"MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE!" - Alice Herz Sommer

"MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE"

The inspirational story.... 

Alice Herz Sommer is a 109-yr old pianist (oldest living pianist) 

and oldest living Holocaust survivor! 

Music saved her life!

Alice Herz-Sommer also known as Alice Sommer, (born 26 November 1903) is a Jewish pianist and music teacher from Bohemia, and a survivor of the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Herz-Sommer has lived in North London, United Kingdom since 1986, and is the world’s oldest known Holocaust survivor. 

 

At age 108, Holocaust survivor Alice Herz Sommer still practices piano for three hours every day. At age 104, she had a book written about her life: "A Garden Of Eden In Hell." 

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ARE CONCERTS PIANISTS GOOD PIANO TEACHER?

ARE CONCERTS PIANISTS 

GOOD PIANO TEACHER?

I want you to take a second and think about something you are really good at 

- a skill you've practiced and perfected since you were 4. 

Actually, how many of us even remember what we did when we were 4? 

I can't remember a thing about how I was taught when I first started lessons, including who my teacher was; I only remember the rewards I got from my mom AFTER piano performances. That's why parent's support and involvement are really important to child's development in piano lessons.

While there certainly are concert pianists who are excellent teachers, they are usually not a good fit for most students. Here I've gathered some reasons from my own experience studying under teachers with an active performance schedule, and parents of students who have studied with concert pianists before transferring to me.

1. A great performer doesn't equal a great teacher. 

 The ability to play piano doesn't equal the ability to teach. These are some of the most important realizations I made during my graduate studies. I used to think my performance degree from a music conservatory and ability to relate to kids and be personable made me a good piano teacher. While these characteristics did give me an advantage, they are poor substitutes for actual knowledge in how to properly teach piano. This realization I made about myself now makes me flinch a little whenever I hear of non-pianist colleagues teaching piano "on the side".

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Music as a Language by Victor Wooten

"MUSIC AS A LANGUAGE"

Why Music Should Be Taught Less Like Algebra and More Like a Language?

by Victor Wooten

"Music is a powerful communication tool.

It causes us to laugh, cry, think and question."

For bassist and five-time Grammy winner, Victor Wooten, music is a language, just like English. Music should be taught the same way as any other language, and performing it should feel as natural as speaking, he said. Victor Wooten, asks us to approach music the same way we learn verbal language--by embracing mistakes and playing as often as possible.

"Music is best taught through performance, not practice, he said. Parents speak around their children, who, in turn, pick it up."

"When you think about a kid learning a language, it makes sense that when you're surrounded by it, and you're participating in it, you learn it quicker — much quicker — than sitting down and being taught," Wooten said. 

"The same thing is true about music. A kid that grows up in a musical family will learn it much quicker and much more thoroughly than a kid that's just taking lessons."

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LEARNING GUITAR vs PIANO: "Which one is easier to play?"

LEARNING GUITAR Vs PIANO:
"Which one is easier to play?"

There is an entirely different mental concept behind the guitar as compared to the piano. If you're a trained classical pianist and want to learn how to play guitar, here's some comparisons and some thoughts about it.

PIANIST'S POINT OF VIEW

The piano is simultaneously easier AND harder to play than the guitar. 

HARDER on PIANO:

 1) Playing two things at the same time
You play one chord or melody with the left hand, while doing another with the right hand. Play 10 notes at a time instead of 6. That is hard! 

2) High-fidelity instrument which covers so much musical spectrum 

Pianist is responsible for providing much more of the overall sound, most of the time.

3) Complex arrangements

A lot of black notes on paper to read. A pianist is expected to play it all, even though it might involve different melodies and different rhythms on each hand at the same time.

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Fantastic Suite "WETLAND" for Guitar and Piano

FANTASTIC SUITE "WETLAND"

for Guitar and Piano

Composed by: Jun-ichi Nihashi

A good repertoire for guitar and piano is rare to find. 

This could be an alternative for a great repertoire, for an advanced guitarist and pianist. 

I made the mp3 on the soundcloud myself. Hope you enjoy it!

About the Fantastic Suite "WETLAND" for Guitar and Piano

This unique ensemble of the piano and guitar aspires to discover new possibilities for its medium. The theme is about fantasy and dream, that reflects the nature of wetland from the dawn until the evening with the stars. 

The Suite is divided into six sections: 

1. "The Dawn" - to listen, please click HERE

2. "Reflections on the River" - click HERE

3. "The Breeze Across the Wetland" 

4. "Serenade" - click HERE

5. "Cranes Soaring at Sunset" - click HERE

6. "The Stars Over the Wetland" - click HERE

*All MP3 made by Jelia Megawati Heru

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"S.O.S! Anak Saya Mogok Latihan!" - Artikel Staccato Juni 2013

“S.O.S! 
ANAK SAYA MOGOK LATIHAN!”
Oleh: Jelia Megawati Heru
Artikel Staccato Juni 2013

Belajar memainkan alat musik tidaklah mudah. Tujuh (7) dari setiap delapan (8) anak yang duduk di kelas satu menyerah ketika dihadapkan pada ujian piano ABRSM dan memutuskan untuk berhenti sebelum kelas tujuh. Alasan utama para siswa ini menyerah adalah mereka tidak suka berlatih dan mereka belajar bermain piano hanya karena paksaan dari orang tua nya saja.

