BY DEB HEDLEY
ISSUE NO. 55 | SEPTEMBER 2023
Modern Day Musings
Happy September! We are so excited to jump back into another busy school year and cannot wait to see what this next year has in store for Modern Day Music! Did you know that September happens to be Classical Music Month?
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MODERN DAY MUSIC SCHOOL
At Modern Day Music, we are so excited to celebrate classical music all month long! From Bach to Beethoven, we are here to celebrate and acknowledge all of the iconic classical composers in history. This month, we will be spotlighting one of the most famous classical composers of all time, Frédéric Chopin! With the upcoming Chopin Competition happening later this this month, now is a perfect time
Bach To School - A Classical Edition!
to talk more about classical music, the Chopin Competition, and the master, Chopin himself! Classical music has a calming effect on the brain, body, and soul. It cannot quite be put into words. Like music in itself, it transcends all time and space. Throughout various studies, classical music has been proven to stimulate the brain. Research shows that listening to classical music can improve cognitive function, making it an ideal choice for studying or work. Studies also show that playing classical music on a musical instrument can lower your blood pressure and decrease stress levels. On top of everything else, it can also improve your immune system and diminish the risk of disease! The Lizst of benefits from classical music goes on and on. We are so grateful to teach classical music to some of our students at Modern Day Music and watch them grow and benefit from this style of music in incredible ways!
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This month we are excited to send one of our own students, Lucas McManus, to the 22nd Annual Chopin Competition! The Chopin Competition is sponsored by The Capital District Council for Young Musicians. This competition gives serious piano students like Lucas a chance to perform Chopin repertoire in front of a panel of judges. Each year, different judges are drawn from the faculties of Upstate New York colleges and universities to watch and judge the competition. The Chopin Competition is open to piano students between the age of 9-19 who live within a 50 mile radius of the Capital District. The Chopin Competition consists of three levels. Novice level students are required to perform one Chopin composition of their choice. Apprentice level students are required to perform a Chopin piece of their choice along with a Chopin Mazurka. Master level students are required to play a Chopin piece of their choice as well as a Chopin Etude in Op. 10 or 25. To perform at the master level, contestant must be at least 15 years old. Winners from each level will receive cash prizes. The Chopin Novice winner is awarded $250. The Apprentice level winner is awarded $500, and the Master level winner is awarded $1,000.
Runner-ups receive $100, and $500, respectively. On Saturday, September 16th, Lucas will have the opportunity to perform two Chopin pieces that he has been preparing over the past several months. He will be performing Mazurka in B Flat Minor Op. 24, No. 4 and Grande Valse Brillante Op.18 (Waltz in E flat major). This year's Chopin Competition will be held on September 16th at the Blessed Virgin Mary Czestochowa Parish in Latham. We cannot wait to hear about Lucas’s first experience at the Chopin Competition. Be sure to stay up to date on all of our social media platforms! If you are interested in participating in next year's Chopin Competition, please ask your piano coach for more information. The next portion of the newsletter will give you an opportunity to learn more about Frédéric Chopin and just how amazing of a composer and pianist that he was!
Frédéric Chopin was born March 1st, 1810, in Żelazowa Wola, Poland. Chopin was an extremely rare child prodigy. From a young age, Chopin was exposed to a cultured Warsaw society. He started playing piano around the age of four. Chopin had the ability to play piano and compose his own music with ease. His family quickly realized the talent of their child and hired a professional musician, Wojciech Zywny, to give him piano lessons. It was not long before young Chopin surpassed the teacher in both technique and imagination! In 1826, Chopin began studying music theory, at the Warsaw Conservatory. He later moved to Paris where he taught piano lessons. While in Paris, he became a noted pianist, teacher, and composer. Throughout the majority of his life, Chopin battled health issues. He struggled with respiratory tract infections and it is believed that he died of tuberculosis in his late 30’s.
