*dusting off this website for an important announcement*

You may want to take a look at the DVS website:

Do you know (or are you) an aspiring young musician or vocalist in grades 7 through 12? The Dakota Valley Symphony is inviting students to perform a concerto movemenr or an area to a panel of judges in early 2008. The winner will be a featured soloist with the Symphony in the April 26 & 27 concerts. Click here for an application packet.

(see the website for access to the application packet)

---

And yes, I'll be returning to posting here!

Blogathon sponsor emails have gone out. If you have gmail, they likely went to your spam folder.

I don't think I get confirmation of whether or not you've fulfilled your pledge - so I hope you have. I just fulfilled mine this morning :D.

If you can't find your email that Blogathon sent out, never fear! The link to fulfill your sponsorship directly with DVS is right here. If you scroll to the bottom, there's a button dedicated just to Blogathon sponsors :). If you need a reminder of how much you sponsored, please send me an email at fiddledragon AT gmail DOT com and I'll be happy to get you those totals. :)

As far as content here goes, I haven't forgotten. I've been swamped at work and then hit with sick. I'm coming back :)

But will take a second right now - particularly since an additional THANK YOU is in order to shadesong!

That's right - you can still donate!

Donations close this evening (don't know what time, I think 8pm Central?)

In any case - am finally fully recovered from this weekend *woot* and will be ready to start thinking up new content to add here within the next few days.


Blogathon 2007
For Dakota Valley Symphony
Sponsor this blog
Total so far: $90

I've mentioned health problems before, and in managing them, I see my physical therapist...regularly. She plays MPR's Classical Station in her clinic, so music is often a topic of conversation - particularly if DVS has a concert coming up.

One day I was lying on her table, and a piece came up that was very confusing to me...I couldn't tell if it had one or two pianos, and so I concentrated really hard to try and figure out what it was.

"Stop that, I can feel you thinking, and I can't continue to work until you relax!"

I laughed so hard, but I couldn't stop thinking until the piece was over, and ultimately we did end up stop working entirely until it was over. Her concentration was broken, and I just couldn't focus on anything except that piece.

I've concentrated on music so many times in her office before, but never like that...I guess it showed, and was reflecting in the way my body was reacting. I was right, though - I did figure out it was two pianos....and the commentator mentioned as much when the piece was over. I can't for the life of me now remember what it was.

---

Oh - and ps - before I forget. *chuckle* Steve, if you're reading...the dj from http://radio.blogexplosion.com wanted to know if we travelled outside our area and if we perform in the Chicago area ;).

Well, folks, the end of Blogathon 2007 is here. I haven't done this before, but I have to say it is a very rewarding and fun experience.

I am pretty sure I will be doing this again next year - maybe for DVS again, or maybe for some other charity. I already have an idea or two.

Thanks to everyone who donated, or posted comments, or kept me up by chatting! Good morning, and goodnight.

First of all. thank you again and again! Thank you for reading. For those that donated, thank youu. For those who commented throughout the night, thank you - for those that sent me IM messages thank you. For those that kept me laughing *way* too much (I'm looking at YOU Team Venture) Thank you. Thank you to my partner in blogging songwind, without whom I would NOT have made it through the night. Thank you to my other housemate ladysea who even though she wasn't here in person, was tremendously supportive in spirit. Thank you to the kids who are my inspiration in everything, and thank you to Spud and the dogs who were incredibly patient and awesome throughout when songwind were busy taking care of blogging and some household projects.

This was my first Blogathon, and it most certainly will not be my last. I was a little worried as to whether or not I'd be able to handle it due to health concerns, and I'm feeling a little unsteady now, but over all pretty darn good considering I only had about a 2 hour nap throughout the entire Blogathon.

So far, we've raised $80 for DVS, but don't despair! It's not too late to donate! There's a 48-hour grace period for donations starting right now! Just click the link that says "Sponsor this blog" ;). But $80 is more than we had before, so I'm not complaining in the slightest. A first year event for any one person is always a "slim" year as people get their feet wet. Besides, it gives me *lots* of room for improvement for next year!

