The Playground

How many times have you embarked on some new project bursting with enthusiasm, only to find that motivation deflated like an old party balloon at the first setback? It’s happened to all of us, and it’s at that moment that we really see what we’re…

• Written by Guest Contributor on Aug 11, 2015
• enthusiasm, journey, Laurie Richards, long term, motivated, motivation, motivational, music, music lessons, musical, peaks, piano, piano lessons, plateau, play, practice, process, robin keehn, self expression, setback, simply music, the playground, valleys

A rock school is a great endeavour anywhere, but in Mitrovica, Kosovo, split by war into two ethnic groups, it has a special dimension. Young people from both sides ignore those divisions and come together in music camps to share the most universal language of…

• Written by Guest Contributor on Aug 3, 2015
• inspirational, inspire, laura hassler, music, music lessons, musicians without borders, palestine, piano, piano lessons, robin keehn, rwanda, simply music

Who doesn’t love a good viral animal video? (Me, I have a particular soft spot for horse tricks and dog antics!) I think all pet owners have been in the situation where we are merrily practicing our instruments and our pet decides that their need…

• Written by Guest Contributor on Jul 24, 2015
• animal music videos, animals playing instruments, gretta dunn, instruments, music practice, smithsonian national zoo

Some say there is never anything truly original in the world of music, and the long-standing popularity of The Cover Version seems to bear that out. Practically every popular artist or band has been inspired to put their spin on at least one song by…

• Written by Guest Contributor on Jul 20, 2015

I have always had a heart for people with special needs. So, in 1993 when I had my first child, I was not surprised when I was told he has Down syndrome. It just felt like it was meant to be. I have considered it…

• Written by Guest Contributor on Jul 13, 2015
• downs syndrome, music education, piano lessons, simply music, simply music gateway, special needs

For some, mentioning the words music and math in the same sentence just doesn’t fit.  A lot of musicians and students of music would go so far as to say they aren’t great at math.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to let them know that they are…

• Written by Guest Contributor on Jul 7, 2015
• A-rhythm-etic, clayton, mara kelland, music and math, music and maths, pi, pythagoras, theorum

“When I really fell in love with music was when I started playing with other people”. That remark pretty much sums up Adam Pallozzi’s journey, from getting bands together with mates, through discovering a passion for teaching music, to founding Junior Rockers, an innovative program…

• Written by Mel Karajas on Jun 29, 2015
• adam pallozzi, junior rockers, mel karajas, musical development, simply music

Through the launch of our Simply Music Gateway project, you may have heard the story of Jewels, a special needs student with a special relationship to music. In this profile, Simply Music Piano Teacher Anne Smith introduces us to Celeste, a student on the autism…

• Written by Guest Contributor on Jun 22, 2015
• anne smith, campaign, indiegogo, music, piano lessons, simply music, simply music gateway, special needs, student

We all know musicians are special people – they are typically deep thinkers and observers of the world, as well as being passionate and generous. In our recent exploration of jazz, one of the artists we spoke to was so magnanimous and insightful in her…

• Written by Gordon Harvey on Jun 16, 2015

Tor Clausen believes music can be part of everything – even your furniture. He took his fascination for the beauty of marimbas to the next step, combining resonating planks with garden benches, and beyond, exploring ever-more imaginative blendings of music and beautiful physical objects. In this…

• Written by Guest Contributor on Jun 8, 2015
• musical furnishings, rumba table, samba table, simply music, Tor Clausen, Vashti Summervill