You know by now that our teachers make house calls in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Riverdale. But here’s a question: what kind of learning environment have you created in your home in preparation for your music training? Does it foster creativity and productivity or, to the contrary, are there too many distractions around you, preventing you from concentrating?

Trying to master an instrument is not that different from any other kind of learning. Your surroundings are a big factor in how well you are able to absorb the information at hand. If things around you are chaotic – say your cat is jumping on your instrument and your dog is chewing your notes (just as n example), you’ll be too distracted to pay attention to your lesson. Now, before, we tackle some of the ways to “clean up” your learning space, let’s look at why it is important to have an environment that’s conducive to your music lessons.

Noises off!

It has been scientifically proven that too much stimuli in our environment, such as disorder or noise, will diminish our learning capacity. These factors create bad study habits; your mind is distracted and “all over the place,” instead of concentrating on the most essential tasks. That’s why it is important to develop a one-track mind! Your attention should not be diverted by things that are unrelated to music. When you lose your focus, you might as well pack up your instrument.

Get ready!

We know that living in New York – the city that never sleeps – is not always conducive to a learning-friendly environment. Plus, apartment walls are often paper-thin, so noises from the neighbors trickle into our own living space. What’s a city dweller to do? It’s true that you can’t eliminate all the distractions around you, though you can certainly minimize them. Focus on things that you can – and should – control. For instance:

• Location, location, location: Pick a quiet room in your apartment where you feel most comfortable and relaxed.
• Clean up and organize your space: You may think that clutter doesn’t affect your learning capacity but it does, because the mess around you creates a distraction. You don’t need a large room to practice your music, but you do need a tidy space.
• Disconnect yourself: During your lesson or practice session, turn off your computer and cell phone. Incoming calls, tweets, texts, etc. are sure to interfere with your lesson.

Make your lesson count

The above are some of the suggestions for creating an environment that is pleasant and conducive to music learning. But there are other things you should do as well, which should be obvious but we are going to reiterate them anyway: no matter what you play – whether it’s the guitar, violin, or any other instrument, please be prepared. In other words, when your teacher rings the doorbell, you and your instrument should be ready to go. Preparedness is a lesson worth learning!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

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It happens every year: come September, school is back in session! We do hope you took our advice and kept up your music lessons during the summer, so that your skills have not gotten rusty. But if you (or your child) are just starting your music training – welcome! We are happy to have you on board and will do our best to make your musical journey as fun and exciting as possible.

But before we start, there are some things you should know: our excellent teachers  love excellent students! What we mean is this: if you (or your child) are disinterested, indifferent, or unmotivated, then you will probably not enjoy your music lessons (of course, there is always a chance that, given time, music will grow on you). Ask yourself: do you or your child have what it takes to be a good student? Obviously, we hope the answer is a resounding “YES!” You may think that in order to master an instrument or sing beautifully you have to be musically gifted. Talent is nice, of course, but that is not the most important requirement. So what makes a good music student? Let’s have a look.

Our wish list

We realize that there are no “perfect” students. That’s fine. But we love pupils who are as close to “ideal” as humanely possible (again, we are not talking about talent here. It’s more about the attitude!)

• First and foremost, we like students who are enthusiastic – about music in general and their instrument of choice in particular. It doesn’t matter whether they choose the guitar, piano, voice training, or even the tiny harmonica . What counts is that they play that instrument with passion.
• As we said, we like the students who play their instruments – not hooky! This means you have to stick to a regular lesson and practice  schedule. Don’t cancel and miss your sessions unless you really must. If that’s the case, reschedule as soon as possible to keep the momentum going.
• Stay focused during lessons! We know – it is sometimes difficult to concentrate on just one task when your brain is going in all directions. But if you are not going to be mentally present and attentive, then what’s the point of having a lesson?

To sum up, we’d love our students to be enthusiastic, disciplined, and focused. Hey, it’s not too much to ask for, is it?

We solemnly swear…

Now that you know what we are looking for in a student, you may be wondering what to expect of our teachers. When a teacher of ours comes to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office, he or she will:

• Help you develop your skills and improve the mastery of your instrument.
• Teach you the right playing technique  by making sure you handle the instrument correctly, have a good posture, etc.
• Ensure that you make steady progress.
• Inspire and motivate you to stay on course!

If you keep to your checklist and we keep to ours, we will make such beautiful music together!

