The opportunities for music correspondence courses are vastly different today compared to a few years ago. Thanks to modern technology and the Internet, taking a music course by correspondence is now much more practical. Imagine how hard it would be to learn how to play the piano or another instrument by simply reading a book. It’s true that people have successfully learned to play an instrument by reading a book. However, without the benefit of visual demonstrations, the process can be long and difficult. Today’s music correspondence courses contain visual demonstrations via video and live webcam instruction to accompany written textbook materials. This combination of learning materials greatly increases the student’s likelihood of success. The type of correspondence course that you choose will probably depend on your goals. Examine your reasons for wanting to learn to play a particular instrument to determine where to start looking. Do you want to: * Receive nationally recognized certification? If so, you may want to look into colleges or accredited music schools. This is especially true if you hope to get a job in the music industry. Many employers want to see some type of formal education on your résumé from a reputable school. Many of these offer correspondence courses that can help you meet your goals. Sometimes you can complete an entire certificate program by correspondence. For other programs, you may need to do some live classroom work in addition to correspondence courses. Look for accredited music schools with a professional reputation in the industry. Most offer some type of distance education, either by correspondence or online. This can be an excellent alternative if moving somewhere else to get your musical education isn’t an option. * Enrich your personal life? Maybe you always wanted to learn to play the piano as a child but never had the opportunity. Maybe you’ve been out of practice for several years and just want to brush up on your skills. If employment in the music industry isn’t necessarily your goal, then you’ll probably find what you need from a private instructor or company. Many online music schools offer programs for beginners or for honing old skills. They may combine written materials with DVD demonstrations, online video instruction or live instruction via webcam. Sometimes these types of correspondence courses are less expensive than those offered by colleges or music schools. * Explore a new genre? Maybe you are a classically trained pianist who always wanted to learn how to play the blues. Perhaps you took lessons for a few years as a child, but never took theory and learned to understand chords. A correspondence course through a private instructor or company may be exactly what you need. Correspondence courses are available on specific topics and genres that may interest you. If you already know the basics, it won’t take long to build upon that knowledge and teach yourself something new. Let your personal reasons guide your decision when choosing a music correspondence course. You’ll probably find that many music correspondence courses are very affordable. Plus, you can learn from the comfort of home with your own instrument. The list of advantages to taking a music correspondence course is practically endless.

Last evening Bev & I drove over to the band shell in Lithia Park in Ashland to hear one of the Air Force Bands. This particular unit was from the bay area of California, and included some outstanding musicians and arrangers. If you think of military bands as groups that simply play marches, you’re in for a real surprise. They play marches, classics, pop, jazz & more, and have fun doing it. The United States Air Force Band is a musical organization with an outstanding record of achievement of more than 60 years. Known as “America’s International Musical Ambassadors,” it has won the hearts of millions of music lovers throughout the world. The band’s official military life began on September 24, 1941, with the formation of the Bolling Army Air Forces Band under the sponsorship of Lieutenant L.P. Holcomb, commanding officer of the Air Base Group at Bolling Field. Since that time, the Band has grown from relative obscurity to stardom under the leadership of ten diverse and talented conductors. From 1955 to 1961, the Air Force Band was joined by the WAF Band as twin ambassadors of the USAF, though USAF policy kept the WAF Band from overseas appearances. The WAF Band, founded as a local base band in 1951 at Lackland Air Force Base, were stationed alongside the all-male USAF Band at Bolling from 1953 to 1957 after which the popular women’s band was invited to Norton Air Force Base where they stayed until being disbanded in 1961. Some 235 women served in the WAF Band’s ten-year lifespan. Over the years, The United States Air Force Band has performed live for over 100 million people. The band has also been broadcast via television and radio. The band has embarked on 25 international concert tours, with performances in more than 50 countries and 42 world capitals. The musicians in The United States Air Force Band seek to promote better understanding between all people of the world, traveling as goodwill ambassadors. From Wikipedia If you haven’t ever heard any of the military bands in concert, you’re in for a treat.

