tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75619043615382041312024-03-12T20:47:39.578-07:00Ask Bonnie Simon at Maestro Classics, Award-Winning CDs for KidsBonnie Simon has introduced thousands of children to the joy of music as a teacher, a concert producer, an orchestra executive, a CD producer, and has published articles on children and music. Your child loves music and loves to sing. What do you do now? Ask Bonnie.Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.comBlogger126125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-81245254163678720922014-02-03T09:47:00.000-08:002014-02-03T09:47:15.417-08:00The Power of Music: Amazing Grace Flash Mob in Moscow Streetcar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrP0CJzQoF-BUafn5QNVzeVyL2gq9_wcc_KL17BSOrd4w-swAPo3wj4uzoj8pn6SWM4igTR5PHueX9FbGuCrmALPtqfsVaQrPVEON1SVAMAjG-vISNf5phjo3zCv1V2edPGVKadeDvJTA/s1600/Hot+Air+Balloon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrP0CJzQoF-BUafn5QNVzeVyL2gq9_wcc_KL17BSOrd4w-swAPo3wj4uzoj8pn6SWM4igTR5PHueX9FbGuCrmALPtqfsVaQrPVEON1SVAMAjG-vISNf5phjo3zCv1V2edPGVKadeDvJTA/s1600/Hot+Air+Balloon.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
From a hot air balloon pilot and very old friend:<br />
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Warms the heart to see this message expressed on a Moscow streetcar. Now that’s my kind of flash mob!</div>
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Notice the smiles on the faces of the Russian passengers who rarely, if ever, have something to smile about. </div>
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<b>AMAZING GRACE IN MOSCOW TROLLEY</b></div>
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<b>Good cheer in a Moscow street car!!!</b></div>
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Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-43159654617582383802013-12-01T12:23:00.002-08:002013-12-02T09:08:23.045-08:00Who Wrote the Story for Maestro Classics' CD Juanita the Spanish Lobster? A Great English Storyteller<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomEKeQaHDsR9ZjwULqPpG3xNOGCE9yf7Il0insQoZSXviX8DuhhNK_2xXJm8CpgRsF2gwsqZdVOvgNWjus3CMPBfwiJ_V1oUXBww29EmYka4THAqlDg5VPLllP8N3TomUfTm__md7VDk/s1600/JohnnyMorris-bedtime-stories.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomEKeQaHDsR9ZjwULqPpG3xNOGCE9yf7Il0insQoZSXviX8DuhhNK_2xXJm8CpgRsF2gwsqZdVOvgNWjus3CMPBfwiJ_V1oUXBww29EmYka4THAqlDg5VPLllP8N3TomUfTm__md7VDk/s320/JohnnyMorris-bedtime-stories.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Johnny Morris wrote the story for Juanita the Spanish Lobster</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">More stories by the author of </span></h2>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Juanita the Spanish Lobster.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many years ago, my husband and I purchased a version of <i>Peter and the Wolf </i>recorded with the Northern Sinfonia, an English orchestra that we hardly knew. The young man who recommended it at Tower Records - remember the days of record stores where there were people who recommended music they really liked???? - said, "You have to buy this, not for Peter but for the story on the flip side of the LP." No hiding my age - that was 25 years ago and son Basil was 5.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We all instantly loved the sassy Juanita, and when we started doing the Stories in Music concerts at the Kennedy Center, Juanita was at the top of the "MUST DO" list. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Juanita the Spanish Lobster</i></span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> was re-recorded on the Maestro Classics recorded with the London Philharmonic Orchestra with Yadu as the narrator. The well-travelled story has gone from LP to CD and now to MP3 downloads. It still is one of my favorites. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In looking for a photo of Johnny Morris for the new iPad compatible booklet for <i>Juanita the Spanish Lobster</i>, I was delighted to discover that some of Johnny Morris's other stories and his recordings of them are available for download purchase via Amazon's website.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Children/Johnny-Morris-Reads-More-Bedtime-Stories-Audiobook/B004MCJQ3Y" target="_blank">Johnny Morris Reads More Bedtime Stories</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I highly recommend them and only wish that more of them had been set to music.</span>Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-59688712579966088252013-11-28T03:52:00.000-08:002013-12-02T09:09:04.421-08:00Music and Morals - Music Can Teach You More Than You Think!<h2>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why is </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MaestroClassics/app_251458316228" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel</span></a><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> a Great Story? Because It Has Something Important to Teach Us All...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sometimes we think that music is just fluff that can fill some time in our children's lives when they are not doing schoolwork or chores. After all, you let them listen while you wash the dishes, vacuum, read online news, or take a moment to read that book that you have been trying to finish for weeks now.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">For better or for worse, when you put on a Maestro Classics CD, you will probably find yourself listening as well. You will find Virginia Lee Burton, the author of the classics <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MaestroClassics/app_251458316228" target="_blank">Mike Mulligan</a> story, telling you that everyone has some artistic talent inside of them, and you will discover from the composer/conductor Stephen Simon what a quodlibet is and discover that you really can hear more inside the music than you thought you could. But when the CD is over, here are a few ways that you can draw the important life lessons from this great story. If you do not own a copy of this classic American children's picture book, find it at your local library or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mike-Mulligan-his-Steam-Shovel/dp/B0028LXNHG" target="_blank">purchase a copy</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Loyalty, friendship, determination....</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Below are some famous quotations and Bible verses that show how you can relate this wonderful story with music to your child's life and to your homeschool curriculum.</i></span></div>
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Click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MaestroClassics/app_251458316228" target="_blank">here</a> to purchase the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MaestroClassics/app_251458316228" target="_blank"> Maestro Classics CD</a> of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel with music by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MaestroClassics/app_251458316228" target="_blank">MP3 version</a> also available on our new <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MaestroClassics/app_251458316228" target="_blank">Facebook Store</a>. Quick and easy checkout. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MaestroClassics/app_251458316228" target="_blank">MP3 includes pdf 24-page booklet - free at Facebook Store.</a></div>
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Also available on Amazon: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mike-Mulligan-His-Steam-Shovel/dp/B0009I5SMI" target="_blank">CD</a> (includes booklet) and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mike-Mulligan-His-Steam-Shovel%C2%AE/dp/B001AZ4AR8" target="_blank">MP3</a> (no booklet).</div>
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iTunes:<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mike-mulligan-his-steam-shovel/id281547954" target="_blank"> MP3 (no booklet)</a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>Stay tuned for more Music & Morals posts.</i></span></div>