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Oh, what a difference a few centuries make! Today, we know for a fact (having had abundant scientific evidence as proof) that music is good for humans, animals, and other living things as well. However, it has not always been like this. As a recent article in the Smithsonian magazine tells it, some 19th century physicians thought music could actually infect the brain!

As a matter of fact, there are many instances throughout history when medical profession warned the public about the dangers of music. As the article states, “By the time the 1800s rolled around, music was a full-blown pathogen.” Physicians of yore warned that music was especially risky for women because of their supposedly fragile nerves: “The fairer sex had weak nerves and were prone to fainting. They also warned that excessive keyboard playing could aggravate such issues. Gynecologists thought music might be too sexy for women or that it could lead to heavy menstrual cycles. On the flop side, others linked it to infertility and reproductive problems.” Of course, in those long-ago days, doctors often made flawed judgment calls. For instance, it was believed that a woman’s womb could wander throughout her body, spreading disease in its wake, and that epilepsy and mental illnesses were “demonic possessions.” Seen in this context, is it any wonder that music was regarded as evil?

We’ve come a long way, baby!

Today we know of just one potential danger: hearing loss resulting from prolonged exposure to very loud music. As for everything else mentioned above, all these warnings, myths, and pseudo-science are downright hilarious! Far from inflicting diseases and other medical conditions, music is actually a health booster, both physically and mentally: it can lower our blood pressure, relieve pain, reduce stress and anxiety, and lift our spirits. In other words, there is no doubt (and plenty of scientific evidence) that music improves our lives in countless ways. Who are you going to believe: modern science or old superstitions?

Fit as a fiddle

If anyone witnesses first-hand the true advantages of music training, it is our teachers. They have yet to see any students – young or older, male or female – whose brain was “infected” by music (though they have seen lots of students become “infectious” – spreading the love of music to others)! All this is to say that when a teacher comes to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office, you need not fear any health consequences. You or your child will learn to play the guitar, piano, or any other instrument in total safety. We are happy that, at least in this case, history doesn’t repeat itself!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

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The name of Leonardo da Vinci is most often associated with his famous painting, the Mona Lisa. However, Leonardo was – literally – a quintessential Renaissance man, whose many talents encompassed mathematics, architecture, engineering, and other fields.

Among his many inventions was a little-known musical instrument, which he called “viola organista” – a string organ that can best be described as a blend of a harpsichord and cello.

The viola organista never really caught on, but recently a Polish musician used Leonardo’s 500-year-old design to build – and perform on – the mysterious instrument. Its sounds are truly unique and very beautiful.

Who knows how popular Leonardo’s invention would have become had it ever been mass-produced. It may not have ended up in the Louvre museum like the Mona Lisa, but it could have brought lots of pleasure and enjoyment to music lovers everywhere!

Playing their own tune

This is just one example of a little-known instrument, but there are many others. Unlike the viola organista, however, these instruments actually exist and are used – though not widely. Here’s a list of some interesting musical creations you likely never knew existed:

• The design of an instrument called the “gameleste” was commissioned by the Icelandic singer Björk for her 2011 album Biophilia. It’s a combination of a traditional Indonesian gamelan and a piano-like celesta. This hybrid instrument is quite unique and the sound it emits is ear-pleasing .
• The wheelharp is one of the newer kids on the block- it made its debut at the 2013 National Association of Music Merchants Show in California. An impressive piece of engineering, it has 61 strings that can be individually played and its sound is quite dramatic .
• The serpent is so called because it is shaped like a snake. Its sound , however, has nothing to do with hissing; in fact, to our ears it sounds more like a contrabass.
• And speaking of the contrabass, meet a device called the subcontrabass flute, which, at 15 feet long, is one of the largest instruments in the flute family. As you can hear, the sound it emits is quite dramatic in its intensity.

There are, of course, many, many more little-known but interesting instruments out there. Aren’t you glad we told you?

We’re not re-inventing the wheel

If you would like to have lessons in any the above-mentioned instruments, we’d better tell you right away: regretfully, we won’t be able to help you.

But if you are interested in learning to play the guitar, piano, drums, trumpet, trombone, brass, reeds, saxophone, clarinet flute, violin, viola, cello, strings, accordion, ukulele, banjo, recorder, mandolin, or have voice lessons – contact us.

