How Music Changed My Life: Nickodemus

0
12:22 PM
November 30, 2013 

One of our favorite DJs, Nickodemus, took time out of his busy schedule to share some of his thoughts on the wonderful power of music. 

Here are some excerpts from the interview. 

Music saved my life many times! Music gave me a path in life when I was feeling aimless. Music gives me inspiration & helps guide my feelings when I need it. Music has helped rehabilitate several people around me after near death experiences. 

I see music as a catalyst for creating positive social change by it's ability to connect people both in the act of making the music & in the exchange people experience when listening, dancing & congregating to music. I've seen it at weddings, birthdays, funerals & in my living room as a child, as well as the affects on people all over the world in dance clubs during 20 years of traveling. 

We love this guy! www.nickodemus.com. Stay tuned for more to come..

0 comments:

0 comments:

Happy Thanksgiving!

0
9:06 PM
November 28, 2013 

Happy Thanksgiving all! We hope that you have a wonderful day enjoying time with your loved ones and remembering all the things (both big and small) that you have to be thankful for this year. To help set the mood for your turkey day, here are some playlists.

0 comments:

Amazing Performances by Homeless Musicians

0
9:42 PM
November 27, 2013

Beyond inspiring on this Thanksgiving Eve. Watch these beautiful performances by homeless musicians collected by Pigeons and Planes here

0 comments:

12 Benefits of Music Education for Children

0
9:52 PM
November 26, 2013 


We believe that every child should have access to music and that is why we support organizations that bring music into schools, foster homes and youth centers. 

Early introduction to music
1. Helps develop brain areas related to language and reasoning
2. Increases spatial intelligence
3. Inspires creative problem solving
4. Strengthens test performance
5. Teaches empathy, compassion and cultural understanding.
6. Develops craftsmanship
7. Instills dedication
8. Enhances teamwork skills
9. Provides a means of self-expression
10. Develops skills necessary for the workplace, such as better communication and cooperation
11. Teaches young people to conquer fear and take risks
12. Exposes children to the incomparable

Read more about why making music accessible to children can help shape a brighter future at 12 Benefits.

0 comments:

How Music Changed My Life: Kathleen's Story

0
12:20 PM

November 25, 2013 
It's hard to say exactly how music changed my life because it has been such a huge part of my life. I can't really imagine my life without it. I've been a singer and choir geek my whole life, I started piano at the ripe age of 22 and wound up pursuing my bachelors, masters and now my doctors in music. It's my capricorn intensity that loves order and knowledge. Through all this, I have continued to have a love affair with dance music. I lived in SF in the hey-day of rave culture, in the 90's, moved to Tahoe and continued to dance there and in SF. My path took me to the Midwest for two years where I immersed myself in a professional music program and basically, there was no dancing, but I was steeped in a musical tradition that taught me about "serving the music." Since being imprinted with that philosophy, I've been trying to figure out exactly how to live that philosophy - not an easy thing at all. 
Continue reading →

0 comments:

0 comments:

0 comments:

0 comments:

Can Music Change the Way the World Sees Africa?

0
8:46 PM

Check out this short article written by a 15 year old Ugandan girl discussing how making African better known globally has the potential to change perceptions and eliminate ignorance about the continent.

0 comments:

Paraguay's Recycled Orchestra

0
9:35 PM
November 20, 2013

This past Sunday, 60 Minutes had a segment on an organization doing something truly innovative and amazing - The Recycled Orchestra. Cateura, Paraguay is a town built on topic of a landfill and an ingenious resident found a way to use the trash to craft music instruments for a youth music program. See how music is changing the lives and futures of an entire generation. 


The 60 Minutes Segment can be seen here.


Also stay tuned for The Landfill Harmonic, an upcoming feature-length documentary about the remarkable orchestra. 

