We want to wish all of our readers a very Happy Mother’s Day! One mother recently said, “Mothers are the quiet unsung heroes!” Mothers are more concerned about their children’s needs then their own. (Selflessness) Mothers love their children with their whole heart and are willing to sacrifice for their children’s needs. (Unconditional love) Music is a powerful tool for motivating, inspiring, educating and soothing pain. Remember no one is immune to the power of music! Parents remember to have classical music on your family’s iPod.
Our blog/article and Radio Show features Alexandra Grinsell our “Top College Graduate Award winner of 2016. Also included are two articles on how music aids patient therapy. Our May article of the month is “Connecting & Empowering Others” by Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM.
Radio Show Feature Question for May 2016: Alexandra (Alex) Grinsell, how does Classical music play a part of your life as our Radio Show’s “Top College Academic Graduate of May 2016” and what musical instrument do you play?”
https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/one-minute-radio-show-2016/
Alexandra Grinsell our “Radio Show’s Top College Award winner of 2016” is graduating on May 14, 2016 at the College of William & Mary with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing with a concentration in Process Management and Consulting. During her studies she double majored in Marketing and English.
“Alexandra (Alex) Grinsell, how does Classical music play a part of your life as our Radio Show’s “Top College Academic Graduate of May 2016” and what musical instrument do you play?”
Alex: “I am a second generation musician in my family. I play violin, my father plays piano, my sister plays piano, and my brother plays piano and double bass. I began studying the violin in the 2nd grade with you, Dr. Frank and continued through the 12th grade. Also I played solo, chamber music, and orchestra concerts with your class for fourteen years.
Dr. Frank: “At The College of William & Mary what is your major and minor in and did any of your professors inspire you?”
Alex: “At school, I am a double major in Marketing and English. For my business major, I also have a concentration in Process Management and Consulting, which is sort of like a mini-minor. There have been a few professors who have inspired me thus far. One that comes immediately to mind is Professor Dawn Edmiston, who has taught my Marketing Research and Marketing Strategy courses and also served as faculty advisor when I was on the executive board of the Student Marketing Society. She’s helped a lot in helping me understand what I want to do, career-wise, and is always willing to support in any way possible.”
Dr. Frank: “What were your favorite courses at The College of William & Mary?”
Alex: “There were a couple of courses that I really enjoyed. In terms of purely academic pursuits, I really loved Marketing Research and Consumer Behavior because they allowed me to perform experiments and understand people and their thought processes and behaviors a little better. But I also got to take really fun electives like scuba, judo, and a class called Adventure Games where we did team-building exercises and got to play on ropes courses.”
Dr. Frank: “While at The College of William & Mary were you in any clubs and take part in any leadership positions?”
Alex: “During my time at school, I was Vice President and then President of Phi Eta Sigma, a freshman honor society that recognizes new students for their academic accomplishments after their first year of study. I was also Vice President of Student-Alumni Relations for the Student Marketing Society, which held events and brought in guest speakers so that people interested in marketing could learn about and get more invested in the field. I also spend a fair amount of my time as a student intern for the Director of Facilities and Operations for the William and Mary Athletics department, where I help with scheduling and other duties and work closely with events officials, outside vendors, and other student workers.”
Dr. Frank: “While at The College of William & Mary did you participate in any sports?”
Alex: “ I participated in swimming with the William and Mary Swim Club for 2 years. We would practice on campus and then hold different social events and fundraisers and travel to other schools for meets.”
Dr. Frank: “Did you play your violin during your studies at The College of William & Mary?
Alex: “I played violin for a year (two semesters) when I was at William and Mary. I took lessons with a professor in the music department. When I wasn’t playing for class credit, I would pick up my violin to play for fun or to keep my hands busy as I did work for other classes. It would help me concentrate better.”
Dr. Frank: “While at The College of William & Mary did you listen to Classical music while studying?”
Alex: “I listened to classical music while studying to help me concentrate and keep me calm. My favorites are Vivaldi, especially the Four Seasons, and Mozart.”
Dr. Frank: “Alex, during the summers of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 where were you working?”
Alex: “For every summer after 2012, I was working at Water Country. I started out as a lifeguard and then became an instructor. Starting last summer, I have been the head supervisor in charge of training for Park Operations.”
Dr. Frank: How has playing the violin helped you through your college studies at the College of William & Mary?
Alex: “In a very obvious way, playing the violin and listening to classical music have helped me focus better on my studies and have also allowed me a productive way to take breaks. Getting to return and play in the winter and spring concerts with you, Dr. Frank, and other students and colleagues has also been a lot of fun and served as nice way to step away from school for a bit and get to play. Indirectly, I think that the discipline and attention I gained from learning to play the violin over the past 14 years has helped shape my work ethic and has ultimately made me a better students in all arenas, not just in music.”