One of our excellent teachers will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office and give you or your child music instruction. We may teach only ordinary instruments, but our lessons are truly EXTRAordinary!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

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Did you know that February is the American Heart Month? While cardiovascular health should be among our primary concerns each day of the year, this month is as good a time as any to raise awareness of the importance of heart health, especially since heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States.

Why are we talking about the Heart Month in this blog? That’s because there is plenty of research suggesting that music can – both literally and figuratively – mend broken hearts.

Heartfelt music

Music has been credited with many beneficial effects on our brain, body and soul – from making us smarter to making us happier and healthier. In fact, unless you play or listen to very loud music on prolonged basis (which can lead to hearing loss), there is nothing negative about music exposure – it’s all good!

At the…heart of the matter are several scientific studies showing that music can actually boost your cardiovascular health.

How exactly does this work? Before we answer this question, let us give you a very brief tutorial. Long-term stress wreaks havoc not only on our nervous system but also, doctors tell us, on the heart. For example, over time chronic stress may increase the heart rate and blood pressure, unleashing the so-called “stress hormones” like cortisol and adrenaline into the body. All these factors could weaken the heart, causing heart attacks, strokes, and other medical conditions.

Music to the rescue

Now for the good news: studies have shown that music is one of the best de-stressors around.

However, let us make it perfectly clear: music alone can’t prevent cardiovascular disease or stave off heart attacks. A tobacco-free lifestyle, which also includes regular exercise and sensible eating habits, is the basis of a strong and healthy heart. We thought it would be important to emphasize this point.

Back to music: just as stress tends to emit harmful hormones into the body, exposure to music releases some powerful substances of its own: endorphin and serotonin. They are known as “feel-good” hormones because they effectively reduce stress and anxiety; playing or listening to music has been shown in studies to maximize the output of these stress-busting hormones.

That’s why many hospitals use music therapy to help their patients recover. At the famous Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, music is played for heart patients to help them reduce post-op stress, tension, and anxiety.

Just what the doctor ordered

You might be wondering what kind of music is best for your heart.

Let’s put it this way: any music that you enjoy playing or listening to will be beneficial. Generally speaking, classical music is great, but so are jazz, blues, and even rock, if that’s your thing.

However, researchers at Sanford University found that that being exposed to the same music over and over again decreased its beneficial effects on the body, so mix it up – play or listen to different tunes. By the same token, if you don’t like a particular style of music, don’t listen to it because doing so will increase, rather than diminish, stress. And that would be the exact opposite of what you are trying to accomplish!

Music as you like it

We at Hey Joe Guitar care about your heart – and ours. That is why we make our Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Riverdale music lessons easy and convenient.

Not only do our teachers come right to your home or office, but we also offer a wide variety of instruments – guitar, piano, drums – whatever, wherever, and however you like it.

Any music that pulls on your heartstrings can be yours for the asking!

Photo by Scott Wilson

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You’d think that people would have had enough of silly love songs.
I look around me and I see it isn’t so.
Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs.
And what’s wrong with that?
I’d like to know.

~ Paul McCartney

Silly or not, nearly everyone has a soft spot for love songs. And this will become even more evident on February 14, when we celebrate St. Valentine’s Day.

Actually, there is a scientific answer to the question about why we are partial to love songs: research indicates that they bring back sweet (and sometimes bittersweet) memories of – to quote one famous song, “the way we were.”

In other words, love songs allow us to re-live the emotions associated with a particular tune. In a way, it’s like watching a favorite movie time and again: you never tire of the memories and feelings it brings out.

“Thy presence is my light”

Though Barry Manilow famously sang, “I’ve been alive forever,
and I wrote the very first song ”
we suggest you take these words with a pinch of salt.

There is evidence that the world’s oldest love song may be thousands of years old. In 2001, a team of archeologists discovered a 4,300-year-old tomb of an Egyptian nobleman, which contained hieroglyphs suggesting that it was probably a song of love, honoring the deceased man’s wife. We don’t know what the song was about, but we are we are fairly sure Barry Manilow didn’t write it.

In the 3rd century, when St. Valentine lived and died, music was mostly religious, but romantic love songs became very popular in the Middle Ages. Those Medieval songs reflected prevalent mores of that time, which centered on the notion of a “courtly” love – very chivalrous and gallant. In those days, the dating process included long-drawn phases such as “admiring a fair lady from afar,” followed, after a certain amount of time spent pining and suffering, by proclamation of eternal love to her, on a bent knee.
In those days, traveling musicians known as the troubadours would serenade the ladies with most fashionable love songs, such as:

“Be thou my vision, Oh Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.”