There is something wonderfully refreshing about listening to music or playing music outdoors. If you haven’t done it lately, give it a try. In June we went to the Shakespearean Theatre in Ashland: And all summer from roughly May to September our church - Applegate Christian Fellowship - meets outside in our big amphetheatre (this photo was taken an hour before church — the amphetheatre holds 3000 or so and is almost always packed): And for our anniversary in August Bev & I enjoyed the great singing and piano playing of Michael McDonald at the Britt Music Festival in Jacksonville Oregon: It’s hard to describe, but there’s something wonderfully delicious about listening, playing, worshipping, or just enjoying the beauties of creation outdoors while you soak in the music. Try it. You’ll like it.

George Shearing was born blind on August 13, 1919, but his life has been fast-paced and full of accomplishments. Born in London, Shearing was the youngest of nine children and even though blind from birth, went on to create one of the most recognized sounds in jazz. By the age of three, Shearing learned to play the piano. Then, Linden Lodge School for the Blind was his home away from home for four years. While in school, Shearing also learned to play the accordion. He even performed at a local pub for the equivalent of almost 5 dollars per week. Shortly after, Shearing joined a band of blind musicians. In 1937, at the age of 18, George Shearing began recording music with Leonard Feather. After three years of recording with Feather, Harry Parry’s band took in Shearing. During this time, Shearing was also honored as the winner of seven Melody Maker polls. Although he moved to the United States in 1947, he became a United States citizen in 1956. During those nine years, George Shearing began playing a new style of music that incorporated swing, bop, and modern classic. 1949 marked the year that Shearing founded the first George Shearing Quintet. The quintet included Marjorie Hyams, Chuck Wayne, John Levy, and Denzil Best. The first single from the quintet was September in the Rain, and it sold over 900,000 copies. In 1969, the quintet stopped recording with Capitol; however, Sheaving solved the problem by starting Sheba, his own recording label. From 1970 to 1978, the quintet disassembled. During these eight years, The Reunion and With George Shearing were released. Shearing recorded and released these albums in collaboration with well-known bassist Andy Simpkins, drummer Rusty Jones, and musician Stephane Grappelli. Over the years, other collaborations included music with Montgomery Brothers, Marian McPartland, Brian Q. Torff, Jim Hall, Hank Jones, Kenny Davern, Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, Ernestine Anderson, Dakota Staton, Carmen McRae, and Nancy Wilson. Concord Records signed George Shearing in 1979. Under Concord Records, he won Grammy awards in 1982 and 1983. From the 1980’s through the 1990’s, George Shearing performed at numerous festivals, was on numerous radio shows, and made many recordings. Collaboration with Neil Swainson occurred in the 1990’s through the early 21st century. The Rare Delight of You, an album with Shearing and The John Pizzarelli Trio, was released in 2002. It received great reviews. Along the way, a now-popular piano technique was named after Shearing. It is called Shearing Voicing. This technique uses a block chord with the melody on top in the right hand while the left hand repeats the melody in a lower octave and makes it stand out over the right hand. It is a difficult style to perfect, particularly when playing solo. In his quintet Shearing has the vibes player playing the melody also, creating what some have described as a “shimmering overtone” effect. Jack Kerouac’s novel On the Road describes a lovely Shearing performance. In all of his years of musical service, Shearing recorded and released close to 100 albums and has received many notable awards. Westminster College in Utah gave him an honorary Doctor of Music degree in 1975. Shearing also earned the Horatio Alger Award for Distinguished Americans in 1978. In 1993, the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement was given to him. Shearing received another honorary degree from Hamilton College in New York. It was also a Doctor of Music honorary degree. He received the first American Music Award by the National Arts Club of New York in 1998. Recently, the BBC Jazz Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Shearing in 2003. George Shearing became Sir George Shearing in 2007 when he was knighted for his services in music. Now, Sir George and his wife travel from their New York apartment to Berkshires frequently. Shearing is semi-retired.