0 comments:

0 comments:

How Music Changed My Life: Ray's Story

0
12:23 PM
November 18, 2013

Music didn't just change my life. It has had an impact on everyone around me as well. Before I really sat down and listened to lyrics or got into a groove with a sweet melody or tried listening to something different, I was a lost individual. I JUDGED people. I cared about what others thought of me. I was so self absorbed and did not realize the negative energy that I was giving off. I really found music starting my sophomore year of college. It was then that I realized that I could be better. No, not just could be better, HAD to be better. I found music and it opened my ears, it cleared my mind, but most importantly it opened my heart. I started to care about other people. I became more polite and helped my fellow human beings out. I smile more, am much more pleasant and people seem to like being around me because I make them feel appreciated and wanted. PLUR (peace, love, unity and respect) applies to music but it also applies to life. If we all live our lives that way this world will be a better place. I intend to use my energy to make this world a better place. All of this made possible by music. I never knew putting on a pair of headphones could be so life changing.

0 comments:

0 comments:

Musicians as Powerful Allies for Change

0
8:33 PM

Check out this interesting article about how musicians are some of the most powerful allies for spreading social good and demanding social justice. 

0 comments:

0 comments:

Jail Guitar Doors

0
12:12 PM
November 13, 2013

We are big fans of Jail Guitar Doors. Jail Guitar Doors USA believes our country’s human and financial resources should be dedicated to education and ending poverty, the primary source of crime. We support public safety. We believe in accountability in a civilized society. We believe the punishment should fit the crime and that one is sentenced to prison as punishment, not for punishment. We believe in reform and that if we expect more of offenders and empower them with the necessary tools and resources they need to change, most will choose to change and not repeat offend. We work for better implementation of best practices in ways to treat non-violent offenders and minimize prison violence. We believe prisoners provided with the musical tools to create songs of their own can achieve a positive change of attitude that can initiate the work necessary to successfully return to life outside prison walls. Creating music, along with other educational and vocational programs, can be a profound force for positive change in a prisoner’s life. Our goal is to aid the ‘correctional’ aspect of corrections that can only come from a regenerated belief in ones future as a positive, contributing member of society. Check them out!


0 comments:

Understanding What’s Behind the Power of Music

0
8:13 PM
Ever wondered why music has such power? Or how music can be so universal? Or even whether music appreciation is uniquely human? Elena Mannes, author of “The Power of Music”, touches on these topics and on the affects of music on our brains in this podcast. Check it out.

0 comments:

Music for Our Veterans

0
8:29 PM
November 11, 2013 

In honor of Veterans Day we wanted to highlight some of the amazing organizations using music to serve the men and women that have served our country.

Heroes’ Voices creates opportunities for Veterans to raise their voices together in song. http://heroesvoices.org

Music for Veterans offers a life-long method of attaining peace through learning to play an instrument. www.music4veterans.org

Musician Corps trains and places musicians as teachers, mentors and care workers in public schools, children's and veterans hospitals and other settings where music can reach, teach and heal. www.musiciancorps.org

Operation Music Aid is securing musical instruments of all types in order to help aid in the rehabilitation of our valiant men and women who have been wounded while serving their country. www.operationmusicaid.org

Songwriting with Soldiers pairs returning active duty soldiers and veterans with professional songwriters in a retreat setting to craft songs about personal experiences in combat. http://www.songwritingwithsoldiers.org

Strumming for Vets is an organization that has come up with a way to help restore the feeling of joy and self-worth that can be lost after extreme trauma. With music therapy and donated guitars and teachers donating their time, these vets are given a new type of therapy that works! www.strummingforvets.org

Warrior Songs brings hope and healing to veterans through the creative arts. http://warriorsongs.org

0 comments:

0 comments:

The Music of a War Child

0
1:39 PM
November 7, 2013

For our inaugural post, we could not think of a story that better embodies the transformative power of music than that of Emmanuel Jal. Emmanuel is a former Sudanese child soldier turned internationally renowned artist who has used his music as a medium for personal healing, as well as a platform for activism on behalf of children in war zones.The lyrics of his songs tell the disturbing stories of his past, but are imbued with a sense of hope, love and even forgiveness that leave its listeners in awe of the strength of the human spirit. Watch his inspiring TED Talk from 2009 -  Emmanuel Jal: The music of a war child


0 comments: