WW: Show Choir {Linky}

My son Isaak joined Show Choir this year. I'm not sure if he'll do it another year, or not. He's only in 4th grade right now, and is just testing the waters out with things.

I hear him sing and sing at home, but when he's on the bleachers in front of everyone he I just don't see his mouth moving all that much. I did capture this image, which shows one of his happier, animated times.

Holiday Freeze Frame Program

Isaak's elementary school had a really fun holiday program this year called Freeze Frame. I think I enjoyed it so much because Isaak was in it so much. 

He's in strings this year:

I think he was thinking, Mom why do you have to take a photo of me?

It slightly cracks me up that Mica and Isaak are some of the tallest kids in their grades, and their best friends are the shortest.

He's not a master of the violin, but for starters he plays really well. Their whole class is ahead of where classes usually are.

Isaak likes to play. He practices songs beyond where they are at. He tells me the hard thing is to stay with the others. During the concert his teacher played the piano to get them to stay together.

Isaak tried out for  Show Choir, and got into that:

As his teacher puts it, they are just starting. Their Show Choir consists of 4th and 5th graders. Show Choir usually doesn't start until 7th grade in many schools. They do minimal actions.

After a few months, Isaak still loves to go to Show Choir in the mornings! He got really bummed once when he and Dad forgot about it.

Little man was sort of stressed out because he had Strings, then Show Choir right away. He had to hurry to take away his music stand. He wanted to wear his dress up shirt for Strings, but decided it was too much, too fast to have to put his Show Choir shirt on between them. He just left it on.

Some of the songs were from The Beach Boys. Isaak wanted to hear them on YouTube. He said, "Why are all their songs about surfing and the beach?" I laughed and said, "Well they are called The BEACH Boys." He said, "Oh."

I of course recorded everything, but the last section of song. That was the best part. Oh well.

He also sang two songs with his class:

The next photo cracks me up! It's Isaak telling the other kids to be quiet! It wasn't time for talking! He's great at standing up for himself, his friends, the rules, fairness and what's morally right. Bossy to some, but to me I wish I had a little more of him in myself.

Most years my Mom leans into me and says, "Now why can they sing about Hanukkah, but not Christmas?" Well they did sing about Christmas, just not Jesus. Nor did they sing about God, Mohamed, or any other spiritual leader. I had to point that out to her.

Just like some get hung up on weather one should say Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays, there's people that get hung up on if kids doing The Pledge of Allegiance in school, and what's sung in holiday programs. I have people in my life that are really religious and people that are not religious at all. Whatever is fine by me. I error on the side of schools not getting into religion; as they are state funded. If they do, they should talk about many religions. Not just Christianity. If you want a religious base go to worship somewhere, put your kids in a private school, or homeschool them.  What are your thoughts on this? I have people I love on different sides, so I'm not here to judge your thoughts. It's an interesting conversation.

Did you go to any holiday programs this year?

Omaha Community Playhouse Camp

Mica wasn't too excited about his camp the first day. Then he was all about it.

Day 1: They got homework to memorize 2 songs, Wicked's No Good Deed, and Michael Jackson's Bad.

Day 2: They got homework to memorize 1 song, Hercules Zero to Hero.

Day 3: They had to write a story they wanted to act out.

Day 4: Practice!

Day 5: Perform!

I think Mica was slightly thrown off because they had a new director and teachers that did things differently than the ones he had before. Mica doesn't like change very much.

The old director and teachers had the kids just act out, and dance to things to songs they played out loud.

Their "light sabers" they used during the show:

The new director and teachers had them sing, act, dance, write their own acts, and edited their acts down. A lot more was on the kids to do.

Isaak wrote a 2 page paper that he wanted acted out, but it had to be edited way down.

Any time they gave Mica dance moves to do, he got thrown when they had him change the moves.

Mica also likes to sing, but isn't super gifted in that area. He loves to act. He can memorize lines fairly easily. That's a hard one because a lot of children's theater they want kids to be able to sing really well.

Isaak really a pretty good singer, but has trouble memorizing lines. The opposite of Mica for sure.

Was it perfect? No! Did they learn a lot? Yes! 

They came home singing, and singing. In fact they are still singing. I got the question, "What song, or act did you like the best Mom?" about 5 times from each kid. They told me about upstage and downstage.

A little off key at times, but here's Zero to Hero.

The one that had me rolling is when Isaak was in the shower. He was singing and singing the Wicked song, No Good Deed. He was singing pretty good. I tried to sneak up to record his singing. He used improvisation to continue the song, and went back to it.

All the singing and dancing must have worn little Isaak out. I told him to go read, and he was out like a light. I had to wake him up 2 hours later. He still was tired after I woke him. We all need a nap from time to time.