When looking for a new keyboard, consider the manufacturers of piano keyboards. Look at your budget and then go from there. Does that budget allow you to check out some of the premiere makers out there? Does your budget require you to go with a lesser-known manufacturer? Some of the names in piano keyboards are Korg, Kurzweil, Roland, Yamaha, Kawai and Moog. There’s a host of others as well, some with a wide model line available. Check each manufacturer’s products from low-end to high-end and compare across companies for features offered. Sometimes a lower-priced model may suit you just as well as a higher-priced one that has many extra gadgets you may never use. The main thing is to make sure any model you choose has a clear, full sound resembling as close as possible a traditional piano’s sound. You don’t want a tinny sound that is more annoying than pleasing. If you base your decision solely on price, investigate consumer reports and product reviews that may alert you to product flaws. You may find some high-priced models receive more bad press than lower-priced makes. Regardless, don’t let a piano keyboard purchase blow your budget. You can always upgrade down the road. One important consideration when purchasing a piano keyboard is the warranty. If you’re buying a new brand, make sure the warranty is suitable with no unacceptable “except for” clauses. If you’re buying used, try to buy from a dealer who offers even a six-month warranty on a used product. They’re out there; you just have to look for them. Consider the type of keys your fingers will run across when you look at piano keyboards. Do you want traditional weighted keys that have the feel of an acoustic piano? Do you want “touch sensitive” keys that spring into action with little downward pressure? Both are available, and checking them out will ensure that it suits your touch. I would certainly recommend that you get both of these features so your keyboard “feels” like a normal acoustic piano. Consider whether you want a full 88-key piano or one with fewer keys. It depends on what you plan to play, how much you want to spend, and the space you have in a room. You don’t want to feel cramped with a keyboard whose length barely fits into a small room. On the other hand, if you plan on getting better in a hurry, then get an 88 key keyboard from the outset so you won’t have to worry about outgrowing it. Another thing to consider in a piano keyboard is the number of controls a model has for sound modification. Many keyboards come equipped with settings to make the piano sound like different musical instruments. Some also have voice settings, so certain keys sound like a choir singing. Again, if you want just your typical piano sound, you may not require all these sound controls. To keep your costs down, it’s best to buy a model with only the features you will use. An important consideration, especially if you live in an apartment or condominium, is sound control. You want a keyboard that allows you to set the volume as low as possible while maintaining quality and clarity of sound. You also want a keyboard that allows for headphone plug-in, so you can play as loud as you need without disturbing anyone. With today’s “going green” concerns, you may want to investigate the energy use of keyboards. Keyboards that are green friendly are sure to be the latest models and can save you dollars on energy bills. With that extra money, you can upgrade to a higher-priced keyboard later. Additional things to consider are any special benefits or bonuses for buying. Some music studios sell keyboards and may offer lesson or music book discounts for purchasing from them. Some music stores offer music lessons on premises and may offer free introductory piano lessons with a keyboard purchase. The final thing to consider when purchasing a keyboard is its capacity for attachments. Aside from the headphones, you may want outlets for an amplifier or a Musical Instrument Digital Interface outlet. This allows you to hook a keyboard into a computer. Of course, the computer also has to have a MIDI input. If your computer doesn’t, you have to buy a USB MIDI adapter. With the proper software program in place, you can play notes on a keyboard and have them show up as written music on your monitor. The computer plays the notes back, and the program stores the played notes on the computer. If this looks like an attractive option, seek a keyboard with this outlet. Take the time to investigate all the piano keyboard options available to you on the market. There are makes and models to suit your exact requirements. All you need is an investigative attitude to search out the one that’s right for you.

