In any type of education — music, arts, athletics — focus and concentration are essential elements for success. Just as a baseball batter needs to ignore distractions and focus on the ball, a musician must be able to focus on the notes. We recently learned of a young musician who took her concentration skills to a new level and we were impressed! Flutist Yukie Ota was performing at an international competition in Denmark when a butterfly landed on her forehead. To make matte

After an adorable YouTube video went viral showing little 3-year-old Dustin was upset that he couldn’t sing a Nicky Minaj song because of the “bad” words, Ellen invites him to sing the “clean” version of his song on her show.  It is impressive that a 3yo has the language skills to keep up with a song with so many words.  He seems to have a sophisticated understanding of our culture and how to express himself – saying in his original video that he would like to sing the clean

Sometimes the power of music can transcend a person from time and place and make him forget about all the worries and fears happening in...

We were watching an LA Philharmonic performance thanks to this blog post when a young child came up to us and asked about Gustavo...

LINK: Carly Rose Sonenclar - Stole My Heart Carly Rose Sonenclar , now age 23, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. In December 2012, she became the runner-up on the second season of the U.S.version of The X Factor. Carly started singing at the age of two. Carly made her Broadway debut at the age of seven in Les Miserables as Young Cosette (singing “Castle on a Cloud”).  She made her television debut as Gilda Flip in Season three of The Electric Company.  Screen cr

Science has proven what those of us who have begrudgingly hit the treadmill at 5 a.m. know – music can maximize your workout. Researchers...

We may take it for granted now but the speed in which we get answers on the Internet happens at an astoundingly fast pace. Google even...

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...

Attending a baseball game doesn’t make you fit and neither does watching a legal thriller make you a lawyer. The same thinking applies to...

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

We know that music provides so many benefits to the brain but we were touched by one story about how music can make us better people.   A...

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

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

Some people start their day with a cup of coffee while others read the newspaper. Still more, check their social media accounts. Do you...

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

Here’s a clip of American Idol runner up Melinda Doolittle singing “ My Funny Valentine ”. She is one of the most exceptional talents the show has ever seen. This year 2016 marks the final year of American Idol after a 15 season run. Cheers to the show that made us all think we could be stars and cheers to all the lovers out there this Valentine’s Day.  Interested in lessons?   Learn more!   | Questions?   Contact us Music Junction offers private one-on-one music lessons with

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