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At From the Top, we recognize the benefits of musical therapy and find that there can be powerful healing in music (it’s powerful stuff!). But one composer at MIT is taking it to the next level: combining musical therapy with technology to help people with disabilities discover the joy of music, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Tod Machover’s program, Hyperscore, allows users to create artwork on a monitor, which the computer then translates into a musical score. He took Hyperscore to a hospital for patients with physical and mental disabilities, where a cerebral palsy patient named Dan Ellsey experienced the program. He did so well with Hyperscore–he made CDs and taught other patients–that he was featured in the 2008 TED conference! Other patients who used the program experienced less hallucinations and were even becoming more social.

CDAL members at the Hope Lodge also raised money for the American Cancer Society and performed at Boston's Relay for Life.

Our own Center for the Development of the Arts Leaders became very interested in musical therapy when they worked at the Hope Lodge, where cancer patients being treated in Boston can stay for free.

They designed activities that were more interactive with the residents–including a drum circle, collaborative concerts, games, and writing about musical experiences–to help ease residents from their pain.

Music therapy can have an array of benefits for a variety of different people, including  children, those with mental health problems, and those with Alzheimer’s Disease. The American Music Therapy Association even produces two journals dedicated to researching music therapy.

Perhaps with future advances in technology (and a few science gurus like the MIT students ) our CDAL members can catch onto the new wave of music therapy and help others heal through the sounds they create!

Greeting from Kalamazoo, Michigan, where we just taped a show at the Western Michigan University School of Music. It was a wonderful show with one of the most exuberant live audiences ever.

Johannes Gray, “the mellow yellow cello fellow”

Kicking off the fun was local pianist, 17-year-old Marissa Uchimura, who performed Prokofiev’s Sonata No.3 in A minor Op.28 and spoke with Chris about her passion for arts advocacy.

Next up was tuba player Ben Darneille, 17, a student at Interlochen School for the Arts, who talked about one of his biggest inspirations, Carol Jantsch, who was on our show almost ten years ago and now is Principal Tubist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Ben played two movements from Suite for Tuba by Gordon Jacob.

Following Ben was 14-year-old cellist Johannes Gray, known to friends as “the mellow yellow cello fellow” for his trademark yellow clothing (he has worn yellow every single day of his life since he was a toddler)! He played “Capriccio” by Lukas Foss and spoke about finding creative inspiration from birds.

Next up was the percussion duo of 16-year-old Eric Goldberg and 17-year-old Shuya Gong, both members of the Percussion Scholarship Group in Chicago, Illinois. They performed “Udacrep Akubrad” by Avner Dorman. It was fascinating to watch them make their way around two marimbas and a variety of other percussion instruments. We’ll have a video of their performance online when the show airs the week of February 6.

Closing the show was 15-year-old Jackie Tso from Loveland, Ohio, who performed what she described as “the most fun piece ever” – Wieniawski’s Polonaise Brillante No.1 in D major, Op.4. A joyful way to end the show!

This week 152 young artists gathered in Miami for the 2012 YoungArts Week, a core program of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. Nine of them are current or soon-to-be From the Top alumni and include:

Noah Dugan, trumpet – Show 235
Kimberly Hou, piano – Show 232
Sirena Huang, violin – Show 188
Grant Jameson, euphonium – upcoming Show 246 in Pittsburgh, PA
John Lee, cello – upcoming Show 251 in Potsdam, NY
Anna Litvinenko, cello – Show 156
Kate Liu, piano – Show 238
John Ringor, percussion – Shows 202, 206, and 220
Rieko Tsuchida, piano – Show 161 and 211

The YoungArts Week performances are being live-streamed on www.youngarts.org with the final performances tomorrow, Friday, January 13!

The finalists are chosen from more than 5,000 applicants in nine disciplines in the visual, literary and performing arts. The week includes master classes by world-renowned artists, performances, and exhibitions. 20 of the finalists will also be selected as 2012 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, an award given at the White House with the opportunity to perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C!

We hope all of our alums have had a great week in Miami!

More about YoungArts

YoungArts is the core program of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA). The organization’s mission is to identify emerging artists, provide educational enrichment and assistance in their pursuit of the arts, and to raise the appreciation for and support of the arts in American society. Dedicated to inspiring and nurturing young artists, NFAA was founded in 1981 by businessman and visionary, the late Ted Arison, and his wife Lin. The YoungArts program identifies the next generation of emerging artists and contributes to the cultural vitality of the nation by investing in the artistic development of thousands of gifted artists in nine disciplines in the visual, literary and performing arts. At the request of The Commission on Presidential Scholars, which is appointed by the President of the United States, NFAA serves as the exclusive nominating agency for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts.