<br />Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-42979650330279983682013-11-25T15:57:00.001-08:002013-11-25T15:58:22.473-08:00Musical Thoughts While Awaiting "Turkey on the Beach" <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGok8DKAU1TfjrfJ3LapZ1vZuMTX-hgTEDSuFo_PzN9zXUMXQaYsJJQ_w_atrBTxWhNXrX0Vgx0Lr1J-qJzscanGkJO0Y0X1fEuDky5JaPcFMy5qNAwO0hpmnxDNxyl4KwLT8QIvXghU/s1600/IMG_0066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGok8DKAU1TfjrfJ3LapZ1vZuMTX-hgTEDSuFo_PzN9zXUMXQaYsJJQ_w_atrBTxWhNXrX0Vgx0Lr1J-qJzscanGkJO0Y0X1fEuDky5JaPcFMy5qNAwO0hpmnxDNxyl4KwLT8QIvXghU/s320/IMG_0066.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anguilla, British Virgin Island</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">Musical Thoughts While Awaiting</span></h2>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">"Turkey on the Beach"</span></h2>
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I grew up having very traditional Thanksgivings just outside Princeton, NJ in a 1730 restored Dutch farmhouse. My uncle and aunt came from New York City, my Quaker grandmother from Princeton, was the matriarch, we four children were often relegated to the children's table when more family and friends arrived. There were the usual trappings of turkey, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, turnips because an uncle liked them, creamed onions because I liked them, and on and on. But Thanksgiving also marked the beginning of something else:</div>
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<b>FAMILY ORCHESTRA! </b></div>
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<b> </b>Each of us in the family played an instrument. My father, who decided to take up the violin at the age of 26 after getting a PhD from Princeton in English Literature, my mother, who began the cello to compete with my father, my sister, Miss Know-It-All played the piano quite well, I played the violin, because my parents would not let me play the flute - my father liked to buy violins, my brother David, who tried many instruments was relegated to percussion, and my brother Michael, who played the clarinet. Somewhere my father had found an easy set of Christmas carol arrangements for orchestra and soon the music stands were set up in the dining room where the piano lived, the music was handed out, and every night after dinner with had "family orchestra." By the time Christmas came, we were ready to entertain every visitor who came to visit. </div>
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Many friends over the years have told me how they enjoyed those holiday Christmas moments and I must confess that I miss that very special part of the year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, particularly as my own children are now grown and living far away. But each family has its own traditions and somehow that Thanksgiving of my childhood morphed into Thanksgivings in Anguilla. We tried it once and then continued to come back to this beautiful beach year after year. We call family on Thanksgiving morning and miss them, telling them that we will be see them all at Christmas. But this year we are only 3, not 4, as we must tell all the islanders who knew and loved Stephen, that he is no longer with us. As we go through this process, we have reflected on what we remember from the many wonderful Thanksgivings that we did have together as a family.</div>
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Son Number One ("The Amazing Baz" - see Maestro Classics 'The Soldier's Tale" CD, Track 3) - "I remember practicing the trumpet into a pillow and thinking my eyeballs might blow out!" But what is he doing now? A new duffle had to be purchased to carry the keyboard so that he could practice the piano. Old habits are hard to break, and sometimes that is a very good thing.</div>
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Son Number Two, our engineer, is writing code, a bit of homework from CU Boulder. I also remember the homework sessions that accompanied many of these trips.</div>
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What am I doing? Looking back and remembering the final off-site preparations for the many "Holiday Spectacular Sing-Along" concerts at the Kennedy Center that Stephen and I produced that always included new arrangements of carols, children's choir, gospel choir, large choral society, The were our version of "family orchestra." More polished and professional, more people (2,650 in the sold-out concert hall), but no less fun. Remembering Santa and Basil as the Elf until he was too big for the Elf suit and took over as the French horm playing Santa. Now, looking forward, I wonder who will be the first person to discover our new Maestro Classics store on Facebook. I am reviewing fingerings on the piano with Basil for F-sharp and C-sharp major scales, because they are somewhere in my muscle memory but I have not thought about them for years. And, of course, sorting files on my computer in response to "Your Start-Up Disk is Almost Full" again. The good part is is that I am re-listening to some of the music on my Mac and came across one of my favorites: Gustav Holst's ("The Planets") <span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>two and one-half minutes of total delight.</b></span></div>
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MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: </div>
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<a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gustav-holst-mn0000099034" style="color: #0e76bc; text-decoration: none;">Gustav Holst</a></h3>
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A Fugal Concerto, for flute, oboe & string orchestra, Op. 40/2, H. 152</h2>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Holst-Strings-Concerto-Somerset-Rhapsody/dp/B000003X30" target="_blank">CD available on Amazon</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00119SRO0/ref=dm_dp_trk10_B00119SRO0" target="_blank">MP3 $0.99</a></div>
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Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-56920289117576166492013-11-24T20:53:00.000-08:002013-11-24T20:53:00.563-08:00Early Music Lessons Can Prevent Dementia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/early-music-lessons-have-longtime-benefits/" target="_blank">Early Music Lessons Have Longtime Benefits</a><br />
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JUST IN CASE YOU HAVE WONDERED WHY YOU ARE SUFFERING INSISTING THAT YOUR CHILD PRACTICE HIS/HER INSTRUMENT - YOU CAN FEEL GOOD KNOWING THAT IT WILL NOT ONLY HELP THEIR READING WHEN THEY ARE YOUNG, BUT IT MAY STILL BE HELPING THEM AS THEY REACH OLD AGE.<br />
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From this amazing article from the New York Times:<br />
"<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.5em;">“To learn to read, you need to have good working memory, the ability to disambiguate speech sounds, make sound-to-meaning connections,” said Professor Nina Kraus, director of the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.5em;"> </span><a href="http://www.soc.northwestern.edu/brainvolts/" style="color: #666699; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.5em;" target="_blank" title="The lab’s homepage.">Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.5em;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.5em;">at Northwestern University. “Each one of these things really seems to be strengthened with active engagement in playing a musical instrument.”</span><br />
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Skill in appreciating the subtle qualities of sound, even against a complicated and noisy background, turns out to be important not just for a child learning to understand speech and written language, but also for an elderly person struggling with <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/hearing-loss/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Hearing loss.">hearing loss</a>."</div>
