Mariah Carey

Singer Mariah Carey was born March 27, 1970, in Huntington, Long Island, New York, to male monarch Roy Carey, a Venezuelan aeronautic engineer; and Patricia Carey, a voice coach and opera singer. Has 2 older siblings: a brother, Morgan, and a sister, Alison. Carey is known as one of the highest "pop divas" of the Nineties, having oversubscribed quite eighty million albums worldwide. Her voice spans more than 5 octaves and she or he writes most of her own music.

Carey's parents divorced when she was three years old. She shocked her mother by imitating her classical music singing as early as age 2, and was given singing lessons beginning at age four. when graduating in 1987 from Harborfields highschool in Greenlawn, New York, Carey moved  to Manhattan wherever she worked as a waiter, coat hatcheck girl, and studied cosmetology whereas writing songs and actively following a music career at midnight.

When she was 18 years old, Carey and her friend, singer Brenda K. Starr, visited a celebration hosted by CBS Records. Starr convinced Carey to bring on one amongst her demo tapes. She supposed to give the tape to Columbia's Krauthead polyglot, however Tommy Mottola, the president of Columbia Records (later Sony), intercepted it before she may hand it to polyglot. when taking note of the tape on the method home from the party, Mottola signed Carey directly and set her to figure on her 1st album, Mariah Carey (1990) including four No. one singles: "Vision of affection," "Love Takes Time," "Some Day," and "I do not Wanna Cry." Her second album Emotions was free in 1992; the title track became her fifth No. 1 single, and enclosed hits "Can't Let Go" and "Make it Happen."

In March 1992, Carey appeared on MTV's Unplugged. This performance was free as an album and a home video, leading to another No. 1 single (a cover of The Jacksons' "I'll Be There"). Her next album musical instrument (1993) crop a little on the lavish studio production techniques detected in her previous albums, and enclosed the No. 1 singles, "Dreamlover" and "Hero." Her November 1994 unharness Merry Christmas combined ancient Christian hymns with new songs. In 1995 she free Daydream; the primary single "Fantasy" debuted at No. 1. It additionally enclosed collaborations with R&B and hip-hop artists, like Wu-Tang kindred and Boyz II Men ("One Sweet Day").

Her 1997 album, Butterfly, enclosed eleven compositions written by Carey, and incontestable  her continued  interest in hip-hop and R&B, together with the Sean "Puffy" Combs-produced "Honey," her twelfth No. 1 hit. Carey's 1998 album, #1's, featured her thirteen previous chart-topping singles in addition because the Academy Award-nominated "The patrician of Egypt (When You Believe)," a duet with fellow pop opera star Whitney Houston.

In Gregorian calendar month 1993, Carey married Mottola during a spectacular ceremony at Manhattan's St. Thomas Episcopal Church. The couple unmarried  in 1998. Carey then dated Latin singer Luis Miguel for 3 years, however their relationship reportedly resulted in the summer of 2001. She married rapper/actor Nick Cannon on Gregorian calendar month thirty, 2008, during a secret ceremony within the state. The couple had been geological dating for fewer than 2 months, their romance having blossomed when he appeared in her music video for "Bye Bye." In 2011, Carey and Cannon welcome twins Moroccan and Monroe. when six years of wedding, in August 2014, the couple declared their separation. it absolutely was additionally rumored that a confidentiality agreement was issued that bars discussing the small print of their split in public.

In July 2001, Carey was admitted into a New York-area hospital and put out psychiatrical care when suffering what her publicists referred to as a "physical and emotional collapse." Carey had been getting ready to market her approaching motion picture debut, Glitter, and its concomitant sound recording album, however off all public appearances. the discharge of Glitter was later on pushed back from late August to late September 2001. Carey was free from the hospital when fortnight.

In Gregorian calendar month 2002, Carey and EMI (the company owner of Virgin Records, with whom Carey had signed a rumored $80 million go for Gregorian calendar month 2001) cut off their relationship. tho' the film and sound recording for Glitter did not generate the required box workplace and sales totals, Carey reportedly walked far from Virgin with nearly $50 million as a part of her understanding. In might 2002, she signed a take care of Universal Music Group's Island/Def Jam Records. In Dec 2002, Carey staged a comeback together with her eighth album, Charmbracelet, that debuted in third place on the charts. The record's concomitant tour, her 1st in additional than 3 years, launched in Gregorian calendar month 2003.

In 2012, Carey was chosen as a new choose for season 12 of the popular FOX television show American Idol, taking a seat aboard sexy Jackson, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban.

Carey has oversubscribed around one hundred sixty million albums worldwide. She is that the third popular feminine creative person of all time, per the Recording business Association of America.Carey passed Elvis Presley to become second solely to the Beatles for the foremost No. one hit singles within the US.

Outside of her music career, Carey is active in fundraising for The contemporary Air Fund, associate degree freelance noncommercial agency that has provided free summer vacations to quite one.6 million underprivileged big apple town youngsters since 1877.

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Mark Tse

Mark Tse is a Canadian-born conductor based in Boston with a mission to re-engage the public through programming that both entertains and challenges. He brings with him years of experience in relentlessly generating excitement for concert music through his work in music education. Tse strives to stretch the aesthetic, theoretical and historical understandings of his audience.

His path to pursue professional conducting was paved during a conducting workshop with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at the Eastman School of Music in 2011, where he was one of only five participants selected to conduct the orchestra in the workshop’s final concert. Mark Tse was a conductor at El Sistema Aeolian for 11 months and at Western Chamber Orchestra for 5 months.

At present, Tse is completing a Master’s degree in conducting with Charles Peltz at the New England Conservatory in Boston. While there, he has premiered new works, taught conducting classes and conducted rehearsals with NEC’s Symphonic Winds. Tse also helped organize the College Band Directors

National Association’s regional conference “Crossing Over” which NEC hosted. On November 11th, 2014 Tse will make his conducting debut with the NEC Wind Ensemble in a performance of Massenet’s Ballet Music from Le Cid. On February 24th, 2015 he will debut with NEC’s Symphonic Winds, leading the ensemble in a performance of Holst’s Hammersmith.

