Rhapsody in Blue, composed by George Gershwin in 1924, is a piece originally for solo piano and jazz orchestra. It was commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman for his “An Experiment in Modern Music” concert in New York on February 12, 1924. However, it is said that Gershwin completely forgot about being asked to compose the…
Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, also known as Your Lie in April, is an anime adapted from a manga series of the same name. It follows Kosei Arima, a piano prodigy nicknamed “the human metronome” for playing just as the composer has written. However, he withdraws from the piano after the death of his mother.…
May you never forget, fortissimo.
Nothing to do this Saturday evening? Why don’t you check out Bohemian Café, a violin/piano recital happening at Mount Royal? This recital is being put on by Andrea Neumann and Alexandra Andrievsky, who are also my former violin teacher and piano teacher, and it’s a benefit concert, in support of CIM and the Center for Newcomers.…
Music is a huge part of my life. I’ve always loved it, from growing up, all the way to today, as I sit here listening to music while writing this. This year, I’ve been able to explore some different ways of playing music. Being in grade 7, this is my first year in school band,…
And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. – John Keating (Dead Poet’s Society) It’s not with this concept that I have an issue with. My issue is with…
Source My family has always been particularly gifted in music. The talent passed through each generation can be traced as far back as to my great grandmother, who played live music for silent films. I’ve always considered myself a virtuoso when it comes down to it, although I’ll admit I’m far from perfect. Ever since…
When I first heard about Mount Royal Conservatory’s Morningside Music Bridge (MMB) program from friend and participant Yan Li a few years back, I thought, “Wow, that sounds too good to be true.” That was back in my unseasoned days of both musicianship and citizenship so I decided to sit back and listen to her stories of…
A few weeks back I had the absolute privilege of seeing classical pianist Jan Lisiecki perform alongside the Calgary Philharmonic in a dazzling display of ability and virtuosity. If you’re a classical pianist residing in Calgary, then you’ve probably heard a thing or two about Jan Lisiecki, the local Polish-Canadian pianist who captured the attention of the…
Looking for something to impress your girl? Your man? Check out some of these awesome songs for the piano and voice. They are nice to entertain just for the casual meeting, talent show, or just something to break the silence and find a connection with someone else. You could also bring this to your next…
A super sweet and super nostalgic medley of some of the best Disney songs by AJ Rafael. Hope you enjoy and just feel the childhood coming back from within you.
I’m here in the middle of exam break dreaming of summer vacation so I decided to pacify myself by looking over some of the photos I took on my trip to Toronto last August. Here are some famous Toronto landmarks and some neat things that caught my eye around the city.
Yann Tierson is probably one of my favorite contemporary pianists. He has a way of conveying emotions through the simplicity of his work, proving that complex sheet music is not essential to writing a breathtaking song. The 2001 film Amelie contains a collection of his works, so beautiful and moving that the movie would be…
There are some movies that thrive on the hype of the moment. And once that moment passes, the film slips as a passing fad. But there are movies out there that still attract our interest even decades after their release. So what makes a classic? Whether it’s fast paced action, original plotlines, chilling after-effects, or…
It takes around an hour for a c-train from Dalhousie to arrive at Chinook, and when you’re really rushing to get some Christmas shopping done, time stretches. It was 10am on a no school Friday and I was cranky, tired, and impatient to get things over with. I sat at the very end of the…