Don’t these lyrics prove that the more things change the more they remain the same, at least as far as romance is concerned? The language might be outdated but the sentiment rings as true today as it did back then!

That loving feeling

Literally thousands of love songs have been written over the years – sad, happy, and everything in between. But have you ever wondered which musical instrument is the most “romantic” one?

There is no scientific research that we know of, which would shed light on this question. It is a totally subjective matter of personal preferences and affinities. However, just for the fun of it, we have checked out some online discussion forums and informal surveys focusing on this topic.

The four instruments that the users of these groups find most romantic are the violin, piano, guitar, and saxophone (with the last one rated as “the sexiest” rather than merely romantic).

Fall in love – with Manhattan music lessons

It so happens that we teach all of the above-mentioned instruments – the violin, piano, guitar, and saxophone – and many more.

One of our teachers would…love to come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office and give you music lessons on an instrument of your choice (or voice lessons, if that’s what you want).

We’ll help you bring the most beautiful love melodies into your life and the lives of people around you.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The post Songs That Tug at Your Heartstrings – With Manhattan Guitar Lessons appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

In May and June we celebrate Mother’s and Father’s Day, respectively. Each of these occasions is dedicated – and rightly so – to all our wonderful moms and dads. But did you know that February is National Parent Leadership Month, dedicated to recognizing the important role of parents in raising physically and emotionally healthy families?

If you are a parent yourself, you know what a huge responsibility you have nurturing your children. Not only do you provide them with all the necessities of life – food, shelter and clothing – but you also teach them right from wrong, instill proper values, and generally make sure they are well prepared to face all of life’s challenges. You can never take a vacation from being a responsible and caring parent – it’s a 24/7, non-unionized job!

We are not about to give you parenting advice – after all, nobody knows your child better than you do. But we will say this: from our experience teaching music to kids of all ages, we can univocally state that parents play a key role in helping their kids develop interest in music and encourage them to keep on practicing.

Support system

We see this every day: the most dedicated and motivated students are those who receive their parents’ guidance, encouragement, and support. No, we are not referring here to Leopold Mozart, who tutored his prodigious son from an early age and helped shape Wolfgang’s musical genius. Rather, we are talking about “average” moms and dads who understand the benefits of music education and make sure their youngsters learn, practice, and make progress.

Keeping your child motivated to play an instrument is not always an easy task – some kids lose patience and /or get bored. If you left them to their own devices, many would probably give up after a few lessons. This is where parental oversight and guidance are crucial.

Of course, it’s not always easy to keep a child’s focus and motivation level up – we know that. Here are a few tips to help you along:

• Never force your kids to learn a specific instrument – just because you love the piano doesn’t mean they will. Respect their right to choose – and support their choice.
• Make sure, however, that your child’s instrument is a good fit for his or her age and size – not too large or too heavy to handle. Likewise, gently steer your child toward an instrument that matches your living conditions. For instance, if your apartment has thin walls, drums may not be the most neighbor-friendly choice.
• Getting kids to practice in between lessons is often a daunting task. But without practice there will be no progress, and this is where you can help. Set up a daily practice schedule that is manageable for both you and your child. Also, use your creativity: rather than telling the child he or she must practice 30 minutes a day, set musical goals such as playing the first eight measures of a piece without any mistakes. Next day, have the child play the next eight measures – and so on. It doesn’t matter how long it takes – it’s getting there that counts.
• Never forget to praise the child for the effort she is making and tell her how proud you are of her progress.

Remember: behind every motivated child is a parent who inspires!

Let’s work together!

There is no question that you play your parental role very well – not only in helping your son or daughter’s musical development, but also in hiring the best teacher in New York City.

Our instructors know the…score, but when they come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office to give a music lesson in, they are counting on your support. It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a great teacher and a caring parent to keep that child enthusiastic about learning.

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

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T.S. Eliot claimed that April is the cruelest month, but he may not have been aware of the research suggesting that, in fact, January should be claiming this title.

Studies done over the years indicate that January is the “blues” month, which has nothing to do with the music genre, but, rather, with the funk many people are in.