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Sarah Geronimo

Philippine Pop Star Sarah Asher Geronimo famously known as Sarah Geronimo was conceived on July 25, 1988 in Sta. Cruz Manila.  She is an artist, host, model, dancer, and actress from the Philippines. She had her first music lessons from her father Delfin who honed her consistently to create her ability in singing. At two years old she first sang in front of an audience at a shopping center show singing together with Pinky Marquez and Richard Reynoso to the tune “Pasko Na Naman”.

Her mother Divina would typically go hand in hand with her to a few trials for distinctive TV programs. When she was four years of age Sarah got to be some piece of the show “Pen-pen de Sarapen until she turned 6 and with Ang TV when she was seven years old. In the middle of these shows Sarah would additionally be performing in shopping centers and in some inn lounges. She was likewise decided to perform amid the Papal visit of Pope John Paul II in 1995.

It was in the singing challenge “Star for a Night” facilitated by Regine Velasquez where Sarah picked up her fame. On March 1, 2003 at fourteen years old she was the amazing prize champ of the said show. She won a sum of P1,000,000 and a managerial contract under Viva Artist Agency. After her achievement in that singing challenge a ton of tasks emulated. She had made various collections, had made numerous shows, played and featured in cleanser musical dramas and a pillar in ASAP, heading parts in films and turned into an endorser for both print and TV. Sarah in her own particular way turned into a pop star. In the year 2005, she had her first significant solo show.

In 2005 Sarah was the first Filipino craftsman to get a platinum honor for a DVD duplicate of her show entitled The Other Side and is the main craftsman to have a platinum record for four DVDs of her own show. Her fourth show was honored with triple platinum status in 2010. Her first featuring part for a film “A Very Special Love” discharged in 2008 was a film industry hit. She was hailed as the Box Office Queen in the year 2008. Because of the accomplishment of the motion picture a continuation instantly tailed “You Changed My Life”. Aside from being a performer and vocalist she additionally wandered into a few organizations like a magnificence parlor named after her and an evolved way of life being overseen by her mother Divina. In the not so distant future Sarah was assigned at the well-known and prestigious World Music Awards. A significant number of her fans see Sarah as a good example and this serves as her appeal on why a great deal of the organization gets her to embrace their item.

When not busy being a pop star, Sarah spends time with her family, they go to Sunday mass. Sarah enjoys reading J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, and plays video games.

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Dinah Douieb

Punk attitude with a funky appeal.

That is how Dinah Douieb, a producer, musician, and composer wanted people to remember her.

Dinah, born in Tunisia, had witnessed music focused to ceremonials and profane ceremonies brewed with classic Egyptian music and tribal Tunisian music.

At her very young age, she already had a taste of jamming with the blues of Jimi Hendrix & John Lee Hooker, the rhythm and blues of Ike & Tina Turner, Funk of Jame Brown inspired by Rock Melancolia of Hard Rock Icon Black Sabbath, and the Romanticism of the Glittering David Bowie.

In 1976, Dinah loved the Punk movement which was the main expression for teenagers. Dinah started singing with the French Funk Punk band “Les Flambeurs” with Marc Zermati who stood as their producer.

Dinah started  to manage a girl group of 7 double-Dutch & hip-hop dancers  “The Lady’s Night” touring all over clubs & festivals featuring artist such as Ultramagnetic’s MC’s Big Daddy Kane, Adeva or Queen Latifah.

During the 2000′s, she created Dinamyte Productions and began to record the album “Open Collection”, a compilation of 25 songs which were composed by French American Hip Hop producers Sebastian Bardin Greenberg and performed by artists namely Fafa Larage, Rohff, Les 3 Griffes in France, Saddate X, Get Open Bruknham, Joy, and Vinia Mojica.

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Clara Biermasz

The Dutch-born pianist Clara Biermasz received her musical training in the classes of Prof. Alexander Warenberg and Prof. Klára Würtz at the Academy of the Arts in Utrecht, the Netherlands. She completed her bachelor studies in 2004 and then studied in the classes of Prof. Balázs Szokolay and Prof. Balázs Réti at the Franz Liszt Music Academy in Budapest, Hungary, and in the class of Prof. Michael Hruby at the University of Music and the Performing Arts in Vienna. She completed her M.A. with distinction in 2012.

Clara has attended master classes held by Itamar Golan, Jan Wijn, Alan Weiss, Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden, Martijn van den Hoek, Gergely Bogányi, Istvan Gulyás and Paolo Giacometti.

She is an award-winner at many international competitions, including the first prize (VSB Prize) and the Youth Jury Prize at the Princess Christina Competition in the Netherlands (1996), the first prize in the category of chamber music and ‘Primo Premio Assoluto’ – the overall winner in all categories (respectively in duo with Ádám Jávorkai) at the international competition ‘Premio Città di Padova’, Italy (2008). In 2008, Clara was also a prize-winner at the ‘18th International Chamber Music Competition Thessaloniki’ in Greece.

Clara has held concerts at the following venues: in the Vienna Konzerthaus, at the Beethoven Festival Wien, at the Chopin Festival in Gaming (Austria), as well as at such prestigious places as the Palazzo Leoni Montanari, Vicenza, the Palazzo Albrizzi in Venice, the Palazzo Zacco-Armeni in Padua (Italy), the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, the National Theatre in Miskolc (Hungary), the Dutch Embassy in Vienna, the Dutch Embassy in Cairo (Egypt), the Dutch Embassy in Muscat (Oman), the Bogense Summer Festival (Denmark), the Festival Peinture en Musique (France), Vredenburg in Utrecht, de Doelen in Rotterdam, the Muziekcentrum Frits Philips, Eindhoven, the Hermitage Amsterdam (Holland) and at festivals like the Cello Festival in Dordrecht and the ‘Settimane musicali al Teatro Olimpico’, Vicenza, as well as the Kodály Society Wales, where she also has held master classes.

