Lincoln Park Days (August 23, 24 & 25)

This weekend offers a couple of festivals downriver. I will definitely be checking out the bands at Lincoln Park Days. Along with my earlier articles praising the Downriver Development Authority and their participation in the Downriver Cruise and InsideOut Art project, kudos to the Lincoln Park Exchange Club.

According to their website:

The Exchange Club of Lincoln Park is a service organization with a focus on the Prevention of Child Abuse. We also promote, Americanism, Youth Programs, and Service to our Community. We  celebrated our 89th Birthday in 2011.

We hold fundraisers throughout the year to allow us to fund our programs like Youth of the Month, Youth of the Year, Scholarships to a Lincoln Park High School Graduating Senior, Believe in the Blue and many more. We host our biggest fundraiser, Lincoln Park Days, in August with a large community festival complete with a carnival, rides, community midway, bands and beer.


The Exchange Club has filled the weekend with an interesting selection of local bands.

The Lincoln Park Days Festival will be August 23, 24, 25. 2013. Festival times are Friday 4-11pm, Saturday 12-11pm and Sunday 12-9pm.

2013 Lincoln Park Days Entertainment Schedule
Friday 5-6:30pm
Lucky Stiff
www.Facebook.com
Friday 8 to 11pm
Ray’s Garage
www.Facebook.com
Saturday 12-2pm
FREE Zumba with Zumba Krista
Saturday 2 to 3 pm
Brass Knuckle Karma
Saturday 4-7pm
Doesn’t Matter
www.Facebook.com
Saturday 8-11pm
Superlast
www.reverbnation.com
Sunday 12-2:30pm
JD Eicher and the Good Nights - acoustic set
www.jdeicherandthegoodnights.com
Sunday 3:30-5pm
Twistin Terantulas
www.twistinterantulas.com
Sunday 6-9pm
Terry Lea and the Mustangs
www.reverbnation.com  

For more information, visit the Lincoln Park Exchange Club website.

http://www.lpexchange.clubexpress.com/

Thanks to the Exchange Club for providing this showcase of bands.

If you have any thoughts to share on Lincoln Park Days, please let us know your experience.

Peace,
Annette DeMaggio
www.songsofjoymi.com

Landfill Harmonic Orchestra --- Building Instruments from Trash

Thanks to Nancy Piatek for sharing this video with me.

According to the Landfill Harmonic Orchestra website:

Welcome to Landfill Harmonic. A film about a garbage picker, a music teacher and a group of children from a Paraguayan slum who play instruments made entirely of garbage. Landfill Harmonic is a beautiful story about the transformative power of music, which also highlights two vital issues of our times: poverty and waste pollution. The story develops in one of the poorest slums in Latin America. Just outside Asuncion, Paraguay; Cateura is the city’s trash dump. It is built on a landfill. Here, people live in a sea of garbage. And they live from garbage. 

Surrounded by stories of drug-violence, alcoholism and destitution, they make herculean efforts to reaffirm their life and dignity. 
There was no money for real instruments when local musician Favio Chavez started his music school in the barrio, so together they started to make instruments from trash - violins and cellos from oil drums, flutes from water pipes and spoons, guitars from packing crates. Our film documents the origins of the Orchestra and, as the story evolves, follows them on a world tour. Join us in this journey and witness the mind-boggling inventive effort of a humble garbage picker, and a music teacher that using their ingenuity, where able to create instruments out of recycled materials, bringing to life one of the world’s most unlikely orchestras. 
It is entirely made of garbage. They call it “The Recycled Orchestra”. 
Coming soon. On January 2014.

View a short video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=UJrSUHK9Luw

This is inspirational and all musicians should be even more appreciative of the beautiful and melodious instruments we are privileged to play. So, go hug your instrument right now!

If you would like to add any comments about home made instruments, we'd like to hear your story.

Peace,
Annette DeMaggio
www.songsofjoymi.com

Early Music Lessons Boost the Brain --- CBC - Quirks and Quarks with Bob McDonald

Again, CBC radio has provided another thought provoking story regarding the long term benefits of learning an instrument. This interview examines the benefits of early musical training, especially for those under the age of 7 and its effect on the brain.

According to the preface:

If you started piano lessons in grade one, or played the recorder in kindergarten, thank your parents and teachers. Those lessons you dreaded – or loved – helped develop your brain. The younger you started music lessons, the stronger the connections in your brain.

 

A study published last month in the Journal of Neuroscience suggests that musical training before the age of seven has a significant effect on the development of the brain, showing that those who began early had stronger connections between motor regions – the parts of the brain that help you plan and carry out movements. 

 

This research was carried out by students in the laboratory of Concordia Universitypsychology professor Virginia Penhune, and in collaboration with Robert J. Zatorre, a researcher at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital at McGill University.

 

The study provides strong evidence that the years between ages six and eight are a “sensitive period” when musical training interacts with normal brain development to produce long-lasting changes in motor abilities and brain structure. “Learning to play an instrument requires coordination between hands and with visual or auditory stimuli,” says Penhune. “Practicing an instrument before age seven likely boosts the normal maturation of connections between motor and sensory regions of the brain, creating a framework upon which ongoing training can build.” 

I expect that there are other benefits too. The confidence, persistence and good habits that are formed in my students are enough for me to say "early musical education is paramount to joy, inquisitiveness and exploration."

Listen to the full interview:

http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/episode/2013/02/16/february-16-2013/

If you have any comments on the benefits of early music education, please share with us.