Why January? There are several reasons: Christmas and Hanukkah are over and the withdrawal from the cheer, comfort and joy is not easy. And if you have gained a few extra pounds – as many people do during the holidays – then you might be down in the dumps. Also, January in New York is often cold and gray, with the prospect of several more bleak weeks ahead. It is a well-known fact that many people are affected by the weather, a phenomenon aptly called “SAD” – Seasonal Affective Disorder.

The combination of some (or all) of these factors can indeed make you feel listless and “out of it.” But there IS light at the end of the tunnel: all that gloom and doom are temporary.

Beat the blues

Experts tell us (and who are we to doubt them?) that there are some effective ways to lift your spirits when they are low. Different things may work for different people, but generally speaking these activities have proven to be real mood boosters:

• Get moving: When you are feeling blue you probably don’t want to get off your comfy sofa and venture outdoors. But physical activity is one of the best cures for winter “blahs,” so c’mon – bundle up and go for a walk. Or how about skating in Central Park’s Wollman or Lasker Rinks? There is also the annual Winter Jam sports festival in Central Park, which takes place on January 25 from 11 am. to 3 pm. You can snowshoe there, do Nordic skiing, and other fun activities that are healing for your body AND soul.
• Be a culture vulture: New York is a treasure trove of arts and culture. Get out there and enjoy the concerts, exhibits, and whatever other events strike your fancy.
• Relax: Yes, but don’t just sit there staring at the wall. Instead, practice “active” or “mindful” relaxation, which helps relieve stress, as well as find serenity, inner peace, and emotional balance. Here are some techniques to help you get to that “happy place.”

Don’t forget the music!

You knew we’d say it, didn’t you – music has been proven to be a very effective “picker-upper” for January (and other) blues. By releasing endorphins in the brain – “the feel-good” hormones that make us happy – music provides an emotional release from all the tensions and stress factors.

Of course, if you are feeling low, you probably shouldn’t listen to or play a piece that will make you even sadder. What you want is music that is upbeat and has uplifting lyrics. For instance:

“Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

“What a Wonderful World,” by Louis Armstrong

“Smile,” by Harry Connick Jr.

Tune in!

One way to turn January into a “happy” month is to start an enjoyable and mood-boosting activity. We are talking, of course, about music lessons.

Fact is, music training provides a multitude of benefits for people of all ages.

When it comes to teaching guitar, piano, drums, or any other musical instrument, our teachers are true miracle workers. No, they won’t come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office with a magic wand, but they will use their professional experience, patience, kindness, and sweet personalities to make sure your music lessons lift your spirits. And who knows, the first song they’ll teach you to play could be this one .

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

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Welcome to 2015! We don’t know about you, but to us the New Year feels – at least so far – pretty much the same as 2014. And while the “old” year is still fresh in our minds, let’s go back in time and revisit the music highlights of 2014.

As you know, the music scene is not static; as a matter of fact, it changes so quickly – not just from one year to another but also from month to month – that someone who is not an all-out music fan may not be able to keep up with all the developments.

Ask yourself this: do I remember which songs topped the pop music charts in 2013? More than likely, the answer is “NO!” Let us refresh your memory: that year’s top three songs on Billboard magazine’s list were “We Can’t Stop” by Miley Cyrus, Kacey Musgrave’s “Follow Your Arrow,” and “Royals” by Lorde. If this seems like ancient history, it is, at least by the standards of the fast-evolving and ever-changing music industry.

The 2014 hit parade

You may have better luck remembering last year’s hits. But if not, we are here to remind you which songs reached the top of the charts and made the proverbial “killing” in 2014.

The first on the “Official Top 40 Most streamed Songs of 2014” is “Rather Be” by Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne, followed by Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” , and, in the third place, John Legend’s “All of Me” .

Last year’s biggest selling artist albums are: “X” by Ed Sheeran, “In the Lonely Hour,” by Sam Smith, and Coldplay’s “Ghost Stories.” However, interestingly enough, Forbes magazine points out that “in 2014, not a single artist’s album has gone platinum.” Only one album “has managed to sell over a million copies:” the ever-popular Frozen soundtrack.

Enquiring minds want to know: what songs and artists will be most popular in 2015? We promise to update you…a year from now!

We are not quick-change artists!

As we mentioned, music industry is in a constant whirl – what’s “in” today may very well be “out” tomorrow. You may be wondering whether anything in life, other than death and taxes, remains the same – always present and always dependable.

Thankfully, some things never waver. Our music lessons and teachers are impervious to all the changes in the music charts. Therefore, when one of our teachers comes to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office, you can expect the highest quality of instruction – year after year.

