A New Music of the Orient: a Touch of the West and a Dash of the Divine

A new musical fusion has arisen in New York and it’s not the kind you can catch for ten dollars at a club in the West Village. For the many thousands of Chinese immigrants trying to stay afloat in a new world and for those westerners who have always wanted to understand the Chinese but have shied away for lack of a way in–for anyone who has wondered where the two civilizations connect, the answer may lie not in words, but in music.

Lisa Li is a master of the pipa (Chinese lute) and a graduate of the Chinese Conservatory of China. She has composed and performed across Europe, Asia and the United States, and her playing was featured in the Academy Award-winning movie The Last Emperor. Now, as one of the lead composers for New Tang Dynasty Television’s Chinese New Year Spectacular, a grand scale performance of traditional Chinese dance and song, Lisa has created what she believes to be a new kind of sound–based on ancient Chinese folk and religious music, but going beyond either of them.

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A Toy Music Box Is A Toy For Life

Music box collectors and enthusiasts often have a wide variety of music boxes in their collections. Some collectors may prefer music boxes that play wonderful music, while others might opt for those that provide an ornate home to jewelry and family heirlooms. But what we often forget when discussing music boxes is that nearly all of us have been touched by their song at one time or another. There are many children?s toys that have an almost universal appeal and presence; teddy bears, a baby doll, toy cars, and yes, a toy music box too.

Every day millions of babies are lulled to sleep by the soothing sounds of a music box. And every day many of those same babies wake up to play with a toy music box. Whether it is a Jack-In-The-Box whose song is a precursor to him springing from his box, or a stuffed toy that is wound up and plays a lullaby, music boxes become part of our lives at the earliest of ages.

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A guitarist guide to surviving the gig from Hell!

Scenario

Joe is a lead guitarist in a covers / remake band. He is a good guitarist and cool under pressure. He plays for a band called the Psycho Nymphos. They are a five piece band with two guitarist, keys, bass and drums. The other guitarist also doubles as the singer. Yet this is Joe?s nightmare. As a guitarist, this scenario should induce uncontrollable trembling of all body parts and have you soiling your underwear.

This, is the gig from hell.

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A Music Lesson At Your Own Pace, What A Concept!

A good music lesson is simply the best way to learn how to play the piano. This is because most people need the discipline they get from learning how to play music in a certain sequence of time. Once you master one lesson, you will be able to move on to the next with a great deal of confidence as your skills start to improve. It?s this confidence that is going to keep you wanting to play the piano and increase your musical knowledge and ability.

The piano is one of the most popular musical instruments today. Most people who are starting out choose to play the piano because of its diversity and simplicity.

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A Fine Piano Music Box Is A Work Of Art

Music boxes have always come in all shapes and sizes. Some are small enough to fit in your hand, while others are designed to hold jewelry, and still others are large enough to stand alone like a piece of furniture. Wood, metal, glass, and stone; jewelry boxes are familiar to all of us. Equally familiar is the musical jewelry box. In fact, it is almost rare to see one without the other. A piano music box is another variation on that theme, and what a unique and intriguing variation it is!

A piano music box is exactly that; a music box shaped like a piano. But its appeal extends well beyond its familiar shape and the songs it plays. Some piano music boxes are simple enough; the least expensive models are often just a standard music box inside a case that resembles a piano. And like many other music boxes, they often have room to hold trinkets and jewelry. But it is the expensive, hand crafted models that are so unique and interesting, they have to be seen to be believed.

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