So what happens between now and next year? I certainly don't intend to leave dragonsfordvs lay fallow. I'd like to keep up segments on each of the topics brought up tonight and more. I'd *love* if more DVS members would like to participate as well, but that, of course, is up to them. Don't worry, the volume won't be anywhere near like tonight. I figure I'll probably post a couple times per week...at least that's my goal. I won't speak for songwind as to his plans for the future here or if he has any.

And as an extra bonus, I think I have an extra bonus post in me before the end.

Blogathon 2007
For Dakota Valley Symphony
Sponsor this blog
Total so far: $80

What music do you like to go to sleep by?

I have never been able to sleep along to the stereotypical "sleepy" music. Classical, even lullabyes, requires too many brain cycles for me. Maybe if it were really familiar I could get to sleep.

When I was a teen, I went to sleep to Metallica and similar music. It was familiar enough not to require any thought, and the beat, while fast, was steady and deep, so it acted almost like one of those white-noise generators.

I need to hurry and get this post written a few minute early - the intrepid travellers should be home very very shortly!!!! Yay!!!!! I've missed them!!!!!!!

Ok...

So Anne McCaffrey's notable in a lot of respects, and a number of her books include music somewhere in them. But two series in particular have music as a central theme, without which the book would be a very different concept.

The Crystal Singer is the first of 3 in a series about a woman by the name of Killashandra, about a group called the Heptite Guild, and about crystal singing in general. Quite literally, the ability to sing is required in order mine crystal, and Killashandra is one of the best.

Again, this was a book I read a very very long time ago, and became a well loved favorite very quickly. I should reread all three of them....

But the books that I feel as a musician, and as a parent, that really set Anne McCaffrey apart is her Pern books. In her Pern books, the concept of music as community building, music in education - heck music as a vehicle for education, music as a unifying force - are all epitomized. The Harper Hall is omnipresent throughout the Pern Books...but there are two where it's really pertinent: The MasterHarper of Pern and Dragons Eye. Though both of these would benefit the most from having been read after reading the founding three books of the series: Dragonsflight, Dragonsquest, and The White Dragon; and the companion YA series: The Harper Hall Series: Dragonsong, Dragonsinger, and Dragon Drums

ooooh...and I think I hear everyone!!!!! (only 2 more posts after this!)


Blogathon 2007
For Dakota Valley Symphony
Sponsor this blog
Total so far: $80

Something I enjoy about going to the movies is listening to the soundtrack. Lately it's become the "Listen for the John Williams" theme game, but well...yeah. When you consider that he worked on the first two Harry Potter movies, and wrote the defining themes for the movies, and then they went on to other composers for the other 3 (two others now, this last one was a new composer again)...and ditto for Pirates of the Carribean, well..it's not surprising that you'll find his themes embedded in and around other composers' works.

What surprised me, however, was when I was watching Transformers last weekend...and in it I could have SWORN that I heard thematic elements from POTC...but nothing else of the sound track sounded even remotely like John Williams, and after *counts on fingers and fails* how many summer pops seasons since 2002 I can tell you I'm becoming fairly familiar with his work!

So I went to trusty old IMDB, and looked up the composer, Steve Jablonksy. Nope, not John Williams, as I had surmised, but darnit, I was CONVINCED that I had heard POTC. So I looked through his credits to determine what else he'd worked on to see if there was a link....

A -ha...There it is...almost half-way down the page, He worked as a composer for additional music on Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Oh, and there was another element that I *really* liked, though I couldn't find a link in his credits - he may have put it in for nostalgia purposes. In any case, there is a scene with fighter pilots...and in that scene, he uses music with chord structures almost identical to those used in fighter pilot scenes in Top Gun.

Nice touch!