She has made several recordings for international radio and television stations, among others for ATV and ORF (Austria).

In 2013, she made her first CD with sonatas for cello and piano by Brahms and Grieg for the austrian label Gramola (Gramola 99034).

This CD was sponsored by ARP and Blüthner.

Clara Biermasz has been the scholarship-holder of different cultural funds in the Netherlands such as the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, Stichting Willem Mengelberg Fonds, Stichting Fonds voor de Geld- en Effectenhandel, Stichting A.F.V.O.M.S., Stichting Niemeijer Fonds and Stichting Vreedefonds.

‘… An exceptional talent with great technical skills …’ (International Federation of Chopin Societies and the International Chopin Society in Vienna, 2011) ‘Her wonderfully clear narrative tone simply made us forget everyday concerns …’ (Wiener Chopin-Blätter, 2012)

‘The solo pieces she played-impressionist poems in music by Debussy and one of Chopin’s Nocturnes-were a testament to the talent that has won Clara many international prizes…’ (Times of Oman, 2014)

‘Two exceptional talents with brilliant technical and refined interpretative skills’ – Padova Cultura on the Duo Jávorkai & Biermasz (2008)

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Marin Alsop

Whatever women do, they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult for Marin Alsop, the world’s most celebrated female conductor.

Alsop was raised in New York City to professional musician parents. She attended Yale University, but later transferred to the Juilliard School, where she earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in violin. She founded the string ensemble String Fever in 1981. She won the Koussevitzky Prize as outstanding student conductor at the Tanglewood Music Center in 1989.

Since 1992, she has been the musical director of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, California. The festival specializes in contemporary orchestral music.

In 1993 to 2005, she was the first principal conductor and then music director of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Today, she is now the orchestra’s conductor laureate.

Alsop has also served as music director of the Eugene Symphony in Eugene, Oregon. Furthermore, she was the associate conductor of the Richmond Symphony in Richmond, Virginia, from 1988 to 1990. On September 20, 2005, she also became the first conductor ever to receive a MacArthur Fellowship.

Alsop conducted her first recording in 2000 with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in a selection of works by Samuel Barber, which was released as part of the American Classics Series on Naxos.

One of the highlights of Alsop’s recording with Naxos includes a Brahms symphony cycle with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

 Her skills as a music director have so far graced major orchestras in Colorado, Bournemouth, Baltimore and, most recently, São Paulo. Her interpretative style combines a natural flair for rhythm with a glowing, expressive cantabile.

On 7 September 2013, she became the first woman to conduct The Last Night of the Proms.

Currently, Alsop is committed to democratizing access to music education by providing a new educational program called “OrchKids”, in which underprivileged Baltimore children will receive free music instruction, based on Venezuela’s El Sistema program.

Indeed, she is no less than a woman; she is a woman with great courage.

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Australian Music Examinations Board

The AMEB (Australian Music Examinations Board) is a haven of Music.

It has a graded system of examinations in music, speech and drama, by offering high quality syllabuses, educative services to their teachers, examiners and candidates, and quality publications to the highest editorial standard.

Online Exams

Interested candidates can complete exams in Theory of Music, Musicianship and Music Craft online. Students can take exams at the most convenient way. They do a written exam at any time or place.

Practical Exams

AMEB provides graded examinations for a range of musical instruments (including voice) which coversclassical, popular and contemporary styles and techniques. Practical examinations will contain the following areas: technical work; studies and pieces; aural tests; sight reading and general knowledge.

Written Exams

Aside from practical exams, AMEB also offers graded written examinations in three subject areas: Theory of Music, Music Craft and Musicianship. These subjects cover the theoretical aspects of music, complementing and enriching students’ practical studies.

Teaching Exams

AMEB has also graded examinations in teaching music which includes one certificate exam, Certificate Teacher of Music Australia (CTMusA), and two diploma exams, Associate Teacher of Music Australia (ATMusA) and Licentiate Teacher of Music Australia (LTMusA). The exams coverteaching practices and combine practical and written sections to allow teachers to become more equipped with knowledge and hone professional expertise.

Voices of the South Children’s Choir

Voices of the South Children’s Choir (VSCC) is a community-based choir in Davao City, Philippines and composed of children with ages 8-16 years old whom studying from different schools. It was organized in 2011 to fulfill the dreams of the children to develop their talents and excel in the field of music.

Some of the VSCC members were finalists of the 2010 National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) under a school choir who competed in the Cultural Center of the Philippines. VSCC was declared as a national qualifier and semi-finalist for 2011 and 2012 MBC National Choral Competition. The choir also won 3rd place in the 2012 Himig Handog Competition, Musikahan sa Tagum National Competition. For two (2) consecutive years, in March 2012 and 2013, VSCC was among the awardees of the Davao City Mayor and Vice Mayor’s Award for Cultural and Arts for its role in the development of music among the children in the city.

VSCC joined local competitions such as Abreeza’s Melodies and Harmonies Christmas Choral Competition and Panaygon, Pasko Fiesta sa Dabaw last December 2012. Fortunately, the choir was able to grab the 1st prize for both the said competitions. Among the significant VSCC engagements were the children’s performances in the two well-known hotels in Davao City, namely, the Apo View Hotel, Royal Mandaya Hotel, Waterfront Insular Hotel.  The latest achievement of the group was winning in an international competition in Pattaya, Thailand last July 25-27, 2013, the “6th Grand Prix Pattaya 2013 International Choir Competition” – a Gold Medal for Folklore category and Silver Medal for Children’s category.

