Terminals of Excellence
I fear I’ve been slow in seeing it, 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 in 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:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x53rKc1fY7c
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DjnFl1q0IYTA&h=e7004
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUkXO6MZhD0&feature=BF&playnext=1&list=QL
And this, which is funny at a genius level:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/k-wmr-wgn/268896310513
These four 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 and that if you look, 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
