rhapsodydmb
ROCKSTARS, MEDICINE, AND MUSIC: LAUREN RISSMAN, MD
Music and medicine - an unlikely combination - seem to be mixing in my recent life. Lauren Rissman, MD, works at the Division of...
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Rhapsodydmb.com
A soft place to land to read poetry & stories about music & share our love of piano adventures!
Rated 5 out of 5 stars.(1)
rhapsodydmb
- Apr 11
- 4 min
CURIOSITY IN LIFE AND MUSIC
"The recognition, pursuit, and desire to explore novel, complex, uncertain, and ambiguous events" is as good a definition of "curiosity"...
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rhapsodydmb
- Apr 1
- 4 min
INTRODUCING NEW LATIN AMERICAN GENRES OF FOLK MUSIC, NEW GUITAR, AND NEW GROUPMUSE MUSICIAN TO THE BAY AREA AUDIENCE
Bandola guitar maestro Alejo Cordero, new to the Bay Area just over two years ago from Colombia, South America, presented his first-ever...
75 views0 comments
rhapsodydmb
- Mar 24
- 6 min
COACHING VS. REGULAR LESSONS: THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, OR, THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO SKIN A CAT!
My three kitties (Prince, our 20-lb. "linebacker" pictured here) might not appreciate the above saying, but it perfectly encapsulates...
34 views0 comments
rhapsodydmb
- Mar 22
- 2 min
RUTH SLENCZYNSKA: "MAKE A PIECE YOURS - THEN PLAY IT!"
In the waning days of Women's History Month, Madam Ruth Slenczynska is a worthy topic. If you don't know her, please take a moment to...
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rhapsodydmb
- Mar 21
- 4 min
MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE: ALONDRA DE LA PARRA - SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY'S NEXT MUSIC DIRECTOR/CONDUCTOR?
I dare you to watch this video "La Maestra" all the way through, and not smile. You have a special treat in store! You will likely...
13 views0 comments
rhapsodydmb
- Mar 19
- 3 min
DEAR FRIENDS: WOULD YOU PLEASE SPEAK UP FOR WOMEN IN MUSIC IN SAN FRANCISCO & YOUR CITY?
In case you, like me, want relief from weeping in despair about the non-status of musical women in 2024, check out this beyond-hilarious...
56 views0 comments
rhapsodydmb
- Mar 16
- 5 min
MORE THAN BACKGROUND MUSIC: THE "BOX-IFICATION" OF BLACK AND WHITE THINKING
British pianist, composer, and piano teacher Simeon Walker seems to have his head screwed on right. He says that: "... box-ification of...
25 views0 comments
rhapsodydmb
- Mar 14
- 8 min
"SO SHOCKINGLY BRUTAL" SAYS MUSIC DIRECTOR MARIN ALSOP
S he's talking about the extreme paucity of full-time women conductors and music directors in the United States and the fight to include...
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rhapsodydmb
- Mar 11
- 4 min
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH AND HOW TO ENJOY MORE MUSIC
This is Women's History Month in the US. I'm so pleased that it began in 1978 as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California in my...
31 views0 comments
rhapsodydmb
- Mar 4
- 3 min
THE DANGER IN "NOT RUNNING WITH THE HORSES"
I follow a wonderful musical website blog by piano teacher Andrew Eales from Britain. I love his unusually gentle, "holistic" approach to...
15 views0 comments
rhapsodydmb
- Feb 18
- 6 min
BOREDOM, GOALS, PASSION, AND LOVE
Today was the final class in Noa Kageyama's awesome "Psych Essentials" to improve practice and also to practice performance to reduce...
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rhapsodydmb
- Feb 15
- 2 min
PUBLICATION NOTICE - AND CAST YOUR CREATIVITY AS ONE RESPONSE TO THE DISMAL STATE OF OUR COUNTRY AND POLITICS!
First, two points of good news, (1) re-announcing my first-ever radio appearance reading a year ago, of one of my more humorous,...
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rhapsodydmb
- Feb 13
- 5 min
SHOWING UP WITH TENDER ACCEPTANCE
"Small, tender gestures remind us that we are not helpless, even in the face of grave human suffering. We maintain the ability, even in...
17 views0 comments
rhapsodydmb
- Feb 5
- 4 min
TIME FOR ME TO DISCOVER MY "FULL POTENTIAL" -- OR GO FOR THE GOLD?
A new musical friend somewhere in his midlife and a former piano teacher, and I were chatting about music, when I outlined a few of the...
22 views0 comments
rhapsodydmb
- Jan 24
- 4 min
THE "LAST ATTEMPT" or "THE BEST"?
One person responding to John Holt (American author and educator) beginning cello lessons at age 58, ruefully noted: "(I just took up the...
27 views2 comments
rhapsodydmb
- Jan 23
- 6 min
FOUR MAGICAL CONTIGUOUS DAYS OF MUSICAL HEAVEN ! - Part I of II
Amit Peled ,* cellist pictured on Sunday just past performed "Koi Nedrei Op. 47" (aka "All Vows") by German composer Max Bruch. The...
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rhapsodydmb
- Jan 17
- 4 min
"YA JUST GOTTA LAUGH" - MAINLY AT YOURSELF IF YOU'RE A PIANO STUDENT!
"Everyone has a belief system ("B.S."); the trick is to learn not to take anyone's B.S. too seriously, especially your own." - Robert...
29 views0 comments
rhapsodydmb
- Jan 15
- 4 min
MAY I SUGGEST WHY WOMEN SHOULD WRITE LYRIC POETRY (AS OPPOSED TO NARRATIVE AND OTHER POETIC FORMS)? - PART I
LYRIC POETRY INHERENTLY PROVIDES A VOICE AND PLATFORM TO WOMEN THAT IS SPECIFICALLY PERSONAL -- AND LONG OVERDUE Like Greek poet Sappho,...
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rhapsodydmb
- Jan 14
- 4 min
THE COMFORT -- AND LIMITATIONS -- OF LABELS
Improvising and experimentation are not my cups of tea when it comes to making music or pursuing life in work, play, or relationships. I...
17 views0 comments
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