When a crowd watches or listens to a musical performance, people rarely wonder about the story behind the musicians who created that ear attraction. What kind of ability and commitment does it take? Are all musicians meant to be talented just because they do things that ordinary people are not able to do? The answer can be both simple and complicated.

Our world evolves every second, whether we notice it or not. In a closer look, music has its own share of evolution from the dawn of time till this day and onwards.

For some, music is a time dimension and for others it is simply instinct. Time-influenced musicians are most likely to be composers or music teachers who have been taught music or gained their musical ability through regular music education. Meanwhile musicians who tend to follow their instincts often end up as Street Musicians, who play music out of purity. But what is the difference? Who would be a better musician? One can never tell, but one can definitely hear the difference.

Calling musicians “talented” because they know how to play an instrument or sing a song well is a stereotype. In a musician’s life everything is a challenge. Musicians who claim to be talented and lay back on their work always tend to fall behind; to be good in music it takes alot of hard work and effort, and one has to be focused and committed in all directions.

With music evolving with the world, eventually the idea of music education has been introduced as another way of gaining a prestigious place in music and improving the economy of the education system. But it seems that musical education methods are being taught by those who have never been taught music by books but by heart and ears. Those pure techniques and melodies have been recorded has been set as an example of musical perfection.

The irony lays when, in some parts of the world, a musician can only be accomplished if he has an acknowledged and approved musical education, else they remain a street musician or an amateur. Street musicians playing on the streets for audiences who spare time for their ears and maybe a coin or two is just more than enough for them. They prove to the world that nothing matters most other than playing that note on that instrument that became a  part of them, with nothing but a smile on the face.

When one refers to the music genre of Jazz for an example, we think of a style famous among street musicians and also most famous in modern music education. But what is jazz? Well, no one really knows, and this is where the beauty of jazz lays. So can a music that is not known be taught?

The word on the street is that jazz is a way of music also referred to as “improvisation.” How often do we musicians play their so called jazz music from music sheets, bar by bar, as it was written? Well in a festival that has 8 different groups, at least 4 will. To some, it is not wrong to do so, but it will then be wrong to call it jazz music.

Only because it sounded like a musical piece from an artist who is a jazz style artist it can get categorized under the genre of jazz. This is likely the bad influence of music education: these musicians gain skills and ability to play without the gift of creativity, originality and understanding of the flow of music. Taking this into a wider aspect, the world of jazz will never be the same or will never be the way it meant to be taking out its freedom of improvisation.

This is just one genre. Classical Music is another great genre that could be put into the equation: when was the last time the modern world has been introduced to a new, unforgettable piece? To a new, brilliant composer? To something like “Scheherazade” by Rimsky Korsakov? Chances are slim that our generation ever will and that is because the generation is being taught the works of Rimsky Korsakov and others like him. The outcome is that modern musicians live in the musical sphere of someone else without sharing the same flow of creativity and innovation these artists had. 

This does not mean that music should not be taught. It only makes us realize that as we move toward the future, music like it once was will be rare and in time, may perish.

Image Courtesy of  National Geographic
Photo Credit: Jim McWilliams

The article The World of The Musician appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Cedar Grove, U.S.A. – Before his passing in 2011, legendary E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Little Kids Rock, a leading nonprofit provider of free musical instruments and lessons to underprivileged public school students across the United States.

In an effort to honor his legacy and continue supporting the charity, The Jean Shop has been selling leather “Big Man” bracelets online, raising more than $12,500 this summer. The funds will allow Little Kids Rock to serve at least 750 new children with free instrumental music lessons this school year.

“We are overwhelmed by the generosity of Mr. Clemons’ fans,” says David Wish, Little Kids Rock’s founder and executive director. “It is a privilege to be able to honor the ‘Big Man’s’ legacy each year while also providing music education to our nation’s disadvantaged youth. Adding his fans’ support to that equation makes it all the more special.”

Little Kids Rock honors Clemons annually at its Right to Rock Celebration by presenting the “Big Man of the Year Award” to an artist who embodies the values of generosity and service that reflect the “Big Man’s” legacy and Little Kids Rock’s ideals.

Last year, his E Street band mate Steven Van Zandt and his wife Maureen introduced Clemons’ wife Victoria, who presented the award to Lady Gaga. The pop star’s presence was a complete surprise to the crowd of more than 300 guests and donors.

This year, Little Kids Rock will celebrate its 10^th anniversary at the Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom in New York City at its fourth annual Right to Rock Celebration on Tuesday, October 16, 2012. The “Big Man of the Year” has not yet been announced, but that has not stopped fans from going online to show their support by purchasing a bracelet. The bracelets bring fans closer to their departed hero, who wore one throughout the promotion of his book, “Big Man, Real Life & Tall Tales.”

Proceeds from the bracelet sales and the Right to Rock Celebration will go toward providing free instruments, curriculum and lessons to thousands of students in disadvantaged public school districts nationwide that have seen their music programming decimated due to budget cuts.

“More than 50 percent of kids who play an instrument go on to college, yet music education programs at the inner city public schools who need them most continue to be hit hard with budget cuts,” Clemons once noted. “Little Kids Rock has responded to this problem in a really big way and made a positive impact on the lives of literally thousands of low-income students who wouldn’t have otherwise had the opportunity. I strongly encourage those who are in a position to do so to support their cause and spread the word about this inspirational program.”

Buy your Big Man bracelet while supplies last at littlekidsrock.org/bigmanbracelet

About Little Kids Rock

Little Kids Rock is a nonprofit organization that transforms children’s lives by restoring and revitalizing music education in public schools. Little Kids Rock was founded in San Francisco in 2002 by David Wish, an elementary school teacher who had grown frustrated with the lack of music education funding at his school.

Today, Little Kids Rock is one of the leading nonprofit providers of free lessons and instruments to underprivileged children in US public schools, and has served more than 200,000 students at over 1,600 schools in 25 cities nationwide. Little Kids Rock Honorary Board Members include Bonnie Raitt, Slash, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Slash, Ziggy Marley and other famous friends in the music industry.

The article “Little Kids Rock” Continues Clarence Clemons’ Legacy appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.