From the Top’s broadcast for Show 243 was taped at the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Jamaica Plain, MA on Sunday December 18, 2011. We asked our performers to tell us about the music they performed on the show:

Boston Children’s Chorus, featuring the Premier Choir & Young Men’s Ensemble
“Alleluia,” by Randall Thompson
Anthony Trecek-King, Artistic Director

This is a great piece of music – one of the standard choral pieces out there. Written by an American composer for the Tanglewood Festival, he originally intended it to be more of a practice piece (particularly for conductors). It has everything you could want in a piece: tempo changes, meter changes, a large dynamic range, difficult harmonies. It is a challenging piece for choirs to pull off, and is just the kind of piece I like to challenge our singers with – even though it’s a standard, it’s still a difficult piece.

From the Top Alumni String Quartet
II. Molto adagio from String Quartet No.1
 By: George Walker

Tessa Lark, Violin

It’s so beautiful and powerful! I’d actually never heard of the composer or heard this piece until a couple weeks before the show – but I’m so glad I know about it now! The piece seems to tell a story of love and the many faces it wears- tenderness, warmth, passion – what a beautiful work.

These kinds of tear-jerker pieces are my absolute favorite to play. It’s easy to relate to and as a performer I can really pour my heart and soul into it which acts, in a way, as my own personal emotional therapy!

Ryan Shannon, Violin

This piece has quickly become one of my favorites, even after such a short time as it is one of the most beautiful, poignant, and heartwarming pieces that I have ever played. I believe it is a piece that touches a very deep part of our souls, a part of us that is not effected very often in our day to day lives; a part of us that is near the very root of our being, part of our foundation, part of the essence of our humanity that makes us who we are. When I play this piece I am transported in a way that I have never been before in my life: it takes me out of time and space to a medium beyond my understanding. I feel, so strongly, but I cannot put my finger on what I am feeling, as if the music has transformed the physical world around me and I cannot breath without being a part of it and feeling the emotions that it evokes, as if the very air has become imbibed with emotion, with meaning. It is almost impossible to describe these emotions, as I have never felt them before: some sort of combination of extreme sadness and elation, or perhaps the point at which these two meet and become one and the same.

As a group, I think the most difficult, or rather important, aspects of performing this piece is the blending of sound. Each of us has an equal role in creating and filling the sound and we must all be a cohesive and unbreakable whole in order for the effect of the intense emotions to come across. Our sound is the foundation for our audience’s experience and it must be capable of raising them high, to experience the foundation of their soul. They must be able to find themselves in the sound that we create.

Post-Show Reflection: The show was an absolute blast!! As totally expected! I was wowed by the choir and their truly remarkable ability to change the music so quickly while being completely together! At times it felt like I could almost see the air as it was blown away by a blast of sound or as it disappeared in a sudden dramatic quietening. Alexandra’s tone on the bassoon was so poignant, it was all I could do but look up into the rafters and feel the beauty in the sound fall over me. And of course I would have given an arm and a leg to see Tessa fiddle, but it was all delivered quite wonderfully! (No amputations necessary )

I want to thank the entire From the Top crew and staff for giving me this amazing opportunity (again!) to play with such incredible musicians, tell my story at the Hope Lodge (through From the Top’s Center for the Development of Arts Leaders) to the world, hear and play such moving music, and be a part of everyone that enjoyed! Thank You!!

Clayton Penrose-Whitmore, Viola

This piece is a very beautiful piece; the type that gives me goose bumps. It has a beautiful calm opening that builds and climaxes into the middle of the piece, and then slowly deflates through the end.

This piece is very beautiful and slow, so it is difficult to sustain the phrase. One thing we watch out for especially is intonation. It’s so beautiful that I feel like I would let everyone down on experiencing the full beauty of the chords and harmonies if I were to play something out of the tune.

Michael Dahlberg, Cello

It captures the emotional journey and stillness of Barber’s Adagio for Strings but casts it in a new light. Because it is played less frequently, I find it easier to hear anew, like a fresh way to experience that feeling of eternity.

I think what makes it tick is the right balance of flow and stillness. It has to get across a feeling of timelessness while being grounded in an inevitable pulse.

Post-Show Reflection: Returning to the show, I was reminded of how much fun concert productions can be. The staff is intent on bringing out your best playing while keeping you focused on having fun and being yourself. So glad to take part again!

Boston Children’s Chorus
“My Soul’s Been Anchored In The Lord”, trad. spiritual (arr. Moses Hogan)
“In His Care-O”, trad. spiritual (arr. William Dawson)
Anthony Trecek-King, Artistic Director

I like to regularly touch on different spirituals. They are truly an American idiom, and something that we can call our own, not a borrowed genre of music. Historically, such deep roots important, so I try to do a couple of different ones every year. Though these spirituals may appear joyful, they each have a profound sense of seriousness.