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Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-72148913808553475002013-11-18T19:41:00.000-08:002013-11-18T19:41:08.860-08:00Back online after a very long hiatus.Many things have happened during 2013. The year began with great plans: the release of No. 11 and No. 12 in the Maestro Classics series of CDs - The Merry Pranks of Master Till (with the great <i>Til Eulenspiegel</i> by Richard Strauss) and The Nutcracker with narration. In addition, my husband, conductor Stephen Simon, with whom I had collaborated for over 20 years, and I were planning the long awaited recording of his many Christmas and Hanukkah arrangements that he created for the annual Holiday Spectacular Sing-Alongs at the Kennedy Center. 2013 began and I said that I felt it would be a very good year. <div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maestro Stephen Simon - Antarctica - Dec. 2012</td></tr>
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However, on January 19th, a sparking Saturday morning, I went out to walk our Golden Retriever, Marigold, in Central Park here in New York City, and returned to the apartment less than a hour later to discover that my world had dramatically changed. Stephen had had a catastrophic brain hemorrhage. I called 911 and within an hour was told that things would never be the same. His six sons gathered from across the country, we all said good-bye; he never woke up. </div>
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I asked the assistant conductor to conduct his Tuesday concert, the final concert of <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/24/arts/music/lorchestre-des-portes-rouges-at-church-of-the-resurrection.html" target="_blank">L'Orchestre des Portes Rouges</a> in New York City, the orchestra that he had started when we returned to New York after 20 years in Washington, DC where we had worked on concerts at the Kennedy Center with the Washington Chamber Symphony. The funeral on that Friday was filled with music, all music that had special significance for him and performed by musicians with whom he was very close. The following Saturday, I asked a colleague to conduct his <a href="http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130202/LIFE/302020303" target="_blank">Simon Sinfonietta</a> concert in Falmouth, MA, re-wrote the program and prepared remarks to announce the conclusion of this much beloved series on Cape Cod. Obituaries in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/arts/music/stephen-simon-75-conductor-who-led-a-handel-revival-dies.html" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, the <a href="http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-01-30/local/36646868_1_handel-specialist-handelian-washington-chamber-symphony" target="_blank">Washington Post</a> and many other papers followed, Letters flooded in from musicians who over and over said, "I never would have had the career I have had, if Stephen had not given me that opportunity early on." I could only add that in 35 years of marriage, I never once was greeted with anything but cheerfulness. Stephen loved every minute of life right up to the very end.</div>
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About a month ago, I was finally able to return to the Maestro Classics office and think about facing what had become our joint brainchild. We always said that it was our gift to the next generation. Now, it is all mine. As I return to the world in suspended disbelief, I am grateful for all the wonderful times that we had and hope the continue the musical tradition that brought so much joy to so many, including ourselves.</div>
Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-30481563504239752722012-09-23T12:58:00.000-07:002012-09-23T12:58:00.243-07:00El Sistema: Changing Lives Through Music<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Music: The Antidote to Violence<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Every time I am flooded with images of violence on the nightly news, I return to this <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/11/60minutes/main4009335.shtml?tag=currentVideoInfo;videoMetaInfo" target="_blank">video</a> on El Sistema, the orchestra created in the slums of Venezuela.</span></div>
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Music is a force for peace.Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-26462842243218740502012-09-20T18:45:00.000-07:002012-09-21T07:44:06.833-07:00Homeschool Buyers Co-op GREAT DEAL!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudtm3VPyxdn6KUEV0aqSUCLhR3vYwNOrPmdgvzf_SIdQe7Y3B2LMXFH6HyevG0XnP6cDpoNhXRwDsZnjpmCqznQzddTwOMT0atS5jMMIyDVoXjPYLcFWnNw5YlgjVYEJt2pNI0K9O5N8/s1600/homeschool-buyers-co-op.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudtm3VPyxdn6KUEV0aqSUCLhR3vYwNOrPmdgvzf_SIdQe7Y3B2LMXFH6HyevG0XnP6cDpoNhXRwDsZnjpmCqznQzddTwOMT0atS5jMMIyDVoXjPYLcFWnNw5YlgjVYEJt2pNI0K9O5N8/s400/homeschool-buyers-co-op.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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For the first time ever, we are offering an incredible deal through the <a href="http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/homeschool-art-music-curriculum/" target="_blank">Homeschool Buyers Co-op</a>. I was so impressed with Brett Walker and his program that I agreed to make this very special offer to his members. Anyone can join for free and then enjoy the amazing discounts that he offers to homeschool parents as they are looking for high quality educational materials for their families.Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-55525999867538682292012-09-20T13:15:00.000-07:002012-09-20T13:15:00.435-07:00Maestro Classics Is Moving to Manhattan!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaxNtHe6d3qp6f4r4tIF7yKzJLNAjvWbGOj9Kqef6UG4HrtANDIXA-NO07r7sUXarVPLbowwUT_Lr0eXFLSFk1XrtOomrcWyIrCWxV8j0CBzxthMrlB3ZOyIx76JHBLA5O1RubeHGOVk/s1600/highfield-hall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaxNtHe6d3qp6f4r4tIF7yKzJLNAjvWbGOj9Kqef6UG4HrtANDIXA-NO07r7sUXarVPLbowwUT_Lr0eXFLSFk1XrtOomrcWyIrCWxV8j0CBzxthMrlB3ZOyIx76JHBLA5O1RubeHGOVk/s400/highfield-hall.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Historic Highfield, Falmouth, MA</td></tr>
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After 4 wonderful years on the top floor of this beautiful historic restored "Summer Cottage," Maestro Classics is moving to New York City. Annie Dean, Director of Operations for 4 years, has moved on and we are now interviewing for her replacement 250 miles to the south.<br />
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I am looking forward to having my summers back for sailing, swimming, and outdoor dinners overlooking the sea with the Maestro - working before others are up and after they go to bed. This will be dream time for new directions for Maestro Classics.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjPtEoBZXPaomTLufzeyqO6N7dsXOjFvTzeVa5zS1wt2mk-R9CXVxd72SksvyWOmMoyMpXt-v3bWOai_fGZ71SLHpiGVkQAFumNynm895K5t8LJFvAW1KkgsoXOe5-UxWzMMFQFm_uQY/s1600/1745broadway_lobbyphotos-001.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjPtEoBZXPaomTLufzeyqO6N7dsXOjFvTzeVa5zS1wt2mk-R9CXVxd72SksvyWOmMoyMpXt-v3bWOai_fGZ71SLHpiGVkQAFumNynm895K5t8LJFvAW1KkgsoXOe5-UxWzMMFQFm_uQY/s400/1745broadway_lobbyphotos-001.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1745 Broadway, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10019</td></tr>
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This is Maestro Classics' new home in New York City! The No. 10 bus takes me past Lincoln Center and drops me at the office half a block from Carnegie Hall, the place of my first job after I graduated from Vassar. I have a view of Central Park - a sliver of trees to keep track of the seasons - and a great cafeteria. A great place to begin the next chapter of Maestro Classics' life, right in Random House's new building.</div>
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Talk about lucky!</div>
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Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-565094296862395232012-09-18T13:28:00.001-07:002012-09-18T13:28:49.144-07:00Moving.....ugh!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPh2amH1N9v5c8THTswXsLqOycBqpTx_ljeQwgRnZ4h0RabuJ4t7RqxIYzp7Fijp7-BEvm9We4f3EF0PEauuHLOGTcFaa6Yrr-c1pVO_MKBEmTMgNhi0dLXnZK5vQR7EZi5bKcyXH4RAg/s1600/moving+truck.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPh2amH1N9v5c8THTswXsLqOycBqpTx_ljeQwgRnZ4h0RabuJ4t7RqxIYzp7Fijp7-BEvm9We4f3EF0PEauuHLOGTcFaa6Yrr-c1pVO_MKBEmTMgNhi0dLXnZK5vQR7EZi5bKcyXH4RAg/s400/moving+truck.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
