Music Gifts

In our efforts to continue to expose you to all things that are music related here at Alberts Gifts, we segue now not to music gifts or music collectibles, but to Music collections!  Thanks to the Smithsonian and The National Museum of American HistoryThe American Music Collections document this country’s diverse popular music and performance traditions. The strength of these collections is the music of the late nineteenth through the twentieth centuries including Big Band jazz, Gospel and African American sacred music, and folk music. Among the largest of these collections are the Duke Ellington Collection, 1927-1988 spanning nearly the entire life and career of one of America’s most recognized musicians and the Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music containing images, music, and lyrics of American life and culture between 1790 and the 1980s.

Another significant portion of these collections documents the commercial manufacture and traditional building of music instruments. The manufacture and sale of pianos in America are represented by the Wurtlitzer Company Records, 1860-1987, Sohmer & Company Records, 1872-1989, Chickering & Sons Piano Co. Collection, 1864-1985. In addition there is the Albert F. Moglie Violinists and Violin-making Collection containing materials from ca. 1917 to 1985 and the Paul Cadwell Banjo Collection illustrating the development of the banjo and banjo music between 1880 and 1980.

Music’s role in American advertising can be found in the N W Ayer Advertising Agency Collection, 1849-1996, Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, ca. 1790-1945, and the “Pepsi Generation” Oral History and Documentation Collection, 1938-1986.

Other important collections include the Ernie Smith Jazz Film Collection, 1910s-1970s (mostly 1930s-60s), Frank Schiffman Apollo Theater Collection; Wade in the Water Radio Series Collection of sacred African American Music, 1994; J Scott Odell Collection of Folk Music, 1964-1977; and the Virgil Whyte “All-Girl” Band Collection, 1942-1948 and 1991-1993.

Recent acquisitions include the Ella Fitzgerald Collection, ca. 1938-1996, Ray McKinley Music and Ephemera, 1945-1994, and the Bluestime Power Hour Videotape Collection, 1997-1998.

Another great resource is  The Online Resources for Music Scholars provided by Harvard University. And yet another provided by The Library of Congress. What you will find is that music has a vast and deep history not only worldwide but also in the United States. Truly the gift of music can take many forms, but the bottom line is that a music gift is the gift of music in whatever form you choose it to be in.

Whether you’re a casual listener or a serious music student, here’s the site for basic information about classical music. Created in cooperation with W.W. Norton & Company, it’s built around Essential Classics, the series specially designed to introduce you to the best music of every period. All through the site you’ll find almost 200 excerpts from Essential Classics.

You’ll also find Eras: Overviews of the six main periods in music history — Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Twentieth Century.

Composers: Brief biographies of nearly 70 composers, which will bring to life the artists and their works.

And a great Glossary: 200 definitions with numerous musical examples.

As always Music gifts can come in many forms and this is just another example of music in a form that we can all appreciate. Classical music is the origin of all music that we listen to today. So this music site is a great way for all of us to understand, how it all began.

The mission of the American Music Therapy Association is to advance
public awareness of the benefits of music therapy and increase access
to quality music therapy services in a rapidly changing world.

One of the many gifts of music that can’t be given in the actual form of a gift is the gift of Music therapy. Music Therapy is an established healthcare profession that uses music to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals of all ages.  Music therapy improves the quality of life for persons who are well and meets the needs of children and adults with disabilities or illnesses.  Music therapy interventions can be designed to:

• promote wellness

• manage stress

• alleviate pain

• express feelings

• enhance memory

• improve communication

• promote physical rehabilitation.

Research in music therapy supports its effectiveness in a wide variety of healthcare and educational settings and has a very valued place in today’s society. Alberts Gifts realizes that the gift of music can be in many forms and that regardless of which form it is, be it a tangible music gift that you might give someone on a special occasion or the gift of music therapy to help someone in a time of need or in an educational setting, the result is the same. A moment like no other.  Music has healing qualities that can be in so many shapes and forms and music therapy just happens to be one of many. To the American Music Therapy Association, Alberts Gifts, salutes you.

The Healing Music Organization provides information, resources, tools and a forum for dialogue to people interested in the healing power of music and sound. The Healing Music Organization serves as a bridge between the worlds of spirituality and medicine by honoring the value of both modalities. It supports the concept of miracles in healing when the spirit and body learn to harmonize together and resonate with the vast energy of the universe.

The Healing Music Organization supports the concepts of entrainment, harmonics and resonance in serving a vital role in bringing body, mind and emotions into alignment with a person’s spiritual essence. This alignment allows the opportunity for experiencing deep healing, a sense of lasting wholeness and continued wellness.

The Healing Music Organization was born out of one womans  love for music, and the excitement over the incredible healing she experienced in combining sound and intention. 

