A Grander Grand

For those of you still in the market for a piano, the ante has just been upped!  Now, better than an 88-key grand piano, an innovative, new piano is on the market.  The Stuart and Sons Grand piano has 102 keys and a curious device that makes the strings vibrate differently.  There are, of course, people discussing pros and cons of such a new idea in the piano world, which has remained pretty much static since the end of the 19th century.  I'm happy with my Schimmel, but I wouldn't mind trying one of these out if anyone has the $300,000 and the room to spare!

For the full article:  A Grander Grand Piano

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Free Concert for Kids!

Tomorrow! January 14th Friday @ 5:30pm - admission: FREE

*****A Special Concert for Young Musicians ****
This concert is recommended for children ages 5 and up and was prepared for introducing children to the world of Classical music through "Child-friendly" performances of dance music and famous classical works, featuring Sherwood Faculty members.

Violin: Christie-Keiko Abe
Cello: Martine Benmann
Piano: Ivana Bukvich

Congratulations to Declan!

Congratulations go out to Declan who just completed the Primer Level of his Music Tree piano method book.

He has worked diligently and is now reading music.  You will see him perform in the January Recital, where you can congratulate him on a job well done!

Hallelujah Chorus

Music is fun.

Your Child's Place in Education Today (and the Arts)

It scares me to see so many of my students stressed out with what they have going on at school.  I'm delighted though to see, that by 20 minutes into their lesson, they have stopped fidgeting, and they are engrossed in doing something so complicated, so creative, and so beautiful.  I know that piano lessons aren't for everyone.  I just hope that everyone is able to find something like that for themselves (adults included!) to keep the unbalanced hounding of gadgets/media/expectations/pressure to succeed at bay.

I'd like to share a creative lecture on this very subject.  Enjoy!

Saturdays at Sherwood - November

Hello all!  With the weather getting colder, it is time to bring your weekend entertainment indoors!  This Saturday at Sherwood, there will be a jazz concert as part of the standard Saturdays at Sherwood (formerly Sundays at Sherwood) faculty concerts.  Below is the program - if you're at Sherwood already on Saturdays, why not stop by for a concert and snacks?

Program for November 20th, 2010

"Nardis" by Miles Davis
"Quiet Morning" by Seth Canavan-Hitsky
"I Thought About You" by Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Mercer (lyrics)
"Well, You Needn't" by Thelonious Monk
"Day Dream" by Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, John La Touche (lyrics)
"Blue Monk" by Thelonious Monk
"Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" by Leonard Cohen
"Innocent When You Dream" by Tom Waits
"How Deep Is The Ocean?" by Irving Berlin
"Dindi" by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Aloysio de Oliveria (Portuguese lyrics), Ray Gilbert (English lyrics)
"Song For My Father" by Horace Silver
"Come Sunday" by Duke Ellington
"Maple Leaf Rag" by Scott Joplin
"If it's Magic" by Stevie Wonder


Seth Aaron Canavan-Hitsky is an Early Childhood faculty member of Sherwood, The Community Music School at Columbia College.  A life-long musician, Seth was born and raised in Metropolitan Detroit.  He studied voice with Cantor Louis Klein, Eric Bruner, and Melody Racine, and piano with Maryan F. Abramsohn and Sumito "Ariyo" Ariyoshi.  Seth has performed and recorded in Detroit, Chicago, and New York City with Maschina, The Daniel Givens Age Ensemble (also featuring Josh Abrams, Glenda Baker, Nicole Mitchell, and Jeff Parker) and the 58 Group (directed by Ginger Farley and Cameron Pfiffner).  In addition to his duo with Hashim Uqdah, Seth currently performs with and composes for Más Trueno, a world music band that played live on the air on WBEZ's Eight Forty-Eight program in 2009.  Seth was recently admitted to VanderCook College of Music's Master of Music Education and Teacher Certification Program.

Hashim Na'im Uqdah is a musician, turntablist, and music producer from Chicago.  Hashim began playing drums at age 2.  Studying at the feet of his father, drummer Carl Ameen Uqdah, Hashim learned trap set, congas, djembe, and talking drum.  At age 13 Hashim taught himself how to DJ. He now records in studio turntable sessions and free-lances as a music producer for various groups as well as performing with Alpha and Princes of Futa (drums and percussion), Seth Canvan-Hitsky duo (drums), and Mood Music Collective (turntables, production).

If you're in the market for a piano

Has your child been studying piano for some time now?  Have you noticed the difference between an electronic keyboard and a piano?  You've probably heard me talk about it, and it may be in the back of your mind, but it is probably time now to go ahead and buy a piano.

For some, waffling on this is due to the issue of space (piano or dining room table?) and for some it is financing (can you really justify spending thousands of dollars on a piano for a five year old?).   At Keys 4/4 Kids, all the pianos are donated and are sold at very reasonable rates.  It is worth checking out (though they can't help you figure out where to put it).

See me to borrow a book on piano shopping, in case you feel uncertain or overwhelmed!