Blogathon 2007
For Dakota Valley Symphony
Sponsor this blog
Total so far: $80

This would definitely be a topic I'm passionate about, particularly as I came to my currently chosen instrument as an adult.

Oftentimes, when people find out I play violin, I get asked, "Oh! How long have you played?" And they tend to expect some age early in years. They do *not* expect to hear something around the age of 22 as being when I got my first violin. The next response is then usually along the lines of "Oh wow, I've always wanted to play $INSERT_INSTRUMENT_HERE, but I don't think I could because $INSERT_REASON_HERE". It might be they feel they're too old, not enough time, kids are too young, not enough money, etc...Or, they're afraid to take up an instrument because they're afraid they won't be able to learn it. That the golden window of opportunity has closed forever.

I disagree. I feel that it's never too late to learn an instrument. I feel that there are solutions to *most* ever barrier, but you might have to search for those solutions, or be willing to be realistic on what those solutions might be.

To be continued.....


Blogathon 2007
For Dakota Valley Symphony
Sponsor this blog
Total so far: $80

Courtesy a la star_barnkitty (Who's blogging for an awesome facility, btw...go check her out if you're interested)


Right now I want to remind readers that there's a grace period of 48 hours to donate to Blogathon after [8:00 am Central Time.]



Blogathon 2007
For Dakota Valley Symphony
Sponsor this blog
Total so far: $80

The concept of community support for music was ingrained early on...specifically at the middle school level for me. Yes, I was in band in the elementary school level in NJ, but it wasn't until I was in middle school in CA that the concept that community support was critical to the future of music in the schools even became an issue.

To me, at the ripe old age of 8-10, in NJ, music and schools just happened. The string program started in the 4th grade, and the rest of the instrumental program started in the 5th grade. There was semi-private (4 students) half hour pull out lessons weekly and then weekly band rehearsals.

In CA that wasn't necessarily the case. In the Las Virgenes Unified School District, a small school district on the outskirts of the behemoth that is the Los Angeles Unified School District, instrumental music did not begin until the middle school. I don't remember if there was a choral program at the other middle school, but our middle school did not have a choral program at that time (I culminated from middle school in 1987).

Prop 13 was largely bandied at the time as being the reason why there weren't enough funds in the schools for $INSERT_ITEM_HERE. I don't remember enough about California politics to know if that was the actual full scenario, or if there was more going on. I'm always inclined to believe there's more than meets the eye to a story. In any case, funds were short for the music program, and in order to go to band competitions, etc., we needed to do fund raising.

This is where my father, and a number of parents one year, came together. They formed the Band Boosters, and put together a fundraising scheme to put advertisements in our band program flyers. The size of your ad corresponded with a medal a la Olympics style. My father led the Band Boosters for a while - as did Mr. Odello...and a few others over the years. All of them my friends' parents. Why did they do this? Because without doing that, our program was in danger of failing to provide the things that they had intended to do. It was another instance of the community coming together to support the arts...and it wasn't just about money either, there was a certain amount of pride in being able to support a program that went out to band competitions that did well (and not so well at times).

Southern California Schools Band and Orchestra Association. SCSBOA. They were the organization behind the vast majority of competitions that our school band and orchestra competed in at the middle school and high school levels in the concert hall, on the football field, and on the parade route.

I wonder - does MN have anything like that? They certainly don't at the middle school level, and I know there isn't a parent support organization like the Band Boosters that my parents were involved in. Or if there is, I haven't been able to find it.


Blogathon 2007
For Dakota Valley Symphony
Sponsor this blog
Total so far: $80

Kritter is the oldest of the 4 of the kids in this house. She was the first to teach us patience with regards to learning music. Having a musician for a parent, she definitely had toddler toys available. "My First Music" kits and such. She had a toy accordion, triangle, drum, etc....