VSCC made their debut concert on July 13, 2013 at the CAP Mini-Auditorium to raise funds for the Thailand trip.  Upon their triumphant return, various singing invitations were offered, among these were a repeat concert at the Sto.Tomas provincial gym for its fiesta, a guesting at the One Night, One Passion….Music Concert organized by the Association of Practicing Musicians in Davao City, Inc. (APMDCI) at the Royal Mandaya Hotel, the launching of Jollibee’s “Maaga ang Pasko” at SM City Annex, and other engagements lined-up in the coming months.

VSCC is currently directed by the choir director of the 2009 NAMCYA Choir-C Champion and a member of the Philippine Choral Directors Association, Mr. Peter Ian C. Buaya.

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Apollo Male Chorus

The Apollo Male Chorus has grown to be not just only one of the oldest continuously performing male choruses in the United States since 1885, but also one of the better known and more widely traveled performing companies in the nation.

The group was first built as music community in the Upper Midwest. Thereafter, the Apollo Male Chorus burst on to the national scene in the middle of the last century when Lowell Thomas invited the Chorus to perform two pieces for his 1956 motion picture The Seven Wonders of the World; its performance of “This Is My Country” serves as the background of the film’s finale.

The Chorus went on to perform live at the Chicago premier of the movie. In 1957, the Chorus performed as part of the inaugural festivities launching President Dwight Eisenhower’s second term in office. The following year, the Chorus performed at the Brussels World’s Fair – Expo 58. The Chorus went on to perform at the International Choral Kathaumixw in Canada, and the Eisteddfod International Choral Competition in Wales – the first chorus in any category to place in the top three in their first appearance. The Chorus continues its tradition of offering world-class performances in the Twin Cities and throughout our region.

Their continuous performance triggered an increase of their motivation.

Throughout the years, the Chorus’s passion remains male choral singing and its goal is to promote male choral singing in their community. In 2012, the Chorus hosted the Northstar Male Choral Festival as a way to thank the Twin Cities community that has graciously supported it since then. This festival also served as an opportunity to promote male choral music, network with other ensembles, educate, and share its mutual love of music. Over 100 young men from Irondale High School, Coon Rapids High School, Minnehaha Academy, and the Minnesota Boychoir participated in the festival with Cantus as the guest ensemble. In 2013, the Northstar Male Choral Festival welcomes the Singing Statesmen from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

The group does always treasure the members. Many lifelong friendships have been formed over the years, while fathers and sons have made singing in Apollo a family tradition. The Apollo Male Chorus’s talented musical staff inspires and leads its members to grow their musical talents and share them with others. It is the Chorus’s sincerest desire that its love for choral music be strengthened by its experience and that friends and family be touched and inspired as well.

Truly, we can find comfort on our duties when we learn to love it and the people we work with. The Apollo Male Chorus members are living proof to that, which made them last for 117 years.

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Celine Byrne

Irish singer Celine Byrne was born in Naas, Ireland, and completed her musical studies at the Royal Irish Academy of Music as well as the Conservatory of Music and Drama in Dublin. Coaching lessons led her to the National Opera Studio of London, Christa Ludwig, Wolfgang Holzmair and Malcolm Martineau amongst others. She has appeared at some of the world´s most prestigious opera and concert venues including Carnegie Hall, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Mikhailovsky Theater, Tchaikovsky Hall, Berliner Philharmonie, National Centre of Performing Arts in Beijing, National Concert Hall Dublin or Turkish Culture and Congress Centre Lüfti. A frequent concert performer, Celine became familiar to international audiences early on through her collaborations with José Carreras, Roberto Alagna and Joseph Calleja performing in Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Istanbul, Rotterdam, Linköping, Malmö, Munich, Berlin, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nuremberg, Hamburg and Zadar. Further inspiration she owes to Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Sascha Goetzel, Alexander Soddy and Barry Douglas.

Celine has toured extensively throughout Europe as well as in the US, China, Russia and Mexico. Over the past years, she has increasingly graced opera stages. She made her highly acclaimed operatic debut as Mimì in Scottish Opera’s 2010 production of La Bohème. In March 2012, Celine made her debut at Covent Garden standing-in for Camilla Nylund as Rusalka under the baton of Yannick Nézét-Séguin. During the same period, she also covered the role of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni at Covent Garden. Celine opened the 2012-13 season at Stadttheater Klagenfurt as Agathe in Der Freischütz under Alexander Soddy followed by Micaëla in Carmen with the Moscow State Opera and Countess Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro at Lismore Music Festival in spring 2013. Other noteworthy recent engagements include concerts with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Richard Strauss´ Four Last Songs in Klagenfurt, Austria, and Mahler’s Rückert Lieder at the National Concert Hall, Dublin.

Celine concluded 2013 with a brilliant return visit to the Royal Opera House in December as First Flower Maiden in Parsifal under Antonio Pappano which earned her a Royal Opera House contract as Micaëla in 2015. Other upcoming opera engagements include her role debut as Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier under Patrik Ringborg at Staatstheater Kassel in fall 2014 or Mimì in La Bohème with the Moscow State Opera in Dublin and Moscow in April 2015.

Celine has been awarded many awards, amongst them the Margaret Burke-Sheridan Gold Medal in 2009, First Prize and Gold Medal at the Maria Callas Grand Prix as well as the William Young Prize at the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition in 2007 and the Brabants Dagblad Press Prize’ at the IVC International Singing Competition in s’Hertogenbosch.

Celine Byrne’s extensive repertoire includes opera, operetta, oratorio and songs. Important works she has performed on a concert level are Messiah, Fauré´s Requiem, Mozart´s Mass in C and Requiem, St. Paul and Elijah by Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Gustav Mahler´s Rückert Lieder, Bachianas Brasileiras no. 5 by Heitor Villa-Lobos and the Four Last Songs. Opera and operetta roles include Mimì, Rusalka, Micaëla (Carmen), Agathe in (Der Freischütz), Countess Almaviva (Le Nozze Di Figaro), Fiordiligi (Così Fan Tutte), Donna Elvira in (Don Giovanni), Nedda (I Pagliacci), Liù (Turandot), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), Wally (La Wally), Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Hanna Glawari (The Merry Widow), Marguerite (Faust), Juliette (Roméo et Juliette), Nora (Riders To The Sea) or Ann Chute (Lily of Killarney).