Simon Music Library, Maestro Classics Office & Storeroom of CDs<br />
are heading south!<br />
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<br />Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-70892008420866344112012-09-18T12:47:00.000-07:002012-09-18T12:48:59.172-07:00"Early Music Lessons Have Longtime Benefits"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eyB6ovVP7_gUIOgLvyDGsV0rU-DG36kHDzJQngI7DsVi9W_RqKz2UFfH2dqLYmHXJX3garaAeqznZLlkj59ZugU6w49zCJfIyAafaTnYdvBqOh02QXngQAYyz88RAHFTtKh1Y1T4n8E/s1600/music-and-mind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eyB6ovVP7_gUIOgLvyDGsV0rU-DG36kHDzJQngI7DsVi9W_RqKz2UFfH2dqLYmHXJX3garaAeqznZLlkj59ZugU6w49zCJfIyAafaTnYdvBqOh02QXngQAYyz88RAHFTtKh1Y1T4n8E/s400/music-and-mind.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New York Times article on the positive effects of early music lessons<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“To learn to read, you need to have good working memory, the ability to disambiguate speech sounds, make sound-to-meaning connections,” said Professor Nina Kraus, director of the </span><a href="http://www.soc.northwestern.edu/brainvolts/" style="background-color: white; color: #666699; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" target="_blank" title="The lab’s homepage.">Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> at Northwestern University. “Each one of these things really seems to be strengthened with active engagement in playing a musical instrument.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Studying an instrument seems to have long-lasting benefits. From learning to read to learning foreign languages, studying music as a child seems to have profound effects on the brain!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, times new roman, times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21px;">I recently heard that the No. 1 major for students being accepted into med school is Music! Who would have guessed! Except that my personal physician has practiced a couple of hours every evening for years.... and is very accomplished. Condi Rice is an excellent pianist. And on and on.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, times new roman, times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21px;">Read the entire <a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/early-music-lessons-have-longtime-benefits/" target="_blank">article</a>.</span></span></div>
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<br />Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-30971205441717548602012-09-17T09:40:00.000-07:002012-09-17T09:40:01.728-07:00Great Music Quote!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXedZrqGcACqqR8DkP45W2SlPaoZw5lqk1D-t8IeL2FoZinMlZArumi7YlwrtfWLYCviQtXRiXwPq76MzQzIxWWpX-SJvcW_zi0loqT1UaUM-8W90QqVFmiOUyATRNgr6UEF19KdH_aI/s1600/music-speaks-what-cannot-be-expressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXedZrqGcACqqR8DkP45W2SlPaoZw5lqk1D-t8IeL2FoZinMlZArumi7YlwrtfWLYCviQtXRiXwPq76MzQzIxWWpX-SJvcW_zi0loqT1UaUM-8W90QqVFmiOUyATRNgr6UEF19KdH_aI/s1600/music-speaks-what-cannot-be-expressed.jpg" /></a></div>
Just watch your children's faces as they listen to Maestro Classics' <a href="http://www.maestroclassics.com/peter-and-the-wolf.aspx" target="_blank"><i><b>Peter and the Wolf</b></i>!</a><br />
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I think of this quote every time a Homeschool Parent puts on the headphones at a conference and I watch as every muscle in his/her face relaxes.<br />
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Read the quote again and I bet you will notice that you are smiling!Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-11872144215521154012012-08-30T05:24:00.001-07:002012-08-30T05:24:09.275-07:00Scholastic Parent Magazine: Best CDs/DVDs of 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7JDtCvOCaIK8u08NndvMo-QnAiPR9Wq9H8Ji_lAZLVBXXZvaM7ngJOTzBYcbqQ5nceIakK4Sx-YoSMlF7AzpHmXpredUn7nS9uooUWlVSchzo_nQ8Z5HFPlgq_nu3i13ulfX2GC_QaU/s1600/SCHOLASTIC+LOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7JDtCvOCaIK8u08NndvMo-QnAiPR9Wq9H8Ji_lAZLVBXXZvaM7ngJOTzBYcbqQ5nceIakK4Sx-YoSMlF7AzpHmXpredUn7nS9uooUWlVSchzo_nQ8Z5HFPlgq_nu3i13ulfX2GC_QaU/s1600/SCHOLASTIC+LOGO.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpO89YK8zDIFWU7dhd5bNDNez0hAsheZi1_ncz_tulELtvUFJ7I7aA8bZk0ENKXS63CiGAFr6I4A6ab4AeweecuaQEnKR6BW2-Uy9FSCfHpLneW2p2MmrCqPqMqgxe2N3tp1FW9sSCKA/s1600/scholastic-hande--no.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpO89YK8zDIFWU7dhd5bNDNez0hAsheZi1_ncz_tulELtvUFJ7I7aA8bZk0ENKXS63CiGAFr6I4A6ab4AeweecuaQEnKR6BW2-Uy9FSCfHpLneW2p2MmrCqPqMqgxe2N3tp1FW9sSCKA/s640/scholastic-hande--no.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No.2 CD by Scholastic is a Fabulous Honor!</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Conductor Stephen Simon is a Handel specialist who has won Grammy nominations for his Handel recordings, so it should have been no surprise that <b>My Name is Handel </b>has continued to be one of our best-selling CDs. But, when I was interviewing someone for a new position and mentioned Scholastic, on Google the first thing that popped up on my Mac was this! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just had to share before I headed off to the office.....</span></div>
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<br />Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-59553384353341941562012-07-27T15:35:00.000-07:002012-07-27T15:35:00.431-07:00The Power of Music: Another Beethoven Ninth - Ode to Joy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/GBaHPND2QJg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Beautiful! This is a perfect example of the power of music! <span style="background-color: white;">Look at all the faces!</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">This "flash mob" in Spain was planned*, but the spontaneity and joy on everyone in the square is amazing. </span><br />
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What emotion fills you when you listen/watch this 5-minute video?<br />
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*<span style="background-color: #ebebeb; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">On the 130th anniversary of the founding of Banco Sabadell we wanted to pay homage to our city by means of the campaign "Som Sabadell" (We are Sabadell) . This is the flashmob that we arranged as a final culmination with the participation of 100 people from the Vallès Symphony Orchestra, the Lieder, Amics de l'Òpera and Coral Belles Arts choirs.</span>Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-51690927642130772592012-07-25T15:22:00.000-07:002012-07-25T15:22:00.150-07:0010,000 Sing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony...Really!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/paH0V6JLxSI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is perhaps that most popular piece of western music in Japan. This simulcast had choruses throughout Japan all singing simultaneously! Perhaps not the most stunning performance, but surely a truly memorable performing experience for all involved. (They are singing in German not Japanese!)Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-2685168174263755792012-07-22T15:04:00.001-07:002012-07-22T15:15:44.489-07:00The Ultimate One-Man Band - Amazing!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxsIqLHYSGcuDcnI1oa8oBUqXbNg76OS5jhlNsqX2iUFUVZhAu-CaUbDpCdgJ2-YEdU3tyvDJAx_VHOhitXJg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Amazing feat! And amazing hands as well! This could be a demonstration of multi-tasking, extreme coordination, perseverance, and/or sense of humor. Enjoy!Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-38722599617993405532012-07-15T04:00:00.000-07:002012-07-15T04:00:00.648-07:00Music and Reading - No. 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1RmEY2sOcbe8-fuIUbFv6dLqfICXGeshDR7Lv9m-OdCdFsc1uTdMvmK44mxHNmchLIqT_GSnwzj3KzILoo8CP9GAIVaGa1aNI70-VwRI34U0JQGB8vlOiIuHYL3zl7JVZGOFZZB52GE/s1600/Mary-Lamb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1RmEY2sOcbe8-fuIUbFv6dLqfICXGeshDR7Lv9m-OdCdFsc1uTdMvmK44mxHNmchLIqT_GSnwzj3KzILoo8CP9GAIVaGa1aNI70-VwRI34U0JQGB8vlOiIuHYL3zl7JVZGOFZZB52GE/s400/Mary-Lamb.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<h1 style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">
