The Maestro’s Blog

New Jersey Youth Symphony String Quartet

Ear Worms

This revolting term actually has a specific musical meaning! Wikipedia states: “An ear worm, sometimes also known as a brain worm, (that sounds even worse to me) is a catchy…

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Scales To Scalpels: Doctors Who Practice the Healing Arts of Music and Medicine, Lisa Wong, M.D. with Robert Viagas

Music and ….

Please don’t all shout at once! I can hear the comments now: “But you always say that listening to classical music is in and of itself a completely worthwhile experience….

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Outdoor Concerts

Everyone loves outdoor concerts. . .well almost everyone. Since it’s summertime, and it’s the season for programs presented in the open air, I thought it might be good to share…

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The Choir Boys

From 1956 through 1960, grades 4 through 7, I had the incredible good fortune of attending St. Peter’s Choir School in Philadelphia. It was intense on every level, musically, academically…

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Fiddle-and-Fa-La-La Fest!

This is what it looked like on Saturday June 7, 2014 as the first ever concert of El Sistema New Jersey took place in the lobby of the New Jersey…

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A C.A.M.P. Y.D.P. Afternoon

A recent visit to C.A.M.P. Y.D.P. in Paterson, New Jersey proved overwhelming – in best sense of the word – even for this old hand at music education. The Discovery…

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Your “listening guide” amazes me, in that it is a means of illustrating the role of various instrumental sections in communicating and “telling” a story. My background is science and technology so the 1 -1 ½ hours listening to a symphony with your presentation was an exciting learning experience I was not expecting.You are an exceptional talent and personality to be able to introduce someone like myself to the very complicated language of a symphony.

— Outreach Program Attendee