Composer Spotlight
Even though he struggled battling various health problems, Chopin still went on to write some of the worlds most profound music throughout his life. Chopin became one of the most foremost Romantic Era composers of the 19th century. During the span of his lifetime, Chopin wrote over 230 compositions. Some of Chopin’s most popular works include: Fantaisie-Impromptu, Nocturne in C sharp Minor, Piano Concerto No. 1, and Minute Waltz in D Flat Major Op. 64 No. 1. Give these pieces a listen when you get a chance! Fun Chopin Facts You Didn’t Know!: 1. He Came From a Family of Artists 2. Chopin Was a Child Prodigy 3. Chopin Was Influenced by other Classical Composers such as Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart 4. He studied at the Warsaw Conservatory of Music 5. He died in Paris at the age of 39 years old
M: Which upcoming gig(s) are you most looking forward to and why? D: I have a monthly gig called “Psykick Dancehall†the first Saturday of every month at a little bar called Pint Sized in Saratoga from 8pm-12am. It’s a lot of fun DJing a mix of Soul, Reggae and even a little early Punk and Rock n roll. I think we can all assume that David is very involved in music outside of MDM, but that is not the only thing! He is also a loving husband and father and tries to spend as much time as possible with his wife and son when he is not at MDM. David’s shared that “I can say without a doubt I would not be where I am today without their love and support!†They have supported David in innumerable ways over the recent months as he took on this new role at MDM, and they were even a part of the MDM family long before that! David’s son was a member of our Little Rockers program for a number of sessions before testing out private lessons where he caught on to everything very quickly. Even back then, David and his family were thrilled to be a part of MDM, and the experience also gave David a look at what things are like from the student perspective. Now that his son is a little bit more mature at age 7, he plans to start private piano lessons in the fall! David’s son loves playing piano in his room and we can’t wait to see where he goes in his private lessons. He also takes after his dad and started his own record collection, which he spends much of his time listening to. David is so proud, and we can tell that music definitely does run in the family! We are all so excited to have David on board, are are looking forward to many great years to come. There are so many possible directions for the future of MDM, but we know that no matter what, that direction will be up!
Allyssa's Corner
1 - Ampevene (Gabe) at Road Runner, Black Rock, CT 2 - On this day in 1955: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened in Cleveland 2 - Lucid Street (Cait) at Sunset Bay (Hadley, NY) 3 - Lucid Street (Cait) at Blackthorne Resort (Durham, NY) 4 - Labor Day, MDM CLOSED 5 - On this day in 1946: Freddie Mercury of Queen is born 8 - Ben and Gianna Duo at Peddler’s 7:00-10:00pm 15 - Ben and Gianna Duo at Katie O’Byrnes 7:00-10:00pm 16 - On this day in 1925: B.B. King is born 16 - 22nd Annual Chopin Competition 22 - Autumnal Equinox (Start of Fall) 22 - Ben solo at Adirondack Winery 4:00-7:00pm 23 - On this day in 1949: Bruce Springsteen is born 23 - Ben solo at Spa City Tap and Barrel 6:30-9:30pm 27 - Lucid Street (Cait) at Berlin Underground (Manhattan, NYC, NY) 29 - Lucid Street (Cait) at The Strand Theatre (Hudson Falls, NY) 30 - Lucid Street (Cait) at Tap & Barrel (Saratoga, NY)
SEPTEMBER CALENDAR
Happy September! We are so excited to announce our upcoming showcase on October 15th! This will be our first live showcase since Covid-19! Please don’t forget to sign up if you would like to perform a song! You can let the office know or add your name to the sign-up sheet in the lobby! We look forward to seeing you there!
A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR NEW STUDENTS iN AUGUST!
Laxmi P Evan P Angelina S Brendon S Vincent R Kristen R Ella T Amelia L A'ila Y Jeffrey M Giuseppe L Ed S Kyler C Liam E Gavin V Kate M Logan H Angela S Gino M Dhruvan N Kelsey C Abigail C
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