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See some of the performances from our Summer Showcase on June 20, 2020! Kudos to all students for transitioning seamlessly to remote lessons and performing so well! We're so proud of each of you!
Learn more about us, what we offer, our teachers, and our mission.
Hannah, violin & piano teacher, performs Salut d'Amour on violin for Summer Showcase 2020.
Salut d’Amour by Edward Elgar (1888), originally written for violin & piano. Elgar finished the piece in July 1888, when he was romantically involved with Caroline Alice Roberts, and he called it "Liebesgruss" ('Love's Greeting') because of Miss Roberts' fluency in German. On their engagement she had already presented him with a poem "The Wind at Dawn" which he set to music and gave her Salut d'Amour as an engagement present. The dedication was in French: "à Carice". "Carice" was a combination of his wife's names Caroline Alice, and was the name to be given to their daughter born two years later.
Hannah is our violin & beginner piano teacher. You can see information about her on our website on the teachers page.
Hannah chose this piece because it is one of her favorites.
See information about homeschooling and what it looks like with us!
Dan performs Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix on electric guitar for Summer Showcase 2020.
"Little Wing" was released with the Axis album in December 1967 in the UK and the following month in the US. As one of only two songs from the album to become part of the Experience's concert repertoire, the Experience often performed it live and recordings were issued on early Hendrix posthumous albums Hendrix in the West in 1972 and The Jimi Hendrix Concerts in 1982. More recently, demo versions have been released as well as additional live renditions. "Little Wing" is one of Hendrix's most popular songs and has become a standard, with interpretations recorded by musicians in a variety of styles. It is ranked number 366 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
Dan is our guitar, bass guitar, & ukulele teacher. You can see more information about him on our website.
Dan chose this piece because Jimi Hendrix was such an icon in guitar history, and it is a popular song.
Not being able to practice together & perform in person didn't stop Annie & Brandon from performing their duet!
Can You Feel the Love Tonight is a song from Disney's 1994 animated film The Lion King composed by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice. ... The same year the song also won Elton John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
Annie and Brandon chose this piece for a duet because they love singing together and share a love of Disney.
Krys & Mike play He is Exalted/Oh How I Love Jesus Medley on Flute & Piano for Summer Showcase, 2020.
He is Exalted (Twila Paris) & Oh How I Love Jesus (Frederick Whitfield) Medley, Arr. by Krys Patterson. Twila Paris began her singing career at age 6 with her first album release. She always knew she wanted to write songs to spread God’s love and power with the world, and the lyrics of He is Exalted do just that. Frederick Whitfield wrote Oh How I Love Jesus in the mid-1800s to share qualities of God and reasons why He loves Him.
Krys is a singer in the Greatest Gift, a music ministry that travels all over, sharing God’s love, a common mission with the authors of these 2 songs. She has been learning composition skills during lessons and applied those skills to this number, arranging the 2 pieces together flawlessly.
Mike Biasin, pianist and vocalist in the Greatest Gift, joins Krys at her request for this piece.
Aislinn plays Standing in the Need of Prayer on piano for Summer Showcase 2020.
Standing in the Need of Prayer is an African American spiritual, and, like many folk songs, its origin is unknown. Both text and tune became well known after their publication in The Book of American Negro Spirituals (1925), compiled by James Weldon Johnson and his brother,]. Rosamond Johnson.
This arrangement is held by Alfred Publishing.
Aislinn chose this piece because she says it is fun to play.
Annie sings This Little Light of Mine for Summer Showcase 2020.
This Little Light of Mine is a gospel song that came to be an anthem of the civil rights movement in the 1950's and 60's. Often mistakenly believed to have been sung on plantations during slavery, it was originally written by Harry Dixon Loes around 1920 as a children's song. Annie chose this song because it is one of her favorites.
Blake plays Jesus Loves Me on piano for Summer Showcase, 2020.
