Switching from classical to flamenco effortlessly
If you are into classical guitar, and you know anything about Misael Barraza Diaz, you probably already know that he keeps winning international classical guitar competitions at a fascinating (and scary) rate. So far he just got his 10th international first prize and he is not looking to stop there at all. But still, his passion does...
Did he really premiered this composition missing a page?
Imagine you're under the microscope of the musical elite in Vienna and you have to produce a whole sonata in very little time. This, for Mozart, was probably the norm. But for this one, the sonata also was to be presented with the most popular violinist at the time in a special concert for the Austrian nobil...
String action is not about the guitar is about the musician playing the guitar.The string height of a classical guitar affects both the sound and play-ability of a classical guitar. The lower the string height (or action) the easier the guitar is to ...
A lot of people say, get confused about Art Songs... many will say "Isn't that opera?". Well... no... Art Song Colorado is a good place to start and understand what is an ArtSong and why does it matter so much. It is important to remem...
Working with musicians from all over the world has always been a pleasure. I personally met Julio in early 2019 as we organized a concert and master class. The experience was out of this world! Seeing Julio Cristaldo deliver a true royal master class...
Many musicians avoid Paganini because of its difficulty and the responsibility it requires. This however is not the case for Nuné Melik. Paganini is one of the most relevant virtuosi composers for violin and his music does not only requires the skil...
The magic of Handel's Alcina can only really be unlocked when certain practices are put in place and this is a phenomenal example on how "tornami a vagheggiar" can (and should) be interpreted. In this performance, Amanda Forsythe adds her q...
We heard innumerable stories of composers gathering inspiration from nature and yet we make so much effort to perform in concert halls and many other venues that we believe to be a source of inspiration. Khatia Buniatishvili made a huge stateme...
Sometimes, in our daily life, we get stuck in normal routines where basic rules are never questioned. But Art will come by sometime and challenge our perception of reality in a subtle way. Are you paying attention? Most of the time, we know the diffe...
If you think you have no opportunities because you're in the middle of nowhere, you have already lost your battle and you should stay home and stop trying. The honest truth is that in this world, talent and $3 will get you a cup of coffe a...
Being afraid is a natural human response to situations that in our brain appear to be life threatening. Statistically speaking, people fear public speaking far more than death. This seems irrational. Nevertheless, the social implications of pub...
All of us come to moments of truth where we realize that our past does not reflect who we are. Change is not an option: it becomes a responsibility because we have learned that it is time to step hard and say "this is who I am". Serene had ...
Stranger things is a show that personally did a lot for me. This is a great surprise because this video is pushing even more buttons that what the TV show did. First of all, as I was talking with Nathan about the blog, I was excited because of the va...
Being a musician is one of the hardest things because of the nature of the art: anything we ever do we have to be able to reproduce over and over again. The sad news is that the key to success is endless boring repetition. T...
Many young musicians dive into a school, conservatory, or institute because they feel music as a path to live life and unfold oneself. I will say that this is a normal path because it coaches us structure and good habits. But as everything in life, i...
So you have finally landed your first gig playing at a wedding. You are part of an ensemble and you are the one gathering information and coordinating music for the ceremony. You want to create music the wedding party will always remember Their exper...
Being a Music Mentor is a challenge because it takes a lot of work and dedication. This past weekend we came across the studio of a very talented violinist in the Bay Area who asides of being an incredible musician, has built a very good studio....
