Three Facts about Opera that Might Surprise You
Opera is fascinating but can be a bit mysterious to those who are new to it. Basically, operas tell stories through song. But what’s unique about opera singing? Well, opera singers are trained to be able to perform in large theaters, without microphones, and to be heard and understood clearly over the orchestra. Opera is […]
Ah, the Sounds of Spring!
Are you feeling the beginnings of spring fever yet? Spring will be here any day now, and it’s a season that has inspired countless artists, including composers. One spring story stands out – the Greek myth of Persephone. The story was set to music by Igor Stravinsky back in 1934 in a work called, naturally, […]
Learning to be great
Every great musician had that moment when they picked up their first instrument and thought, “Now what?” And that could happen to someone at any age, whether it’s the first instrument picked up or the latest. Getting started is the beginning of an adventure. Is it an adventure you’ve ever sought out? Well, here are […]
Mount Hebron Music Students to Perform Chamber Music
On Sunday, March 12, 2023, at 4 p.m., the Howard County Concert Odyssey will host an evening of chamber music at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ellicott City. In keeping with the Odyssey’s mission of encouraging music students within our region, the performance will feature students from the Mount Hebron High School Department of Music […]
Drumming Up 6 Fun Facts
Welcome to a fresh new year! Let’s start our musical journey by looking at an instrument that has deep roots in the past but is just as relevant today as it was at the beginning of civilization: the mighty drum. Here are some little-known and fun facts about the world’s oldest musical instrument. The oldest […]
Carols: Did you know … ?
‘Tis the season! It’s the time of year when we try to forget about politics, problems and pandemics, and simply enjoy the music – namely, carols. A carol is actually a song of joy or mirth. Today they’re usually religious, but they don’t have to be. In fact, the earliest carols were pagan songs. Here […]
Ragtime and the great Eubie Blake
An exuberant and decidedly American style of music, ragtime introduced the world to exciting new rhythms. It changed the dance scene, influenced early jazz, and broke through the color barrier of early 20th-century music. Ragtime’s heyday may have been in the 1920s, but it has made numerous comebacks – and we’re still enjoying it today. […]
Fun facts about our favorite brass instruments
This month we’re delighted to welcome the incredibly talented Barclay Brass. This ensemble features the trumpet, trombone, French horn, euphonium and tuba. How much do you know about these classic instruments? Read on and get to know them in anticipation of a great performance! Trumpet Trumpets have been around for quite a while, although they haven’t […]
Happy 100th anniversary
This year we’re celebrating an odd anniversary. It may not be well known, but 1922 was a peculiarly notable year in music. Maybe it was an influence from World War I, maybe the planets just aligned. Whatever the reason, some interesting things happened! Here are a few of the events that made 1922 musically memorable. […]
5 Times the Cosmos Inspired Classical Music
As NASA releases the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope, we can’t help but be inspired by the wonder of space. Not surprisingly, classical composers over the years have also been inspired by the heavens. Here are five cosmic compositions worth checking out. Naturally, that first work that comes to mind is The […]