Jesus Loves Me is the best loved children’s song of all time.The words were written by Anna Bartlett Warner, who was born in 1827. The words to “Jesus Loves Me” first appeared in Susan’s 1860 bestselling novel “Say and Seal”. In the novel, Sunday School teacher Mr. Linden comforts his student, Johnny Fax. The words are spoken to soothe the dying child. “Jesus Loves Me” was published as a hymn in the hymnbook “Original Hymns”. The tune and chorus were added in 1862 by Dr. William Bradbury. Dr. Bradbury dedicated himself to teaching, writing and publishing his music; published 59 collections of sacred and secular music. “Jesus Loves Me” appeared in his hymnal “The Golden Sower”. This arrangement is held by Dovetree Productions, c/o FABER Piano Adventures.
Blake chose this piece because he loves the song and wanted to share.
Hallie plays Merrily We Roll Along on piano for Summer Showcase 2020.
Merrily We Roll Along, set to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb. This poem was written in 1830 by Sarah Josepha Hale and later that same decade the tune was composed by Lowell Mason. The poem is said to have been inspired by a young girl bringing her pet lamb to school with her.
This arrangement is held by Alfred Publishing.
Hallie started piano just a few weeks ago and is excited to share this piece with you.
Aislinn plays Rainbow Connection on piano for Summer Showcase, 2020.
Rainbow Connection was written by songwriters Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher for The Muppet Movie, which came out in 1979. In the film, it is sung by Kermit The Frog as the Muppets set out to find adventure. "Rainbow Connection was the first number in The Muppet Movie. It's the one that establishes the lead character. We find Kermit sitting in the middle of the swamp. Kenny Ascher and I sat down to write these songs, and we thought... Kermit, he's like 'every frog.' He's the Jimmy Stewart of frogs. So how do we show that he's a thinking frog, and that he has an introspective soul, and all that good stuff? We looked at his environment, and his environment is water and air - and light. And it just seemed like it would be a place where he would see a rainbow. But we also wanted to show that he would be on this spiritual path, examining life, and the meaning of life.
This arrangement by Dennis Alexander is held by Alfred Publishing.
Aislinn chose this song because it speaks to her.
Connie plays Hallelujah on piano for Summer Showcase, 2020. Hallelujah is a bitter lament about love and loss. Leonard Cohen, the author, simply taps the human condition described in the Bible in order to provide counsel to the brokenhearted. Cohen's song tells a story of broken love, true love remembered and mourned, guilt, penance, and of finding peace in the vicissitudes of brokenness—themes with a myriad of applications and dimensions. This arrangement held by musicnotes.com. Connie chose this song because it speaks to her, and she has always wanted to learn to play it.
Sharon plays Twinkle Variation on violin for Summer Showcase, 2020.
Twinkle Variation, arrangement by the Suzuki Method, is a variation on the popular song, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
Piano written and arranged by Malena’s Music & More.
Sharon chose this song to introduce others to the violin.
Gerry plays Spirit of the Living God on piano for Summer Showcase, 2020.
Meredith Andrews explains the message you hear in her song, Spirit of the Living God. “God is present in every moment but when we asked him to come and move we are actually giving him access to the deepest places in our heart. 2nd Corinthians 3:17 says, “now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.” If you dive deeper into the original meaning of that scripture it’s actually saying “Where the Spirit of the Lord is the Lord there is freedom.” I pray as you listen to Spirit of the Living God you would step into a place of complete surrender and worship of the God who is always ready to meet you right where you are.”
Gerry, a retired pastor, chose this song because he loves the message and wants everyone to hear it.
Deaglan plays Mary Ann on piano for Summer Showcase, 2020.
Mary Ann, composed by calypsonian Roaring Lion (born name: Rafael de Leon), was popular with steelbands and revelers during a spontaneous Carnival celebration on V-J Day in Trinidad in 1945, at the end of World War II.
This arrangement is held by Alfred Publishing.
Deaglan chose this song because he liked the way it sounds.
Ri plays TAPS on trumpet for Summer Showcase 2020.