Dr. Frank: “Alex what are your plans for the future?”
Alex: “I was recently accepted, and granted full tuition, to the MBA program for Marketing Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Come August of this year, I’ll be heading to Wisconsin to pursue my next steps in education. I hope to work in the marketing field some before pursuing a PhD and then, hopefully, working in higher education.”
Dr. Frank: “Alexandra Grinsell we are honored to have you as our Radio Show’s “Top College Graduate Award winner for 2016.” Thank you for sharing your work with our Radio Show audience.
To read Alexandra “Alex” Grinsell’s Blog from May 2012 go to:
https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/academic-scholar-alex-grinsell-may-2012/
To hear Alexandra “Alex” Grinsell’s Radio Show for May 2012 go to the link below: Alexandra (Alex) Grinsell, how does Classical music play a part of your life as our Radio Show’s Top Academic High School Student of 2012 and what musical instrument do you play?”
https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/madelines-one-minute-radio-show/
“Connecting & Empowering Others” by Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM
How do you connect with others? How can you empower yourself and others to improve?
A few years ago, I traveled to Australia and New Zealand to play a concert tour and give master classes in Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra, Australia and in Christchurch and Wellington, New Zealand at their concert halls, Universities, and music schools. A master class is when a musical artist, an expert, comes in and listens to exceptional students play and makes suggestions to improve the musicians performance. Each master class was for three and a half hours.
Our master class opened with a violinist and pianist playing Wieniawski’s Etude-Caprice, Op. 18, No.4. After they played, I began the applause for the audience to acknowledge the musicians. The students, like a student chef, had the raw materials, the ingredients, but didn’t know how to put the music together to create a masterpiece. They needed help shaping the music into beautiful phrases and melodies.
I suggested the violinist begin the piece with the bow on the string accenting every first and fourth beat of the piece, emphasizing the musical phrase and rhythm continuing his vibrato, moving his left hand fingers by rocking within the pitch and change the speed to enhance the sound. Also I asked him to add crescendos, (gradually getting louder), as the melody moves up to the top note and, decrescendos, (gradually getting softer) as the violinist played the lower notes of the melody. The violinist and I worked on a few phrases of the Wieniawski together for 5 minutes. I moved my hands conducting him through the new accents, continuous vibrato, crescendos and decrescendos.
I asked the pianist to add in the accents, the crescendos and decrescendos into her performance also. She and I worked together for 5 minutes through several phrases and I conducted her through these accents, crescendos and decrescendos.
Next, the violinist and pianist performed the Wieniawski with the changes and I conducted them emphasizing the accents, vibrato, crescendos and decrescendos; just as a musical conductor from an orchestra would. An air of excitement filled the hall as the audience listened to the gorgeous music surrounding them.
The two talented musicians played the piece with sparkle, excitement, and brilliance the way Wieniawski intended his piece to be played. When they finished their performance the audience applauded wildly. The professors listening gave the thumbs up! After hearing several more soloists with their pianists, the chamber music part of the master class began.
Four talented students, a violinist, violist, cellist, and pianist, played one of Mozart’s celebrated piano quartets, (the first Allegro movement), at a fast and lively tempo. After they played, I began the applause for the audience to acknowledge the musicians. These students like their colleagues needed help in shaping the music into beautiful phrases and melodies. First I asked the pianist to add accents, emphasizing certain notes to outline the rhythm of the musical phrase to add structure for the Mozart piano quartet. Then I asked the pianist to add in crescendos and decrescendos into the performance. I asked the pianist to play a few phrases like this and I sang the phrases and moved my hands as a conductor to show the pianist where to place the accents and the crescendos and decrescendos.
Then I worked separately with the violinist, violist, and cellist, for a few minutes, on continuing their vibrato, to enhance the sound, showed them where to place the accents for emphasis while adding crescendos, as the melody moved to the top of the phrase and, to add decrescendos, as each of the musicians played their melody, their counter melodies, and harmony lines. I worked with them by demonstrating for them on violin or viola, singing the phrases with them, and moving my hands as a conductor as they each played their section of the Mozart.
After about 15 to 20 minutes of work we put Mozart’s piano quartet back together and the musicians played the Allegro with me conducting the performance moving my hands for accents, vibrato, crescendos and decrescendos as a musical conductor would. The Mozart became a living-breathing piece full of energy and vitality.The audience applauded vigorously with great enjoyment. The performance by these young people was just glorious! By stepping back with a fresh approach the music was taken apart and put back together into beautiful flowing melodies with harmony.