When listening to the theme of “My Soul’s Been Anchored,” for example, just that statement says, “I am sure of myself – I’m anchored in the Lord.” “In His Care-O” conveys a similar message of comfort in having faith. Both come out of the context of slavery – being enslaved and not really having a future, it was nice to find solace in something else, something beautiful. A lot of time spirituals are performed too carefree – what we try to do is, though we may appear joyful in performance, bring a sense of seriousness to this music. That’s what I try to bring across whenever we are performing a spiritual.

Boston Children’s Chorus
“I’ll Fly Away,” by Albert E. Brumley (arr. Jim Papoulis)
Anthony Trecek-King, Artistic Director

This is a gospel hymn, and we just want to have fun with it – it is very different from anything that we’ve done before. I wanted a very bluegrass, roots-y feel to it – we brought in a guitar, a bass, and a fiddle to help set the stage for this. The composer actually wrote it when he was picking cotton in Oklahoma – it as though he literally wanted to “fly away” from his responsibilities in the fields. We tried to change our sound for this piece to a slightly brighter, more “twang-y” sound, so hopefully we sound different here than from the previous three.

11-year-old pianist and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Victoria Young (Show 235 in Oklahoma City) just returned from an exciting trip to Germany! The Cooke scholarship allowed Victoria and her mom BeeLee to travel overseas so Victoria could attend a masterclass with Professor Inge Rosar. Professor Rosar is the organizer of the International Bach Competition in Germany, which was won by Hilda Huang, another From the Top alum, last year!

BeeLee shared some great details of their experience with us:

There is no way for me to tell how amazing Professor Inge Rosar was. She was knowledgeable, humorous, humble, energetic, and so passionate about teaching and playing Bach’s music. The class went from around 9:45am to 7 or 8pm at night! The best thing (at least for Victoria) was only 2 students showed up for the class. Victoria got almost 4 hours of private coaching for each day. When the other student played, Professor Rosar gave Victoria the music and asked her to find the structure. She taught them how to listen to the “parameters” of the compositions. She explained clearly which teachings were based on historical findings and which were from her own experiences. Even though I don’t know much about music, I enjoyed every minute in the class. Professor Rosar told us about her life philosophy and I truly believe that a great musician comes with a great heart.

Victoria, fellow student, and Professor Rosar

Victoria learned so much in these 4 days that now she knows how to analyze not only Bach’s music, but also Classical and Romantic music. She played for her teacher in Las Vegas on January 3, and her teacher was so impressed that she herself decided to plan a trip to Germany to take masterclass from Professor Rosar in March.

Victoria and BeeLee in Saarbrücken, Germany

BeeLee wrapped up her email to us with a very sweet thank you to note to From the Top and the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation:

Many people that we know thought that going to Germany for a 4 days class sounded really crazy. I was once one of these people before Victoria’s teacher “lectured” me about the difference of learning from a master. I think [From the Top and the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation] truly understand the great impact of these classes on young musicians and gave us so much encouragement on our decision. Thank you again. Without the scholarship and your kind support on making all the reservations for us, I would never thought of making this trip is possible (I know it sounds like a commercial speech, but that’s how I really feel).

We thank BeeLee for her nice feedback and look forward to following Victoria’s musical career!

You can see more pictures of Victoria and BeeLee’s trip to Germany on Facebook.

Hello everyone, and Happy New Year!

The Boston Children's Chorus

I wanted to tell you about a special show we taped recently at the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Boston to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. It was a wonderfully moving show, filled with exceptional performances and stories. It featured the superb Boston Children’s Chorus under the direction of Anthony Trecek-King, whose energy was contagious. The chorus sang several pieces, including “Allelulia” by Randall Thomspon, and the spirituals “My Soul’s Been Anchored In The Lord” and “In His Care-O.”

Also featured, 17-year-old bassoonist Alexandra Nelson played from Sonatine for Bassoon and Piano by Alexandre Tansman and shared with the audience some of her life story, which closely parallels the early musical years of Coretta Scott King.

To top it all off, a string quartet of From the Top alumni performed music by the American composer George Walker and shared how they are using music as a mechanism for community building and social change. This promises to be a wonderful broadcast, so make sure to tune in when it airs over the weekend of Martin Luther King Day!

Until then, don’t miss this fantastic video scrapbook of the day’s events made by the performers themselves (with a little help from my talented colleague Anne Gregory)!

This week’s From the Top’s broadcast (Show 242) was taped at the Lensic Performing Arts Center, in Santa Fe, on October 25, 2011. We asked our performers to tell us about the music they performed on the show:

Hugo Kitano, piano, 16
IV. Finale: Presto non tango; Agitato from Piano Sonata No. 3
 By: Frédéric Chopin

When I play this piece, I think of the Headless Horseman galloping because of the 6/8-meter and the sinister theme. My favorite part is when the piece changes to B major at the very end, because it gets rid of all the sorrow and is so uplifting. It also gives my left hand a much-needed rest after four pages of nonstop arpeggios.