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Haeran Hong

“Among the fresh voices heard, the most finished were those of Haeran Hong, a soprano who sang with gleaming tone and deftly negotiated ornate lines as Dalinda, Ginevra’s confidante; Anthony Roth Costanzo, an intense, engaging countertenor, who played the treacherous Polinesso; and Shenyang.” Steve Smith, an American musician, said.

The2011 International Queen Elizabeth Grand Prize winner Haeran Hong has been noted as “charming of form, manner, and voice.” As a soprano singer, Hong has already performed various leading roles including Adina in L’Elisird’Amore, Gilda in Rigoletto, Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte. Her voice is widely described as purest nectar.

In 2010, she became a finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and won the Career Bridges Competition in New York. Hong finished her Bachelor of Music degree at the Korean National University of Arts and a Master’s degree in Opera Studies at The Juilliard School.

At the Metropolitan opera, Ms. Hong covered the roles of Nannetta in Falstaff and Sophie in Werther, and also participated in the production of Die Frau ohneSchatten.

She also joined the Vien Strauss Festival Orchestra in Korea and had guest appearances in concerts in New York, Los Angeles, and at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

Among her concerts, the most remarkable were Bach’s WassGott tut, das ist wohl getan and Brahms’ Neue LiebesliederWaltzes with the La Jolla Summer Fest, as well as Villa Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 with the Aspen Music Festival.

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Wendy Brentnall-Wood

Wendy Brentnall-Wood is a graduate of Melbourne University Conservatorium of Music in 1981, and A.Mus.A Piano, Wendy has also played and taught numerous instruments since quite young.

As newly qualified teacher Wendy was frustrated by the number of students she saw leaving music classes simply because they found it hard or dull and she set out to improve the teaching materials and methods available.

Wendy has now written over 110 beginner instrumental music books for Piano, Guitar, Violin, Flute, Saxophone and Singing. These books include Method books, Technique books, Create or Improvising books and Sight reading. All books work together in a sequential and step by step, simple and easy to follow system.

Throughout Wendy’s career she has taught classroom music in primary and secondary schools, developed and delivered a preschool music program known as “the Little Musos”, run instrumental music programs in almost 40 primary schools and 4 Retail Music Schools in Melbourne and trained and employed around 30 teachers at a time.

Wendy continues to teach several instruments and is developing her materials for use online and in her rapidly expanding Music School Franchise in Australia.

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Elena Piccione

Italian piano player, Elena Piccione started playing the piano at seven years old under the direction of Stefania Tigossi. She distinguished and encouraged Elena’s ability and in that same year she started performing both solo repertoire and chamber music.

Child wonder, at twelve years old Elena provided for her first solo recital and after one year she entered the Conservatorio di Musica “N. Paganini” in Genoa, to begin an execution degree. Elena’s advancement was quickened and at eighteen years old she graduated with a Master’s Degree in Pianoforte.

She has performed in numerous imperative venues and celebrations in Italy and Europe. They incorporate Lucca Chamber Music Festival, Journée Mondiale de la Philosophie at UNESCO 2005, Lions International, Camogli Festival, Alassio Festival, A.gi.mus., Soirée Musicale in Rovereto, Stresa International Music Festival “Dino Ciani” , “Dino Ciani” Concerts in Milan, in a joint effort with the Venice Biennale. She has performed at the Full Moon Concerts at the WMDC in Rotterdam, Dag van de Romantische Muziek at Rotterdam Erasmus Park and at the Universitat Mozarteum in Salzburg.

Since 2010 Elena has contemplated with Giovanni Alvino who is both pianist and pedagogue. Additionally she brought masterclass with the extraordinary musician Andrei Gavrilov.

Elena’s broad collection, going from baroque to contemporary music, incorporates the complete mazurkas, waltzes and improptus by Chopin, the complete piano trios and piano sonatas by Mozart, incredible fills in and additionally rarities by Russian composers.

She also plays in duo with the pianist Giovanni Alvin.

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The Royal Conservatory of Music

The Royal Conservatory of Music is committed to fostering a culture of creativity where the benefits from participating in music and the arts are accessible to everyone.  It has been serving Canadian music enthusiasts since 1986. It is certain on its legacy in developing human potential.

The Glenn Gould School

The Glenn Gould School represents the highest standards in music education and is dedicated to nurturing its students so they reach the highest level possible. It was founded in 1997 to provide talented students with the skills and attributes necessary for professional success. The graduates are widely acclaimed on the world’s stages, and have successfully assumed leadership positions in Canada’s cultural organizations.

The Royal Conservatory School

The Royal Conservatory School offers a wide variety of group classes and private lessons for people of all ages, levels, and artistic interests. It is dedicated to achieving excellence in music education, developing new and innovative programs to meet the needs of our students, and presenting educational opportunities by providing a Faculty of various dedicated artists and educators.

Digital Learning

The Royal Conservatory has developed a digital strategy based on online music education courses, teacher certification programs, and an early childhood education curriculum for children up to six years old. This aims to enhance its existing music education programs, bringing music theory and history to children in their early years.

Online Bookstore

Online Bookstore is an innovation and effective distribution of its programs and services. It provides accessible unique teaching materials of highest quality to students and teachers across and outside Canada.

Indeed, Royal Conservatory is certainly a key to develop human potential.

Trinity College London

Whatever your musical tastes, Trinity College London has the music qualifications for you.

Trinity College London is an international exam board that has been providing assessments since 1877. With a rich culture of academic rigor and a positive, supportive approach to assessment, they provide recognized and respected qualifications in a unique spectrum of communicative skills — from music, drama and arts activities to English language — at all levels.

