Dr. Shinichi Suzuki’s philosophy to music teaching is based on the Mother-Tongue Method, to teach music as a language. When children are born, they spend many months in the beginning, listening to the language (or languages) that surround them. Then begin the trial-and-error phase, where they receive affirmation from their caregivers when the baby babble […]
Grosse Pointe
Music Together Classes for ages Birth to 5 years
Songs Without Words Come to a FREE Music Together Demo Class at the Grosse Pointe Music Academy and you’ll experience singing and moving to “Songs without Words”. In every Music Together class, you’ll hear the teacher and families singing several songs without words: just “ba, ba” or “dee-dee” or “lu-lu”! Songs sung on what we […]
What Makes Music Together Unique?
With so many programs available for early childhood music education today, I often get asked about the special characteristics that make Music Together stand out. First of all, it’s the music! The music used in our early childhood classes is rich in tonalities and meters, and it’s fun to listen to – parents and […]
What are frets, and when should I have them replaced?
Frets are metal strips (usually nickel alloy) embedded along the fretboard (also called fingerboard) and located at exact points that divide the scale length in accordance with a specific mathematical formula. When a player presses a string against a fret it shortens the vibrating length of the string, thus […]
Five Ways Piano Lessons Benefit Children
Two years ago, my wife and I started our oldest daughter, then six years old, in piano lessons. Both of us being musically oriented, we feel that music instruction is just as important as enrolling her in soccer, gymnastics or ballet. But, when practice begins and the sound of scales badly played reverberates through the […]
Grosse Pointe Symphony Orchestra Summer Concert August 7th
August 7 Summer Concert St. John Hospital, 3 p.m., Cafeteria St. John, Free Concert Guest Soloists: Don Baker, principal oboe, Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Laurie Landers Goldman, violin, Detroit Symphony Orchestra Oboe Concerto No. 3 in g minor by Handel Violin Concerto No. 2 in E major by J.S. Bach Violin and Oboe Concerto, […]
Beat the heat! Don’t leave your guitar in the car.
With the heat of this Summer in the Detroit area, it is important to be aware of how one can protect their instrument. The worst thing that an instrument owner can do is leave their guitar out in a car on a hot day. You wouldn’t leave your child or family pet out in a […]
Register Now For Fall Music Lessons
Grosse Pointe Music Academy Sign up now for Private and Group Music Lessons You can register early to get the best available times starting in September Families can save valuable time each week by scheduling lessons for 2 or more children at the same time! Private Lessons Guitar (Electric, Acoustic, and Bass Guitar) Our […]
Why is it called “rock n’ roll?” What does the “roll” mean? Why is it sometimes “and” yet sometimes “n’?”
Is “Rocket ‘88” by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats the very first rock and roll record? The question has inspired debate amongmusicologists for years. Another equally contentious question: Where does the term “rock and roll” come from? “Rock” is derived from the Old English roccain, related to the Old Nordicrykkja meaning, “to pull, tear, move.” The earliest […]
Rhythm Society Orchestra August 4th Music on the Plaza
Music on the Plaza in the Grosse Pointe Village proudly presents the Rhythm Society Orchestra. Thursday August 4 Music on the Plaza, Grosse Pointe Bring a chair and listen to some swingin’ big band sounds. Free. Band plays 7:00 to 8:30 The RHYTHM SOCIETY is a 15-piece dance band specializing in true vintage swing music. […]
Art and Lutherie Ami Guitar
AMI Never judge a book by its cover! The Ami’s are modeled after the dimensions of a parlor guitar of the early 1900’s. Small in stature but surprisingly large where it counts most… Tone and projection. The Ami’s tone is clear and pronounced, making it a great guitar for acoustic blues, slide, folk, fingerstyle or […]
THE JAZZ THEORY BOOK
by Mark Levine Order Now Anyone studying Jazz should read this book. Mark Levine gives us this brilliant book covering Theory and Scales, Improvisation, Reharmonization, Playing Tunes, and much more. Over 500 pages of text and over 750 musical examples. Written in the language of the working jazz musician, this book is easy […]
Guinness to acknowledge local boy
By Heidi Bitsoli, Special to The Macomb Daily Click to enlarge What were you doing when you were 5 years old? In Julian Pavone’s case, he was banging out a Guinness World Record as “Youngest Professional Drummer.” The designation became official when young Julian was 5 years, 10 months, 3 days old, on March 21, […]
Macomb boy drums way to a Guinness record
7-year-old Julian Pavone worked hard to earn youngest drummer title Francis X. Donnelly/ The Detroit News Macomb Township — Julian Pavone has played the drums professionally most of his life, but they still tower above him. After all, he’s just 7. In that short period, he has appeared on 150 talk and news shows, including “Good […]
Words of Wellness
Grosse Pointe News Article July 28, 2011 In true patriotic spirit, the Fourth of July weekend had me singing, “I’m proud to be a…Grosse Pointer.” Well that’s a bit of a fib, as technically I live in St. Clair Shores, but I did grow up in GP, and you know there’s no better place for […]
Music Together Blog. Jackson, The Music Maker
By Lyn Ransom, D.M.A. Lyn Ransom, D.M.A., is the recently-retired Director of Program Development at Music Together LLC and coauthor of Music Together Preschool. She helped to develop Music Together’s Babies Program in 1999 and was a curriculum writer for all of the Music Together song collections. In addition to 25 years’ experience teaching adults […]
Don’t let summer stop your groove
With the summer in full swing, many students are taking breaks from their music lessons to engage in more seasonal activities. What many students don’t realize, however, is the importance of continuing practice throughout their break; a point I often push on my students. As practice time diminishes, so do many of the important physical […]
It’s a real shame when folks be throwing away a perfectly good pink guitar like that
Shortly after I blogged about how inexpensive short-scale guitars are rare, I found this pink guitar in Harper Woods on trash day. It’s an inexpensive First Act child’s guitar, but after a thorough inspection I realized that the only thing wrong with […]
Am I too old to learn Guitar?
In the 40 years that I have been teaching all styles of guitar to every type of student, there have been a few questions that come up over and over, and seem to be the cause of great concern and anxiety for guitar students. High on the list is “Am I Too Old To Learn […]
Rock Band Classes
Grosse Pointe Music Academy: Rock Band Classes Do you want to learn how to play in a band? Grosse Pointe Music Academy offers rock band classes for students of all ages and skill levels. Our experienced instructors will teach you the basics of playing in a band, including how to read music, how to play […]