The most difficult part of the piece is to resist the temptation to play loud everywhere. It’s so fun to play really loud and really fast, but I’ve come to realize that that doesn’t sound very good. When I play it, I think of the duality of the two themes, one in minor and one in major, one good and one evil. It’s a struggle ultimately won by B major and righteousness.

Post Show Reflection: My favorite memory from the three days was the dress rehearsal, and how informal, relaxed, and hilarious everybody was. I felt totally prepared and ready, and calm and comfortable. It was so fun and organized, yet memorable. The concert was very exciting. I had no nervousness at all, I felt at ease and really enjoyed the actual performance, and the audience was so appreciative and the staff was so helpful.

Music has the power to transcend our differences in a diverse human culture and evoke emotions we never could have known existed. It celebrates our universal humanity and unifies as a whole, opening up opportunities for all.

Audra Vigil, guitar, 14
Saudade No.3
By: Roland Dyens

Saudade No. 3 by Roland Dyens is definitely one of my favorite pieces. Every time I play it, it makes me want to dance. It’s really groovy and funky. All the syncopation makes the piece come alive. It’s just an all-around fun and happy piece.

Saudade No. 3 holds a special place in my heart. I’ve been playing it for about 5 years now, and I’ve grown to love it and love playing it. I’ve spent a long time with it, but every time I look at the score I find something new and interesting I’d never noticed before. Getting to know a piece of music is really like getting to know a person; you think you know them well, but there’s always something new to discover. Every time I play this piece, it’s like talking to an old friend. I really do love this piece.

Post Show Reflection: My favorite memory was backstage before the concert. I felt like we all connected to each other in a way that only musicians can do. We all sort of subconsciously knew that we were in this together.  The concert was amazing! I’ve never played for an audience that large, and I really fed off the crowds’ energy. I knew that they all wanted to support me and wanted me to do well. My performance was for them, and by connecting with them, I was also performing for myself.

Music has the power to change the world. Music is about imagination, and its only limit is one’s creativity. As long as you can think of it, music can do it.

Micäela Aldridge, mezzo-soprano,17
“Svegliatevi nel Core” (4:15) from the opera Giulio Cesare
By: George Frideric Handel
The Sun Embraces the Stony Earth” from the opera Elmer Gantry
By: Robert Aldridge (father)

When I sing this Handel aria, I really try to think of ways to get into the character that sings this aria, by any means necessary. I also think of how I can get an audience member to experience what I as a character am struggling with in the aria. The most common scenario that I think of for this is an operatic version of Harry Potter, where I, as Harry, have to avenge the death of my parents and the many others that were killed by Voledmort. When I see a ghost that is telling me defeat Voldemort, it is the ghost of Albus Dumbledore

Compared to other pieces I’ve performed, this aria is very challenging – it has a very fast tempo, with a sudden change to a slower pace in the second section, or “B section”, which requires a lot of breath control and support. In the “A-section”, I move a lot more and have more freedom. Another hard part is figuring out, or composing, Baroque ornamentations – there are endless possibilities for what I can do, and which ones are better to use given certain circumstances.

Post Show Reflection: My favorite part of the experience was getting to know the performers and staff members, the pizza party, and being silly in the dressing room. The performance felt so surreal and I couldn’t believe that it was happening. I’ve waited for to do this for a couple mouths and it was like a fantasy when it happened. Although I was really nervous, it turned out to be surprisingly easy once I open my mouth to sing. 

Music can really change someone’s life for the better and can develop a passion for music or just art in general. 

Russell Houston, cello, 17
Requiebros
By Gaspar Cassadó 

“Requiebros” means flirting in Spanish. So naturally when I’m performing the piece, I check out the cute girls in the room and play out towards them. My favorite part is definitely the flirtations and outgoing nature of the piece; I think it suits me well, because I’m always a fan of flirting with girls! After I played this piece once, I got compliments on my “flirty dance” from a lot of girls and that was exciting!

Again, this piece is a lot of fun to play because it’s about flirting. It’s imperative that you to not get nervous and overanalyze when flirting, just as it is important to let go and not worry too much about performing during this piece. Without letting go of those inhibitions, it’s impossible to fully express the fun nature of this piece.

Post Show Reflection: My favorite memory was the Interview portion of the show: it was awesome how comfortable and flexible the staff made me feel while talking onstage! The performance was surprisingly easy: I wasn’t nervous beforehand because the staff prepared me so well for everything that was to come.

Music has the power to connect a room full of one-time acquaintances. Though the audience doesn’t necessarily know each other, it’s amazing that through music a large anonymous group of people can share the same experience. That’s very powerful in and of itself.