The use of “Taps” is unique to the United States military, as the call is sounded at funerals, wreath-laying ceremonies and memorial services. “Taps” originally began as a signal to extinguish lights. Up until the Civil War, the infantry call for “Extinguish Lights” was the one set down in the Infantry manuals which had been borrowed from the French. The music for “Taps” was changed by Major General Daniel Adams Butterfield for his brigade in July, 1862. Butterfield was not pleased with the call for “Extinguish Lights” feeling that it was too formal to signal the day’s end. With the help of the brigade bugler, Oliver Willcox Norton, he created “Taps” to honor his men while in camp at Harrison’s Landing, Virginia following the Seven Days’ battles during the Peninsular Campaign.
This arrangement held by Malena's Music & More.
Ri chose this piece because of its significance and to honor veterans who have sacrificed in many ways for our freedoms.
Joey plays Holy, Holy, Holy on piano for Summer Showcase, 2020.
"Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty," read Reginald Heber's widow. Among her dead husband's papers she found the words of one of the most powerful and beautiful hymns ever written. But years would pass before the lines took their place in worship services around the world. In 1861, a publisher rediscovered the words. He asked John Bacchus Dykes to furnish him with a tune. John accepted the words. Within thirty minutes he wrote the tune "Nicea," which carried the praise of the Trinity, and it has become one of the most well-known hymns around the world.
This arrangement is held by Dovetree Productions, c/o FABER Piano Adventures.
Joey chose this song because he really loves the message.
Au Clair de la Lune dates to eighteenth century, and so it is not an incredibly ancient French folk song. Its author and composer are unknown.
This arrangement is held by Hal Leonard for guitar.
Sharon, Ellen, Merita, and Lisa have only been taking guitar for a couple months.
They chose this song because they could do different parts, and Dan, their teacher, agreed to play the chords with them, giving the song a fuller sound.
Hallie plays Jolly Old St. Nicholas for Summer Showcase 2020 on piano. Jolly Old St. Nicholas is a Christmas song that originated with a poem by Emily Huntington Miller (1833-1913), published as "Lilly's Secret" in The Little Corporal Magazine in December of 1865. The song's lyrics have also been attributed to Benjamin Hanby, who wrote a similar song in the 1860s. However, the lyrics that are most prominent in the present scenario is closely related to the original poem by Emily Huntington Miller. Another popular opinion attributes it to John Piersol McCaskey, a celebrated publisher and song editor of the contemporary era.
This arrangement is held by Alfred Publishing.
Hallie started piano just about a month ago, learned this song, and wanted to share.
Rachelle performs on piano Oceans (Where Feet May Fail), by the Australian worship band Hillsong United, during Summer Showcase 2020, which tells the story, as recounted in Matthew 14:22-33, of Peter being called by Jesus to walk on the water. The disciple did so, but temporarily lost faith and started to sink, so he was forced to call on Jesus to rescue him. According to Hillsong it's, "about stepping into the unknown and a song about faith and trust." Copyright & arrangement is held by Hillsong United.
Rachelle chose this song because it inspires her and helps her keep her faith strong.
Makala sings 10,000 Reasons, written by Matt Redman & Jonas Myrin. Redman shares, “He played me an idea for some of the chorus melody, and I found it immediately inspiring. In fact, it felt like a perfect fit for a song based on the opening of Psalm 103.
Makala chose this song because she feels it has a great message for everyone.
Carmen plays Love Me Tender on piano for Summer Showcase, 2020. Love Me Tender was written by George R Poulton, Vera Matson, & Elvis Presley in 1956 for the movie of the same name. The music director on the movie was Ken Darby, who found the 95-year-old melody Aura Lee. The simple tune needed no restructuring, but new words were called for. It is believed that Darby himself was responsible for the revised lyrics, but he gave the credits to his wife Vera Matson - and Presley. So the song was born and has become a popular piece throughout the years. This arrangement held by Alfred Publishing.
Carmen chose this song because it was a favorite growing up.
Sharon plays Open the Eyes of My Heart on piano for Summer Showcase 2020.
