Parents Play the Most Central, Yet Vulnerable Roles in Children's Music Education

The three basic parties who take part in children's music education are the child, the teacher (or teachers) and the parents.

To best understand how the young musician will regard music lessons, we must ask: "How should parents plan for the musical education of their children and what they know about it?" As a rule, there are two main things to consider: the choice and cost of the instrument, auxiliary materials and lessons; and the search for a good teacher. After that, the preparation for the child's musical training is largely complete. However, buying the instrument and paying for lessons are not the most complex part of music education, although many parents think so and believe that the rest is up to the teacher and the child, who is obliged to frequent music lessons on a regular basis and do the homework. In fact, to parents, it all seems very easy! "Did you do your homework today? Have you practiced that piece enough? Have you learned the fingers in an etude? Come on, play the piece you had to memorize!"

Here's the simple truth: The reasons behind one's success in music education as well as the loss of interest creep in absolutely imperceptibly, and often during quite a long period of time. First, then, let's discuss what happens when a child loses interest. Again, parents are the most integral and important parts of the equation when it comes to their children's success or loss of interest in musical education. When a child gets bored with his or her lessons, the parents, who by that point are exhausted by battles with the child to practice and often feel financially pinched from the costs of the instrument and the lessons, must then face the difficult decision of whether to terminate the lessons.

While preparing the materials for my book, Voices of our Children, I talked to parents and teachers and asked them what they considered to be the prime reason behind the child's loss of interest. Can you guess who a whopping 80 percent considered to be at fault? The child! It was he/she who did not want to continue the education! What's more important is that after terminating the lessons, very few parents asked themselves why their child lost interest. Let's look the perspective of each participant in this scenario:

The child. He is happy! His "tortures" have finally ended. He no longer has to hear unpleasant things about his careless attitude toward music lessons. No one will ever force him to learn music against his will! Now he is free from tiresome lessons and can spend time doing things he likes!

The teacher. Not every teacher, especially not those who often lose students, will search for the real reasons behind a child's loss of interest in music lessons. It is easier for some teachers to accuse or blame the student than to admit to their own mistakes.

In this case, what does the teacher do? He quickly forgets about former students and places an ad to get new ones - he has to earn a living. It's just a job.

Parents. Believe it or not, but I think that when the child quits musical training, the parents suffer the most - not only because they have invested in this venture materially, but because along with the termination of music education they must part with their own dreams, hopes, and an opportunity to discover and develop their child's true talent that might not have been obvious.

Now, when the child quits music lessons, he can quickly redirect his attention to new interests. The teacher, who has lost the student, can compensate for his loss by finding a replacement. But the parents do suffer the most - they cannot "move on" - they cannot replace own child with another!

Therefore, to avoid this problem before it hits home, I strongly believe parents should prepare for their children's music education ahead of time. They should know beforehand what awaits them in the future, and should be ready for possible hardships.

[CF]Jang Keunsuk & Park Shin Hye - Making of Etude Pearl Bead BB CF

both looked so adorable and lovable ^^ they enjoyed the filming as well..hehhe.. ^^ [cr: Etude.co.kr + Eels International]



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ic1JDytGSo&hl=en

Print Free Wine Labels Online

Many people like to make there own wine and if you want to give you wine as a gift then you need to put a nice label on it. One of the best ways to do this is to search online for a place where you can create and print your own labels free of cost. This is a good thing to do because it will personalize your wine and your friends and family will enjoy getting something that you have created as a gift. There are so many choices and options when it comes to creating your own wine labels so make sure you add your own personal touch to your label.

It is also important that when you are printing your own wine labels that you have the right high quality paper so that you can have a label that looks nice and professional to wow your family and friends. Also you need to know what is the best way to attach your wine label to the bottle. You can search online for free wine templates so that it will make it easier for you to create and print your special wine label.

Before you start you want to make sure that you have all the supplies that you need such as quality paper and glue that is easy to use like a glue stick. It make take a few times of practice to get it right but cutting and gluing the labels can be easier than you might expect.

Remember that if you are looking to create and print your own wine labels then you can use the internet to find free templates to make them look professional.

Copain Winery Monument Tree Pinot Noir

So I've been saving a specific bottle of wine to enjoy with my wife since my first trip to Napa and Sonoma after starting Uncorked Ventures, a Copain 2007 Monument Tree Pinot Noir.