Whether they teach the guitar, trumpet, or any other instrument, these talented folks are always “hot” and “trendy.”

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

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Music is good for human beings –it makes us calmer, smarter, more emotionally balanced, and happier. We are not exactly reinventing the wheel here because the beneficial effects of music are well known.

But wait – let’s take this one step farther. Did you also know that non-humans enjoy playing music as well? This news comes from an unlikely (at least in this context) institution – Smithsonian’s National ZOO in Washington D.C, which has its animals playing various musical instruments.

Now, this may sound like monkey business, but the zoo’s management explained in a statement that musical activities “allow animals to demonstrate their species-typical behavior, to allow them to exercise control or choice over their environment, and to enhance their well-being.” The zoo concedes that while animals wouldn’t necessarily encounter a keyboard or the harmonica in the wild, “the activity engages their sight, touch and hearing senses.”

What this means is that ALL creatures large and small, and not just humans, draw benefit from music.

The zoo is alive with the sound of music

In all fairness, the zoo doesn’t claim that its animals are virtuoso musicians. As these videos demonstrate, at very best they could be categorized as beginners, but they should certainly get applauded for being curious and enthusiastic – the very same qualities that human musicians should have.

Having said that, otters could very well be an exception. The zoo gave them a keyboard and reports that the mammals have mastered the music of “Chopsticks” (also known as – even more appropriately – “The Flea Waltz”) and advanced “to something bolder, more expressive and individualistic”.

Here are more “awww” moments: an orangutan playing the xylophone and a bear blowing into the harmonica . We are not quite sure what melody the bear cub is playing but we’d like to think it is, fittingly enough,  “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”

Not a dog and pony show

At Hey Joe Guitar, we are animal lovers. However, we will not give music lessons to your pets – whether you own a dog, cat, zebra, or an orangutan. Our teachers are well trained and highly qualified, but their experience is limited to humans (we are not saying animals can’t be taught to play, but we are not the ones to teach them!)  Just like a leopard can’t change his spots, we can’t make a horse play the guitar either!

But if you, your child, or another (two-legged) family member would like to learn an instrument, we’ll come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale (Bronx) home or office to give you lessons. We won’t even mind if your animal sits in on the lesson – talk about the proverbial elephant in the room!

Photo by Christina Quinn

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None of us can forget the unspeakable tragedy that happened at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton CT last year, where 20 children and six adults were killed in a shooting spree. This horrific event has left emotional scars on the victims’ families and the community at large, but these brave people have been finding comfort in an unexpected source: music and arts.

In a recent article, Jimmy Greene, whose daughter was killed in the shooting, says that playing his saxophone has helped him deal with his grief. “I picked up my instrument one day and felt much better,” he recounts. “I realized that music is a big part of who I am and the more I played, the more like myself I felt. In the time I didn’t play, I kind of lost sense of myself in a way.”

He adds that he found music helpful in “dealing with the grief and the loss, the pain and the sadness that I deal with every day.”

Greene is a professional musician who also teaches music at Western Connecticut State University, but the fact is that many other people in Newton have found a measure of relief in music and creative arts in general.

We at Hey Joe Guitar music school are not surprised – we have always known through our own experience (which is backed by a vast body of research), that music has a strong therapeutic effect, which eases both emotional and physical pain. That’s because music provides an outlet for expressing feelings that mere language does not.

Musical miracles

Just as an example, studies show that music has a beneficial effect on cardiovascular heath because it normalizes blood pressure, as well as heart and respiratory rates. It also has shown promise in cancer recovery by helping reduce anxiety in patients receiving radiation therapy, and ease nausea and other discomforts from chemotherapy.

There is also strong evidence of benefits to mental health. For instance, music therapy lowers stress and anxiety, and helps depressive patients recover quicker.

What is the connection between music and healing? Experts say that is an intricate process, but, generally speaking, music helps us relax, distracts our minds from our problems, and provides an emotional release from all the tensions and stress factors that can make us ill.

Now, you might be wondering what kind of music is the most powerful healer. It all depends on the genre YOU like and respond to best – classical, jazz, blues, pop, or the type we usually associate with the word “soothing,” which is a New Age-like, subliminal sound Video
Whatever lifts your spirits and brings you pleasure is fine by us!

To your health!