Open the Eyes of My Heart by Paul Baloche was inspired in part by Ephesians 1:18. He shares, “The Apostle Paul was writing a letter to the Ephesians and he says, ‘I pray that the eyes of your heart would be enlightened.’ That verse stirred in my heart. One morning, while playing during a ministry time at my church, I began to sing that phrase over and over again: ‘Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Open the eyes of my heart.’ The whole song pretty much rolled off my tongue while prayerfully playing my guitar and singing out to Him. It really is a simple song that reflected the sincere prayer of my heart.”
This arrangement is by Kowalchyk & Lancaster, and copyright is held by Integrity's Hosanna! Music.
Sharon chose this song because she loves the message and it reflects her heart of worship toward God.
Emily plays Somewhere Over the Rainbow for Summer Showcase, 2020.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow, composed by Harold Arlen and lyricist Yip Harbury, received the honor of the greatest song of the 20th century in 2001. Arlen’s music covers a wide range of styles, from jazz-inspired tunes to light-hearted patter. As they collaborated, Harburg would generally suggest an idea or title connected with the plot, Arlen would compose the music, and then Harburg would write the lyrics. Musical inspiration often struck at odd moments. On his way to a Chinese Theatre with his wife, Arlen asked her to stop the car. In a burst of creativity, he jotted down the tune for “Over the Rainbow” on the music paper that he invariably carried with him. An Arlen trademark is to begin a song with an octave leap, as in the opening syllables’ “Some-WHERE.” The section “Someday I’ll wish upon a star” was meant to imitate a child’s piano exercise, Arlen claimed. Harburg recalled that it was the way Arlen whistled to call his dog. When Harburg and Arlen were stuck on an ending for the song, Ira Gershwin stepped in to help. When asked why he suggested ending the song with the question, “Why, oh, why can’t I,” Gershwin later recalled, “Well, it was getting to be a long evening.”
This arrangement is held by Alfred Publishing.
Emily chose this song because of its message of hope.
Makala sings More Hearts Than Mine for Summer Showcase 2020.
More Hearts Than Mine, written by Ingrid Andress, reveals her more vulnerable side. She shares that she struggled with that and is thankful for friends who pushed her to keep the original intent of the song. According to Andress, the angst she expresses in some of her songs is just part of writing true to life. They’re about feelings that people don’t really want to talk about, but we can’t be happy all the time! So to her it is more about telling great stories, instead of the polished versions of them.
Makala chose this song because it is about real life and the emotions behind it.
Deaglan plays My Heart Will Go On on piano for Summer Showcase, 2020.
My Heart Will Go On by Will Jennings and James Horner. Jennings shares that "James Horner, who I had worked with on other films, asked me to come to his house and consider writing something for Titanic. James told me the story of the script and then played me the theme he had written for the film. The character Rose, looking back over the all those years, caught my imagination and I connected her with a 100-plus-year-old woman, still working, still vital, who I had met a few years before. When James told me the script, I focused on Rose and thought of Beatrice Wood, who was old enough to have been Rose, and I still had the feeling I had of the life force I felt when I touched Beatrice Wood's hand, and it was from this feeling that I wrote the lyric for 'My Heart Will Go On.'
This arrangement is held by Alfred Publishing.
Deaglan chose this song because he likes it.
This student performs Why Am I Blue? for Summer Showcase, 2020. Why Am I Blue? is a blues piece written & arranged by Alfred Publishing, focusing upon syncopated notes.
He chose this piece because he says it’s fun to play!
James performs Legend of Zelda Theme for Summer Showcase, 2020. Legend of Zelda Theme is a recurring piece of music that was created for the first game of the franchise. The composer and sound director of the series, Koji Kondo, initially planned to use Maurice Ravel's Boléro as the game's title theme, but was forced to change it when he learned, late in the game's development cycle, that the copyright for the orchestral piece had not yet expired. As a result, Kondo wrote a new arrangement of the overworld theme within one day.[7] The "Zelda Theme" has topped ScrewAttack's "Top Ten Videogame Themes Ever" list. This piece is written by Koji Kondo. Copyright Nintendo. James chose this piece because he likes the song and it is fun to play.