Andre Previn is a German-born pianist, conductor, and composer. From arranging and composing Hollywood film scores to his multiple marriages which sparked many musical inspirations, Andre Previn’s life was never dull. I can still remember the excitment of hearing him for the first time on the radio, then rushing into Fowler’s Music Store in Auburn (my home town) to buy his new album “My Fair Lady” in which he took those great tunes and played them in his unique classical-jazz style (with help from drummer Shelly Mann and basist LeRoy Vinegar), then playing it over and over again and trying to imitate his style on songs such as “On The Street Where You Live”, “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly”, “Get Me To The Church On Time” and others. I was terrible (or worse) but as I look back it certainly helped in my development. Andre Previn is a German-born pianist, conductor, and composer. Born April 6, 1929, in Berlin, Previn was born to a Jewish family. In 1939, the Previn family immigrated to the United States; however, Previn did not become a citizen of the United States until 1943. At his high school graduation from Beverly Hills High School in 1946, he played a duo with Richard M. Sherman, who played the flute. From 1950’s until recently, Previn has recorded and toured as a jazz pianist. He has worked with Shelly Manne, Benny Carter, Dinah Shore, and Julie Andrews over the course of his career. Previn frequently appeared on The Dinah Shore Chevy Show in the 1960’s. In 1966, Julie Andrews and Andre Previn collaborated on a Christmas carol album. About 21 years after his high school graduation, the Houston Symphony Orchestra was in the market for a new music director. Previn soon filled that need. However, the London Symphony Orchestra wanted him, too. In 1968, Andre Previn became the tenured principal conductor with the London Symphony Orchestra, and he served there for 11 years. During his time with the London Symphony orchestra, he appeared on a television program called “Andre Previn’s Music Night.” Although he was tenured with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra needed a music director. Previn decided to take on that role as well from 1976 though 1984. Working with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, another television program was born, “Previn and the Pittsburgh.” During this time, he worked with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as their principal conductor. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra named Andre Previn as their music director, but he resigned from that strenuous role in April 1989. Previn’s first opera performance was A Streetcar Named Desire, which premiered in 1998 at the San Francisco Opera. Following the opera, Previn focused on vocal, chamber, and orchestral music with the occasional recordings of jazz. Previn adapted and conducted many arrangements in the Hollywood spectrum. He did stage-to-screen adaptations for My Fair Lady, Kismet, Porgy and Bess, and Paint Your Wagon. From 1949 through 1970, Previn assisted with music in the following films: The Music Lovers, Inside Daisy Clover, Two for the Seesaw, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Bells are Ringing, Elmer Gantry, Silk Stockings, It’s Always Fair Weather, Bad Day at the Black Rock, Kiss Me Kate, Three Little Words, and The Secret Garden. Gigi, the 1958 Academy Award winning film, also featured many special works from Previn. Previn, like many other amazing, multitalented artists, has received many acknowledgements and awards. Among his personal awards, he has received 13 Academy nominations and four Oscar victories. He also holds seven Grammy Awards. Andre Previn became an honorary Knight of the Order of British Empire in 1996; however, due to lack of citizenship in the Commonwealth, the title of “sir” cannot appear before his name. He instead puts the letters KBE with his name to indicate the honor. In 1998, Previn received the Kennedy Center Honors for his classical music and opera contributions. 2005 marked the year that Previn received the International Glenn Gloud Prize for his achievements. On May 13, 2008, Previn received the London Symphony Orchestra’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Andre Previn is still touring. In April 2008, he performed in Rome at Italy’s Accademia Nazionale Santa Cecilia. On June 22, Previn performed with the London Symphony Orchestra and Anne Sophie Mutter in London at the Barbican Hall. August appearances include performances at the Koussevitsky Music Shed in Lenox, MA. Massachusetts’s Symphony Hall will host Andre Previn on October 2 through October 4 and October 7. November will be the month that Previn is in Seattle at the Benaroya Hall. On December 21, Previn will return to London’s Barbican Hall for his last performance of the year. Even at the age of 79, Andre Previn KBE is still as active in the music genre as ever.