Out of the Box Saturday

This post is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. I'll cover something sing | songy one week, and artsy | fartsy the next.

I ran into a really cool video! The artist is someone I've never heard of. His name is Medi. He is a French singer, songwriter, guitar player, and drummer. He basically does it all when it comes to music. He is a true talent in today’s industry.

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Some people know of him as being the drummer for Charlie Winston’s band, but he's now making a name for himself as a solo artist across the world. Born and raised in France, Medi spent some time in London where he learned to speak English remarkably well.

I love the typography that pops up in the video below.

Medi / How would you do it from FMK7 on Vimeo.

He can sing live as well!

Check out Medi's website.

Like Medi's facebook page.

Follow Medi's twitter page.

Out of the Box Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is now Out of the Box Saturday. It's all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. I'll cover something sing | songy one week, and artsy | fartsy the next.

This week I'm covering something sing | songy. I read (didn't get to watch) a shocking documentary about Nina Simone's daughter Lisa Simone. Lisa claims that her Mom was abusive to the point where Lisa thought about committing suicide. I always liked Nina Simone's voice. Just because I liked her, it does not mean that she wasn't abusive. Stars especially have a lot of pressure. Abuse is a real thing. 

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I'm putting on here a few of Lisa Simone's videos. If you are unfamiliar with her mother's work, you may want to look it up to.

All is Well

Child in Me

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Read about Lisa Simone here.

Check out Lisa Simone on Facebook.

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

I'm sorry this is up later than usual. Travis worked last night for a special exhibit that his work was having, the boys were supposed to have friends over today, but I had to call to cancel them. Isaak went to the emergency room last night at 2:30 AM with Croup. Everything is ok. More has been going on, but Ill write more posts on that later.

Question: Do you like a music post each week like I've been doing? Or would you like to see music one week, and learn about a visual artist the next?

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

A student introduced me to Lindsey Stirling. Have you ever heard of here? I have not, but she has a lot of hits on YouTube.

She's a classically trained violinist from Gilbert, AZ. Lindsey entered a futurist world of electronic big beats and animation, leaping through the music industry. She's had over 675 million views on YouTube, Billboard chart-topping hits and sold out tours worldwide.

Lindsey was voted off 2010’s “America’s Got Talent” at the quarterfinals. It turned out to be the best thing that’s ever happened to her. Rejection has its way of making people work harder sometimes. 

“The same reasons I was told I wouldn’t succeed are the reasons people travel hundreds of miles to see me now. Because it’s different. Because it’s something you haven’t seen before…” Since the show, Lindsey has flourished as an artist.

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Roundtable Rival

Shadows



Take Flight

Check out Lindsey's website, visit her on facebook, follower her on twitter and Check out other cool videos on her YouTube Channel.

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

This week I'm covering a band called DaiQing Tana & Haya Band. Tana is the voice behind the music.

In 2006, Quansheng formed HAYA with several of his students and friends. “HAYA” means “margin” or “boundary” in Mongolian. According to an ancient legend, at the boundary of the endless sky, there is a gem called “HAYA” that holds the radiance of all living things. When one day people see it, all hatred will dissolve and love will abound throughout the entire world. HAYA’s music breaks free of national boundaries and ethnic ties, mixing inherently unaffected and profound Mongolian music with pioneering musical elements, infusing new blood into ancient melodies that have been passed down for centuries, giving them fresh life. The morin khuur (horse-head fiddle), tanbur, khoomei (throat singing), shaman drum, chanting – they have all passed through the hourglass of time and become HAYA’s gems. In 2010, HAYA performed at the Columbus Asian Festival in the US, and in 2011 they performed at the Cultural and Arts Festival of India and the Cannes World Music Festival in France, after which they began their “Migration” concert tour of Asia. - Source

What I love about their music is that they play with a lot of different instruments. Their voices are very hypnotic to. It's great to listen to when I'm working on something.

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The first song that I'm going to put on here is about Qinghai Lake. I looked it up, so you can see a visual of what the song is about.

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Qinghai Lake

Silent Sky

My favorite song of theirs is: Crazy Horse

Like Haya Band on Facebook.
Buy their CD on Amazon.

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

Things are a little different this week. I learned something on Friday that I didn't know. I think everyone knows who Shel Silverstein was. I say "was" because he sadly passed away in 1999.

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If you don't know who he is here's a clue - he wrote and illustrated all the books below and more: 

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Every time I read The Giving Tree I want to cry. His other books make me laugh.

What I didn't know about Shel Silverstein was that he wrote A Boy Named Sue that Johnny Cash sang.

Here's Shel's version:

He also wrote The Unicorn that The Irish Rovers sang.

