THE MUSIC TIMES - VOL. 76 - July 25th, 2019
A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. - Chinese Proverb
Hello, Friend!
Happy National Ice Cream Month! It's not too late to celebrate.....

It's hard to believe we're only a few days away from August. If you took some weeks or months off of lessons, and plan to return in August, I recommend that you respond to this email as soon as possible to set up a new lesson time. The few openings left are filling fast! Unless you paid a deposit on your spot, you may not be able to return at your top choice time, or to your previous teacher.

As we talk schedule for Fall, please consider allowing music more than just one 30-minute lesson per week. Our Monday "Groove Lab" compliments private lessons beautifully, allowing students to play together, and with other instructors, and even try other instruments. Try it for FREE on any Monday 3:30-6:30pm, Adults only from 6:30-7:30.

New bands are forming as well (weekly, 1 hr rehearsals), plus we'll be launching song suggestions for the upcoming BIG SHOW very soon! Please mark your calendars for THE BIG SHOW 4.0 ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15TH.

Read on, friends, to learn more about group music-making opportunities for all ages (including adults!), plus several important calendar updates.

With peace, love & music,
Anna
NEW CALENDAR FOR 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR!
Please pick up or print our UPDATED 2019-2020 School Year calendars! Notable changes:

Thanksgiving Break is Nov 26-30th
The Big Show 4.0 Date is SUNDAY DEC 15TH (NOT Dec 1, NOT Dec 8th. Yes, the calendars at the studio were misprinted.)
Meet Music Sessions: Aug 18-Nov 10 (Fall) & Nov 11-Feb 29 (Winter)
THIS JUST IN, PLAYING MUSIC WITH OTHERS IS STILL FUN!
You already know and appreciate the invaluable experience of working one-on-one with an instructor. In the past 3 Big Shows, many of you got a little taste of the excitement that comes with not only a performance, but with a performance alongside peers - up on stage together, making music TOGETHER.

Before your schedules get totally filled this Fall, please think about music. Are you (or your child) already enjoying it with just private lessons, and might like to expand? Or maybe you're just not as motivated as you'd like to be? We have some solutions for SOCIAL MUSIC MAKING - one of the many ways to feel the power of music and community.

PLEASE CONSIDER A FREE TRIAL WITH ONE OF THE GROUPS AT MUSIC TIME:

Groove Lab - 30-60 min (your choice). Mondays between 3:30-6:30pm (Age 6 & up), 6:30-7:30pm (Adults only)
Ukulele Club (FREE CLASS) - 60 min, Mondays at 8:15pm
"Make More Music" Bands (now forming for ALL instruments, age 8+) - 60 min, weekly rehearsals, bands formed based on student/teacher availability - PERFECT for siblings!
Rock 101 seeks Vocalist & Bassist (Age 9-12)- 60min, Wednesdays @ 2:30 to 3:30,
The Front Room seeks Vocalists & Keyboardist (Age 13-18) - 60 min, Mondays at 6:30-7:30

FOR MORE INFO, OR TO SCHEDULE A FREE TRIAL, SIMPLY REPLY TO THIS EMAIL OR CALL US AT 925-456-3460
THE CASE OF THE MISSING CHAIRS DOES NOT SIT WELL WITH US.
Our fun lawn chairs are missing! If you have any information about the whereabouts of 2 red and 2 turquoise Adirondack Chairs, please let us know. Or simply return them home, no questions asked. The poor little orphan foot stool thing has been crying for weeks!

In other news, we are accepting donations for patio chairs, for your lounging purposes.
TIPS WELCOME
Deliberate Practice

The Mind: Practicing with Intention
Deliberate practice is not just sitting down and repeating something until it gets better. It does require repeating certain movements, but it also includes things like structure, goal setting, metacognition (thinking about your practicing), solid practice strategies, and maintaining accuracy.

We must also consider whether you are using your body in the most effective way possible. You could use your mind properly, but train some really bad movements.