But she started asking about the violin when she was 3 or so (I first received my first violin when she was 2). She officially started asking if she could start learning to play when she was 5. I was afraid she was just asking because Mommy played, and frankly, a) didn't want to be the type of parent who let their child do whatever they wanted and drop it on a whim, and b) wasn't sure if she really wanted to play or if she was saying it because she thought I would be happy at the idea of her daughter playing violin and because Mommy played violin.

After somewhere between 6 months and a year, we relented and got her started with violin. She started with the Suzuki method. She loved it, and she hated it. Her instructor spent a lot of time teaching her songs about how to use the bow and the parts of the instrument, and spent very little time having her actually play. So she got bored, and her attention waned. We made her stick with it though, because that whole, didn't want her dropping it quickly.

When we moved to the South Metro area, we had to find a new teacher. He was pretty good and caught her attention quickly. He moved faster than the other teacher, which was good, and she progressed quickly up until a point...and hit a road block.

She struggled and struggled, and eventually we stopped fighting with her to practice and not move forward, and let her drop it. Her teacher was getting frustrated, we were getting frustrated, Kritter was getting frustrated, and we were afraid that her love of music was dangerously close to going away.

More than a year later, we found out that her road block was likely ADHD. We worked with her to address that, and when she eventually hit middle school, she announced that she wanted to play clarinet. She missed elementary school band, because her class was the first set of 5th graders to graduate, and they hadn't yet instituted a 5th grade band...that would come the following year, in time for Bri. We let her play clarinet (thanks to lexiphanic, she even had an easily accessible clarinet!!!), and since then the difference between her early music experience and now is amazing. She's just flown through learning clarinet. Getting her to practice is a chore, and so her band grade suffers, but she plays beautifully.

So it means that as a parent and musician, we have LOTS of discussions about musicianship and respecting fellow musicians by practicing. Of course, that particular lesson would *probably* go over better if I would practice more *cough*.


Blogathon 2007
For Dakota Valley Symphony
Sponsor this blog
Total so far: $80

solcita, my brain is fried and not firing with connections right now. I have several pieces put together sans notes, but you deserve better. I will be posting my post for you tomorrow afternoon after the Blogathon is over and I've had some sleep, but I'm still working on it this evening :D

You know? I'm actually pretty glad that this year there was only one respondant to this particular audience participation option! *chuckle* Wow. I was excited about it ahead of time, and still am, but wow definitely intense.

While I was napping songwind initiated discussion about a topic I've definitely been intending to write about this evening, and that is non-performance music education.

In my Lakeville Music for All post, I mentioned that there are currently no non-performance music education classes (at the middle school level) available for students. *ALL* students are required to take a performance music course.

As a musician, you might think I'd be happy about this, but I'm actually not on several levels.

1) Music is a two way communication between music producers and music consumers. The more educated both sides are, the more enjoyable for everyone.
2) Not every child is interested in performance. I'm not really interested in forcing a child into being on stage. Period. Encouraging a child to take on new challenges is good, but I can't imagine that all kids are comfortable with being out there, and to me that's just not ok.
3) The kids that don't actually want to perform and learn music are not going to put as much into rehearsing and practicing as the kids who do want to. This drags down the experience for everyone.

That being said - the music program in the Lakeville School District is incredible compared to what I was involved in growing up. Though I suspect that has more to do with when music was introduced into the schools and the support within the community.

I'm with songwind, though. The closest I ever came to any kind of music appreciation class was my ethnomusicology class at CSUN. I *loved* that class, and wish I remembered more of it! I never actually learned much in the way of formal music theory, and this is another thing I'm very impressed with coming out of the Lakeville School District music program....Kritter and Bri already know more theory in their 1-2 years of music instruction than I was ever officially taught.


Blogathon 2007
For Dakota Valley Symphony
Sponsor this blog
Total so far: $80

This is the first in what was initially 2, but then turned into many books. Elves, magic, mayhem, a bard, Renaissance Faires....and for this book all set in Southern California? What more could a Rennie music geek ask for?