We worked on turning the solos and chamber music into beautiful performances in a very short time. The three and a half-hour master class flew by.
Helping these young people make their music come alive was a privilege for me. These talented, hardworking, students were so happy to be involved in making exciting beautiful music. They enjoyed seeing their audience hear their new version of the music. Smiles abounded. Several of their teachers thanked me too! It is such a rewarding experience to help others.
What are three ways you can help others improve and grow in their work?
1) Turn a mundane performance; into a living-breathing masterpiece by connecting with an expert.
2) By taking a step back and looking with a fresh new approach to reassess the parts of the work, you will be able to put the work back together into a dazzling spectacular gem.
3) Attend seminars, read books, study audiotapes, go on to YouTube to become an expert in your field. Continue to learn and grow. Never stop learning!
Remember people learn by example not by criticism! © 2016 Madeline Frank
To contact Madeline for your next speaking engagement: [email protected]
“Lecture Explains How Music Is Instrumental In Patient Therapy” (March 31, 2016) by Bob Massey from the Florida Weekly Correspondent. Mr. Massey says, “Dr. Ramon Gil knows the perfect medication to increase happiness, alleviate pain and increase the chances of recovering from a stroke.” Dr. Gil says, “It’s music.”
Dr. Gil and Professor Roth show “ the effects of music in the brain as recorded by a functional MRI (fMRI), which uses software to color-code areas of activity.” Dr. Gil says, “For example, if you are reading the occipital lobe lights up. Now, if you ever want to see the brain light up like a Christmas tree, you have to see the brain when it’s listening to music.”
Musicians For Healing Karsyn: Morningside Senior Brings Musicians for Healing to Health Care Facilities (April 18, 2016) by Ally Karsyn from the Siouxcityjournal.com.
“About 30-40 performers have dedicated their time and talent to Musicians for Healing, a community service project founded by Hongsermeier, a “senior at Morningside College with a triple major in biology, chemistry and music”. Her teacher, Diane Gross, a flautist, has as a patient fought for her life with leiomyosarcoma, an aggressive cancer. Gross spoke to Hogsermeier during her flute lesson “about he need for music therapy in Sioux City, and Gross mentioned Musicians on Call, which brings the healing power of live music to patients in health care facilities.”
Gross said, “When you’re in these settings as a patient, you’re scared. You don’t know what’s going to happen next. Family members are scared. There’s a silence that happens that doesn’t really have a word to describe what it is. The music can take a person and transform them and they don’t even realize they’ve been transformed or calmed or filled with hope. Maybe it takes their mind away from their situation for a moment or two. It’s just the most marvelous thing. The music begins where the words leave off.”
“The Secret of Teaching Science & Math Through Music” by Madeline Frank, Ph.D. is now available in book form, and newly updated as an e-book on Kindle, Nook, or iBook:
com(Kindle) Barnes and Noble(Nook) iTunes
https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/the-secret-of-teaching-science-and-math-through-music/
“Musical Notes On Math” by Dr. Madeline Frank teaches your child fractions and decimals, the fun way, through the rhythm of music, Winner of the Parent To Parent Adding Wisdom Award is now available in book form, newly updated as an e-book on Kindle, Nook, or iBook.
com(Kindle)
Barnes and Noble(Nook) iTunes
Tips on how to use “Musical Notes On Math”
https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/musical-notes-on-math/
Madeline’s Midnight Melodies- Music From around the World” . This CD complements her books with a blend of dance music, gigues, tangos, ballet and favorites including “Danny Boy”, Puccini’s “O Mio Babbino Caro”, Debussy’s “Claire De Lune” and others. “Madeline’s Midnight Melodies” is music to relax by and to move by for music therapy. ”Madeline’s Midnight Melodies” CD is now available for purchase by downloading a song, downloading the album, or by CD by clicking below: Download Your Copy Today!
Dr. Madeline Frank’s book “Leadership on a Shoestring Budget” is now available through amazon.com Click on the following link to order your copy of “Leadership On A Shoestring Budget” is available as an e-book on Kindle or in book form. Click on the following link:
Wishing you and your family a happy Mother’s Day! Your Non-Invasive Medicine Music Expert, Madeline
For over 30 years, Dr. Madeline Frank has helped children and adults overcome problems through Classical music. Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM is an award winning teacher, author, researcher, speaker and concert artist. She has found a scientific link between studying and/or listening to musical instruments and academic and societal success. Madeline Frank earned her Bachelor and Master’s degree from the Juilliard School of Music. Her education has included scholarships at the Juilliard School, Indiana University, and the University of Cincinnati and she has a violin performance diploma from the North Carolina School of the Arts. (C) 2016 Madeline Frank.