Counter Assertion

The Mayflower reveals an matchless late summer and early autumn lineup that contains large shows of Oklahoma, Les Misérables, and the Magic of Motown, along with two runs of Faulty Towers the dining experience, and a whole host of other performances and specifically themed evenings. The Mayflower is special in being the initial successful theatre organization in Southampton. The factors for this no doubt to do with its phenomenal and technologically advanced range of shows that are continuously on. This year is no exception, since the Mayflower features a terrific number and range of exciting productions, ranging from large musicals and plays, to intimate comedic one man or woman acts to specifically themed events. In the exciting category of major name, big budget musicals and plays, the Mayflower provides a variety of classics and newly well-known offerings. Included in these are Oklahoma, Les Misérables, and also the Magic of Motown. Oklahoma, that stars Marti Webb and Mark Evans, is playing Tuesday the seventeenth via to Saturday the twenty-first of August. This particular touring version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical is produced through the creators from the massive hits Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, South Pacific, and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Everyone within the family is sure to love the story famously set in the Western Frontier of America taking location within the time of conflict between the cattlemen and farmers. The Mayflower is also proud to welcome the twenty-fifth anniversary production of Les Misérables, which is the world’s longest running musical of them all. It is going to be in the Mayflower for only three weeks, from Tuesday, August 24th through Saturday, September 11th. The brilliant all new cast is led by London’s West End and Broadway star John Owen Jones, who has been acclaimed through the New York Post since the very finest Jean Valjean since the days of Colm Wilkinson, and also graced by the West End stars such as Gareth Gates who plays Marius and Earl Carpenter who plays Javert. Lastly in the category of large spending budget stage musicals may be the Magic of Motown, showcasing the greatest Motown live tribute concert ever. In this beautiful production, music of Diana Ross and also the Supremes, The Temptations, The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, Lionel Richie, Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves and scores of others is featured. This show boasts literally dozens of stunning costumes, a gorgeously choreographed cast, and fully thirty-six memorable hits from the sixties, seventies, and eighties. It will play one night only, on Tuesday, September 14th. For 1 man comedians and acts, the Mayflower outperforms again. Jethro will perform his Too Late To Grow Up show on Thursday, September 16th. Sean Lock will carry out his signature Lockipedia on Saturday, September 18th. Lisa Williams, the worldwide known psychic and clairvoyant, will appear on Sunday, September 19th. A unique gift in the coming months is Faulty Towers, the Dining Experience. This popular and long running television display turned touring musical makes two stops as the first appearance rapidly sold out. It goes in the Mayflower from Tuesday October 12th via Thursday October14, as well as from Thursday October 21st via Tuesday October 26th. Finally, two seasonal themed events will be presented in the coming months. The Ghost Hunt and Buffet Evening will take location on Friday, September 24th, although the murder mystery Better by Nun happens on Saturday, October 30th. Once again, the Mayflower displays its uncanny capability to keep the crowds in Southampton coming back for more. Discover more info about what’s going on in the Mayflower Theatre

When people think about private singing lessons, they usually think of a small room, an old lady at the piano, and a student standing by, singing scales. Yes, that does still happen, but in this modern world, there are many other ways that you can learn how to sing. You don’t have to sing scales, you don’t have to stand there alone in fear, and you can learn to sing what you want when you want to!

The popularity of programs like American Idol has brought out a new group of vocal coaches who have their own way of teaching. They have found that by teaching people what they want to learn, and doing it in a manner that is fun and entertaining, they have gotten great results. Online music singing lessons are one of the ways that vocal coaches are reaching out to budding singers, like you and me.

If you look back over the past 15 years, you will be amazed at the changes that have happened in our lives due to the Internet. The world of vocal coaching has changed, too. You can now take lessons online, in the comfort of your own home, and for many students, it is the best way. If you are a shy singer, or are not confident in your abilities, then online lessons are a great alternative.

Music singing lessons that are taken online come in many different forms. Some lessons require you to practice, make a recording and send it in for evaluation. Other lessons provide live feedback, with you singing into a webcam. The best part of online lessons is that you can sing the type of music that you really love - and by doing so, you will enjoy practicing more. If you love country music, then you can take country music lessons and have fun while you are practicing your craft

Are you a beginning songwriter who strives towards writing songs that become hits? Do you need to know how you can improve your songwriting skill?

