A Rock Concert by Kansas

The Concert by Kansas Recently, on the evening of Friday, February 19, I attended a rock concert by Kansas. Kansas is an American rock band that gained its popularity as early as in the 1970s, and is still active today, albeit it had a short break in 1984-1985. The band...

20th-Century Music: Prokofiev, Respighi, Orff’s Works

Introduction Music has always been a sensitive mirror of major social processes, attitudes, and trends. So was the case in the twentieth century, when the tendency to the scientific perception of the world, employment of technology, and progressing mechanization of life characterized contemporary society. At the same time, composers did...

Research Techniques for Effective Communication with Vocal Performers

Introduction Attention-Grabbing Idea People can communicate in absolutely different ways: some people prefer to use signs, many people like to gesticulate to attract attention, and the vast majority of people use vocal cues to underline their intentions. Vocalist communication is one of those interesting types of communication that requires certain...

E-Concert Report: Analysis of Early and Baroque Music Performance and Impact

Introduction The epoch of Baroque, which took over one and a half centuries from the early 1600s to the 1750s, was a majestic period for all branches of art. Its bizarre pompous luxury found reflection not only in architecture but also in other arts, such as music. The main genres...

Classical vs Romantic: Mozart and Mussorgsky’s Timeless Works

Introduction Works of Classical and Romantic music possess a special charm to music lovers. On the one hand, the intellectual, rational, and orderly époque of Classicism, which spanned approximately seven decades from 1750, produced impeccable models of such genres of symphony and concerto. On the other hand, the emotional, intuitive,...

Wolfgang Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte: the Winning Duo

Abstract A leading and most efficient composer of operatic music and plays, Mozart is a genius since his childhood. His mastery extended over a hundred plays and operas. He was assisted by his librettists in his success. One of the most noted librettist is Da Ponte. While Ponte’s work on...

Belly Dance and Western Culture

Shay Antony and Barbara Sellers-Young. “Belly Dance: Orientalism-Exoticism-Self-Exoticism.” Dance Research Journal. Vol. 35, No. 1 (2003), pp. 13-37. The article traces the origins of belly dance and the culture spread through a “vast region extending from the Atlantic Ocean in North Africa and the Balkans in the west to the...

The 66th International Music Festival in Prague

Introduction Prague is the capital city of the Czech Republic, a country in central Europe bordered by Poland, Germany, Austria, and Slovakia. Prague also doubles up as the largest city in this landlocked country, and is a very dynamic city by day and at night, especially during festivals. Towards the...

Las Vegas: The City of a Thousand Lights and Elvis Presley

Introduction Las Vegas, which translates from Spanish as «fertile valleys», is a world center of entertainment for every taste. Since the second half of the twentieth century, Las Vegas seems to be «the city of a thousand lights», and one of the greatest centers of show business development. Elvis Presley...

Impact of Set Design and Costumes in a Children’s Musical

Seussical is a spectacular musical for kids, which is based on the books of Dr. Seuss. The plots of several stories intricately intertwine in order to create a totally unprecedented magical world full of fantastic creatures and breathtaking adventures of the Cat, Horton the Elephant, and his small friend Jojo....

The Portrayal of Death in Lullabies

Lullabies and Death Lullabies constitute a significant part of such cultural phenomenon as nursery rhymes. Therefore, people rarely consider them to have any serious and substitutional sense or any sense at all. However, it should be stated that nursery rhymes, and lullabies as well, can have very disturbing underlying meanings....

Hillsong United: A Journey of Faith and Music

The Rise of Opera The first opera appeared in Italy, in Florence at the turn of XVI – XVII centuries. It was composed by the members of a small company the admirers of ancient art. They entered the history of music as the Florentine Camerata (Italian “camerata” – company). They...

Can Music Be an Enhancement to Education?

Music is traditionally discussed as influencing people’s emotions, feelings, and physical state significantly because the sound effects stimulate the individual’s brain and promote its activities. As a result, it is possible to state that music can enhance people’s learning activities because of improving intelligence. The discussions of the role of...

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Musical Arts

Who Born in 1756, Mozart was one the greatest composers of the classical era. Mozart was involved in music from a very tender age of just five years. He became involved in music through learning how to play violin and keyboard as a young boy in his father’s house (Meki...

