I remember the days of old when I wanted to get up on Saturday mornings just to watch cartoons. It was always Bugs Bunny and Crew that made it worth my time. The only time classical music was fun (at the time). Every time I listened to "Barber of Seville", I can't help but think of Bugs Bunny massaging Elmer Fudd's head. And then there's Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro". This clip says it all. (Leopold!!)
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Music Classes Help Students Perform Better Academically
Research says: · Students of the arts outperform their non-arts peers on the SAT according to reports by the College Entrance Board. (To the tune of 57 points higher on verbal and 41 on the math portion.)1 · Music is the only one of the seven intelligences identified in the brain that utilizes all seven simultaneously. Thus students who participate in music courses exercise more of their brain than in any other course they take in school. · Sight-reading has been referred to as a “game of mental anticipation.” Good sight-reading helps students to process key information quickly and efficiently, providing an overview of tasks that lay ahead. · Band and chorus reinforce skills of cooperation -- highly-sought-after qualities in today's business world, especially in high-tech contexts. · “The very best engineers and technical designers in the Silicon Valley industry are, nearly without exception, practicing musicians.” - Grant Venerable, The Paradox of the Silicon Savior.3 · Considering med school? Physician and biologist Lewis Thomas studied the undergrad majors of med school applicants and found that 66% of music majors who applied were admitted, the HIGHEST percentage of any group. (44% of biochemistry majors were admitted. *I'll be happy to organize your library files!
*Yes, Sir! *You want us to march in 110 degrees? No problem! *I cleaned my instrument last night. *Lip slurs and long tones are really fun! *I love sightreading! *This parade is too short! *Are you sure that two hours a day is enough practice? *I love scales. Can you teach me some more? *Do you mind if I set up the chairs everyday? True story. After every major performance that we do, we go out to eat. As musicians, "We Work For Food." No self-respecting band student would consider doing a performance without the possibility of eating afterwards. Anyway, a few years ago, we were coming back from a performance; a contest, I believe. It was pretty close to closing time, but we still had about an hour. A few parents went ahead to "scope out" the eatery in advance. When we arrived, they were less than enthused about the place, but seeing that it was getting late, we had no choice but to eat there. It was a buffet-style place that some people were getting excited about. I had never eaten there, but I was willing to try it. I mean, come on - Buffet-style!
We enter the establishment, about 120 patrons. We are seated. Then we attack the buffet. It was nothing to write home about, but considering that it was around 9:00 pm, it was okay. The food wasn't totally appealing, but the band "marched on" with little complaints. Then the first casualty arrived at our table. Somebody came over and said that "So and So" just threw up in the sink! WHAT!? First thought, "Why the sink?" Answer: because the toilet was already full! At that moment, everyone's appetite just left the building. After making sure the student was alright, we decided it was time to go. Come to find out the next night watching the news, that establishment was #2 of the worst restaurants in San Antonio. Right next door to #1! Texas Music Educator's Association is just around the corner. TMEA hosts a convention every February in downtown San Antonio at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. It caters to every music educator from elementary to college level. It holds concerts from some of the best students in the State of Texas to the best universities to professional musicians from around the world. Our very own TFME (Texas Future Music Educators) will be participating at this convention as one of 32 Texas Chapters who will be engaging in the latest music pedagogy, technology and a chance to perform on the newest instruments on the market. For the second year in a row, the National TI:ME Music Technology Conference, including a pre-conference, concentrating on technology for music educators, will be at TMEA giving clinics and workshops introducing the latest in music technology. Our students will immerse themselves into this world of music education and leave with a better understanding of what music has to offer.
With the Christmas holidays coming up, sometimes it becomes a difficult task to get the perfect gift for either that "special someone" or that someone you have to get a gift for because you drew his or her name and you know nothing about that person other than he or she is in band. Well, here is that perfect place for either person, Tone Deaf Store. It has posters of almost every situation that you've possibly been in that has made you laugh so hard to the point where your soda comes out of your nose. And that burns!! They even have shirts and comic books so that you can take them everywhere you go. Check out their website or "Like" them on Facebook.
I have to admit that I don't get out enough to watch every movie that hits the theaters. I wish I could, but most often, time does not permit. So I depend on networks like HBO, Showtime, Movies OnDemand, Redbox, etc. to keep me in the loop. Holidays are a great time to watch (or catch up) all those new movies that came out a few months ago. I pick a Saturday and plant myself on the couch, or loveseat, or armchair, and watch away.
The movie I saw this past weekend was Beautiful Creatures on HBO. The only thing that keeps me interested in any movie is the soundtrack. And this soundtrack was nice! I will watch this movie over and over just for the soundtrack. It was a decent movie, but I've seen those kind of movies before. A boy. A girl. Forbidden love. Someone dies at the end. But this soundtrack is fresh to me. It was composed by a band called Thenewno2. I really urge you to check out the Beautiful Creatures soundtrack. "Never Too Late", "Make It Home", and my favorite "The Casters Theme" are on YouTube. Please check it out and let me know what you think. This is what I look for when deciding on next year's marching show. Munoz Have a blessed Thanksgiving Holiday!! Make sure that you reflect on what you have to be thankful for. I, for one, will reflect on how many days I have left until UIL Contest, while eating my world famous Fruit Salad.
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AuthorsEduardo Solis, Archives
April 2014
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