In music, every year, Trinity College London supports the music education of thousands of students with assessments across a wide spectrum including popular, jazz, contemporary and classical music.

Trinity College London graded examinations and diplomas cover performing, teaching, theory of music and composing.

Music Grade Exam

They provide a wide range of Grade and Certificate exams designed to nurture musical development at every level from percussion to piano, saxophone to singing. Music exams prepare learners with real-life skills to help them become confident musicians and performers. Trinity exams are internationally recognized, with UCAS points available at the higher grades.

Music Certificate Exam

Certificate exams consist of a performance of pieces without the assessment of Technical Work or Supporting Tests. They are available for the majority of instruments at 3 levels: Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced.

Rock & Pop Exam

Rock & Pop exams for bass, drums, guitar, keyboards and vocals give rock and pop musicians the opportunity to gain accredited qualifications through performing great music from the last fifty years.

Music Diplomas

Diplomas are split across two syllabuses which are:  Performance and Teaching, and, Theory and Composition.

Trinity College London Diploma qualifications are available at three levels: Associate (ATCL, AMusTCL), Licentiate (LTCL, LMusTCL), and Fellowship (FTCL) FMusTCL).

Music Tracks

Music Tracks, from Trinity College London, is a new scheme designed to support teachers in delivering first access programme (project name in delivering easy access to learning), and to help streamline the transition into small group instrumental teaching through brand new teaching resources and support, resources for learners, and exciting whole class and small group meeting.

Music For Young Children

The High Note in Music Learning

Music for Young Children is the only child-centered music-learning system that integrates keyboard, creative movement, rhythm, singing, ear training, sight reading, music theory and composition. MYC‘s is interactive system motivates and engages parents and children, in a fun group based setting that provides a solid foundation in music learning. Children who complete the most advances level of MYC training are well prepared for early intermediate piano studies or studies of another instrument.

MYC teachers meet specific piano-performance and music-theory qualifications, receive special program training and are assessed to ensure consistently high music education standards. Teachers are mentored through network of field coordinators who provide ongoing support and guidance.

Take a look at Music for Young Children, the music-learning system of choice for more than 24,000 students throughout North America, Asia and New Zealand.

School of Music Online

School of Music Online is an online music tutorial for all aspiring rock stars in the world. It offers single lessons for all levels, categories, and instruments.

Levels

Levels are categorized into beginners, intermediate, advanced and professional. Rhythm Training is SOMO’s complete rhythmic training package. Starting at the basics and very quickly getting into extremely advanced concepts.

Categories

SOMO categorizes lessons into theories, fundamentals, chords and voicing, scales and modes, improvisation, songs and feels, rhythm, progression, tips and tricks, practice and techniques, and basslines.

Instruments

SOMO offers lessons for instruments like piano and drum. It has developed a full rhythm syllabus which is gradually being rolled out over the next few years.

SOMO can be at our hands for as low as $19 for monthly tuition and as much as $150 annually.

TakeLessons (TL)

Choosing a music teacher? a student? In TakeLessons (TL), you can have them all. TL is a website that allows students and teachers take musical, academic, and performing arts lessons online and locally.

Music lessons are available for singing, guitar, piano, violin, bass guitar, and drums.

STUDENTS

For students, by choosing a type of lesson and entering their zip code, they can search thousands of pre-screened teachers for local and live online lessons. All of their instructors have complete background checks and are pre-screened to ensure both safety and an exceptional learning experience. Booking lessons with teachers takes only a few minutes and students can do it all online, by entering student’s contact information, creating student’s schedule, and selecting a service plan to complete the purchase.

TEACHERS

For teachers, it all starts when they create their free profile where they can list the categories they teach, describe their teaching style, highlight past accomplishments, and upload photos and videos. Their profiles are their capital.

With TakeLessons, learning music is at the tip of your fingers.

Bamboo Mañalac

Filipino rock icon Bamboo Mañalac was born as Francisco Gaudencio Lope Belardo Mañalac. He is a son of a political legend in Mindanao and comes from an influential Muslim family. He grew up with his mother staying mostly at their home in the northern part of the Philippines.

Born in San Francisco, California on January 19, 1978, Bamboo broke the silence of the Philippine music scene as he became the frontman of the band Rivermary which is composed of Perfecto de Castro on guitars, Mark Escueta on drums, Nathan Azarcon on bass guitar, and Rico Blanco on keyboards and backing vocals. The band was conceptualized by Lizza Nakpil and the award winning Philippine film director Chito Roño. Rivermaya started to hit charts with their self-composed songs “Ulan”, “214”, and “Awit ng Kabataan”. Despite the fame they are into, in 1998, after three successful albums and series of US and Canada concert tours, Bamboo decided to leave the band and stayed at United States to continue his studies.

After the departure of Bamboo, his Rivermaya bandmate Nathan Azarcon also decided to leave the group and joined the band Kapatid. While Bamboo was still in the US, he began to talk to Nathan about the possibility of forming a new band. With Bamboo, Nathan, Ira Cruz, and his friend, Vic Mercado as the members of the band, they debuted in late 2002. “Bamboo” which became the name of the band, was decided for its strength and durability and also to have Filipino feel in it.

Being one of the Philippines’ best music icons, Bamboo being on the band “Bamboo” got nominated and won different music awards. He won Vocalist of the Year at 13th NU Rock Awards (2004-2005) and SOP Pasiklaban (2006). Everyone thought Bamboo band will stand firm until the end but a shocking revelation from KC Montero in his Twitter account last January 10, 2011 leave the fans puzzled as he stated that the band decided to have it quits.

On January 11, 2011, just a day after the rumor of calling it quits, Bamboo published an official statement in the band’s official website. He said, “As a group we’ve come to a point where you have to trust your gut, your heart and your head and accept that all things change. The hardest part as always is to know when to pack it up and part ways. We’ve learned that this journey is not only about us but includes all who came along for the trip. Family, friends and of course our front row believers who were there for the best reason of all. To simply listen. So it didn’t come easy winding down to this decision. So here we go. IT’S OFFICIAL. THE BAND. IT’S OVER.”