The Body: Healthy, Efficient Movements
You need to practice the right movements. This simply means using your body and instrument in the healthiest and most efficient ways possible. There are several general rules of movement that apply to everyone. This is what the fields of biomechanics and kinesiology are all about. The magic is learning how to apply these rules to your given instrument, considering your body’s own size and shape.

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON MUSIC
Music may enhance the effect of pain relievers

"There is emerging evidence that music interventions can alleviate pain when administered either alone or in combination with other therapies."
- Cameron S. Metcalf, Ph.D.

With the opioid crisis in full flow, finding ways to enhance the effectiveness of less addictive pain medication without producing side effects would be game-changing. A new study investigates the power of music — in combination with four different medications — against two models of pain.

The researchers ran the study four times, each time using a different drug that can reduce pain. Both the control and the music groups received doses considered sub-optimal. The ibuprofen trials produced the most striking results. In the group that listened to music, pain responses in the carrageenan model dropped by 93 percent, compared with the mice that took ibuprofen but did not listen to music. Music and cannabidiol reduced swelling by 21 percent. NAX 5055 plus music reduced swelling by 9 percent.

PROJECT STOP! COLLABORATE & LISTEN: INSPIRATIONAL VIDEO OF THE MONTH
Q&A: Can I Play On "New York State Of Mind"?
Throughout the years, Billy Joel has become known for his willingness to hold Q&A sessions with fans in settings across the globe. Here Billy is accompanied onstage for a live performance of 'New York State Of Mind' off the 1976 album Turnstiles at Vanderbilt University in 2013.
STUDENT OF THE MONTH
Audrey Fajardo
INSTRUMENT: Guitar
TEACHER: Tim
AGE: 15
SCHOOL: California High School in San Ramon
GRADE: 10th
STARTED LESSONS: August 2018
HOBBIES: Going to the gym, walking her dog, reading
Audrey has been taking guitar lesson at Music Time Academy for over a year now and has recently joined a band as well. She has performed in two live performances so far. She loves her band and is very dedicated and passionate about contributing to her band's success. Joining the band has taught her discipline, flexibility, and a willingness to learn new songs. 

Her parents have seen an increase in confidence within Audrey as well and she has become more comfortable performing live. Audrey is passionate about playing music and she never needs anyone at home to, "remind her to practice." I believe she is well deserving of receiving the award, "Student of the Month" because she is a role model to aspiring musicians as well as her younger siblings. Recently, her performance has inspired her younger brother (Patrick) to join Music Time Academy playing the drums and she continues to inspire her youngest brother (Matteus) on the guitar.     

Audrey Fajardo also plays violin in the chamber orchestra at her high school. In addition to chamber orchestra, she will be playing guitar in the jazz band at California High School next school year 
JULY ANNIVERSARIES
6 YEARS:
Shannon Thomas
Jeff Hallett
Varsha Mattaparti

5 YEARS:
Vineel Bhattiprolu
Jason Chin
Alyssa Feduniw
Addison Lewis
Nathalia O'Brien
Lorrie Weiny

4 YEARS:
Krati Soni

3 YEARS:
Lauren Callahan
Aditi Konda
Nihaal Konda
Marcelo Mello

2 YEARS:
Elijah Chaves
Sean Clark
Aljolie Mak
Lucinda Mak
Melissa Miller
Connor Rosales
Myles Rosales
Corbin White
Griffin White
Logan White