Here's Shel's version: 

Anyhow I really think Shel Silverstein deserved way more credit for these songs. He's wrote others, but these are more well known.

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

Rudely Interrupted is one of Australia's most celebrated bands. They are an independent rock group with 5 of the 6 members living with disabilities.  

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They turn their disabilities into abilities!

Close My Eyes

I Am Alive

This is an interview that tells you all about the band. Wow they are amazing!

Like Rudely Interrupted on Facebook.
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Follow Rudely Interrupted on YouTube.

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.


I saw this really sweet video where someone was drawing the whole time music was being played.

A Still From the Video

I know different people have different theories of global warming. Regardless of what you believe about that the video is super cool!

“With the composer Matteo Negrin, we decided to make a video for his song ‘Lacrime di Giulietta’, experimenting a new technique that we called ‘Music painting’, a sort of music animation, painting notes on a score, telling a story. We wanted to tell a story giving a civic and environmental message, in a soft and kind way. The video took only one take (15 hours long), painting on a 12 meters of sheet paper (obtained joining together on the back 30 A3 sheets). Then, with a long editing work, the 15 hours became the 3:30 minutes of the video, synchronizing each painted note with the played one.” 
– hodeiprogetti.com

Enjoy!

Music Painting: Matteo Negrin Music: Lacrime di Giulietta

Visit Music Painting.

The Preamble

Mica came home all excited last week because he found out that his class gets to sing School House Rock - The Preamble for a spring Art and Music Festival.

I was certainly familiar with the song. Dad taught Mica how to say The Preamble when he was two and a half years old. He said to me, "If your sister is going to teach him The Lord's Prayer, I'm teaching him The Preamble." So Mica learned it.

Crappy video alert! It's still cute though. I've posted this video before, so some of you may have already seen it.

Mica's been singing School House Rock - The Preamble often. Very often! He said, "Mom capture me singing it. I'll get my puzzle globe, and point to America, while I'm singing. You can publish it, so everyone can see. I think I want to be a singer if being a Lego maker doesn't work out." 
 
I captured the video, while laughing to myself the whole time. Mica's good at a lot of things, but singing isn't one of them. His voice cracks, and he's not even going through puberty yet. 

It reminds me of the time when my older sister decided she wanted to play the French horn. It hurt my ears. Everyone was happy when she quit. 

Isaak said, "Stop singing that Mica!" Dad said to me when we weren't around Mica, "You better not publish that video. His singing isn't the best." Well maybe he said something worse than that. Travis really thinks he should practice. He's hardly into music class at school. It's good to hear that he's excited about a song they are singing. 

I said to Mica, "You better keep singing Mica. You need practice." With a smile on my face. :)
 
Do you encourage your kids to do things that they are not very good at in hopes they will get better? 

Do you gently let them know that in this case singing is not his thing? 

He has to take music, so I'm encouraging the practice. He hardly gets into music class, so it's nice to hear his enthusiasm. Even if it's not what it's all cracked up to be.
 
If my Mom would have told me, "Alissa ball sports are not your thing." I wouldn't have tried as hard in gym class. I knew ball sports weren't my thing without her telling me so.

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

I was looking up a band, got bored with it, and found another one. This band is called Shakey Graves.  

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They do not have an about section on their website. They are from Austin, Texas.

A question they had: Why doesn't your album have the raspy, distorted sound like when you played at the good music club? Is that how you usually sound live or was that just for that venue/recording? If not are you going to re-record with that sound?

Answer: That album was the birth of all of those songs, and thats how the recordings are supposed to sound. It turns out over time, as I played the songs more they became louder and raspier, but no Ill never re record that, although live stuff will surely be released over time. Whats done is done my friend, over and onward!

You can see more of their question/answers on their blog.

Listen to one song, or the whole thing. I really like the 2nd song!

Check out Shakey Graves' website. 
Like Shakey Graves' on Facebook.
Follow Shakey Graves' on Twitter.

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

A few years ago we bought the boys ukuleles for Easter. 

They played them a little, but mostly they were one of those things that got set in their closets. Recently Mica's taken an interest in getting it out, and playing it. He watches YouTube tutorials on playing the ukulele. You've got to start somewhere right? 

I looked up bands, singers that play ukuleles. Lisa Hannigan came up. I really love her music. It's calming.

Between writing her first album - 2008's Sea Sew - and its eagerly awaited successor, Lisa Hannigan's life has changed in many ways. 

She was nominated for the Choice Music Prize in her native Ireland. Hannigan has conducted her life as a solo artist up until this point. 

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Knots

Little Bird

Check out Lisa Hannigan website.
Like Lisa Hannigan on Facebook.
Follow Lisa Hannigan on Twitter.
Subscribe to Lisa Hannigan on YouTube.