Bachata as a Music Genre and Artists’ Creativity

Latin music is one of the most popular and influential music categories on the planet. Latin music’s upbeat tempo and sensual feel make it an irresistible music variant for experimentation and artistic expression. According to the Encyclopedia of Latin Popular Music, one of the most popular vocal and dance music...

Why Music CDs Cost More Than You Think: Industry Insights

Introduction The modern audience must be familiar with the long-standing debate on the process of music CDs. Despite all the information published on the matter, some questions remain more persistent than they probably should be. The most enduring one is “If blank CDs cost so much less than album releases,...

Rapping as an Element of Hip Hop Culture

In modern society, culture is regarded as an aggregate of ideas that unite a group of people whose living conditions are similar. Speaking about those people whose quality of life is rather low, it is necessary to say that their unwillingness to live unhappy lives and readiness to discuss their...

The Meaning of Freedom for Jazz Instrumentalists

Art has always been one of the main indicators of the state of society. It appeared at the dawn of civilization and were used to reflect feelings and emotions a person had towards a certain phenomenon or process. Besides, developing along with society, art obtained new features and provided numerous...

Greil Marcus’s “Like a Rolling Stone”: Analyzing Its Cultural Impact on Music

Introduction Songs bring different flashbacks and memories to different individuals. Songs sometimes keep history, which reflects the events or activities that took place during the song’s composition. Moreover, songs reflect and forecast personal, cultural, political, and communal memories, usually with significant events or occurrences. Like a rolling stone is a...

An Album “Lemonade” by Beyonce

Lemonade, an album by Beyonce, is arguably among her most multi-layered works. While primarily associated with black women empowerment, it also takes on the celebration of the black culture and the awe of femininity to the new level. The album is most strongly associated with the song “Formation” and an...

Opera: A Unique Blend of Art Forms and Musical Exoticism

Opera is a unique genre of art which uses the great variety of different methods to influence the viewer and make an impression much more stronger. It is a strange mixture of singing, acting, dancing and all other known remedies. Costumes also play a great role in this performance as...

Music and Speech: Analyzing Deutsch’s and Levitin’s Perspectives on Communication

Music is an inevitable element of everyday life. That is why there are numerous perspectives on the ways human brain perceives music and its connection to speech. For instance, Diana Deutsch believes that music is strongly related to the function of speech so that the boundary between the two is...

Queen’s Album “A Night at the Opera”

The name of this particular band causes a wave of appreciation in any audience all over the world, and the sounds of their melodies cause a wave of excited screaming of the band’s numerous fans and admirers. Everyone knows the names of the band’s members. Their path towards fame was...

Union High School’s Grease: A Theatrical Production Review

Grease is a dynamic school musical written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey that got its name from the American youth subculture of the 1950s known as greasers. The action takes place in Rydell High School and involves working-class students, whose relationships are closely examined while they attempt to find...

Masterworks of 20th Century Music: Influential Compositions and Their Legacy

The concert included musical masterpieces of the 20th and 21st century. The first piece was “Symphony #1 The Lord of the Rings” (1987) by the Dutch composer Johan de Meij. The composer was born in 1953, and he is an artist of our modernity. The work was created at the...

How the Beatles Influenced Music

The Beatles is probably one of the most influential music bands in the history of modern music. From the purely artistic standpoint, it essentially shaped rock music as we know it now. Its influence can be seen in the stylistic devices used by the musicians and writers of lyrics, in...

Chicago Blues: Cultural Expression and Global Popularity

The heightened commercialization and global popularity of the Chicago blues seem all the more fascinating since it represents some sort of cultural expression that is strongly attached to local settings as well as regional locations (Grazian 8). The blues triggers a deep adoration among its fans, unlike the modern adult...

Duke Ellington: Jazz Legend and Innovator in American Music History

There are people in the history of music whose names represent a whole epoch. Duke Ellington is one of such personalities – a man whose talent was rare, whose improvising abilities were admired, and whose legacy continues to excite jazz lovers all over the world. Ellington’s brilliant technique, his bright...

Middle Eastern Musical Culture

It is said that music is an indication of the earnest feeling of its composer. The entire composer is fraction of a chronological realism that aids to form and color his piece of music. Consequently, so as to know any kind of music, it is important not just to inspect...

Belly Dance in Russia

Introduction Foreign dance classes have become popular in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union (Radchenko 1). Many young women and men have started to practice foreign dances for professional reasons or just for fun. In Russia, Belly Dance, Irish Dance, Indian Dance, Flamenco, and Swing Dance have become...

