Glen Miller: American Musical Icon
Glenn Miller was a revolutionary bandleader and an American patriot. He defined an era of America’s big band brilliance with beautiful melodies and irresistible energy.
Sally Morem Oct 9, 2022
Music
Five Great Life Lessons from the Music of Rush
Music can be a powerful tool for enriching our lives. It can bring us joy, or provide solace during tough times. It can inspire creativity and spark passion. Some music can also teach us valuable life lessons. This is the case with much of the work of the Canadian progressive rock band Rush.
Rush: My Gateway to Ayn Rand
How did you discover Ayn Rand? Whether you’re new to her work or have loved it for years, there are lots of ways to be introduced to it. Perhaps it was from discussions with family, friends, classmates, or on social media. Perhaps you saw film versions of her...
Two Inspiring Individualistic Songs to Live By
I’ve long known that in order to achieve happiness I had to pursue my own values and live by my own judgment. But I had moments of discouragement when I thought that my quest for happiness was doomed. I needed individualistic works of art to fuel me with hope,...
Unstoppable Momentum: The Music of Joe Satriani
When the fourteen-year-old Joe Satriani learned, during high school football practice in 1970, of the passing of his musical hero Jimi Hendrix, he walked over to the coach and quit to become a guitarist. Over the next sixteen years, he taught guitar lessons,...
Ludovico Einaudi: Artistic Integrity and Harmonious Music
“When I need to feel like I’m in a beautiful place, that is the music I go to.” This is how one listener described the experience of listening to music by Italian composer and pianist Ludovico Einaudi. His music is elegant and simple, yet innovative. Although he...
The Delights of Dance: Health, Expression, and Musicality
In today’s busy world, having fun life-enhancing hobbies can drastically improve one’s quality of life. Dance is one such hobby for me. It has always fascinated me because it uses human movement as a means of artistic expression. Dance is everywhere: formal ballet...
Art as Inspiration: Lang Lang at the Prado
Great musicians can inspire students of music to improve their own playing and artistry. I experienced this myself in 2017 when, as a novice piano student, I went to see the world-renowned pianist Lang Lang on tour. I was awestruck by his technical skill, fluidity,...
Orlando’s Christmas Gift: Two Nutcrackers and Spiritual Fuel
When was the last time you leaped to your feet to applaud artists performing live in a theater? It seems like forever ago for me. That void was recently filled to the brim in downtown Orlando, Florida, when I attended two performances by local ballet companies of...