1 YEAR:
Savannah Brabec
Denielle Chaves
Priscilla Chou
Julius Ferrer
Jayden Lee
Vanessa Morales
Miriam Quarishi
Kesler Salcido
Anshika Singh
Hannah Sweeney
OUR CONCERT PICK
The Strings Attached Tour 2019 - A Rock and Comedy Symphonic Experience
“WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC
at the Greek Theater in Berkeley
Friday, August 09, 2019, 8:00 pm
“Weird Al” Yankovic is the biggest-selling comedy recording artist in history, earning four Grammys and fifteen career nominations. The legendary musical satirist follows his sold-out 2018 tour of intimate venues – where he played deep cuts for his hardcore fans – with his biggest show ever. Weird Al is back to playing the hits and classics with his Strings Attached tour, a high-energy rock and comedy production featuring his original band, costumes, props, a video wall and – for the first time – background singers and a full symphony orchestra.
FEATURED TEACHER
Max Brody
Earlier this month, Max Brody made his first teaching appearance at Music Time. Born and raised in Concord, Max shares similar musical roots with many of our instructors. Max tells us his story – from a natural draw to guitar-ish toys as a child, to the ups and downs of piano lessons, and all the way to the realizing that music is truly something he can do for a living, despite what he once thought. I was feeling the power of music, and the power of community right along with him! I hope you feel it too.

" For a lot of people, private lessons are the first time that you do social music-making at all. There’s so much stuff to learn and so much stuff to teach, it’s easy to loose track of how important that is. But if you don’t get to play music, you’re not going to want to keep studying or practicing. I noticed a big difference in my students’ enjoyment of the lessons, and my own enjoyment of teaching them, when we started just playing together."

YOUR TEACHERS, LIVE:
Wednesday, July 24th - West Grand Blvd (Anna & Mike M) at Redwood City Music in the Park
Friday, July 26th - UnOriginals (Tim & Xavier) at Meenar in Danville & West Grand Brass Band (Adam) at Woods Bar in Oakland
Saturday, July 27th - UnOriginals (Tim & Xavier) at Maggie McGarry’s in San Francisco
Tuesday, July 30th - Dueling Guitars (Timmy G) at Tiki Tom’s in Walnut Creek
Friday, August 2 - West Grand Blvd (Anna) at Kaiser Rooftop Garden in Oakland
Friday, August 2nd & Saturday, Aug 3 - UnOriginals (Timmy G & Xavier) at Iron Door Saloon in Groveland
Friday, August 2nd - West Grand Brass Band (Adam) at Woods Bar in Oakland
Friday, August 9th - Timmy G (acoustic) at Harvest in Danville 
Sunday, August 11 - West Grand Brass Band (Adam) at Oakland Half Marathon
Friday, August 16th - UnOriginals (Tim & Xavier) at Maggie McGarry’s in San Francisco
Friday, August 23rd - Fast & Vengefully (Tim & Belinda) at Johnny Foley’s in San Francisco
Friday, August 23rd & Saturday, Aug 24th - Radiokeys (Stewart) at Iron Door Saloon in Groveland
Saturday, August 24th - Mama Foxxy (Anna) at REI Campout on Angel Island
Friday, August 30th - UnOriginals (Tim & Xavier) at Retro Junkie in Walnut Creek
Saturday, August 31st - UnOriginals (Tim & Xavier) at Nu Ray’s in Martinez
Wednesday, September 4th - Timmy G (acoustic) at Meenar in Danville
Friday, September 6th- UnOriginals (Tim & Xavier) at Meenar in Danville
Friday, September 13th - Timmy G (acoustic) at the Fourth Bore in Orinda
Saturday, September 14th - Timmy G at Eight Bridges Brewing in Livermore
Sunday, September 15th - Radiokeys (Stewart) live at Lagunitas in Petaluma
Wednesday, September 18th - Timmy G (acoustic) at Meenar in Danville
Friday, September 20th - Timmy G (acoustic) at Swirl on the Square in Livermore
Saturday, October 26 - Room For Dream (Nick LW & Luna), Xavier and Timmy G.at Red Hat in Concord
ANSWER: Stevie Wonder 
Stevie Wonder won Album of the Year for "Innvervisions" (1973), "Fulfillingness' First Finale" (1974) and "Songs In The Key Of Life" (1976).
Thank you for reading, and for your continued support of music education in Livermore.
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