tf3: Stronger
Oct 24th
Zach, Ranaan, and Nick give a powerful interpretation of songs by Kanye West and Daft Punk.
DBR: Symphony for the Dance Floor
Aug 12th
Here’s another stylishly artistic collaboration from Daniel Bernard Roumain and some talented dancers. I love seeing the improvisation and playfulness in the way they move and communicate.
Emilie Autumn: Face the Wall
Feb 11th
Here’s an awesome performance of “Face the Wall”, written and played by Emilie Autumn. She’s a corset-wearing-victorian-mad-hatter-cabaret-dancing-string-shredding electric violinist with attitude and mad skills.
“The Violin” by Samantha Biegel
Nov 8th
This is a beautiful poem written by my student, Samantha Biegel.
The Violin
A stillness in the air – and there is no sound.
Waiting silently, as the world circles around.
The instrument is picked up, held in welcoming hands,
Suddenly all the colors of the world come together as one, once again.
Shifting my feeling of concentration, from the way I want it to sound,
I now realize how enormous the sound is that I have created.
But how one were to hear it correctly, depends…
It feels great to be where I belong, once again.
The sweet song, now filling the house,
And I feel the music run through me.
The notes are passing me swiftly,
Yet the rhythm has never been easier.
Once light and happy, the mood has finally changed,
And, suddenly, nothing is the same.
A low grumble, a deep howl,
As the scales commence – up and down.
Finally, or too soon, the end approaches
This time consisting of faster motions,
And exactly when it’s unexpected, my bow descends…
Marking the finale, and of course, the end.
Copyright © 2010 by Samantha Biegel
There’s no speed limit for learning!
Nov 6th
I just read a wonderfully inspiring article by Derek Sivers. In it, he reminisces on his college experience of learning music theory and arranging from a professor named Kimo, but the advice he shares could be applied to any discipline. “Kimo’s high expectations set a new pace for me. He taught me ‘the standard pace is for chumps’ – that the system is designed so anyone can keep up. If you’re more driven than ‘just anyone’ – you can do so much more than anyone expects. And this applies to ALL of life – not just school.”
Check out the article here: “There’s no speed limit. (The lessons that changed my life.)“
This really IS the world’s smallest violin!
Oct 1st
“The micronium is a musical instrument with strings a millionth of an inch thick, and thanks to some nifty engineering it’s the tiniest instrument ever producing audible notes. This really is the world’s tiniest violin, but it’s playing for everybody.”
-from a post by Alasdair Wilkins
To see the article and video documentation, click below!
Should violinists in orchestras get paid by the note?
Sep 30th
Should violinists in orchestras get paid by the note? A group of German violinists are arguing that they should, but most orchestral musicians (including string players) are scoffing.
Here’s a summary by Craig Wilson from USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/finalword/2004-04-06-final-word_x.htm
And here’s what some British musicians are saying on the subject:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2004/mar/25/classicalmusicandopera1
Pete Hartley: Electric Violin Blues
Jun 21st
Here’s British violinist/mandolinist Pete Hartley tearin’ up the blues on his 6-string “Violectra.
Daniel Bernard Roumain: Filter
May 10th
This is one of my favorite violin pieces by the awesome artist Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR). It’s flashy and intense, and the patterns he uses to build it are really cool. If you want to play it (and who wouldn’t?!), you can get the sheet music here. He also teaches at the Mark O’Connor Fiddle Camp, where you can take his classes. I did it last summer, and it was a great experience.