Amelia Sie, violin, 15
Lotus Land
By: Cyril Scott

Since the Lotus is a sacred item in Buddhism (and other religions), it reminds me of an oriental song, especially with its whole-note intervals. It reminds me of clear ponds with lots of Lotus flowers, and a mist blanketing the ground. When I was playing it through for violinist Jan Mark Sloman, he told me that I should make people feel stoned…that was very strange.

A lot of pieces I’ve played before evoke strong emotions. Usually, I play pieces that are super-flashy or very emotional. This piece, however, is more subdued. It has a mystical feel. When performing Lotus Land, I try to make people feel in a different, enchanted world. This is very different for me, so that’s probably the hardest thing for me.

Post Show Reflection: The Performance was my favorite memory from the three days! Everyone put in so much work to make the live taping work, and it was so gratifying to be able to participate in it and perform for the crowd. At first I was really nervous, but then I remembered I had already recorded everything earlier that day, so the performance was much more exciting and laid-back. This was such an uplifting experience.

Music has the power to move people; to make people cry, laugh, and smile. It expresses emotions to people you couldn’t normally communicate with.

What a wonderful year it has been — rich in awe-inspiring acts of arts leadership, jaw-dropping performances, laughter, and the abundant promise of youth! From the Top thanks our fans for your support in helping us share this joy with millions around the world!

Watch the video below to see just a few of our favorite moments of joy over the past year.

Hello from CalTeamDelta!!! We are Maddie, Tiffany, Dante, John and Will. This past year we have been working at the Goddard House, an assisted living facility in Brookline as part of From the Top’s Year-Long Arts Leadership Program.

From L to R: Dante Velasquez, John Carney, Williams Hess, Tiffany Cheng, Madeline Bauer, and Mike Dahlberg (mentor)

“What are you doing at an assisted living facility?” one might ask. What probably pops into your head is kids playing for elderly people who are half listening, maybe sleeping. This is not at all what our project is about.

Arts leaders Tiffany, Will and Maddie with residents at The Goddard House

After visiting the Goddard House more than 25 times this year, we have really gotten to know and love the residents on a personal level. We started out by addressing the needs of Goddard House and what we could learn from and contribute to their community. They key word being community. We tried to look through the eyes of the residents and really try to imagine what life is like for them; how they are adjusting to being without their families, growing older and being in a new, unfamiliar setting.

Arts leaders Maddie, John and Tiffany leading a music circle with residents

Starting out as informal concerts in the library, our weekly interactions with the residents have grown into impromptu group sing-a-longs and extended conversations. Our music has been a means for us to learn about the residents as people and as a way to connect with a generation so different than our own. To take our relationships with the residents to another level, we decided to interview them to learn even more about their lives and musical experiences.

16 yr-old arts leader, Maddie, shares a powerful moment:

My first interview was with Floyd, a 100-year-old resident. Not only is his age remarkable, but his interesting life stories. One of the highlights from my experience at the Goddard House  was when Floyd shared his  life-long passion for dancing.  ”I wasn’t sure if you would be interested in these, but I brought them,” he said in his deep, rough voice as he pulled out three pictures from his walker. I looked at them in awe. These pictures included him dancing with his wife as a young man, and him dancing at his 100th birthday party at the Goddard House. Through these pictures, I was able to witness that if you have a passion, it can transcend age and time. To see a man as old as Floyd feel joy from doing what he loves reminded me to always appreciate the music that I play and interact with on a daily basis. It was at this moment that I realized that age and time don’t matter.  If you can pursue your passions, then you find happiness wherever you go. This moment gave meaning to the interviews and this unspoken lesson will stick with me when I am as old as Floyd and able to appreciate the violin.

Want to meet these inspiring arts leaders and learn more about their work at the Goddard House? Come to the Boston Class of 2011 Final Exhibition on January 21st, where you will learn more about From the Top’s Center for the Development of Arts Leaders and meet four other teams who have spent the past year using their music to make a difference.

Pianist Adria Ye, who performed on Show 201 in Boston, Massachusetts when she was 11, is flourishing as a freshman at Council Rock High School South in Pennsylvania. She plays a ton of instruments in her school’s orchestra: piano, marimba, xylophone, celesta, maracas, glockenspiel, and triangle! And now, Adria will be one of 26 members selected from the Council Rock South Orchestra to perform at the White House on December 22.

Adria Ye rehearsing for Show 201 in Boston at age 11.

The event is one of several holiday open houses at the White House, and the school’s vocal ensemble will also perform.Adria will also play in a Beethoven trio with the concert master (a senior at the high school) and the orchestra director Christopher Simon. Good luck, Adria!

A recent fan comment inspired this next installment in The Parents’ Perspective. A few weeks ago, Jenni asked us:

“How do you handle a child who is very gifted musically but hates it? My 13 year old son hates to practice and has no real desire or motivation to excel, but has a talent and I hate to see it wasted. Any suggestions would be helpful and appreciated. I believe it will help him and others in so many ways.”

