A young child says to his mother, “Mom, when I grow up I’d like to be a musician.” She replies, “Well honey, you know you can’t do both.”...

Think singing lessons are only for the young or those who have dreams of stardom? Think again! Our wonderful vocal students at The Music...

Dig beneath the dominating sounds of string instruments. Ignore the Autotune treatments of today’s pop tunes. What if the fundamental...

Those of us at The Music Junction believe talent is everywhere and inside all of us. You do not have to be born with musical ability to be a great singer nor do you have to be rich to create beautiful music.   We came across an NPR story that is a wonderful reminder about talent. Also, you’ll quickly become enchanted with this music!   The Malawi Mouse Boys spend several hours every Sunday singing for their church. The rest of the week, they hunt mice to sell as snacks to t

Kurt Elling is my (Charissa’s) favorite jazz vocalist of all time (sorry Ella).  I first saw him live 7 years ago at the Green Mill Jazz Club in Chicago, where he got his start.  He performed in LA in 2012 and gave one of the best performances I’ve ever seen, with a small 3-piece ensemble of high-end musicians who were so tight and advanced that it felt like a whole new level of music. Miamiartzine.com has a great description of his voice.  “Elling has a weapon in his throa

If you ever plan on going on a road trip, consider visiting San Francisco’s wave organ to experience that music is truly everywhere if you’re willing to listen.   Located on a man-made jetty off the city’s marina, this piece of art uses the movement of the waves to make music. Put your ear to one of the “organ pipes” and you can hear the low notes that make a wonderful contrast to the light splashing of the waves. What is a special treat is that the sounds are always alterin

This is a funny and interesting video of a science experiment demonstrating how two female monkeys react when treated unfairly.  “Only female capuchins were tested because they most closely monitor equity, or fair treatment, among their peers,” said Sarah Brosnan, lead author of the study.  Looks like unfair treatment is disliked in any species!  This can be interesting information for parents in the human species, who have all observed the unpleasant reaction between siblin

NPR recently did a story on the saxophone trio , S.O.S., noting them as “underappreciated.” The English trio S.O.S. — saxophonists John...

Though for many, Fantasie Impromptu is a college level piano piece, this student has learned it beautifully at age 8.  She has extremely developed finger dexterity and strength for someone her age.   A long hand span is also needed to reach the octave (8-note) stretches in this piece.  And the song definitely requires a sophisticated understanding of the subtle musical nuances in the dynamics and phrasing. Does that sound like a normal 8-year-old??! A neat example for beginn

The New York Times reports on a study showing that children who took music lessons at a young age had advanced development in their...

Happy Valentine’s Day! While you may receive a card, get a box of chocolate or eat at a fancy restaurant, nothing says love to us like some good music. After all, most music is about love with its swooning and excitement. Whether single or coupled, we’ve collected some classic love songs that will make your heart full. Enjoy!   “At Last” by Etta James There is a reason why newly married couples choose this tune for their first dance. It is beautiful and romantic. This song wi

The Holderness family has had us laughing for a while. They once wore matching pajamas for a Christmas video that became a viral sensation on the Internet and we’ve quickly become big fans of their latest video. Their “ Baby Got Class” video pokes fun at the back to school season, a time of the year when restless kids stock up on an ever-growing list of school supplies and tired parents can once again enjoy a quiet house. The song is a parody of rap classic “ Baby Got Back ”

We already know how much listening to music can benefit Alzheimer’s patients thanks to the documentary “Alive Inside.” Now, new research...

Every year the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in West Hollywood presents over one hundred concerts featuring leading...

This song from Israel-based artist Kutiman is called “ Give It Up ” and includes more than 20 different clips from amateur artists playing the bassoon, piano and cello as well as featuring an acapella singer.  In his official YouTube page, Kutiman cites his sources and it’s worth clicking on the original works just to see how much effort goes into creating an original piece of music.  The music is also a worthwhile listen! Kutiman first became famous for pioneering this type

This week’s Music Worth Noting features some great music that blurs genres and gives us music that is fresh, new and, in one case, educational. Enjoy! Mark Ronson “ Uptown Funk ” will make you want to dance and smile, which is why you have probably heard it on the radio and in the mall at least a dozen times. We’ll take it for granted that you have already heard this song several times and play you the unique version of the video without background music.   Crossroads Project

You know it is the holiday season when local radio stations play Christmas music 24 hours a day and the malls are filled with Santas ready to hear what’s on children’s wish lists. But there is another tradition for those who follow YouTube viral videos.  You know it’s Christmas when the Holderness family creates their holiday video.   And what a treat it was! The North Carolina family, which includes a mom, dad and two children, became Internet famous with their holiday video

Alive Inside is a documentary that follows social worker Dan Cohen as he creates personalized iPod playlists for people in elder care facilities, hoping to reconnect them with the music they love.  Despondent patients come back to life after listening to familiar songs that they connect with.  Long lost past memories come back to them.  Their mood is lifted and they become more conversational.  In this clip one of the patients receiving the music therapy, Henry, is asked “Wha

Artist Neil Harbisson was born completely color blind.  “To me, the sky is always gray, flowers are always gray, and television is still in black and white.”  But these days a device attached to his head turns color into audible frequencies.  Instead of seeing a world in grayscale, Harbisson can hear a symphony of color — and yes, even listen to faces and paintings.  Now even the way Neil dresses is affected by this device.  “Today I’m dressed in C major, so it’s quite a happ

We wanted to share an app with you that’s been a favorite of some of our teachers and has been referred to as a “swiss army knife” to many working musicians: iReal Pro . We also think aspiring musicians from The Music Junction can benefit from using this app as well. First, the app is popular among “gigging” musicians because it literally lightens their load and negates the need to bring so much sheet music to the next wedding, bat mitzvah or club. The iReal Pro app has a va