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

Have you heard of Twenty One Pilots? They are an American band out of Columbus, Ohio.

Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun - have earned widespread applause for their energetic live sets and distinctive fusion of piano-driven schizoid pop and lyrical uplift.

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Holding Onto You

Guns for Hands

Check out Twenty One Pilots on Facebook.
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Subscribe to Twenty One Pilots on Pinterest.

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

This week I'm posing about the band Pentatonix.

Pentatonix is an American a cappella group of five vocalists originating from Arlington, Texas. Their work, mostly in, but not limited to, the pop music style, consists of covers of existing songs, and original songs to. I'm not super into pop music, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

They sold the most Christmas albums in 2014!

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Draft Punk

Love Again

This is a rework of Wizard of Oz. It's crazy how they worked in so many hit songs into this. Even if you aren't a Wizard of Oz fan you may like this.  

Wizard of Ahhhs

Follow Pentatonix on Facebook.
Follow Pentatonix on Twitter.
Visit Pentatonix on YouTube.

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

This week I'm posing about Kevin K.O. Olusola. Have you heard of him before? I haven't until a few weeks ago.

Kevin "K.O." Olusola is an American cellist, beatboxer, saxophonist, songwriter, producer, and singer. Olusola is best known as the beatboxer of the widely acclaimed vocal band Pentatonix.

He reworks a lot of well known songs, to have his own sound.

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Heart Attack

Mirrors

Next week I'll feature more of the band Kevin "K.O." Olusola is part of Pentatonix.

Follow Pentatonix on Facebook.
Follow Pentatonix on Twitter.
Visit Kevin "K.O." Olusola on YouTube.

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

One of my facebook friends posted someone I was not familiar with. Grant Stinnett is this star's name. He's a bass guitar player. His style is engaging and unique. He mixes the technical with musical creativity. I have to admit that I usually like a voice to follow instruments, but he is quite different - especially in the 2nd song featured.

Grant picked up the bass for the first time at age 14. Soon after he picked up the bass he was performing in places like Berklee College or Music Performance Center. 

Grant has continued to play and perform, and also educates others on how to play. He has toured internationally as a solo musician. 
 

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It's soon Christmas time, so I'm loosely sticking with the theme of Christmas. The first song is Run of the Angles. When you listen close your eyes, and picture angles. Tell me what kind of angles you think of: Snow Angles, Angles on a Christmas tree, Ghostly Angles, or perhaps something different.

Primal is more experimental than Run of the Angles. I enjoy it a bit more.

 

Fallen Heroes is pretty cool to!

Visit Grant Stinnett's Website. 
Check out Grant Stinnett on Facebook.
Follow Grant Stinnett on Twitter.
Follow Grant Stinnett's YouTube Channel.

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

This week I'm going with a band that a relative told me about. It's called Kongos. They have a ton of likes on their songs, but it's new to me.

" K" for Cool, "O" for Awesome, "N" for Knowledge, "G" for Jenius, "O" for Artistic, "S" for spelling.

They are a South African alternative rock/kwaito band. The band has four brothers: Johnny (accordion, keyboard, vocals), Jesse (drums, percussion, vocals), Daniel (guitar, vocals), and Dylan Kongos (bass guitar, lap slide guitar, vocals).

They compose, record and perform in Phoenix where they now live. They spent their childhoods in the city of London and in South Africa. 

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 *Warning - A bad word is in this song.

I'm Only Joking 

I have heard of this one, but I've never seen the video.

Come With Me Now

Escape

Check out Kongos website.
Like Kongos on Facebook.
Follow Kongos on Twitter.
Subscribe to Kongos YouTube Channel.

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

Daddy just got done going to Artists Inc. It's a group of selected artists that get together to learn about promoting themselves. It runs for a few months. He's getting better with speaking in large crowds, and met a ton of fellow artists.

One artist that he met, Kait Berreckman is a singer-songwriter. I had a chance to listen to her music, and I love it.

She is a native of Nebraska. This is the first artist I'm covering on my blog that is from Nebraska. She just came out with her first full length album called Conservation. There are a lot of clips of Conservation on her website.

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Moon and Lake Michigan

Follow Kait Berreckman on Twitter.
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Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

This week I almost ran out of time to put up this post. I watched so many videos that were just blah. I could not get into them. This one is pretty interesting visually. It's by Zoé and the song is called Arrullo De Estrellas.

Zoé is a Latin Grammy Award-winning Mexican alternative/psychedelic band.

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They released their 5th album this year called Programaton.

I love the visuals in this video! 

This track has such a nice sound. I'm all for bands that can sing great live.

Check out their website.
Like their facebook page.
Follow their twitter page.