I believe I've talked a little about Copain before in this space, but I am a fan of much of the wine they make and their winemaker Wells Guthrie. He has a rather unique style for the area and has really been at the forefront of pushing other winemakers to attempt to control the alcohol levels in their wine. Much of the wine that Copain makes ends up with alcohol content 1-2% lower then the competition. They're able to do this by being very careful about where they source their grapes (usually colder climates) as well as how/when the fruit is harvested (middle of the night when possible to control heat transfer during fermentation).

From a business to business perspective I appreciate the way that they've treated us as a start up and as a consumer I greatly appreciate the fact that their wines occupy a range of prices starting at around $20 for their Tous Ensambles series. I do believe they leave some money on the table on a number of their wines which are sold in the $40-$50 range-which are consistently great values many scoring 90+ ratings from Parker and the Wine Entusiast.

Ok so about that Pinot.....as good as I remember it. In fact maybe a bit better given the 6 months or so of rest as well as the thirty minutes of decanting (yeah, yeah I know not ideal). On the nose it's hard to pick up individual flavors, but it definitely is a dark berry type of smell. On the palate it is noticeably brighter then you'd imagine with cherry being the predominant flavor-the structure of the wine is quite good and really shows Wells ability as most Pinot's don't hold up this well.

Overall at around $50, to me it is a clear buy. I am an unapologetic Pinot Noir fan (both because of the flavor profiles and the story of the grape itself) which comes sometimes much to my business partner and father in laws dismay, but I will be interested in comparing this Pinot to some of the more highly hyped Oregon versions.

Lastly I would be remiss if I did not mention where the Monument Tree moniker comes from. Monument Tree is a vineyard about a two hour drive north of San Francisco. Since Copain aims to trim alcohol levels they source fruit from both the Central Coast of California (think on the ocean just north of Santa Barbara) as well as some of the cooler valley's north of SF. As you can see Monument Tree vineyard is named after a redwood tree which still stands in the middle of the vineyard.

Wine Fraud - What's in Your Bottle?

When I was little, my grandmother had a grapevine on the fence that separated her house from her neighbor's house. My sisters and I spent hours arguing with the boys next door; we said the vine was ours and they said it was theirs. The grapes, we reasoned, were on our side of the fence, but the vine, they said, was rooted on their side. This argument went on for months, until the grapevine eventually died, leaving the grapes wilted and shriveled. When this happened, knowing the vine was worthless, I told the boys next door that they could have the grapevine if they gave me their yo-yo. They agreed and I ran off with my new toy. Unbeknownst at the time, I had just committed a pseudo-form of wine fraud.

Wine fraud, by definition, is a type of fraud where customers are sold wine illegally. Like a grape known for being seedy or a vineyard known for being shady, wine fraud has the potential to spoil the wine lover's spirit. This wine is sometimes filled with chemicals that can cause sickness or it is cheap wine sold for prices much higher than it's worth. While it may seem that wine fraud is limited to wines sold in back alleys, or out of the trunks of beaten down cars, many cases of wine fraud are sold by seemingly legit vendors. You may have been a victim of wine fraud and never even realized it.

This type of fraud can have many faces, with one being label fraud. During this, labels of pricey wines are adhered to non-expensive bottles and sold as if they are the real thing. Just as fake Cuban cigars often contain real Cuban cigar labels, fake bottles of Chateau Lafite often contain real Chateau Lafite labels. This leads people to pay extreme amounts of money for bottles of wine that may be filled with something as cheap as Mad Dog.

As with many fraudulent operations, label fraud often involves a large number of people. With organization that mirrors a car theft ring, this fraud brings several people together with the intent of labeling unknowing consumers "ripped off." In 2000, for example, authorities in Italy uncovered a warehouse filled with close to twenty thousand bottles of inexpensive wine adorned with 1995 Sassicaia Super Tuscan labels.

One the other end of the fraudulent spectrum, wine fraud can also involve mixing toxic chemicals with wine, a combination that can be fatal. This may be performed in an attempt to increase the alcohol content of a low-alcohol wine or to make a type of wine more flavorful. When wine sellers or makers engage in this type of wine fraud, they are gambling with more than just scamming people out of their money: they are also gambling with people's lives. In 1986, an Italian winemaker mixed wood alcohol with his wine to increase the wine's potency. This resulted in the death of 23 people.

Perhaps the most common type of wine fraud is wine blending, an act that blends cheaper wine with more expensive wine and passes the wine off as authentic. This can involve a variety of wines. Wine makers have been caught blending everything from a cheap Rioja wine with Bordeaux to an expensive red Burgundy with inferior wine and selling the bottles at an inflated price.