As the songs says, we believe in music Video We have seen many instances of the powerful effect that our Manhattan, Brooklyn and Riverdale (Bronx) music lessons have had on our students – whatever their age or level of proficiency.
You might think, “a lesson is a lesson, so what’s the big deal?” We beg to disagree! We pride ourselves on our individual, personalized approach , as well as our top-notch teachers .
Whether for health or pleasure (or both), we are just what the doctor ordered!

Photo be Helder Silva

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If you think that Christmas is over, you are right… but also wrong! While the Catholic and Protestant celebrations are indeed behind us, Eastern Orthodox churches are yet to commemorate this holy event on January 7.

Actually, Eastern Orthodox congregations don’t dispute December 25 as the time of Christ’s birth, but they follow a different calendar – one that lags behind by nearly two weeks.

The Orthodox churches adhere to an old, Julian calendar, named after its creator Julius Caesar, who introduced it in 46 BC as a reform of the ancient Roman timetable. In 1582, however, Pope Gregory XIII modified the Julian calendar in order to correct its inaccuracies and miscalculations, such as 11 extra minutes each year, which was not compatible with the timing of the solar year.

The Gregorian calendar made up for the 11-minute discrepancy and has been widely used throughout the world. But the liturgical calendar of the Eastern Orthodox Church continues to follow the Julian system. So now you know: Christmas is celebrated on January 7 and New Year on the 14th.

Different dates, same faith

Despite the discrepancy in the timing of their observances, members of the Orthodox Church celebrate the same sacraments as other Christians. In fact, in the early days of Christianity, Roman Catholics and Orthodox congregants worshipped together. The split between the two denominations occurred in 1054 as a result of a dispute over the Papal authority.

Quite a few countries follow the Orthodox teachings, including Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, and Romania. The immigrants from these countries established their churches in the United States, and in NYC as well.

Just as Western Christians observe the four weeks of Advent, their Eastern Orthodox counterparts practice the 40-day Nativity Fast, which is a traditional time of prayer, abstinence and penance.

On January 7, churches may light a fire of blessed palms and burn frankincense to commemorate the gifts the three wise men brought to baby Jesus.

There is one common thread that the Western and Eastern Christians share in their celebration of Christmas. Do you know what it is? You guessed it: music!

Multi-lingual Christmas

We love the songs that resound throughout the Orthodox churches at Christmas, and we especially enjoy hearing them in languages of each country. Here’s a sampling:

Bulgaria
Greece:
Ukraine:
Serbia:

These are just a few examples, but they give you a sense of how beautifully solemn Eastern Orthodox Christmas is.

It’s not all Greek to us!

At Hey Joe Guitar, we find religious music, regardless of its denomination, truly inspirational. But it’s no news to you that we love ALL styles of music, whether put into song or played on any instrument (after all, we are a music school!).

Our excellent teachers (many of whom are multi-lingual too) come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale (Bronx) home or office to give you lessons adapted to your (or your child’s) level.

Whether you celebrate New Year’s on January 1 or the 14th, 2014 is a great year to start guitar lessons, begin the piano, or learn any other musical instrument!

Photo by pjarrettphoto

The post The Tale Of Two Christmas Calendars: NYC Music School Brings You Up To Date! appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

It’s that time of the year again – Christmas spirit is in the air. With Thanksgiving over, the holiday season is officially under way.

But before you start thinking about all the festivities, there is another celebration that is perhaps lesser-known in this country, but nevertheless very important in the Catholic and other Christian churches: the Advent. It starts four Sundays before Christmas and this year falls on December 1. (The Eastern Orthodox Church observes a similar season from November 15 until Christmas).

The lead-in to Christmas

Simply put, Advent is the new year of the Christian church, a time of preparation for Christmas and the celebration of Christ’s birth. It is, therefore, a time of spiritual reflection and anticipation – an aspect that is often forgotten in the pre-holiday frenzy of shopping, eating, and other merrymaking

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It is not certain when exactly Advent observances had begun, but historians believe it was in the 4^th century. At that time, it was considered to be a time for Christians to devote themselves to prayer and fasting.

While the churches mark this liturgical observance, it is not perhaps as common among families in the United States as it is in Europe and other parts of the world, where Advent is viewed as an integral part of the Christmas season.

There are two Advent traditions that are observed in many homes: the wreaths and calendars.

