numb
And avoid the impending birth
Of who I was born to become

CHORUS

Bridge
For we, we are not long here
Our time is but a breath
So we better breathe it
And I, I was made to live
I was made to love
I was made to know you
Hope is coming for me

CHORUS

MVCS Spring Concert 2008

My school just had our spring concert, and it was a success! Here are two photos of me on the piano!

Arvo Part

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtFPdBUl7XQ

This is an absolute gorgeous piece by Arvo Part! It is simple, yet very moving...:)

Music Headache!

I don't know if it's just me, but have you ever had a music headache? I wonder, is there such thing? I've been having really hard sleeping issues this past week. The week before last, because of my health problems, I was going to bed at 8pm every night! That is very different for an average 15 year old these days! I read my Bible and pray every night before my lights go off. I really don't get it. I think, will reading a reassuring and comforting Psalm help when David was having troubles? I try it, but it never works. I lay my head down on my big fluffy pillow, curl up like a baby, hug my teddy bear, and pull up my warm feather comforter and begin to fall asleep. Suddenly, a song get's popped into my head. Doesn't matter what song, whether it's what I'm studying in piano, what we are singing in choir at school, or the fun jazzy Michael Buble, or even my favorite band Casting Crowns, it won't go away!! I get my ipod out and listen to the song and hope that it will get out of my head. Nope, that didn't work, and definently made it worse! So, I watch a funny Pixar Short Film that would hopefully distract my mind a bit. Nope, that just made it worse! So, I get out my journal, and start writing down whatever comes to my mind first. Does that help? Nope, it just made it worse! All these thoughts are just running through my head and won't go away!! I've been a week behind in school; trying my hardest to catch up to the peeps in my class, so it's been a little bit stressful. So, all these tests I'm studying for are building up more and more. I'll be laying there with my eyes open and suddenly a thought of what kind of ion is in a base from my physical science class will come into my head. Then a crazy idea of a new invention! Or, what it would be like to become a famous chef! ALL THESE RANDOM MUSIC AND THOUGHTS WON'T GO AWAY! What a music headache.....maybe I should not listen to any music for a month! If anyone has any ideas please comment on this post! I've tried most everything. I've even tried to drug myself with Benadryl, and that doesn't work. I'll prop my head up and try to sleep so all the blood doesn't rush to my brain, and that doesn't seem to work either. I'll play games on my laptop to try and make my eyes tired, and that doesn't work either! What is wrong with me? WILL THIS EVER STOP!!!!!! Anyone!!! JUST GIVE ME SOME ADVICE!!!! SOMEONE!!!!!!!! if you don't have any, and are having the same problems, maybe we could chat....and create some new medicine for the sleeping disorder. That's it! I have a sleeping disorder!!! Why do I still seem tired, even though I can't fall asleep. I've been so tired lately; yawning, drooping eyelids, dark circles under my eyes, but I still can't make myself fall asleep. Something is wrong, and I don't know what.

Someday, this music headache has got to stop!

Sway--Michael Buble

Sway

When marimba rhythms start to play

Dance with me, make me sway

Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore

Hold me close, sway me more

Like a flower bending in the breeze

Bend with me, sway with ease

When we dance you have a way with me

Stay with me, sway with me

Other dancers may be on the floor

Dear, but my eyes will see only you

Only you have the magic technique

When we sway I go weak

I can hear the sounds of violins

Long before it begins

Make me thrill as only you know how

Sway me smooth, sway me now

Other dancers may be on the floor

Dear, but my eyes will see only you

Only you have the magic technique

When we sway I go weak

I can hear the sounds of violins

Long before it begins

Make me thrill as only you know how

Sway me smooth, sway me now

You know how

Sway me smooth, sway me now

Quote

"You feel as if everyone should write a book before they die, but their book is already written. The pages live within those they've touched."

--William Shue--

With Music Anything Is Possible

As my choir teacher the other day was lecturing us as usual, he mentioned something.

"With music anything is possible"

I started to meditate on this statement.

With anything....anything....what is anything? I then thought of the Psalms, how David expressed his praise to God through song and music! We can communicate with him through music. No matter how bad you sound, or who is listening, you are expressing your admiration to him with MUSIC!!

If you know me, you know that I wouldn't be able to live without music. What would we be without music? Music defines me and what I do. What you listen to defines your personality and how you act and what you say.

That's what I have to say on my first BLOG ever!