#music-education

#music-education

I have written before that while women are gloriously surging in academic, social, and career achievement, many young men are flailing. Pop culture pieces as well as academic dissertations are replete with accounts of male aimlessness and resultant disaffection and disengagement. They point out that the growing achievement gap and resultant maturational/responsibility gap between men and women are making young men progressively less and desirable to modern young women.

Crowden School in Berkeley has brought together music and academics for over 40 years. Once a middle school only, Crowden now admits students as young as kindergarten, with no musical experience. The school, at Sacramento and Rose streets, also receives new students in all grades, including at the start of middle school years. Music instruction at Crowden about one hour per day for the youngest students and two hours per day for third grade and up includes strings and piano.

Two years ago, when I discovered there wasn't a Guinness World Record for the longest time spent playing a trumpet, something clicked. I emailed Guinness and applied to be a record-breaker. At first, I was terrified. The rules alone were overwhelming: I couldn't repeat a song, so I needed a very long set list. Improvisation wasn't allowed — no soloing or jamming, only strict melodies. I could only take a five-minute break each hour, but I decided to play nonstop for hours to accumulate a longer break.

"Today, we're excited to announce a new Music Education series, "Think Like a Musician". This partnership combines the power of TED-Ed, a beloved learning channel, Education Through Music's reputable curriculum, and professional artists to bring high-quality music education resources to teachers around the world. Each video will include comprehensive resources, such as a lesson plan and a rubric, enabling easy integration into classrooms. Every video will even include an interactive experience to encourage hands-on student engagement."

The Nintendo Tabla concept reimagines this ancient percussion instrument through the lens of Nintendo's playful design philosophy. Drawing inspiration from Nintendo Switch accessories, this electronic tabla embraces the company's signature approach: toy-like aesthetics with premium quality, soft curves paired with bold color accents, and intuitive controls that feel natural from the first touch. The result transforms an intimidating traditional instrument into something that invites exploration and experimentation.

The Prospect High School Band and Orchestra were invited to perform at the National Band & Orchestra Festival. The Saratoga students will be traveling with Prospect's music director AJ Gonzales. He has been teaching for four years, and this is his first trip to Carnegie Hall with WorldStrides, a student travel company. "This opportunity is truly once in a lifetime for our students," said Gonzales in a press release.

Just before the turn of the century, when Rebecca Roudman was anundergrad at Cal State Hayward studying music, the cellist loved performing inthe school orchestra, though she was also exploring styles far afield from theclassical canon. Over the next quarter century she did well by her alma mater, now known asCal State University, East Bay, establishing herself as one of the most visibleand versatile crossover cellists in the region.

Lucija is a shy 16-year-old who is a member of her Catholic school's female choir; she joins the choir's special trip across the Italian border for a week in Cividale del Friuli.

Keithen Foster remembers the T-Mobile side-kick phone he used to text his mentor, longtime Brian McKnight bassist Chris Loftlin, while he was in high school. Touring kept Loftlin busy, but he made time for Foster, who was in awe of the experiences his mentor would share in their conversations. 'I remember him saying, 'yo I'll hit you back tomorrow, I'm about to hop on this flight and go to Tokyo,’” said Foster, reminiscing about the excitement of Loftlin’s touring life.

Roger Norrington, a significant figure in early music revival, played a major role in redefining performance practices for historical music, influencing orchestras worldwide.

Lyle Lovett joins the San Francisco Symphony to celebrate Hardly Strictly Bluegrass's 25th anniversary with a unique blend of country, swing, jazz, and storytelling.

Mandeville's music director James Moriarty stated, 'These are high-quality digital pianos, not just keyboards but a complete piano lab system and we are one of the first schools in the country to get one.'

The Kora Workshop, based in the UK, offers high-quality koras and immersive workshops, blending music education with a unique cultural experience in southern France.

This weekend's 'Guitar for Beginners' segment in Consequence's Guitar Week is designed for budding musicians. Check out our extensive list of the 100 Best Guitarists for inspiration.

These instruments require a controlled environment and constant maintenance, so that future generations of pianists will have the opportunity to experience what Mozart heard and responded to in the creative process at the keyboard.