posted November 10, 2013 09:45 PM            

I know not everyone is fond of classical music, but this isn't classical music. It's more of a pops orchestra performance. My kid's a violinist.

Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Hope you enjoy it.

http://youtu.be/xKgQtHsfRqc

posted November 11, 2013 03:25 AM            

meant to tell you YTA from the other videos you posted, your son plays the piano really well, but his spirit is really that of a violinist. He plays it as if from another world!

posted November 13, 2013 03:15 PM            

Those kids in Bridgeport are extremely fortunate that the townspeople believe in supporting the Art of Music Education. That was exhilarating! and a portal to setting a Bright Mood for the upcoming Holidays!

Music makes a mystical Bridge to The Beauty Within.... In our Society and within Our Selves...

Thanks for sharing this music, YoursTrulyAlways!

posted November 13, 2013 05:21 PM            

There is quite a bit of hypocrisy in the term "Greater Bridgeport."

If you understand, Bridgeport is the largest city in Connecticut, and is among the poorest cities, if not the poorest city. Bridgeport is generally considered "middle class" aka the ghetto.

The fact of the matter is that the auditorium is in Bridgeport, but the audience is from the "Greater Bridgeport" area. Almost none of the kids playing in that orchestra are from Bridgeport proper or attend Bridgeport public schools. Almost all the kids are from affluent families in affluent surrounding communities (Fairfield County is the richest county in the United States).

The orchestra itself is hypocritical, providing "hundreds of dollars" of "financial aid." What it doesn't tell you that it costs over a thousand a year to join, and private music lessons easily costs over $250 per month. Never mind the tuxedo/black dress to perform. or the hundreds of dollars to maintain a proper instrument. Or the ten thousand dollars it costs for a proper double bass or quality violin. Or the hundred thousand dollars for a proper concert instrument.

posted November 14, 2013 03:25 AM            

We are All the poorer for that.

posted November 14, 2013 06:06 AM            

i don't know what less well off people can do.

But thanks to things like youtube these days a lot of good people from those better off families, do upload what they know how to play and offer 'tutorials' on how to do it.

so whomever watches only needs to save up and buy an instrument, and a lot are more than happy to answer questions...music feeds the soul and shouldn't be left to one class only, and a lot of 'musicians' understand that clearly.

posted November 14, 2013 08:39 AM            

Sure, anyone can learn how to play the piano. A Yamaha keyboard costs only $120 or so. With some diligence and determination, one can learn the piano quite easily.

It is when you want to excel that it becomes impossible. A Steinway piano costs $60,000 and up. My son's piano lessons at the masters level costs $200 per hour... never mind costs per year. For most middle class families, $200 a month for music lessons already takes sacrifices elsewhere in the family budget. Juilliard School costs $75,000 per year. And Juilliard doesn't hand out scholarships, unlike Harvard and MIT. If you are broke, you don't go to Juilliard, period. And they are proud of it.

posted November 14, 2013 09:11 AM            

I have a friend who years ago finally graduated from the Milan conservatory, and he was telling me exactly what you are saying about this, and when he was done about the costs of a serious musical education...it was about how these instuites sometimes 'drag it on' intentionally when there is no need to, only to make sure they are getting money on the long run....

posted November 14, 2013 09:14 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by YoursTrulyAlways:

The ultimate in ridiculous. I enquired about a two-week summer camp with Itzhak Perlman based at his summer home in the Hamptons. It costs $45,000 for two weeks. They wanted my kid's *agent* to call them. I told the whole lot of them to go fap themselves.[/B]

---

@_@ @_@ @_@ @_@....maybe he was just trying to fund himself to buy his own Birkin bag?

how ridiculous has consumerism gone??i'm not paying anything unless i know it's value, and even if it's great quality but ridciulousy priced, then whomever made it can keep it! sigh.

posted November 14, 2013 10:56 AM            

Tsk Tsk Tsk

posted November 14, 2013 12:09 PM            

Truly I respect you for that, and it's not always easy.

posted November 14, 2013 01:15 PM            

The actual raising of the children and the inculcating of values and standards comes from their mother. I only provide the resources to make things happen.

posted November 14, 2013 06:33 PM            

The Musical Profession certainly requires a Strength of Character.

posted November 15, 2013 02:21 PM            

YTA, You have worked so VERY hard.... Now, I hope that YOU would be able (at some point) to "rest" and enjoy the fruit of your labors --- to be able to just sit and absorb the whole "healing" experience in the music, in the catharsis of heavy emotions, or the flight into lightness for a while that Music can Bring....

Love to you..... *heart*

***--This post had glitched for me earlier... Looks like a page of posts went missing ***

(Repeating hellos to NRNR)

posted November 16, 2013 07:31 PM            

These are some of Mitchell's piano friends. They are truly superstars.

These two have the same piano teacher.
http://www.youtube.com/user/UMIPIANO?feature=watch
http://www.youtube.com/user/chopinetudeboy

I swear Matt's going to win a string of Grammies one day. He's being nominated for a Grammy in jazz piano. He already has 11 CDs of his own jazz compositions.
http://www.youtube.com/user/mattsavagejazz

Mitchell's piano teacher http://www.yoshieakimoto.com/

Mitchell's violin teacher http://www.violinist.com/directory/bio.cfm?member=bsfriedson