We put the question to our panel of parents and here’s what they said:

My daughter does not have the desire to play perfectly (we call her “Miss good enough”) so she would never make it as a musician. We have nagged her enough to get her to a level where she can play with others, which is what she enjoys. I think by age 13 it will be very difficult to force a child to practice, especially if they do not already have a level of facility on the instrument. Pushing too hard at that age will just turn them off completely.

-Jasmine Moghissi (mother of Dominic Favia, trumpet, Show 215)

Barbara Nakazawa, mother of Show 092 cellist Josh, suggests:

Have your child enroll in a chamber music class. It’s true that band and orchestra are fun and social, but with chamber music you have to really know your individual part and listen to the other players. Sometimes it’s important to let go of telling your child to practice but find ways to know that they are learning and growing musically. They will not want to let the group down and will prepare their part. It is most important to let them find pleasure and magic in music. Chamber music is that magic.

Katherine Tobey (pianist Cynthia, Show 098) encourages integrating music into other parts of family life:

Try to bring him to live concerts and/or his peer’s recitals in order to continue interest in his proper instrument studies. In my opinion, a 13 year old is in the process of going through physiological/physical/emotional/social changes. Parents need to be extremely patient, observant, and nurturing of the child’s musical interest.

Naomi Aldort (cellist Oliver Aldort, Show 126) cautions against forcing a child into something they may not want to do:

It is best not to manipulate a child to do what he does not want to do. The result is usually that he hates it even more. He may be not practicing because of feeling pressured and not feeling that it is his own project.

I suggest two possibilities. One is to look in a different musical direction, like another instrument or teacher. Maybe no lessons for a while, so he can fall in love with music on his own…Alternatively, you could let go and stop his lessons because as long as it is a struggle, he will be driven away from it. Letting it go will not “waste his talent.” On the contrary, it will give him the  opportunity to tap into it on his own volition.

Another approach could include recruiting help outside the immediate family. Sean Robbins’ (slack key guitarist on Show 210) mom Vicky wrote:

Let other adults in the child’s life know the situation and have them encourage the child as well. Sometimes ideas coming from someone other than a parent make more of an impression! Especially for a 13 year old. As always though, continue to feed and inspire a passion for music. After all, what would the world be like without it?!

Sarah Odhner, mother of violinist Ben from Show 158, shared her family’s experience with this type of problem:

When one of our sons was sixteen he gravitated to non-musical activities and really did not want to practice viola. Nagging teens quickly turns toxic, so my husband and I decided to put him on a “six week plan”. We outlined a minimal amount of practicing that we expected and told him that we would not be giving him any reminders to practice. I quietly noted his approximate practice times each week and asked him to do the same. At the end of the six weeks he had not fulfilled the minimum requirement and he dropped the instrument. He still loves music and is set to complete a doctorate in chemistry within the next few months.

Ultimately pursuing music has to be a person’s own life-choice. It demands tremendous strength of character and the ability to perform in front of others under many circumstances. Not every talented person wants to do this.

And sometimes it just comes down to the language of the heart:

My two very different musically gifted children have taught me that if the child feels the emotional expression then playing and practicing that instrument will be about learning and perfecting the language of the heart. Playing will have more meaning than practicing just to be good. The best musicians, children and adults, are the one whose heads, hearts, and bodies are all connected in the musical expression with their instrument. What my children did with their musical talent and abilities was not about ME, it was about me understanding them, accepting them, providing support for them, and, their own musical journeys. No musical talent is ever wasted, it may just not take the form we want it to take for the child, and I as a parent, had to be okay with that.

-Judy Merritt, mother of double bassist Edward from Show 100

What do you think? How far is too far when it comes to pushing kids into music?

We recently heard from alum Lauren Chipman, a violist who first performed on Show 041 in Austin, Texas at age 17 (and later on Show 046 in Boston, Massachusetts and was a 10th anniversary alumni performer on Show 204 in Granville, Ohio). It turns out that things are going very well for her in Los Angeles–she has been frequently performing on NBC’s Tonight Show!

Lauren on Show 204

Lauren’s also just been hired by The Colburn School, an intense performing arts academy in Los Angeles. There, she will oversee the Colburn School Academy’s Outreach program, which gives the Academy’s high school students the opportunity to teach lessons to second graders from local schools.

Keep a look out for Lauren this Friday, December 16 when she will be performing again on The Tonight Show with Chris Cornell, a singer from the band Soundgarden. We’re very proud of her accomplishments, especially as she leads the inspirational music initiative Outreach at the Colburn School Academy!

What do musicians and athletes have in common? A better ability in processing spatial information, according to a study at the University of Regensburg Institute of Sport Science in Germany. Miller-McCune reports that the study took 120 participants: 40 musicians, 40 athletes, and 40 “education” students who didn’t play an instrument or sport. The participants were then given two tests. One was a mental rotation test in which participants were shown a three-dimensional figure and were asked which image showed the same figure in a different position.

