Today in MusIQ Club!

December 22, 2008 – History of Jingle Bells! – Did you know that Jingle Bells was first written for Thanksgiving? Or that it was the first song broadcast from space, in a Christmas-themed prank by two Gemini 6 astronauts on December 16, 1965. They sent Mission Control this report:

We have an object, looks like a satellite going from north to south, probably in polar orbit… I see a command module and eight smaller modules in front. The pilot of the command module is wearing a red suit…

Read More & Download Jingle Bells Sheet Music…

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October 17, 2008 – Weekend Video – Magical Improvisation & Jennifer Zinn. The ability to create music or “jam” on a whim with other musicians is a fun and fulfilling skill. Watch the following video with your child and ask them what music they can create with just 1 – 5 notes! Watch Video…

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October 10, 2008 – Weekend Video – Benjamin Zander: Classical music with shining eyes on TED.com. One of our favorite websites is TED.com and this video is rated one of the most inspiring (for adults or children ages 12+). Take 20 minutes to experience the power of music. Watch Video…

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October 8, 2008 – New Study: Musicians use both sides of their brains more frequently than average people. Vanderbilt University psychologists have found that professionally trained musicians more effectively use a creative technique called divergent thinking, and also use both the left and the right sides of their frontal cortex more heavily than the average person. Read more…

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October 4, 2008 – This summer, thousands of Canadians submitted their idea of the ‘perfect’ anthem for CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada. Though all the 5 semi-finalist anthems are great, we’re particularly fond of Sticks to the Ice, by 13 year old, Robert Burke. Robert “has been playing piano for as long as he can remember” and it shows!