The advent of Advent

The origin of Advent wreaths can be traced to folk traditions of northern Europe, where people lit candles on circular arrangements of evergreen branches, bringing light and warmth to the darkest and coldest nights of winter.

To this day, wreaths are an important part of Advent observances, with candles lit on each of the Sundays leading up to Christmas Day.

What about the calendars? They first appeared in Germany in the 19^th century and quickly spread across Europe and North America. This calendar has 24 small doors (representing the December days preceding Christmas), which are opened by children every morning.

In the early versions, the doors opened to reveal images from the Bible. These days, however, most Advent calendars have no religious content and often contain pieces of chocolate.

Celebrating with music

We can’t talk about the Advent without mentioning the music (especially since we are a music school!)

We all know Christmas carols and other traditional holiday tunes, but what about the Advent songs?

As you can imagine, most of them are, for obvious reasons, religious in nature, such as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,”

“The Angel Gabriel,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pliqObTHxUQ and “Waiting in Silence”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-9s_oG4W9U&w=500&rel=0

But there are also plenty of other songs that are a good fit for this holy season. Here are just some of them:

“Breath of Heaven” by Amy Grant

“Here With Us” by Joy Williams

“The Candle Song”

and, for a lighter and more upbeat tune,

“Getting Ready for Christmas” by Paul Simon

Get ready for Christmas

Whether you want to learn to play Advent songs, or any other kind of music on any instrument, our NYC music school is the right fit for you or your child.

Hey Joe Guitar’s excellent teachers will brave the cold of December and come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale (Bronx) home or office to give you lessons.

So – light the candles on your wreath and start your lead-in to Christmas with beautiful music!

Photo by kosi2801

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Are you ready to celebrate the 4th of July, joining Americans in our city and country in commemorating the Independence Day? So are we at Manhattan Music Lessons!

Because no matter where we came from and what our ethnic, cultural or religious background is, we are all united in commemorating July 4,1776, the day Americans declared their independence from the British.

Today, the 4th of July is a day of cheerful celebration, with picnics, parades, and fireworks displays taking places all over the country. But have you ever wondered how the very first Independence Day was celebrated?

Birth of the nation

According to historic accounts, Declaration of Independence’s full text was first published in The Philadelphia Evening Post on July 6, 1776 and publicly read in Philadelphia, Easton PA, and Trenton NJ two days later. As the announcement was made, cheerful shouts and firing of muskets greeted the proclamation. And as the news spread across the 13 original states (at that time called “colonies”), the newly independent Americans rang bells and lit bonfires, removing all signs of the British monarchy.

The following year, on July 4, 1777, ships in the Philadelphia harbor were decorated in red, white and blue, and cannons shot 13-gun salutes in honor of each state.

What about the fireworks? They didn’t become part of the celebrations until 1816, when America’s technological advances made the colorful displays possible.

Oh say can you see?

Marching bands or other musical groups perform so many patriotic songs during the July 4th celebrations, but way back in 1776, there were actually very few such melodies.

Two notable exceptions are “The Liberty Song,” released during the American Revolutionary War in 1768, and “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” first sung sometime between 1754 and 1763. Interestingly enough, “Yankee” was originally composed by British soldiers to make fun of the disheveled colonial Yankees with whom they served during the Seven Year War between the British and French North America – today’s USA and Quebec in Canada. Most people who sing “Yankee Doodle Dandy” today have no clue that this popular song was actually intended to mock our soldiers!

The songs we think of as patriotic today, such as “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” “America the Beautiful,” “Stars and Stripes Forever,” and the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner” were actually composed in the 1800s. Other popular tunes, like “God Bless and America” and “This Land is Your Land,” were written in the 20th century.

On 4th of July, life’s a picnic!

NYC has plenty of Independence Day activities planned, including parades, fireworks, and concerts.

And what about the songs for your picnics and backyard barbeques, something newer (but no less patriotic) than the standard 4th of July fare listed above?

May we suggest these “gotta-love-them” tunes:

• “America” by Neil Diamond

• “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen

• “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.” by John Mellencamp

• “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” by Toby Keith

• “Surfin’ USA” by the Beach Boys

Red-white-and blue music

Would you like to learn to play or sing these and other patriotic tunes (or any kind of music for that matter?)

You can, with Manhattan music lessons. Please contact us so we can match you (or your family member) with an excellent music teacher who will come to your home or office. You’ll have a great experience – even without the fireworks!

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Photo Credit: Vinoth Chandar

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