Researchers found that musicians and athletes scored higher in the test than the education students (in fact, male athletes had the highest score overall). The same researchers also published a study in 2010 that concluded that physical activity improves the ability to mentally rotate objects.

Meanwhile, Eastman School of Music professor James VanDemark is testing to see if boxing helps musicians. Twenty students currently participate in one-hour classes each week with professional trainer Dom Arioli, the Wall Street Journal reports (our own pianist alum Thomas Steigerwald was featured in the article!). James told the Wall Street Journal that boxing is also based on rhythm, particularly punching combinations and breathing patterns (boxers even punch the speed bag in triplets).

Photo by Brett Carlsen, WSJ

Students told the Wall Street Journal that they have improved their posture and their cardiovascular fitness, allowing them to produce bigger and better sounds. Last year, one graduate double bass student found that he could tackle the huge instrument successfully after learning some boxing techniques.

What does all this prove? Music and athletics seem to be intertwined – they can both increase mental spatial processing abilities and may even help each other. If Eastman students are reaping the benefits of physical activity, perhaps athletes can also gain the benefits – mental and spiritual – of making music!

With praise from the New York Times and the BBC Music Magazine, pianist and From the Top alum Natasha Paremski has been making a name for herself! Her debut recital album, featuring works by Kahane, Prokofiev, and Brahms, was released November 8 and made the top 10 in the Billboard Classical Charts!

Photo credit: Andrea Joynt

Natasha performed on Show 016 in Boston, Massachusetts at 12 years old. Since then, she has played with symphony orchestras in San Francisco, Houston, Los Angeles, Taiwan, and more. She has also performed at Wigmore Hall in London, the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris, and in the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. She recently premiered a piece written for her by George Kahane and was named the 2010 Classical Recording Foundation’s Young Artist of the Year, which allowed her to record the hit album.

Natasha will perform the Dvořák piano concerto with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra December 1-3; you can purchase tickets here. We’re glad Natasha’s lighting up the stage and wish her luck in all her performances!

We are thrilled to announce that From the Top will travel to Bogota, Colombia in May, 2012 to record two radio shows! Our Co-CEO/Executive Producer Jerry Slavet and Tour Producer David Balsom just spent an amazing few days there, setting things in motion. Here’s a recap from David:

The first question everyone asks is “why Colombia?” and the answer is really very simple – we were invited! Many of you may be familiar with El Sistema, the Venezuelan project that employs classical music training of young children to effect societal change (Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel is its most famous alumnus). In Colombia, Batuta is the name of their national program that is doing much the same thing.

Jerry Slavet and David Balsom with Batuta members

Headed by an extraordinary man, Juan Antonio Cuellar, Batuta involves nearly 50,000 children across Colombia in 284 orchestra centers in over 100 cities and towns. The crown jewel in Batuta is the Colombian Youth Philharmonic (Filarmonica Joven de Colombia or FJC), whose conductor is Matthew (Mateo) Hazelwood, former Director of Orchestras at Interlochen Arts Academy. Both Juan Antonio (who has lived part-time in the US over the last decade) and Mateo (who conducted Interlochen groups on both our radio and TV shows) are very familiar with From the Top and felt that the radio show is an ideal vehicle to showcase the incredible music being made by young people in one of the world’s emerging economies. For our part, at From the Top we’ve been seeking an opportunity to explore the world beyond our borders and to bring the energy of young musicians to our audience.

What did we see and hear on our trip? In addition to warm and engaging hospitality from our hosts, we heard 2 different youth orchestras play with great energy and enthusiasm in cramped rehearsal spaces in neighborhoods that could be described as “neglected.” An Orff group of children ages 6-18 who played and sang so beautifully they brought tears to my eyes.

We traveled 300 miles southwest from Bogota to Cali, where on a Colombian Air Force base (yes, we had to surrender our passports to gain access) we heard a 400 piece “all-state” youth orchestra rehearse for a national television broadcast- an airplane hanger is the only space big enough to hold an orchestra of that size. When a cello and double bass section of 50 kids start spinning their instruments in a kind-of dance, you can’t help but smile.

Something very special is happening with young musicians in Colombia, and we’re excited to be heading there to record radio shows with these great kids and to bring that enthusiasm and awesome music to listeners across the U.S.

If you’d like to learn more about Batuta, Eric Booth recently wrote an essay which is provided after the jump!

