Monday's Muse

Music can lift us out of depression or move us to tears - it is a remedy, a tonic, orange juice for the ear. But for many of my neurological patients, music is even more - it can provide access, even when no medication can, to movement, to speech, to life. For them music is not a luxury, but a necessity.  ~ Oliver Sacks, neurologist and author of Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain

CTO … Warning: Creative mind at work!

It's not often that we get to witness the process of creativity.

Dan Landrum is the editor of Dulcimer Players News, the quarterly magazine and CD "filled with instruction, interviews, and stories for and about dulcimer enthusiasts." He is currently in the process of writing an article about burnout for the fall issue of DPN.

Check This Out …  In this self-made video, Dan puts himself out there as he attempts to listen to his instrument with fresh ears. Wonder what will come of this?? Check it out for yourself, and watch for the article in the upcoming magazine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4F6Q2BYo9s&feature=youtu.be 

Monday's Muse

Music is an outburst of the soul.  ~ Frederick Delius

CTO … Perform Better Under Pressure

Embrace stress as your friend!

Check This Out …. Turns out, stress is a negative factor only when we believe it is bad. Check out this video of psychologist Kelly McGonigal at TED.

http://www.bulletproofmusician.com/perform-better-under-pressure-by-tweaking-this-one-belief/ 

Monday's Muse

You've got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.  ~ Charlie Parker

CTO … Ruth & Steve Smith in Concert at Perelandra, PLUS Dulcimer Workshops

Tickets went on sale September 10. Hurry!

A bit further afield, but if you can get to Black Mountain …

Check This Out … On Saturday, October 11, 7:00pm, Ruth and Steve Smith will appear in concert at Perelandra, the gorgeous, intimate "Song of the Wood" performance venue that overlooks the mountains near Asheville. Last December, their joint concert with Joshua Messick sold out two shows within two days! Call NOW to secure your reservation. Tickets include a complementary reception.

PLUS …
Ruth will be teaching two hammered dulcimer workshops that day, 10:30 - noon (adv beg / intermed players) and 1:00 - 3:30 (intermed / adv players). If you've never taken a class with Ruth, here's your chance! She's a talented teacher with much to offer.

All the details are included in the official invite. Here's the link:
http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=e36abe36f44a962c9db0b06e2&id=cab625c015

Monday's Muse

You aren’t trying to win any races or be the leader of this or the leader of that. You’re enjoying it because of the satisfaction and joy you get out of music, which is totally unrelated to your professional status.  ~ James D Wolfensohn

CTO … Searching for the app that will make music theory as simple as pie

Music theory … You know you want more!

Check This Out … Bing Futch, master of the mountain dulcimer, featured an interactive app - which features the Circle of Fifths - on his blog this week. In Bing's words, "This mysterious piece o' pie contains solutions to many of the mysteries that lie within the mathematics of music." He's got a lot of other cool stuff to read, too. And some pretty awesome music! Check it out!

http://www.bingfutch.com/blog/2014/9/2/welcome-to-the-new-age-its-interactive-its-interactive

Monday's Muse

Music should make you feel good. ~ Mark James Klepaski