Because of this it was her sincere desire for this website to be a comprehensive source of information and a working resource for those who want to learn more about the science and art of vibrational medicine (also known as psychoacoustics), sound healing and music therapy.

The Healing Music Organization advocates no one specific modality, but presents all possibilities for those who want to learn. It does not feel that sound and music should be a substitute for seeking the advise of a medical practitioner.

We here at Albert’s Gifts found that the PNC Broadway Across America 07-08 season is well under way. There are a bunch of great Broadway productions coming to the Greater Pittsburgh region. Here are the up coming shows that are all showing as part of the PNC Broadway Across America 07-08 season. These are great shows, some have been classics and others are new hits, but they are all very entertaining.

Twelve
Angry Men

Heinz Hall
Tuesday, Oct 23 – Oct 28, 2007
Tickets: $19.50 – $54.50

Avenue
Q

Benedum Center
Tuesday, Nov 20 – Nov 25, 2007
Tickets: $20.50 – $62.00

Disney’s
The Lion King

Benedum Center
Thursday, Jan 10 – Feb 17, 2008
Tickets: $24.50 – $74.50

Sweeney
Todd

Heinz Hall
Tuesday, Jan 29 – Feb 3, 2008
Tickets: $22.50 – $64.00

The
Drowsy Chaperone

Benedum Center
Tuesday, Feb 26 – Mar 2, 2008
Tickets: $20.50 – $64.00

The
Wedding Singer

Benedum Center
Tuesday, Apr 8 – Apr 13, 2008
Tickets: $20.50 – $62.00

The
Ten Tenors

Heinz Hall December 27-30, 2007

Hairspray

Heinz Hall March 18-22, 2008

Jesus
Christ Superstar

Benedum Center April 25-27, 2008

If you are planning on attending any of these great shows over the course of their season. Why not check out some accessories that would make the night all that more memorable. Get these Opera glasses to see all the details, or if you like subtle accents check out some cufflinks and jewelry.

PNC Broadway Across America – Pittsburgh is a presentation of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Symphony, and Live Nation.

Making a difference through the gift of music
Songwriter reaches out to sick children by producing songs for, about them

By Rehema Ellis

Correspondent

NBC News

For songwriter John Beltzer, music is his passion. And while his songs have never topped the music charts, he says “every song you write for a child is a guaranteed hit.”

Especially when it’s a personalized song for a child battling a life-threatening illness.

Like Lindsey, a diabetic. Or Meagan and Ashley, both diagnosed with leukemia.

“Who drives the car, Ashley Abernathy,” one song goes.

Beltzer began writing songs for kids 10 years ago as a tribute to his twin brother, Julio, who committed suicide.

He worked with hospitals to identify sick children.

The lyrics are based on information from profile sheets filled out by parents and kids. All their favorite things — friends, hobbies, even pets — are set to music.

“We don’t address the illness in the songs, we address who they are as beautiful people,” Beltzer says.

Beltzer and a few friends were writing the songs and tirelessly seeking donations to get them produced through his non-profit foundation, Songs of Love.

They composed 30 songs in a year. Today, with an army of volunteers nationwide, the foundation produces 250 songs a month. And now, a milestone: 10,000 songs.

His 10,000th song was written for Saeed Boynes, who has sickle cell anemia.

“It was amazing,” Boynes says. “I really liked it.”

“It captured my son and that really makes me feel good,” Saeed’s mother, Sylvia Boynes, says.

“I feel really proud of the fact that I was able to in my own way contribute to the goodwill of this world,” Beltzer says.

One songwriter in tune with sick children, and writing their songs.

© 2007 MSNBC Interactive

Recently Alberts Music  came across the Children’s Music Workshop which  is a music education company specializing in a variety of products and services including custom designed band and orchestra method books, school site music instruction, instrument sales and rentals, music education advocacy and more.

Children’s Music Workshop currently coordinates instrumental music programs at more than two dozen public and private schools in the greater Los Angeles area.

Instruction is offered before school, during the school day and after school – depending on the needs of each individual school.

Children’s Music Workshop administers every aspect of the instrumental music program including student recruitment and enrollment, instrument sales and rentals, music selection and distribution, weekly or bi-weekly instruction and all recital and concert performances.

Experts have proven that music education not only enhances a child’s academic performance in math and science, it also engenders teamwork, communication and other social skills that are critical to success as an adult.

And a long list of facts and figures show music’s positive impact on children and society at large — including higher SATs, higher IQs and lower dropout rates.

It is their goal to help put music education back where it belongs — in the curricula of public and private schools — by providing a high quality, integrated, flexible and affordable music education program for all students. Alberts Music Gifts salutes organizations like this that can further enhance music and it’s appreciation.