Mary Had a Little Lamb</h1>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; text-align: left;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: medium;">Mary had a little lamb</span></div>
<span class="TextLarge" style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Whose fleece as white as snow.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">And everywhere that Mary went,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">The lamb was sure to go!</span></div>
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; text-align: left;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: medium;">It followed her to school one day,</span></div>
<span class="TextLarge" style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">which was against the rules.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">It made the children laugh and play,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">To see a lamb at school.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Teach your
child a song, for example “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_K9hFxSvDM" target="_blank">Mary Had a Little Lamb.</a>” When they are able to sing the
whole song, write out the words on a large piece of paper or cardboard. Now, sing it very slowly and point to each
word as you sing.<br />
<br />
There are many <a href="http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/mary_had_a_little_lamb_dltk.htm" target="_blank">great activities</a> you can use based on this song. There is a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq-MtHpRhVk" target="_blank">cute video</a> with words that you might want to show your child after you have taught him/her the words slowly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="TextLarge" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; text-align: left;">
<span class="TextLarge" style="font-size: medium;">Full version:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fffacc; color: #232323; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Written by Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of Godey's Lady's Book (1830s) | Copyright Unknown</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fffacc; color: #232323; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="TextLarge" style="font-size: medium;">
<div style="background-color: #fffacc; color: #232323; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<b>Mary had a little lamb,<br />Little lamb, little lamb,<br />Mary had a little lamb,<br />Its fleece was white as snow</b></div>
<div style="background-color: #fffacc; color: #232323; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<b>And everywhere that Mary went,<br />Mary went, Mary went,<br />Everywhere that Mary went<br />The lamb was sure to go</b></div>
<div style="background-color: #fffacc; color: #232323; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<b>It followed her to school one day<br />School one day, school one day<br />It followed her to school one day<br />Which was against the rules.</b></div>
<div style="background-color: #fffacc; color: #232323; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<b>It made the children laugh and play,<br />Laugh and play, laugh and play,<br />It made the children laugh and play<br />To see a lamb at school</b></div>
<div style="background-color: #fffacc; color: #232323; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<b>And so the teacher turned it out,<br />Turned it out, turned it out,<br />And so the teacher turned it out,<br />But still it lingered near</b></div>
<div style="background-color: #fffacc; color: #232323; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<b>And waited patiently about,<br />Patiently about, patiently about,<br />And waited patiently about<br />Till Mary did appear</b></div>
<div style="background-color: #fffacc; color: #232323; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<b>"Why does the lamb love Mary so?"<br />Love Mary so? Love Mary so?<br />"Why does the lamb love Mary so?"<br />The eager children cry</b></div>
<div style="background-color: #fffacc; color: #232323; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<b>"Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know."<br />Loves the lamb, you know, loves the lamb, you know<br />"Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know."<br />The teacher did reply</b></div>
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIm9lTrFg8G0RoTP-Po2w_M0yDoJcqUnRrACfN-AX4zkCi8ytmLvNC0QFiNOor4vDosOrB3bKHC237iA7vg0tpBEgbFPdsvv5gyDE_Jh-_iB3a_h5hCAhcP7AHGlmRkIGWGDkdek1P2M/s1600/farm.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIm9lTrFg8G0RoTP-Po2w_M0yDoJcqUnRrACfN-AX4zkCi8ytmLvNC0QFiNOor4vDosOrB3bKHC237iA7vg0tpBEgbFPdsvv5gyDE_Jh-_iB3a_h5hCAhcP7AHGlmRkIGWGDkdek1P2M/s640/farm.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, try
the same exercise with “<a href="http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/songs/old-macdonald-had-farm" target="_blank">Old MacDonald Had a Farm</a>.”<br />
<h1 style="background-color: #feeebd; color: #e6500e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.freeabcsongs.com/oldmacdonald" target="_blank">Old MacDonald lyrics</a></h1>
<div style="background-color: #feeebd; color: #383838; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
Old Macdonald had a farm ee-eye, ee-eye-oh.<br />And on that farm he had a duck ee-eye,ee-eye-oh.<br />With a quack, quack here and a quack, quack there.<br />Here a quack, there a quack, everywhere a quack, quack.<br />Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-eye,ee-eye-oh.</div>
<div style="background-color: #feeebd; color: #383838; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
Old MacDonald had a farm ee-eye,ee-eye-oh.<br />And on that farm he had a cow ee-eye,ee-eye-oh.<br />With a moo, moo here and a moo, moo there.<br />Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo, moo.<br />Quack, quack here and a quack, quack there.<br />Here a quack, there a quack, everywhere a quack, quack.<br />Old MacDonald had a farm ee-eye,ee-eye-oh.</div>
<div style="background-color: #feeebd; color: #383838; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
Old MacDonald had a farm ee-eye,ee-eye-oh.<br />And on that farm he had a dog ee-eye,ee-eye-oh.<br />With a woof, woof here and a woof, woof there.<br />Here a woof, there a woof, everywhere a woof, woof.<br />Moo, moo here and a moo, moo there.<br />Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo, moo.<br />Quack, quack here and a quack, quack there.<br />Here a quack, there a quack, everywhere a quack, quack.<br />Old MacDonald had a farm ee-eye,ee-eye-oh.</div>
<div style="background-color: #feeebd; color: #383838; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
Old MacDonald had a farm ee-eye, ee-eye oh.<br />And on that farm he had a pig ee-eye, ee-eye oh.<br />With an oink, oink here and an oink, oink there.<br />Here an oink, there an oink, everywhere an oink, oink.<br />A woof, woof here and a woof, woof there.<br />Here a woof, there a woof, everywhere a woof, woof.<br />Moo, moo here and a moo, moo there.<br />Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo, moo.<br />Quack, quack here and a quack, quack there.<br />Here a quack, there a quack, everywhere a quack, quack.</div>
<span style="background-color: #feeebd; color: #383838; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Old MacDonald had a farm ee-eye,ee-eye-oh.</span><br />
<br />
Kids will have great fun
making the barnyard animal sounds. Then you can have them try to write their
sounds. They can also try spelling words
that rhyme with these sounds. For example, “peep” rhymes with “jeep,” “sleep,” “creep,” etc. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then try
writing out the song with some missing words. Have the children sing the song