Bamboo, after having failures as a member of a band, decided to have a solo career. He released his debut album “No Water, No Moon” consisting of 12 tracks with “Questions” as its career single. The album reached gold in February 2013 after selling more than 7,500 copies.

Projects come in hand as he was also casted on ASAP last February 2013 and confirmed as coach and judge in The Voice of the Philippines and The Voice Kids which is currently airing at ABS-CBN during weekends.

Adam Lambert

One thing is certain, there were a lot of talented artists this year, and however, Adam Lambert stood out the most.

Popular “POP” music is a genre that touches base to a huge audience. As there are many talented artists and bands that often identify with just one genre, the moment they reach a big audience, they are destined to be world-class superstars. Thus, Lambert for one is a reality.

Lambert was born in Indianapolis on January 29, 1982, to mother Leila, an interior designer; and father Ebder, a program manager for Novatel Wireless. At 19, he worked by performing on a cruise ship for ten months. His beginnings were ushered by taking chances and opportunities. However, his career boomed until he joined and won the American Idol 2009.

Lambert’s first studio album was released on November 23, 2009 entitled For your Entertainment. As of April 2012, the album had sold nearly 2 million copies worldwide which was certified gold in the US in June 2010.

Moreover, he appeared on the cover of Out magazine in their 2009 “Out 100″ issue, sparking controversy as Out’s publisher issued him an open letter questioning the “gayness” of his image. In April, he became one of People Magazine’s Most Beautiful People 2010.

Lambert’s own music has been influenced by numerous genres including classic rock, pop, and electronic music.

He is best known for his exaggerated performance style and thorough attention to detail in all aspects of his personal presentation. He draws upon extensive stage experience in the ease with which he can refine and define his image through fashion and other imagery, which are essential to how he chooses to inhabit his songs, rivet his audiences and showcase his individuality.

You cannot help, but love this man. One would have never seen an artist this year who can deliver such incredible vocals while engaging crowds making you relate what they are singing about. Lambert’s vocal ability has no limits and when he takes off, it’s as if the world is painted red. Lambert is clearly the best popular music singer the world has ever heard.

Yansimalar

Yansimalar is a Turkish musical group that composes and plays contemporary ethnic music.

It was founded by Birol Yayla (guitarist, tanbur lutist) and Aziz Senol Filiz (ney flutist). In their journey, the founding group was joined by Engin Gurkey (percussions) and Nezih Yesilnil (double bass).

In 1980, Birol Yayla and Aziz Şenol Filiz met at the conservatoire. In 1983, they joined the Turkish music chorus. In 1990, they formed Yansımalar: the name is the plural of the Turkish word yansıma (reflection); giving yansımalar (reflections), which as in English means both the reflection of the mirror and the reflection of the mind.

The music of Yansimalar has an acoustic sound and is essentially instrumental, though a few pieces feature the sound of voice or breathing.

It has its roots in the traditional Ottoman Music and consists of compositions that have a broad perspective. The artists define their aim as to “Introduce today’s chaotic world to natural and peaceful feelings.

In 1991 and 1995, the founding pair recorded two albums, released by the newly created record label Kalan Müzik (1991). In 1996, the band was joined by Engin Gürkey (percussions) and Nezih Yeşilnil (double bass), who appear on the 3rd and following albums. In 2001, four guest musicians participated to the recording of the 4th album, and in 2004, eight guests are featured on the 5th album, including noted fretless guitarist Erkan Oğur.

Remarkably, Yansimalar’s third album adds some rhythm with percussion instruments and contrabass to the usual meditative ney and guitar duo.

Recently, their music is used by Turkish films and TV documentaries such as Derviş Zaim’s and Tabutta Rövaşata.

Cheikha Rabia

At the age of sixty eight, Cheikha Rabia has recorded her new album drawing inspiration from paradoxical Black Sabbath rock mixed with funk groove range from hip-hop Beats, drums & bass in 2012.

Rabia was born in Relizane in 1944, a city near Oran in Algeria. She began singing at 11 years old through singing at celebrations and wedding parties. When she reached 14 years old, she worked all sorts of music even those formerly forbidden to women. Her provocative personality made her being coined as the ‘Mistress of Voice’ when she was 18 years old. Cheikha Rabia, one of the great Algerian voices expatriated in Paris was portrayed in 2001.

From the 1960s, she sang in cabarets of Algiers where it is a huge success with an exclusively male audience.

The singularity of her voice and her personality captivated new generations of Rock musicians and electronic music producers. Thus, made her even until now the eye of label Tiferet(e) which had produced her latest album.

Dr. Francis-Nectarios Guy

A conductor and musicologist, Dr. Francis-Nectarios Guy, has been known for his concert activities and publications whose researches are focused on western and southeastern European contemporary and medieval music creation.

He has studied and worked with distinguished choir and orchestra conductors such as the Maestros Vassil Kazandjiev, Georgi Robev, Luba Pesheva, Dejan Pavlov, Jonathan Brett; composers and musicologists such as Dimiter Christoff, Bojidar Abrashev, Elena Toncheva and others.

Francis finds combining his concert activity with his research projects very challengeable. The most recent example of this is the performing, in a series of concerts in Bulgaria, Greece, Polland and Russia, of orchestral music written without bar-lines. This “trend” is noted in modern and contemporary composers such as P. Boulez, G. Cancelli, Y. Christou, Dimiter Christoff, H.W. Henze and others.

Amongst his publications are two different scientific research published in Bulgarian and Greek about the life and musical work of the Greek great composer Yorgos Sicilianos; scientific research papers published in three different languages, articles and others. Francis is also specialized in Greek contemporary music and Byzantine ecclesiastical music.

