Music, Art, and Everything in Between

Walking past La Casa de la Cultura on Saturday, April 21, 2012 was different than most Saturdays. Normally, it's closed. This time, it was open. Students and teachers from The Day-Star School were taking tickets at a table situated at the door. The main themes of the event were “The Divinity of Art and Music” and “I love Honduras!” A few students did works of art that were different, but had high quality and strong meaning. Once the patrons entered the building, they were greeted with a painting of a red and blue Guacamaya, the national bird of Honduras. Next to it a meticulously painted crying boy, a brown tree in a sunset of rose and gold, and a painting of the yellow Casa de la Cultura itself. All the paintings at the art exhibit were set up on wooden easels. Dioramas of Mayan pyramids were lined up on the center of the floor. One group of students created diorama which contained figures of clay primitive people and branches from live trees. Two eighth grade gir...

It's about time! My 30th birthday recital. Bruch from my 30th! http://youtu.be/Q4bqnO6TZlU Not like I've had 30 recitals, one on each birthday, but it was my wonderful celebration with lots of good musician friends and family and other random supporters.  Hope that this link works. 

Michele Medina, Samuel Hanson, and Jon Kahananui Present: Dancing to the Resonance of Béla Bartók And Other Modern Delights Thursday, August 4, 2011 7:30 PM Salt Lake Main Library 210 East 400 South I.                     Eugène Ysaÿe Violin Sonata played by Jon Kahananui II.                     Max Bruch Violin Concerto #1 in G Minor Opus 26 1. Prelude (Allegro moderato) 2. Adagio (Adagio) played by Michele Medina, Featuring Kelly Richardson as Piano Accompanist III.                 Béla Bartók Selections from 44 Duets for Two Violins 14. Polster-tanz/Pillow dance/Párnás Tánc 5. Slowakisches Lied/Slovakian Song/Tót Nóta 38. Rumänischier Dreh-Tanz/Rumanian Whirling Dance/Forgatós 4. Somm...

Here is the second violin part to Minuetto by Bach.

This is the first violin part of a Minuetto by J.S. Bach.  My students will be playing this in a recital soon!

Ludwig Van Beethoven. December 16. 1770 - March 26, 1827 I bought a t-shirt from the Grand Teton Music Festival a while back, and it has the first 5 measures of Beethoven's 5th Symphony.  Underneath them, it says "POWER BARS".  I threw it on for work today, without realizing what day it was, until someone asked me if I did it for Beethoven's birthday.  I must have, without thinking!  How funny, so I thought it'd be appropriate to write a little of this famous composer in the scope of the Romantic Era (1820-1900). At the beginning, Beethoven's work was considered Classical.  This style can be considred emotionally restrained, ordered and structured, objectivity, and clear form.  Mozart and Handel fall into this era.  But, many of Beethoven's works were more emotional.  Take for instance, "Moonlight Sonata, Movement 1" or Fur Elise" for the piano.  Or his Piano Concertos.  #4 and #5.  Or his later  Symphonies or Violin Conc...