For those who want to pursue a career in piano, the options for training are diverse. There are a number of quality schools available in the United States and some abroad too. * Juilliard: The Juilliard School in New York has a reputation as one of the best music schools in the world. In addition to piano and other instruments, students can also focus on dance and drama. The institution was founded in 1905 by Dr. Frank Damrosch. Damrosch was a musical prodigy and the godson of Hungarian pianist and composer Franz Liszt. A New Yorker, Damrosch bemoaned the idea that American musicians had to leave the U.S. for advanced training. He began with a modest idea to accept 100 students. Instead, he was overwhelmed by the demand for spaces in his school. Thanks to wealthy benefactor Augustus D. Juilliard, the school increased its space and programs beginning in 1919. Today the school seeks to provide high caliber training and experience in music. Juilliard prides itself in turning out some of the profession’s best leaders. Jazz pianist Chick Corea is one of Juilliard’s famous alumni. * The Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The school is considered among the most prestigious music institutions in the world. Centrally located downtown in the metropolitan city of Rochester, New York, The University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music has been named the “Hottest Music School” in the 2008 Kaplan/Newsweek “How to Get into College” guide. A good friend of mine and former conductor of the Rogue Valley Symphony Orchestra is a graduate of Eastman. * Berklee: The Berklee College of Music in Boston focuses on training musicians in contemporary music. Students have 12 majors to choose from, including songwriting, music therapy and more. Berklee’s programs offer very unique courses and instructors. There are also numerous opportunities for development outside of the classroom. Berklee College boasts the largest percentage of undergraduate students from outside the U.S. compared to all other American colleges and universities. This diversity enriches students both personally and academically. Some of Berklee’s famous grads include jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall and jazz pianist Danilo Perez. * Royal College: The Royal College of Music in London attracts both British and International students. Its rich history begins in 1882. It was founded by the Prince of Wales (Edward VII) and is still closely associated with the British royal family. Close to 50 nations are represented within its student body. Most are drawn to Royal College because of its stellar reputation in the music industry around the world. It strives to turn out the world’s most skilled musicians. It counts among its alumni such famous graduates as composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and pianist Clifford Benson. * New England Conservatory: Located in Boston, the NEC is ranked in the top five music schools in the United States. One-on-one interaction between individual students and faculty mentors is a central focus. This helps to ensure a high quality education that addresses the strengths of the individual. The NEC offers programs from the undergraduate to the doctoral level. Its Professional Piano Training Program is a unique study major, offering intensive training for career-driven piano students. Famous NEC alumni include jazz pianists Fred Hersch and Cecil Taylor. * Curtis: The Curtis Institute of Music of Philadelphia sets itself apart from most every premier music school in the world. This is because every student receives a full tuition scholarship. Founder Mary Louise Curtis Bok envisioned an institution where finances were not a barrier. Potential students are instead judged solely on artistic merit and promise. Curtis typically admits fewer than 200 students per year. The school’s philosophy states that students learn by “doing.” To fulfill this mandate, it offers frequent opportunities for students to perform, both within in the community and abroad. It has a notable reputation for turning out exceptional professional musicians. American pianists Jonathon Biss and Richard Goode are two of Curtis’ famous alumni.