During the last decade, four live concerts of Francis were published conducting premier works of his mother, Cypriot composer Anastasia Guy. Amongst them is the circle of songs “Navs en Plo” for soloists, mixed choir and small orchestra which was performed in a series of concerts around the Mediterranean sea during the Cultural Olymbiad of Athens Olympic Games in 2004.

The Maestro is the Director of the Cyprus Wine Museum Cultural Center and also the founder and Artistic Director of ‘Le Orchestre La Grande Commanderie de Chypre’ an institution that aims to promote music from the classical orchestral and operatic repertoire related with Greek mythology and European medieval history.

Kenny G

Amidst to breathing difficulty due to asthma, Kenneth Bruce Gorelick better known as Kenny G, blew  a way to the pinnacle of his success as Grammy award winning saxophone player.

Kenny G was born in Seattle, Washington and came into contact with a saxophone when he heard someone performing with one on The Ed Sullivan Show. Thereof, he studied under a local trumpet player and played along with records and eventually honed to perfection.

His childhood was undistinguished. He experienced rejections like when he tried out for the high school jazz band. Persistently, he tried again the next year and was accepted.

His musical career spurred when he was 18 years old as a sideman for Barry White Love Unlimited Orchestra. During his College years at University of Washington, he played with a funk band and began his solo musical career.

In 2003, the Recording Industry of America (RIIA) recognized Kenny G as the 25th highest selling artist in America with 48 million albums sold in the U.S. as of mid-2006. Consequently, he won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for Forever in Love.

Kenny G has been diagnosed with asthma. One would think this would be a difficult disability to have and play a musical instrument such as the saxophone. However, it has been studied that playing an instrument or singing may actually help those with asthma by improving muscle flexibility of the lungs, allowing them to take a deeper breath without fatigue.

Jeff Healey

A blind Canadian jazz guitar singer, Jeff Healey, who can see through the eyes of music.

Jeff Healey is one of the Canada’s most successful exports and one of the world’s most celebrated guitarists, the Jeff Healey Band sold millions of records. Healey lost his sight at the age of one, after developing eye cancer. He began playing guitar when he was three years old and began performing with his band Blues Direction at the age of 17. Healey formed the Jeff Healey Band in 1985, featuring bassist Joe Rockman and drummer Tom Stephen. This trio released one single on its own Forte record label, which led to a contract with Arista Records. The Jeff Healey Band released their debut album, See the Light, in 1988 and the guitarist immediately developed a devoted following in blues-rock circles. Featuring the hit single “Angel Eyes,” the record went platinum in the U.S. While the Jeff Healey Band’s subsequent records were popular, none were as successful as the debut.

What made Jeff Healey different from other blues-rockers was also what kept some listeners from accepting him as anything other than a novelty — the fact that the blind guitarist played his Fender Stratocaster on his lap, not standing up. With the guitar in his lap, Healey could make unique bends and hammer-ons, making his licks different and more elastic than most of the competition. Unfortunately, his material leaned toward standard AOR blues-rock, which rarely let him cut loose, but when he did; his instrumental prowess could be shocking.

In 2008, a month before the release of his last studio-recorded blues album, Mess of Blues, Healey died from cancer.

No doubt, his unusual story embarked in the history of music. He taught us to see what he had seen- the beauty of music.

Joaquin Rodrigo

A world class composer Joaquin Rodrigo was blinded by complications from diphtheria at the age of three. 

Joaquin Rodrigo was born on November 22, 1901, in Sagunto, Valencia, Spain. He was blinded by complications from diphtheria when he was three years old. His condition did not improve after a surgery and then glaucoma blinded him completely. Rodrigo confessed without regret, that his blindness predisposed him to music. Young Rodrigo studied piano and violin at a school for blind from the age of eight. By the age of 20 Rodrigo became an accomplished pianist. His first compositions for piano were written in 1923 and premiered a year later. In 1927 Rodrigo moved to Paris. There he studied with Paul Dukas and also became a friend of Manuel de Falla.

Joaquin Rodrigo was responsible for establishing the guitar as a classical concert instrument. He is best known for his three-part ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ (1939), the first concert work composed specifically for guitar and symphony orchestra. This innovative concert work was created for Spanish guitarist Regino Sainz de la Maza, who premiered ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ in 1940 with the Barcelona Philharmonic Orchestra. The work has become among the most well-known pieces of Spanish music.

Rodrigo received several awards and decorations for his music. He also taught music for many years. He was using a special Braille machine and was active in ‘Arte y Propaganda de la ONCE (National Spanish Organization for the Blind). In 1933 Rodrigo married a young Turkish musician Victoria Kamhi. She became his life-long collaborator and contributor to his creativity until her death in 1997. Joaquin Rodrigo died on July 6, 1999, in Madrid, Spain, and was laid to rest next to his wife Victoria in the cemetery at Aranjuez, Spain.

Charlie Parker

Charlie Parker, nicknamed “Yardbird” (“Bird” for short), a saxophone player, had an undistinguished early carrier but ended up being one of the creators of bebop jazz in the 1940s.

He was born in Kansas City, Kansas, and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, the only child of Charles and Addie Parker. His father, Charles, a pianist, had influenced and inspired him to go into music.

At public schools, he discovered his own talent for music. He started playing baritone horn in the school band.

At the early age of 15, he began to practice playing saxophone diligently wherein he mastered improvisation and developed new ideas that led to bebop, a form of jazz with fast tempo.

In 1938, Parker together with his first band, toured nightclubs and other venues of the southwest, as well as Chicago and New York City. Parker had a morphine addiction while in hospital after automobile accident and was also addicted to heroin.

In the following year, he worked as a professional musician in New York who was then featured as a regular performer at a Chicago night club after a year. His New York experience was tough that he was at first forced to wash dishes in order to get by.

His humble beginnings were paid off when he was known and recognized for his musical invention, the bebop.

Parker died on March 12, 1955 from lobar pneumonia and a bleeding ulcer but Parker also had an advanced case of cirrhosis and had suffered a heart attack.