Peace,
Annette DeMaggio
www.songsofjoymi.com

Succeeding at the Piano, FREE Workshop for Piano Teachers

Evola Music Center in Canton will be offering a FREE workshop for piano teachers titled "Succeeding at the Piano - Quality Music Education Begins at the First Lesson".

Friday, August 16th
9:30 am
Evola Music Center
7170 N. Haggerty Road
Canton, MI  48187
Email: slee@evola.com
Website: www.evola.com
734-455-4677



Dr. Marlais will share videos of her students in the Preparatory and Grade 1 levels of the Succeeding at the Piano method. See how students learn to read better with a combined note reading approach, and how learning correct technique and addressing musicality early launches students on the right path from the very beginning! The every-popular In Recital series will also be included in this workshop, and you will learn more about The FJH Pianist's Curriculum, designed to supplement every lesson according to each of your student's needs.

Teachers attending the SATP Workshop will receive a complimentary copy of the Helen Marlais Student Assignment Book free-of-charge.

Register today and don't miss this chance to attend a highly informative and insightful workshop with this outstanding pedagogue and clinician.

If you have a favorite teaching method, or were taught a great method, share your experience with us.

See you there!

Peace,
Annette DeMaggio
www.songsofjoymi.com

InsideOut --- Lincoln Park Participates with DIA Prints

In a previous post, I bragged on Lincoln Park and its participation in the Downriver Cruise. There were bands up and down Fort Street. The Downtown Development Authority, with Madhu Oberoi as Executive Director, hosted a great party.

Now, they have stepped up again to be part of the InsideOut program sponsored by the DIA.

According to the DIA website:

Inside|Out, now in its fourth year, brings nearly 80 reproductions of masterpieces from the DIA's collection to the streets and parks of metro Detroit, pleasantly surprising and delighting residents of the participating communities. Where possible, the works are clustered within walking or biking distance of each other in a grand, open-air gallery.

The DIA is working with the communities to plan educational opportunities and other fun activities, such as bicycle and walking tours. Residents of participating communities will enjoy a designated weekend to visit the museum for free and see "their" works of art. Visitors will receive a 10 percent discount in Café DIA and the museum shop, $1 off Detroit Film Theatre (DFT) tickets and free admission to showings of the DFT 101 film series.

The six paintings in Lincoln Park are all within walking distance near Southfield and Fort St. View them when visiting The Moose Lodge, Fort Street Brewery, Park Restaurant, Library or City Hall. If you visit one of these displays, please comment. We'd like to have your feedback.

Thanks Lincoln Park DDA and the DIA!

Peace,

Annette DeMaggio

www.songsofjoymi.com 

Jian Ghomeshi Interviews Joni Mitchell --- CBC Radio

Jian Ghomeshi is a wonderful interviewer from Canada. He has a great gift for conducting in-depth interviews with the most interesting artists. This one hour and forty-five minute interview is a great example of his style and passion that he shares with his audience. He asks great questions and let's his guest do the talking.

Joni Mitchell is a Canadian singer songwriter, musician and artist. In the 60s, when a woman that wrote her own music and was a prolific musician was a rarity, she associated with Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan along with many others. Joni has the most unique and varied range in her voice and guitarists are in awe of her open tuning and non-standard tuning.

Listen to this interview and learn more about this great interviewer and Joni Mitchell:

http://music.cbc.ca/#/concerts/CBC-Music-Exclusives-The-Joni-Mitchell-Interview-2013-06-04

In a world of 15 minute sound bites, it is refreshing to listen to an interview of this depth.

Share your thoughts on Joni Mitchell and this wonderful interview.

Peace,
Annette DeMaggio
www.songsofjoymi.com

Bands Performing in the Lincoln Park Stretch of the 14th Annual Downriver Cruise

This weekend is the 14th Annual Downriver Cruise. This vintage car cruise travels along Fort Street through Lincoln Park, Southgate and Wyandotte. Due to construction, Riverview is not participating this year.

Lincoln Park has stepped up to offer two days of entertainment to celebrate the event. Although Lincoln Park has had bands in Memorial Park and the Fort Street Brewery
has had bands perform on Warwick St., I believe that this year's entertainment is greater than ever. Thanks to the businesses and organizers who are providing this entertainment.

Visit the "Cruisin Downriver" website for more information:

http://www.cruisindownriver.com/

FRIDAY NIGHT PAINTER SUPPLY
Chain reaction 6:00pm - 9:30 pm

FRIDAY NIGHT FORT STREET BREWERY
Science Fair 6:00pm - 9:30 pm

SATURDAY CRUISE DAY

Painters Supply Hours
Benny and jetts 11:00am - 3:00pm
Science Fair 3:00pm - 6:00 pm
Matto 6:00pm - 9:30pm

Park Restaurant Hours
Lemon James 11:00am - 3:00pm
Big Mitch 3:00pm - 6:00pm
Rock Harley 6:00pm - 9:30pm
Fort Street Brewery Hours
Paul Nelson 11:00am - 3:00pm
Sound Proof 3:00pm - 6:00pm A.R.C/KISS TRIBUTE/Hard Drive 6:00pm - 9:30pm

As a Lincoln Parker, I'm especially proud to participate in this positive celebration in the north end. In the past, I've seen the Back Beats (Beatles tribute band) in Memorial Park, Lemon James at Fort Street Brewery, and other bands along the cruise route.

Share your experiences in regards to music at Cruisin' Downriver.

Peace,
Annette DeMaggio
www.songsofjoymi.com