To prevent wine fraud from ruining the industry, many of the world's major wine producers have begun taking preventative action. One preventive action involves placing serial numbers on bottles of wine, serial numbers that prove the wine's authenticity and value. This, unfortunately, does not provide protection for older wines, wine that were bottled years ago.

For you, the consumer, preventive action must also be practiced. Understanding that wine fraud exists is the first step in making sure you're never given a bottle that is blended, filled with toxic chemicals, or worth much less that you pay. If the label is particularly old looking, and appears that it is has been taken off another bottle and placed on yours, it's best to stay away from it. It is also best to only buy wine from reputed dealers; if the wine seller asks you if you want to buy a watch, it's best to turn away. And, most importantly, never give up your yo-yo for a lousy old grapevine.

Washington Wines- Just East of Greatness

When people think of the wines of the northwest, chances are they ignore Washington and think mainly of Oregon. With its penchant for Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir, Oregon has seemingly left Washington state Pinot Poor. Yet, Oregon is not the only state in this upper region capable of making wine, Pinots or otherwise. Washington, over the past decade and a half, has developed into a major wine player and now has more than the ability to serve as Oregon's tag team partner. Move over timber, the northwest has a new baby.

Washington Wine is perhaps the tastiest alliteration in vocabulary today (sorry, pickled peppers, you were a close second). Full of flavor, concentration, and body, Washington Wines are giving everyone a reason to wash down their steak with a bottle of Merlot. Yet, it wasn't always like this.

The first grapes in Washington were planted in the late 1800's. Quite literally late bloomers, they didn't fully develop into greatness until the early 1990's when people began to realize three important things: Washington possessed the same latitude as famous European wine regions, Washington had - on average - two more hours of sunlight a day than California, and Washington contained areas shielded by the Cascade Mountains. This shield left eastern Washington under a geographical umbrella, providing vineyards with nearly ideal climate.

For these reasons, winemakers began to make wine in the eastern portion of the state. In fact, the decision was made to plant eight out of nine viticultural areas in eastern Washington (and four out of five dentists agreed). The sole western wine region is Puget Sound. Laying west of the Cascade Mountains, it spends its day producing grapes that excel in cold climate - such as Madeline Sylvaner, Muller-Thurgua, and Siegerrebe - and its nights singing Celine Dion's "All by Myself."

The eastern viticultural areas include Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, Red Mountain, Walla Walla, Horse Heaven Hills, Wahluke, Rattlesnake Hills, and Columbia Gorge. These areas are famous most notably for two grapes: Merlot and Cabernet. Labeled as among the best red wines in the world, to some people no Merlots and Cabernets can compare to the ones made in eastern Washington.

On the white side of things, eastern Washington is best known for Chardonnays, Rieslings, and Sauvignon Blancs. However, Chenin Blanc, Fruit Wines, Semillon, and Sparkling Wines are also gaining in popularity.

The conditions of eastern Washington may seem like a winemakers dream, but it is not without its faults. While viticulturists reap the benefits of a regular growing season and grapes that attain perfect ripening, they must also deal with fits of weather. Mother Nature occasionally wrecks havoc on this area with winter freezes, leaving wine growers to label her a "drama queen" and also destroying portions of vineyards. Sometimes, it takes several years to bring a vineyard back to full production.

Taking leads from its southern competition, Washington is in the middle of creating a tourism industry that parallels Napa Valley. However, Washington has found itself tangled in a vine of obstacles. These include the remoteness of many of the vineyards - as many of them are located in the proverbial "middle of nowhere" - and lack of lodging (people may find themselves all wined up with nowhere to go). The lack of transportation hubs is also a factor. Nonetheless, the Washington Wine Tourism Task Force was created in 2000. And so, Operation: Wine and Dine, continues.

If a Napa Valley-like industry is eventually created, it would likely benefit Washington on astounding levels, adding a new element to the economy, creating knowledge of the wine industry, and giving Seattle - the Washington city where tourists tend to flock - some much needed space....needle.

As of right now, Washington will just have to be happy with where it stands, showing the world that Washington mountains aren't the only thing capable of erupting. Already second in varietal wine production in the US, this blossoming industry has over 31,000 acres dedicated to vineyards, and 120,000 grapes harvested each year. Washington also ships its product to over 40 nations, giving us Americans the assurance that at least one of our Washingtons is on good terms with the rest of the world.

Eternal Sonata - Revolution

& Fmt = 18 Add the link above if you can not read the text. Frédéric Chopin - Revolution / Revolutionary Etude in C minor, op. 10 No. 12



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeLHF0jd4Y4&hl=en