BEING “A TIGER MOM”

Umumnya di Asia, beberapa orang tua menyikapi sikap malas latihan anaknya dengan agresif, seperti: memaksa, omelan, kritik destruktif, membandingkan, ancaman, bahkan kekerasan fisik – yang cenderung berakhir dengan uraian air mata. Akibatnya beberapa anak menjadi mogok latihan, bahkan tidak jarang mogok makan, dan mogok sekolah. Terkadang kita hanya mengambil jalan pintas, tanpa mempertimbangkan efek sampingnya di kemudian hari. Sikap yang negatif terhadap anak akan menumbuhkan kebencian terhadap musik, tidak menghargai orang tuanya sendiri, hingga tidak adanya kepercayaan diri lagi. Karena anak tidak diperlakukan sebagaimana mestinya sebagai seorang individu. 

ABOUT REWARD, INSENTIVE & BRIBE

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"Disney Pianolicious" - Live Streaming Video (Via @america)

"DISNEY PIANOLICIOUS"

LIVE STREAMING VIDEO

via @america

Please click HERE

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Disney Pianolicious' Tweets

DISNEY PIANOLICIOUS' TWEETS

courtesy of: @america

THE UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS 
IN "DISNEY PIANOLICIOUS"

  by: Michael Gunadi Widjaja

There is many concert in megapolitan city in Indonesia. Many kids take part as participants on that concert. Fatally, by the name of good musicality, the funny and cheerful children part is vanished.

"DISNEY PIANOLICIOUS" @america, directed by Jelia Megawati Heru (19/5), represents an inspiring matters. Good music for children that keeps the children's world.

For both of us, this is not just a concert. This is our PASSION OF MUSIC. We're so glad and proud that we can give a musical passion in casual form to many people. Not in a high level dream, but something simple base on passion and love in music.

This is a series of images from the coverage of Disney Pianolicious from audience's angle and point of view through twitter during the performance. Clearly visible even for audiences who can not get into the concert hall because it's already crowded, how they're really enthusiast and excited towards the concert.

Apparently, some communities in Indonesia does require "liaison", namely the cultural conjunction. Between art music with something that is familiar with their lives.

In Very creative way, Jelia Megawati Heru make cultural liaison using Disney and American movies music theme. Disney Concert Pianolicious has already performed with real SMOOTH. Seems that music lovers community in Indonesia, requires an icon. Icon of the world that they can overcome. The world they familiar know. Against age limits and social boundaries. And, Jelia answered that circumstances with brilliant idea using Walt Disney and American Movie Theme as an Icon.

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Disney Pianolicious @ Indonesia Art News

"DISNEY PIANOLICIOUS"

@ Indonesia Art News

 

source:

Indonesia Art News

 

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RADAR Newspaper (May, 21, 2013)

"GUNADI TAMPIL SUKSES 

DI PUSAT KEBUDAYAAN AMERIKA"

RADAR NEWSPAPER, 21st May 2013

Gitaris Indonesia kelahiran Tegal, Michael Gunadi Widjaja, Minggu (19/5), tampil dalam konser tunggal di Pusat Kebudayaan Amerika di Jakarta. Penampilan pria ini memantapkan posisinya sebagai gitaris papan atas di Tanah Air. Hal itu dibuktikan, dengan membludaknya jumlah pengunjung. 

Gedung berkapasitas 300 penonton, ternyata didatangi lebih dari 500 orang. Sehingga membuat pihak manajemen dan sekuritas Pusat Kebudayaan Amerika pun kewalahan. Boleh jadi pertama kali sebuah pertunjukan seni musik, mendapatkan antusias publik yang luar biasa. Disamping disaksikan sejumlah warga Amerika, yang kebetulan tinggal di Indonesia. Tak ketinggalan, konser tersebut dihadiri pencinta musik dari ibukota. Termasuk para pencinta musik dari sejumlah daerah.

Konser ini mendapat sambutan hangat dari penonton. Bahkan dari situs jejaring sosial, Twitter. Sebagian besar pengunjung memuji penampilan Gunadi. Dalam konser "Disney Pianolicious", dengan direksi Jelia Megawati Heru, sore itu mendapat animo luar biasa dari Pusat Kebudayaan Amerika di Jakarta. Sambutan dari segenap penonton, disampaikan bahkan hingga selesainya acara.

Gitaris asal Tegal, Michael Gunadi Widjaja

tampil memikat dengan nomor lagu "Asturias" dari Isaac Albeniz

Dalam kesempatan itu, Gunadi membawakan nomor lagu berjudul "Asturias" karya Isaac Abeniz dari Spanyol (1860-1909). Lagu itu merupakan soundtrack dari film "The Mirrors". Saat lagu tsb dihadirkan, membuat hadirin tercekam, yang membawanya dalam suasana horor bernuansa Flamenco Spanyol yang menakjubkan. Untuk nomor kedua, Gunadi yang juga alumnus Perth Conservatory of Music, Australia (1988-1990), membawakan sebuah transkripsi dari "Cello Suite No. 1 - Prelude" karya komponis asal Jerman, Johann Sebastian Bach. Lagu karya JS. Bach sebagai tema film "The Master and Commander". Dalam lagu ini pengunjung seperti dibuat larut dalam romantisme.

watch Isaac Albeniz "Asturias"

(OST. The Mirrors)

 

Menurut pemerhati musik, yang hadir menyaksikan penampilan Gunadi mengatakan, bahwa penampilannya sangat fenomenal. Seni Musik piano dan gitar klasik bisa menjadi sangat dialogis dan menampilkan hal-hal yang dekat dengan ranah kehidupan sehari-hari. Dengan penampilannya dalam konser kali ini, Michael Gunadi Widjaja telah mengharumkan nama tanah kelahirannya. (din)

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