and when they come to the missing word, have them fill it in. Most of all, have fun!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;"><b><i>Maestro Classics…because classical music makes kids smarter.</i></b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-29108027433053668092012-07-11T18:33:00.000-07:002012-07-11T18:33:18.454-07:00Audio Processing and Music<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6ogc9VLtR6q_4yXz8RMkjSxodIgjt0A-n9oxoHD-3zqpUWiEM37ktCHJWb1lnvtGhoZpyY3YumUo6x8xkYnE-Zii1VH3r1Kct8Ba3Y98FYHq2KOCK-rVRCqKJ0uYI8LCbE8qGeuB7r4/s1600/toddlerRoundup-39.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6ogc9VLtR6q_4yXz8RMkjSxodIgjt0A-n9oxoHD-3zqpUWiEM37ktCHJWb1lnvtGhoZpyY3YumUo6x8xkYnE-Zii1VH3r1Kct8Ba3Y98FYHq2KOCK-rVRCqKJ0uYI8LCbE8qGeuB7r4/s400/toddlerRoundup-39.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">Chris was a
delightful, cheerful baby, but when he began to talk, his words were
unintelligible. At first, his parents thought that this was just</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">prolonged baby babble, but in time it was
clear that they needed to discuss with their pediatrician. The doctor sent
Chris to a specialist for testing. To his parents’ dismay, they were told that
Christ had audio processing problems. His prescription? Everything that they
said to him should be sung!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chris’
household began to sound like an opera. “Good Morning, Chris. How are you
today?” they began, making up tunes as they went. Soon Chris began to sing back
to them. The words were coming out right!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Until Chris
was about 6, everything word in their home was sung, not spoken. By the time he
was ready for first grade, Chris was speaking.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Music
travels to a different part of the brain than speech. Clearly, without music
Chris would not be the successful college senior that he is today. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-3780319592185128222012-06-22T10:27:00.000-07:002012-06-22T10:27:02.090-07:00Music and Reading - Response to a Mom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaq_Ew8onp30rywC1pizIrVilS0KmRYTADdMluMUUpqSyzRJOB-dZvzJ5bivIqj9Pk5ncUo8nHayu2m4Qe79J134Ak-1s_RZteTikq06ePQbTdzVsKDVf_TOt0d90cVb2CWnM3FcUsSSo/s1600/alphabet-song.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaq_Ew8onp30rywC1pizIrVilS0KmRYTADdMluMUUpqSyzRJOB-dZvzJ5bivIqj9Pk5ncUo8nHayu2m4Qe79J134Ak-1s_RZteTikq06ePQbTdzVsKDVf_TOt0d90cVb2CWnM3FcUsSSo/s400/alphabet-song.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
1. At the very beginning, you teach a child the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fw3l1z9CUQ" target="_blank">Alphabet Song</a>. It is sung to the "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" song.) Most adults who learned it at the age of 3 or 4 still sing it.<br />
<br />
<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
2. Anything that you can put to music will be more easily remembered. My son "Sebastian" needed to know how to spell his rather long name for Pre-School. I made up a song "S-E-B, A-S-T, I-A-N spells Sebastian." He learned is within a couple of days. 23 years later... he can still sing it.</blockquote>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLbgxveBm3xLFyBKcMWcu62OZKLBtkinsERLUuhHYUh7MMjQEhhC2NHeZ7oInbqrwzalfbwMlYh0D81tAXyDifkMcKLj93SttIXPW6FxvwnT0mgIqgMvp640iqfTMOpHRbGE7XKbjSb4/s1600/Seb-Marigold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLbgxveBm3xLFyBKcMWcu62OZKLBtkinsERLUuhHYUh7MMjQEhhC2NHeZ7oInbqrwzalfbwMlYh0D81tAXyDifkMcKLj93SttIXPW6FxvwnT0mgIqgMvp640iqfTMOpHRbGE7XKbjSb4/s320/Seb-Marigold.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Marigold, his golden retriever...who loves popovers!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div class="" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">3. Take the "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel" book out of your local library or purchase at a local bookstore or on </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mike-Mulligan-His-Steam-Shovel/dp/0395169615" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">, and either at your library or on </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mike-Mulligan-His-Steam-Shovel%C2%AE/dp/B001AZ4AR8" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> get Maestro Classics musical setting of this story and read with your child and have him/her follow along as you read it and listen together.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span></div>
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</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFau40exmL1qmYyIEMSlD7_KB7ekGrK195STwsZthIQkBsVQWPhZ1fzFZ149j93Y2IEv3yJqFu2F141ZYfAn3AhX6yB4teekVUdtIyr93VT4bC_B3T0CXbUkALJy6cfSXSoMipX9Lo44/s1600/Mike-cover-book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFau40exmL1qmYyIEMSlD7_KB7ekGrK195STwsZthIQkBsVQWPhZ1fzFZ149j93Y2IEv3yJqFu2F141ZYfAn3AhX6yB4teekVUdtIyr93VT4bC_B3T0CXbUkALJy6cfSXSoMipX9Lo44/s200/Mike-cover-book.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrR2_Ia6Gw9Dh3fjBS1s7MK_wreAW2BVQ5uqGs8AWrCgIrR29sZxJM6NEEGuTsS7nzz3vqEYBYnMKAPMW2hrF0me28E7NX-OPvoQrvdPoiSuJaZ_H0lEICi7jpiVaapJTGtnyFj4vRVY/s1600/mike_72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrR2_Ia6Gw9Dh3fjBS1s7MK_wreAW2BVQ5uqGs8AWrCgIrR29sZxJM6NEEGuTsS7nzz3vqEYBYnMKAPMW2hrF0me28E7NX-OPvoQrvdPoiSuJaZ_H0lEICi7jpiVaapJTGtnyFj4vRVY/s200/mike_72.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">more to follow.....</span></div>Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-50918603769062377542012-06-18T09:55:00.002-07:002012-06-18T09:55:39.366-07:0010 Easy Ways to Teach Your Child About Music<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Here are My Favorite Ten Ways to Teach Your Child
About Music<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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1. Sing every song that you know</div>
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<br /></div>
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2. Put music players in your car, kitchen, and child’s
bedroom</div>
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<br /></div>
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3. Find a parent-child music class</div>
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<br /></div>
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4. Find a teacher and study an instrument</div>
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<br /></div>
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5. Join a musical group</div>
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<br /></div>
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6. Teach your child to dance</div>
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<br /></div>
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7. Read about composers</div>
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<br /></div>
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8. Learn to sight sing </div>
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<br /></div>
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9. Add composers to your history timeline</div>
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<br /></div>
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10. Listen, listen, listen widely</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-17574114696989409172012-05-26T01:00:00.000-07:002012-05-26T01:00:02.472-07:00My Name is Handel - NOW SOLD AT HANDEL HOUSE MUSEUM IN LONDON<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOA1IMpyeno2hs7rwEylOG0zdQ5Ss5GKWvc3RrMkAWy4PPBE4BAh9lC8VIqZf5qgY4u67rVUOeoSHTLF8dgLzs8DhoLMTRb-FIiZeuz3g6vDM1s0sRu3TFa1_yB0QmECUcCFEr25flwUM/s1600/handel+house+inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOA1IMpyeno2hs7rwEylOG0zdQ5Ss5GKWvc3RrMkAWy4PPBE4BAh9lC8VIqZf5qgY4u67rVUOeoSHTLF8dgLzs8DhoLMTRb-FIiZeuz3g6vDM1s0sRu3TFa1_yB0QmECUcCFEr25flwUM/s400/handel+house+inside.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Handel
House is located on Brook Street in the heart of the very fashionable Mayfair
section in central London. This lovely house - Handel’s home for nearly 30
years – was as fashionable then as it is today.