Sight reading is the act of reading and playing a piece of music before having ever seen it: on sight. This technique is an important one for musicians to learn. Being skilled in sight reading makes reading a piece of music easier; the musician doesn’t have to labor over every note and re-teach themselves the common patterns. Sight reading, after a decent amount of practice, becomes like second nature. A solid knowledge of music theory is absolutely crucial to a musician who wants to become proficient in sight reading. Besides acting as the basis for understanding the notes, a music theory education provides the ability to see patterns within the piece of music, a large part of the sight reading puzzle. Sight reading, after all, doesn’t require the musician to read every single note. Most musicians rarely see the entire piece of music, but rather the patterns that emerge from it. They understand notes and how they function in relation to each other and are therefore able to deduce most of the chords and changes — all from just glancing at the basic structure of the piece. For example, musicians who know music theory will first determine the key of the song from the key signature, which in turn gives them strong hints about which chords will probably be used most in the song. This knowledge alone enables the sight reader to be mentally prepared when those chords occur, and to be alert for chords which are unexpected. They will also be aware of intervals such as 3rd and 6ths and 7ths, and they will look for the form of the song - ABA, AABA, ABACA, or whatever. They will be aware of the probably rhythm patterns based on the time signture, and they will quickly scan the score for repeats, tempo signs, volume changes, and so on. In fact, most sight reading mistakes typically happen when a piece of music takes an unexpected turn, deviates from the common pattern. These mistakes, however, are few and far between with those proficient in sight reading. An experienced sight reader will have learned to not only see patterns but also to read ahead in a piece of music while they are playing it. Looking several bars ahead to catch anything tricky or unexpected is often done while holding a sustain or resting. Sight reading plays a large role in music education, and students are frequently tested on their ability to do it well. Some sight reading exams will allow the student a few minutes to look over the piece and prepare; he or she will be able to make notes, mark up tricky time signatures or changes. Tempo is rarely a consideration in these sight reading exams as playing the piece well is far more important than playing the piece up to speed. Advanced sight reading exams, however, aren’t quite as forgiving. These exams give the student minimal, if any, time to prepare, and tempo is absolutely considered into the final grade. Advanced sight reading exams prepare a student for work as a studio musician, a career where near-perfect sight reading is a must. The majority of studio musicians record a piece of music after only seeing it once — sometimes not at all. A flawed skill in sight reading will only prove to be a hindrance to the working musician; it is for that reason considered one of the most important parts of a music theory education. This does not mean, of course, that musicians can’t reach the top rungs without good sight-reading skills. After all, many top jazz pianists don’t read music at all, but are gifted with incredible ears and improvisational skills. But for most of us “normal” musicians (like me) it is a helpful skill to develop to the best of our ability. Even if we never get great at it, we can always get better!

When I was a teenager I owned a record album titled “This is Pat Moran” which I absolutely loved and couldn’t get enough of. Pat Moran was known as “the little girl of jazz” not only because she is short of stature, but also because she was so young — playing with seasoned jazz artists twice her age. She came from a musical family and studied classical piano at Phillips University and then at Cinncinnati Conservatory of Music with the goal of becoming a classical concert pianist. She was so gifted with improvisation abilities that she soon switched to jazz, formed a group and played in jazz clubs in New York (including Birdland, home of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Monk, Dizzy, and others) Chicago and Los Angeles. She played for a stint with the Terry Gibbs big band, but most of the time fronted the Pat Moran trio and vocal quartet. She has played with jazz greats such as Ray Brown, Shelly Manne, Scott LaFaro, Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, and many others. After I was married we moved to Oregon to pursue my Masters Degree at Southern Oregon University and to my delight, discovered that Pat Moran was really Patti McCoy, who lived in Ashland close to the University, and played occasionally in concerts and regularly at church. With my heart in my throat I knocked on her door one day and introduced myself as a fan. She invited me in, played a couple tunes for me, and gradually we became good friends. When it was time to do my Master’s thesis, she agreed to work with me in producing a book and a cassette on the history of piano jazz. It was a great experience, and my professors of course were delighted. We later transfered the cassette interview with Patti to CD and it is still available at Piano Improvisation From Ragtime To Contemporary. In it we take a walk through the history of jazz piano, with me asking her questions and she responding and playing many examples of different types of jazz, including boogie, ragtime, swing, be-bop, Garner style, and contemporary styles such as Chick Corea. Here is a video of her playing an old gospel song “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder” at a church in Los Angeles pastored by another great gospel musician, Andre Couch: To repeat, you can get the full interview which includes lots of Patti playing various kinds of jazz at Piano Improvisation From Ragtime To Contemporary