by Erzsiehdr
It was a by-chance viewing of Doreen’s busking “House of the Rising Sun” that first caught my attention, and I needed to learn more! While she asserts she typically doesn’t do many interviews, Doreen, aka Lady Louis, was excited to answer my questions about early childhood music education, and I’m glad she did! Doreen grew …
Continue reading “Blessed with Wonderful Music Instructors: Dr. Doreen Ketchens”
Imagine a 12 year-old coming into your choir class belting out a solo performance of “What I did for Love”. I’m sure I wasn’t the only 7th grader who was stunned. Who was this individual, and how did we get so lucky to have her in our Reno, NV classroom? This individual was Sunny Michelson …
by Erzsiehdr
For some, music education begins in school. For others, it begins outside of school with family and religious institutions. Such is the case for Puget Sound artist, The Real Lady A. Lady A, who is considered “the hardest workin’ woman in blues, soul, funk and gospel” began her music career singing in the children’s choir …
by Erzsiehdr
In my research on music education, I’ve discovered there are different ages at which education begins, different instruments taught at different ages, and of course different qualities of education offered. The majority of the research agrees that music is essential for educational and developmental growth. So, I’ve decided to look at two programs offered to …
Continue reading “At what age should children start their music education? (Part 1)”
by Erzsiehdr
How common is it to see a queer actor or musician? Some might say very common. Others have no idea. And, there are those who complain it is too common of an occurrence. The fact is that queer artists are emerging as a solid force in the music industry. Queer musicians, actors, and educators are …
Continue reading “Matt Dela Cruz: Queer with an Ear for Music”
by Erzsiehdr
One of the more difficult steps in entering the entertainment industry is choosing the perfect stage name. For Ranger Sciacca, his family made the stage name simple! And while he does have his family to thank for his strong musical background, he can also reflect back to what he learned as a younger student with …
Continue reading “It’s a Family Affair: Ranger and the “Re-Arrangers””
by Erzsiehdr
Is it possible to have some music education and stage fright? Absolutely! But thanks to teachers, families, and friends, stage fright can be overcome. And, for Amelia Day, it was confronting stage fright that truly sparked a love in music. Her first original performance was when she was in her early teens. those scattered performances …
Sometimes it’s as simple as giving away a hand-me-down piano that inspires a child to live a lifelong dream of music. That’s what happened to Leonard Bernstein who is recognized today for celebrating his 105th birthday. Bernstein is known for his many musicals, symphonies, choral works, musical direction, and others. And for his work, he …
It might seem that there is a lot of talk about queer individuals in the arts scene; however, the talk is recent, and it’s not enough. Casey Claros, music journalist with Finessed Media and , shares an interesting explanation relevant to queer artistry: “[Queer artists] gain a following before they ever sign a record deal… …
Today I’m featuring Larry Murante who recently performed at Bellevue Beats. He is an award-winning song writer, performer, and instrumentalist whose career has spanned decades. As someone with such a caliber of a resumé, I wanted to know if K12 music education played a part of his growth as a musician. Larry says that most …
Continue reading “Larry Murante: Regrets? I’ve had a few, but, then again, too few to mention”