Music as a Part of Life: Personal Impressions

There are many reasons for why people can like or dislike music because it can reveal the most secret and unknown aspects of a human life. One of the most powerful aspects of music is the impossibility to predict where it could lead. In her book, Sarah Dessen defines music...

“Manha de Carnaval” by Stam Getz

Introduction Manha de Carnaval is, perhaps, one of the most easily recognizable specimens of bossa nova. Featured in a movie, it was destined to become the staple of the genre. Nevertheless, Manha de Carnaval managed to evolve into a separate musical piece incorporating slow, mellow elements and the ones that...

Classical Arab Music

Introduction Diverse factors define a person, community, or groups conforming to different ideals. Cultural practices are the most noticeable attributes, which distinguish groups from each other. An example of a cultural factor, used to characterize communities, is music. The classical Arab music is a one of the most distinct features...

Grammy Awards Performances: Cultural Significance and the Evolution of Live Music Shows

The performance of Justin Bieber ft Jaden Smith & Usher with their song Never Say Never at the 53rd Grammy Awards has demonstrated that these singers really deserve the award. The composition of music, actor playing, dancing and lights produced an unforgettable impression upon the audience, appealing to their feelings...

Concert Review: Misha Dacic’s Masterful Piano Recital

Introduction Hearing a great pianist in a recital is an excellent experience. On 10th July 2015, I had the opportunity to attend a concert. The lead musician was Misha Dacic. The experience I had was fulfilling, Misha Dacic is very intense plain and powerful pianist. The following is the report...

Franz Ferdinand: Indie Rock Band’s Journey from Glasgow to Global Fame

The band called Franz Ferdinand was first formed in 2002, it is an indie rock group, all of its members are of Scottish origin, and the band initially was based in Glasgow. The four musicians playing in Franz Ferdinand are over thirty years old, yet the music they play is...

Classical vs. Electronic Music: Analyzing Two Iconic Pieces

Introduction This paper is an analysis of two musical pieces from the classical and electronic music periods. The focus will be made to identify why these musical pieces fit into the classical and electronic music categories. A definition of the musical eras will be done, alongside an analysis of how...

Robert Johnson’ Life and Music

Can’t You Hear the Wind Howl?: The Life and Music of Robert Johnson (1997) is the film directed by Peter W. Meyer in which the unique story of the legendary bluesman is discussed. In his film, Meyer tries to resolve the mystery of Robert Johnson’s life and work while referring...

Romantic Era’s Music

Introduction This paper analyzes two musical pieces of the romantic era period to ascertain the characteristics that cause emotive feelings among their audience. The two musical pieces are Symphony number one (produced by Gustav Mahler) and Si, mi chiamano Mimi (a composition by Giacomo Puccini). The latter is an opera,...

Romantic Period: Music

Did you know that during Romantic Era, piano music was used to express emotions? Or that composers used to incorporate folk stories into music? Sounds interesting? Then, keep reading to learn more about early and late Romantic Period music! Romantic Period Music: Essay Introduction The 19th century marked a remarkable...

Rebab: Two-String Fiddle in Muslim Nations

Indonesia Instruments Rebab: It is a fiddle with two strings. It’s mainly found within Muslim nations. Gambang: Is an instrument that resembles a xylophone. It’s made of wood and is commonly used in the Southern Philippines and Indonesia. Suling: A bamboo flute used by Indonesians in gamelan ensembles. Kendang: A...

Sounds of Life: The Role of Music

Music is one of the most influential aspects of life in society. I am yet to come across an individual who does not like music at all. Different people listen to different genres of music; a scenario that shows how different we are (Diserens 1939, pp.6). The types of music...

Evolution in Modern Indian Music

Introduction The Republic of India is the second most populated country in the world and the seventh-largest geographical area. A multitude of ethnic groups with distinct cultural traditions, languages, and dialects comprise the South Asia subcontinent, and such a factor is reflective in the music. Rich and diverse, Indian folk...

Effect of Music on Education

There has been a rising concern over the effect of music on education. Some scholars have conducted research and have reported various effects of music on education. One such scholar is Allan Bloom. According to Bloom, music has a direct impact on the education of children. He states that music...

Popular and Serious Music

Introduction Music forms a significant part of entertainment in the modern world, and there are various ways people present their songs to their audiences. The compositions and contexts of different types of music determine their audiences, presentation, and suitability. Music has various components that enable it to play its roles...