View this document on Scribd

Image courtesy of Juilliard.edu

It’s been a while since violinist Siwoo Kim was on Show 159 in Columbus, Ohio in 2007. Now, Siwoo tells us he’s a senior at The Juilliard School and it seems like he’s becoming a flourishing performer! As the winner of  Juilliard’s violin concerto competition, he will be performing Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 with the Juilliard Orchestra (under direction of acclaimed conductor James DePreist) on Monday, December 5 at 8pm in Carnegie Hall. Tickets are $15 or $30, and can be ordered online at www.carnegiehall.org or by calling (212) 247-7800. More information can be found in the concert press release (From the Top gets a shout out in Siwoo’s bio!)

This past year, Siwoo has also performed solo concertos with the Tulsa and Springfield (MO) Symphonies. Since appearing on From the Top, he has won numerous competitions, including the 2010 Corpus Christi International Competition in which he took second place.

We hope Siwoo continues to have fantastic performances and wish him luck in this upcoming concert!

18-year-old pianist and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Yifan Wu wanted to find a way to reach out to the elderly in his hometown of Flushing, New York. He was introduced to the Korean American Senior Center, and reached out to their event coordinator in hopes of taking part in one of their weekly programs with its members. The event was a combination of music and activities, with staff from the Center engaging the audience through movement and dance.

“This performance showed me that the main point is not how good a performance is, but to bring happiness to your audience. They were all really sweet, and love life and music. At this event, my music brought them happiness, which made me very happy.”

Read more about Yifan’s performance on our Arts Leadership Map!

2011 Stulberg Gold Medalist Austin Huntington on Show 239

Each year gifted string musicians under the age of 20 compete in the Stulberg International String Competition for a chance to win performance opportunities and cash prizes. The 2011 Gold Medal winner was From the Top alum Austin Huntington (Show 239 in Ocean City, NJ), and he received $5,000 and an orchestral performance!

The 2012 competition is quickly approaching and here’s what you need to know for applying:

• Open to students of violin, viola, cello, or double bass who are under the age of 20 on January 1, 2012.
• The application postmark deadline is Friday, January 27, 2012, and you can find the application online.
• All submissions are reviewed by judges and 12 semifinalists will be selected by February 28.
• Semifinalists will perform a required Bach selection and an excerpt from a standard concerto and six finalists will continue to the final competition on May 19, 2012.

2012 Prizes

Burdick-Thorne Gold Medal: $5,000 and a performance award to be announced.
Silver Medal: $4,000 and a performance with the Western Michigan University Symphony Orchestra. Date to be announced.
Pinehurst Bronze Medal: $3,000 and a performance award with the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra. Date to be announced.
Bach Award: $500 for best performance of solo Bach selection.

Check out their website for more guidelines on repertoire selection and the required Bach piece.

Good luck to all applicants!

If you’re in New York, come see the String Orchestra of Brooklyn’s concert tomorrow, Saturday, November 19 at 8pm at St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn Heights! The performance presents works by Rosenmüller, Shostakovich, Pärt, and Stravinsky, with a special performance by professional pianist Conor Hanick.

The orchestra was actually featured on our arts leadership map for uniting non-professional musicians throughout Brooklyn to create great music simply for the joy and fun of playing. Founder and conductor Eli Spindel created the group in 2007 when he realized the need for a musical community in Brooklyn. Since then, the orchestra has attracted students, architects, lawyers, editors, and more.

Tickets are $15 and $10 for students or seniors; click here to order. A free food and wine reception will follow the concert.

We wish the orchestra a great recital from Boston, and are proud of its continual arts leadership presence in Brooklyn!

The works of the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt (above), who has created music from the 1950s to today, will be featured in the concert.

Last month we posted information about alum George Li’s Boston debut recital at Jordan Hall on October 29–one of the recitals awarded him as the first place winner of the Young Concert Artist International Auditions. But we’ve only just caught wind of the wonderful reviews that Li’s tour through Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C. has received from the Washington Post, the Boston Phoenix, and the New York Times!

“Li’s performance left no doubt that he combines staggering technical prowess, a sense of command and depth of expression,” wrote Cecelia Porter of the Washington Post. The New York Times praised George for his “charming interpretation” of Variations of Pierre Rode’s “Ricordanza” by Czerny, “whose filigree and runs Mr. Li played with elegance and wit.”

“As a keyboard technician, he’s as virtuosic as Lang Lang, but his palette has more colors, and his approach to playing is appealingly, touchingly music-directed, not self-directed,” raved Lloyd Schwartz of the Boston Phoenix. “His fast playing is not only breathtaking, but beautiful. And musical.”

Sixteen-year-old George appeared on  Show 144 in Boston, Massachusetts at age 10. His performances continue through June 2012 and will take him to Ohio, Vancouver, Massachusetts, Sweden, and finally South Carolina for the Southeastern Piano Festival.

George’s parents tell us they’re extremely proud and thank his teachers, his school Walnut Hill,  the New England Conservatory Preparatory School, and others for their guidance and support. From the Top is also very proud and hopes George continues to rake in great reviews!