If you have a very rich great aunt taking you out in London, you should
suggest visiting Handel House first and then going to high tea at Claridge’s,<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYcoJC8BA1p9P9zkOHTmwiSW3CcvE1yUluEtzwnxRN6eULW2UsA4r8wmxPahIESzlZG8UOAHkGu9l1BK0-R-f7kZsEvew40gfH6BbsTY7dJABmY1KQbvGTQARh61Iv3D3LQPw5V0oNH0/s1600/claridges+inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYcoJC8BA1p9P9zkOHTmwiSW3CcvE1yUluEtzwnxRN6eULW2UsA4r8wmxPahIESzlZG8UOAHkGu9l1BK0-R-f7kZsEvew40gfH6BbsTY7dJABmY1KQbvGTQARh61Iv3D3LQPw5V0oNH0/s400/claridges+inside.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
one of London’s great old hotels, where you can sip tea, eat very small
cucumber sandwiches and scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam for about $75
each! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Actually,
getting into Handel House is an adventure in itself as you must go down an
alley, make a left turn through a small stone arch, take the cobblestone foot
path and enter the museum’s main entrance from the back. The ground floor is such valuable retail
space that the museum lets it out and has restored all the rooms above. They
have musical instruments, paintings, period furniture, and occasionally hold
concerts there. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyM-L4QrJArugdEyXVvv3-rC5hp3ijgKxDF-CGL22avtH8JrVlTG1UBMqKc_PcE4O0DeCd6h-UcOOY-v7aCjVO-zM0vEiHvhyphenhyphen-yb_u0G6NjwLd7m5O6WwA-IuVBtBFjvDwrQglu9_QvM/s1600/Handel_72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyM-L4QrJArugdEyXVvv3-rC5hp3ijgKxDF-CGL22avtH8JrVlTG1UBMqKc_PcE4O0DeCd6h-UcOOY-v7aCjVO-zM0vEiHvhyphenhyphen-yb_u0G6NjwLd7m5O6WwA-IuVBtBFjvDwrQglu9_QvM/s200/Handel_72.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">They also have a very nice gift shop where “My Name Is Handel: The Story of Water Music” by Maestro Classics is now sold.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-45089668627416196322012-05-24T09:55:00.002-07:002012-05-24T09:55:45.024-07:00The Second Edit - Middlesex outside of London<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4j6BRBB76zE1KTH52k7RZgtwHFSJXvyua9y0eAQpZKNgrgePiezpiJ42ShuhliIRHm0S4h44RAaTVaIz8BhBY4uhrzXGx_qjrD3u42FeA1PZYNFYloxf8ZsY22CWTSkNGJcoCp5mqCc/s1600/LOndon-flags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4j6BRBB76zE1KTH52k7RZgtwHFSJXvyua9y0eAQpZKNgrgePiezpiJ42ShuhliIRHm0S4h44RAaTVaIz8BhBY4uhrzXGx_qjrD3u42FeA1PZYNFYloxf8ZsY22CWTSkNGJcoCp5mqCc/s400/LOndon-flags.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving London after 2nd Editing Session - flags for the Queen's Jubilee, June 3, 2012 - 60 years on the throne!<br />
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The process for each Maestro Classics' CD has many, many steps. From the initial choice of a work to the creation of its narration and/or musical score to the final CD that arrives nicely shrink-wrapped there are countless steps. The <b>Carnival of the Animals</b> by Saint Saens is the next CD.<br />
<br />
The recordings with the two fabulous American pianists, Wendy Chen and Donna Kwong, were made in London in March. We eagerly awaited the "First Edit" CDs from the English engineers which finally arrived and then we set out to London to do "the Second Edit" where we made slight changes here and there.<br />
<br />
Now, back in NYC I am planning the recording session to record the Ogden Nash verses, About the Composer, and About the Music tracks for the CD in early June.<br />
<br />
The music is FANTASTIC! Really brilliant playing. Can't wait for Yadu to hear it next week in Baltimore!Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-8574084490085242862012-05-22T12:32:00.000-07:002012-05-22T12:32:00.116-07:00The Importance of Music in Young Children's Lives - Talking at Midwest Homeschool Conference in Cincinnati, OH<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
Two boys listening to Casey at the Bat - they came back to hear it 3 times!</h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I began my talk with a series of musical clips demonstrating how music can change your emotions, bring back memories, and expand your child's world. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Think about how quiet the world would be without music! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The Midwest Homeschool Conference in Cincinnati was GREAT! Hundreds of families were discovering Maestro Classics for the first time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<br />Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-70069350401567588002012-05-18T00:00:00.000-07:002012-05-18T00:00:04.783-07:0010 Easy Ways to Bring Music Into Your Child’s Life<br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Make music an integral </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">part of every day!</span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ask yourself each day if your child has sung, played, or listened to some music; if </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">not, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">sing a lullaby or play a CD softly as you say</span><span style="color: #cc0000;"> "<b>Good Night</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">"</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here are a few suggestions:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. <b>Sing</b> to your child (your singing ability does NOT matter.)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. <b>Listen</b> to any kind of music while playing with baby</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Put a <b>CD player</b> in the kitchen or in the child’s room – and use it</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">4. Buy a <b>music box</b>. One of the best presents you can give a new baby is something </span><span style="font-size: large;">that plays a classical melody – Brahms’ “Lullaby,” Strauss’ “Blue Danube,” or </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nacht Musik” are favorites.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">5. Schedule a <b>daily listening hour</b> –<b> or even 10 minutes</b> – each day. Play music, sing, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">put on a dancing puppet show around the crib, and as your child grows, dance </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">with him or her around the room as you enjoy your favorite music.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">6. As your child grows, buy simple <b>percussion instruments</b> at a music store and bang </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">along to the music. Pots and pans are great rhythm makers too!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">7. <b>Watch videos</b> with great music, such as The Nutcracker ballet and the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">French film The Red Balloon.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">8. Listen to a wide range of music that you enjoy (CDs in the <b>Maestro Classics </b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Stories in Music</b>™ series, the Classical Kids series, and child-oriented recordings </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">by Raffi and Tom Chapin are great choices.)