It's been a long time since I've read this one, but suffice to say music is the not tangential to this book. The main character is a True Bard, though he doesn't know it (yet). He's a classically trained floutist who turned his back on Juliard, and left to become a street musician, eventually donning the floofy sleeves and long hair of the life of a Renaissance Faire bard. He lands himself into a world he didn't expect, though, and the book winds its readers around the Southern California Faire site (old Agoura site), around the San Fernando Valley (ah home), and up into Griffith Observatory.

Heh...I can't remember if it was this book or the next book, Summoned to Tourney, but watch for references to They Might Be Giants lyrics from the album Flood...and if you're a Mercedes Lackey fan, she has a number of in references to her other books, which are definitely fun to read.


Blogathon 2007
For Dakota Valley Symphony
Sponsor this blog
Total so far: $80

I wonder why there aren't more references to music in speculative fiction? Pseudo-medieval fantasy I can understand, because the technology for easy access doesn't exist.

But how about Harry Potter? She took the time to come up with a sport, including teams for the characters to admire. So where are the bands? Bubblegum pop boy-band "Patronus"? Parentally hated Death-Eater-Metal group "Muggleblood"? Old timey folk artists "Merlin and the Lake Ladies"?

Future sci-fi makes even less sense. If you believe references from SF, everyone lives on classical music in the future. Possible, I suppose, but improbable. Even Growing Up Weightless, with its many references to composing, never mentioned what music Matt and his friends liked. Given the father vs. son tension, I can't imagine the subject of music not being a loaded one in the Ronay household.

I have read a few good SF stories where the place of music in the fabric of life was touched upon. Even without belaboring the point, it made the view of life in that time and place seem more complete, and the characters more real.


Blogathon 2007
For Dakota Valley Symphony
Sponsor this blog
Total so far: $80

The mother-and-son duo's first offering, Pay the Piper, was every bit as good as Troll Bridge.

PTP is a riff on the Pied Piper of Hamelin story, as the name suggests. In this instance, the piper and his companions come in the form of the popular musical group Brass Rat. The piper, who it turns out is a Fey prince exiled for a crime committed long ago, must gather gold or steal children to be taken Under the Hill to be the blood money, every seven years.

After Brass Rat plays Callie's town, they don't get their pay and come up short of treasure and have to gather souls to pay the tiend. Callie is listening to her headphones, and doesn't hear the Piper's tune. Her brother and other friends are taken, however, and she has to find a way to get them back.

Adam Stemple is a local musician himself. If you get a chance, go out to see his band, the Tim Malloys. And if you get a chance to sit down across from him at a poker table... well, maybe you should call the brush and ask for a new table. :)


Blogathon 2007
For Dakota Valley Symphony
Sponsor this blog
Total so far: $80

"Music appreciation is an easy A"
"I took m.a. so I could take a nap in the middle of my class day."
"It's just listening to music. What could be hard about it."

I heard sentiments like that all over the place when I was in college. (I also heard them about art appreciation and film appreciation, for that matter.) I think that's sad.

There is a lot to music. I think there is more to it than most people bother considering. Most listeners seem to take the classic stance, "I don't know about art, but I know what I like!" It's too bad, because in a lot of instances they are missing out on subtext, history, and even the chance to appreciate a work for how difficult it may have been to produce.

I myself never took a class like that, and I regret it. There are whole ranks of composers and modern artists that I would love whom I may never know about, just because my ear is not refined enough to recognize a school of composition or an instrumentalist's musical tradition. The ability to recognize it, and seek out similar works would be very valuable.

This one sneaked up on me, I am completely flat-footed.

This one is mostly for the local people. If you are in the Twin Cities general area and interested in coming into contact with new musical ideas and groups, I can't recommend The Curren (89.3) enough. It is a Minneapolis Public Radio channel, dedicated to contemporary music rather than your standard "all classical" NPR music station.

You know what? Even if you aren't local you can check them out online. The live broadcasts are available for streaming from the website!