Annie sings Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) for Summer Showcase, 2020.
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) was written by Louis Giglio & Chris Tomlin. When Chris Tomlin was asked to write an additional part to the hymn "Amazing Grace" -- for the movie releasing this weekend about the life of British abolitionist William Wilberforce -- he wasn't so sure he wanted to change the popular song. "I was completely floored when they asked of all people -- me -- to write a new verse for one of the most sacred and recognized hymns of all time," Tomlin told Baptist Press. "At first, I was like, 'No, you don't mess with that.' But then, God got me thinking about slavery, and the words just came out.” After doing some research, Tomlin discovered that the hymn has withstood previous additions. Tomlin found the original last verse, "the earth shall soon dissolve like snow" and incorporated it into the new rendition of the classic hymn entitled, "Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)." He further shares, "When the spotlight is on me, it's on God. I just want to be a reflection of God's light. It's like the moon -- it doesn't give off its own light; it's a reflection of the sun's light."
Annie chose this song because Amazing Grace is one of her favorite hymns, and she really liked this version.
Emily plays What a Wonderful World on piano for Summer Showcase, 2020.
What a Wonderful World, written by Bob Thiele & George Weiss, was made popular by jazz artist Louis Armstrong. He quoted, “I never tried to prove nothing, just always wanted to give a good show. My life has been my music, it’s always come first, but the music ain’t worth nothing if you can’t lay it on the public. The main thing is to live for that audience, ’cause what you’re there for is to please the people.”
This arrangement is held by Alfred Publishing.
Emily chose this song to share because it has a great message and is meant to be shared.
James was inspired to write this piece using chords and broken chords he learned.
Krys & Allison play an Edelweiss duet on piano for Summer Showcase 2020.
Edelweiss was written for the musical in the late 1950s by Rodgers and Hammerstein, who wanted to create a song for Captain von Trapp that would subtly convey his regret and his sadness and his pre-emptive nostalgia at having to leave Austria after the Nazi takeover. And since the actor playing von Trapp in the Broadway show, Theodore Bikel, was also an accomplished folk guitarist, the pair decided to write his elegy as if it were, indeed, a folk song. For the lyrics of “Edelweiss,” Rodgers and Hammerstein focused on the German myths about the edelweiss flower, famed not only for its metaphor-friendly ability to withstand harsh Alpine winters but also for its symbolism of love’s triumphs.
This arrangement held by Williamson Music Company.
Krys & Allison chose this song after Winter Showcase 2020 because they both love it, and they wanted to perform a duet together. They decided to get together & wear masks so they could play on the same piano.
This student performs Yellow Submarine for Summer Showcase, 2020.
Yellow Submarine.
Paul McCartney wrote the majority of this song. He explained shortly after it was released in 1966: "'Yellow Submarine' is very simple but very different. It's a fun song, a children's song. Originally we intended it to be 'Sparky' a children's record. But now it's the idea of a yellow submarine where all the kids went to have fun. I was just going to sleep one night and thinking if we had a children's song, it would be nice to be on a yellow submarine where all your friends are with a band." Paul purposely used short words in the lyrics because he wanted kids to pick it up early and sing along. Some people felt this song had deeper hidden meaning; however, the Beatles insisted there was no subtext, but they were used to people reading too much into their songs.
He chose this song because he is an avid Beatles fan and thought it would be fun as a duet.
Malena played and recorded the other piano part for him to play his part with.
Allison performs Roslin and Adama on piano for Summer Showcase, 2020.
Roslin & Adama was written by Bear McCreary as part of the Battle Star Gallactica series and was aired during the “Resurrection Ship” 2 part episode, which was broadcast in 2006. The emotion and power behind the song is incredible.
Allison chose this song because of her love for Battle Star Gallactica and the intensity of the song.
Malena's Music & More
Limerick, Maine, USA
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