I fear I’ve been slow in
seeing it and I wonder how much I may have missed. We all can see, in
abundance, how the Internet has changed, is changing, and with very little
imagination project the changes, which will surely appear in the not too
distant future.
When Facebook first appeared
on the net I mistakenly thought it was a format for teenagers; I was wrong,
within a very short period of time I had made contact with old friends from
high school and conservatory that I hadn’t seen or heard from in more years
that I care to count. Among other surprises on Facebook were numerous YouTube
postings, which again, I saw as a medium for young people to show their garage
rock bands or share their various modes of partying; it was that,
but it was much more.
During the last few days
I’ve found posted on my Facebook homepage several YouTube videos that
represented absolutely superb performances of various types of music. As an
example:
These five items are
examples of world-class excellence found on my Facebook home page in JUST
ONE DAY.
I have no intention of doing
a review here but I can assure you of the superb level you will encounter at
these sites and that these sites will be required viewing for all my
students.
In music, the best method
for learning is by listening to example and imitating it. It seems the examples
of excellence available now on the Internet are abundant and far easier to find
and experience than to research and discriminate the latest CDs.
Learning resources are
changing, we are able to experience new materials at a grater frequency than
ever before; the results are already evident and it seems clear that this
greater frequency is accelerating. Take advantage and enjoy.
Tokyo,
November 21, 2010 --- Revised August 20, 2013