It’s not too complicated. Don’t try to re-invent the wheel. As far as I’m concerned the best way to improve your songwriting is to study what hit songwriters do. Forget about the mediocre stuff and learn from the leaders in the songwriting and music industry. Study what works.

As a songwriter who has written quite a few number one songs in my country, one thing that has helped me and continues to help me is the radio. I listen to the radio all the time so I know what type of song is happening. I know what people like, what they want to hear, and what is current. This gives me a good idea of what kind of song I should write to target a particular market.

When you listen to the radio, take notes on what hit songs have in common. Study the structure of these songs. What tempo seems to work? Are the chord progressions complicated or are the songs based mainly on riffs? What kind of chords are used? That way you can write songs that appeal to today’s audience. No matter how good your song is, if it sounds like something that would be better suited to ten or twenty years ago, you can forget it.

It is a shame how some songwriters treat the songwriting craft. I’m sorry, but if you do not spend time at developing your craft you are bound to fail. I don’t care if it’s baseball or dancing, those people who come out and top are the very same ones who practice everyday. Those who spend years at perfecting their craft. So learn form those who were there before you. Study and write songs everyday. Lay hold of songwriting books, get songwriting software, do anything to take you to the next level.

To improve, a songwriter needs to become more knowledgeable everyday. The more things you know about, and the more you can relate to different aspects of everyday life, the better for you. I never heard of a novelist who didn’t read constantly. The same applies to songwriting and great songwriters. You must put in a lot of work if you want to excel.

Nothing comes easy in life. Work, work, and work some more. Pattern your writing after what has been proven to work, but never copy. Do it everyday and reap the rewards.

Mantius Cazaubon offers lots of valuable songwriting tips, techniques, suggestions and advice on his site http://www.ultimatesongwriting.com Visit Ultimate Songwriting for the ultimate truth about lyric writing and songwriting.

Parents are often disappointed in the length of time their children spend at the piano practicing. Most parents think their children should be practicing longer, and they’re probably right. What parents don’t usually get, however, is that for young beginners it takes practice to learn to how practice! To overcome this learning gap parents initially need to focus on process and content rather than product.

Since everything is new to young children, it’s a mistake for parents to assume too much. For example, you may think it would be obvious to your child in piano lessons that they need to play their pieces more than one time, but this just isn’t the case with children. Most children assume that because they played a song once at home they have indeed practiced! What the young student doesn’t understand is the piano learning process. Help your student by outlining a process that will result in improvement. To do this students need two things.

1. A goal;

2. Specific practice habits that will support that goal.

Example for Beginners:

Goal: Assignment - Play Song on Page 8 in C Position 7 times each day

Good Habit 1 - Keep Your Eyes on the Music (Don’t Look at Your Hands)

Good Habit 2 - Sing the Note Names as You Play Them

Beginning songs for children take approximately 1 minute to play. Multiply by 7 and you have 7 minutes of practice. Not a long time, but with good habits this can be very affective initially and achieves the goal over a week of practice. If your child has two pieces of music assigned, that’s 14 minutes of practice. If your child does this for a few days, however, they will know their pieces so well that they won’t need to play them 7 times. Three times would then be enough. That makes the practice session shorter, not longer. Starting with 10 minutes a day of practice for a young beginner is reasonable.

As students learn more skills, their assigned music pieces become longer and more complex, and thus the practice time as it naturally makes sense to do so. The practice session can gradually extend to 15 minutes, then 20, then 25 until the student knows how to apply themselve at the piano for 30 minutes.

The focus at the beginning should not be solely on length of practice, but on daily practice strategies that are effective. In this way young students gradually gain the musical foundation of skills they need to play more complex music that will require more time to learn. By focusing on weekly goals and specific habits that apply strategy to learning students acquire a repertoire of practice habits that develop skills they can rely on to learn more difficult music and practice longer.

For great home piano activities parents can use to help children ages 5 to 11 develop their musical talent, visit Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources You’ll find a treasure box filled with piano resources to create an exciting musical adventure for your child - right in your own home! Visit their website and subscribe to their f’ree internet newsletter so you can download f’ree piano sheet music and mp3s of original piano compositions.

These exciting stories, games, piano lessons, and inspirational gifts feature the Piano Adventure Bears, Mrs. Treble Beary and her new piano student, Albeart Littlebud. Young students follow along with Albeart to learn what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that kids readily understand appreciate. Click here to visit PianoAdventureBears.com For a wealth of information about piano lessons, visit tallypiano.com