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">9. Find age appropriate live music and take your child to <b>family concerts</b> at least </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">twice a year.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">10. Keep your child’s favorite CDs in the car and <b>listen actively as you drive</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: white;"><b>Ask yourself if you are smiling more lately!</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: white;"><b><br /></b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: white;"><b>PLEASE SHARE ANY IDEAS THAT YOU HAVE FOUND SUCCESSFUL!</b></i></span>Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561904361538204131.post-36293382476323056962012-05-14T06:01:00.000-07:002012-05-14T06:01:23.257-07:00Grandparents.com interview<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlOMrxuVP4n2lrFSt1GAEWDd3ACSx8glnUKtMPbBJZ3Z0QwInyhoUofcHFUxkeOUvivn88vNgHQzutrtXVFlQ6qqYvvxA-HQYp4G9QCe03rgrub9t0b3-gVgMtLRlMz0zSU4T-5530qM/s1600/grandparents-kids-kissing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlOMrxuVP4n2lrFSt1GAEWDd3ACSx8glnUKtMPbBJZ3Z0QwInyhoUofcHFUxkeOUvivn88vNgHQzutrtXVFlQ6qqYvvxA-HQYp4G9QCe03rgrub9t0b3-gVgMtLRlMz0zSU4T-5530qM/s400/grandparents-kids-kissing.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandparents have a very special ability to share great music with their grandchildren.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Susan Adcox asked these questions for grandparents.com. Here is the way Maestro Stephen Simon and I answered them:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do
grandparents have a special role to play in fostering a love of music in their
grandchildren? If so, what is that special role and why are grandparents
especially suited for it?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The great luxury that many grandparents have is
time. Unlike a painting where you can look at it for two minutes and then move
on, music travels through time. It is linear. You cannot take in a piece of
music without actually taking the time to sit and listen to it. One of the
beauties of classical music is that it forces you to slow down and listen, and
that is something that almost all of our grandchildren need. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Are
you still concerned about what Bonnie referred to in her interview with
Samantha Brody as "the graying of the American audience"? If so,
other than turning to Maestro Classics, how can we combat that?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nothing pleases me more than to see young people in
my audiences. Sometimes they come because a friend is in the orchestra;
sometimes they come because they have heard a particular work on the program
and would like to hear it live. We are all getting older, but perhaps it is
important to just think about taking a young person to a concert occasionally
rather than worrying about the average age of the rest of the audience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A few other ideas are:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Find family concerts at your local
symphony orchestra and take your grandchildren. It is a great grandparent
activity and makes it special.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Offer to pay for music lessons if a
child is interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Go to all of their music recitals and
school concerts – this is great encouragement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you listen to classical music in the car or at home,
don’t turn it off when the grandchildren arrive just because you fear they may
not be interested. Grandparents are wrapped in memories of delicious treats,
favorite stories, house smells – if you leave the music on, every time they
hear classical music, they will think of you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do
you think that the modern tendency to multi-task along with the presence of
multiple stimuli at all times works against the enjoyment of music? (My perfect
way to enjoy music is to totally block out everything else, but it occurs to me
that that may not be the way that future generations enjoy it.)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlOMrxuVP4n2lrFSt1GAEWDd3ACSx8glnUKtMPbBJZ3Z0QwInyhoUofcHFUxkeOUvivn88vNgHQzutrtXVFlQ6qqYvvxA-HQYp4G9QCe03rgrub9t0b3-gVgMtLRlMz0zSU4T-5530qM/s1600/grandparents-kids-kissing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlOMrxuVP4n2lrFSt1GAEWDd3ACSx8glnUKtMPbBJZ3Z0QwInyhoUofcHFUxkeOUvivn88vNgHQzutrtXVFlQ6qqYvvxA-HQYp4G9QCe03rgrub9t0b3-gVgMtLRlMz0zSU4T-5530qM/s400/grandparents-kids-kissing.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Some people can only work with music on; some can do nothing
except listen when music is playing. On the one hand, I think that it has something
to do with the way your brain is wired. On the other hand, some music is very
simple and does not demand undivided attention, and other music is so complex
that many young people do not understand what they are listening to, so music
can be a bit like a foreign language that you do not understand but like the
sound of. One of the reasons that we have the conductor talk about the music on
each of the Maestro Classics CDs is to help people understand what to listen
for in the music with its patterns, structure, and complexities and thereby
encourage active listening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Another
concern of mine is that in a culture where such a diversity of music is
available at the click of a mouse, we're not going to have a shared musical
culture in the future. What's your take on that?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Composers have always pulled from different musical
styles. Brahms’ was inspired by Hungarian folk music in his “Hungarian Dances”
and Tchaikovsky included the Polish dance form, the polonaise, in his ballets. When
the world was smaller, and all music was live, composers borrowed from neighboring
countries. As travel and recorded music have expanded our listening
possibilities, the influences have become broader. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Just as museums have “Old Master” collections, they
also have paintings by Picasso and David Hockney and exhibits of Japanese
screens. Are they all part of a shared culture? If they are worth, seeing, perhaps
it is not important. We view music in a similar way, you can enjoy many
different genres. We espouse this on our Maestro Classics CDs where each has
wonderful orchestral music performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, but
also a track with music in a different musical genre (jazz, Dixieland, Russian
folk, heavy metal, etc.).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Many, many grandparents have discovered Maestro Classics CDs for their grandchildren through our ads in the <i>New Yorker</i> magazine and then discover how much they enjoy them too.</span><br />
<!--EndFragment-->Bonnie Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08476182436178385314noreply@blogger.com0