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About Music and You
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"Music can turn a gray day into energy, a blue mood into light,
an experience into a memory, and always an opportunity to
share love. This is what I always find when sharing the gift of music".
"Alana LaGrange"
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I have loved
the piano since a little girl. We had an very old
piano, with the ivory keys and no action, but it didn't matter, I just loved being at the piano. I wish I had a picture of little 5 year, playing and playing. Then we upgraded to a baby grand, and I was there constantly. That was fine with the family, or let's say until I tried to sing! As graduate of Sherwood School of Music, I loved playing classical music, but always wanted the freedom of playing jazz. At the time, I certainly did not know what it would take to be a professional jazz artist. Fortunately, I met Bud Conway and continued my education with him, a renown artist and teacher. It was one of the most important and exciting times of my life, to sit with him and to be included in his jam sessions in the studio. He was friends with George Shearing, and I was able to sit with them in the studio after concerts, listening and learning everything that I could soak up. They were so much fun, and I loved all the "Jive Talk" that went on in the conversations. This is where I learned to think of music differently which is to lay in the foundation with jazz chords, then let her rip. Bud, passed away in 1991, and his wife gave me the privilege and honor of asking me to carry on his work. That is how Music and You happened. I have a box of his writings, and I have all his transcriptions of the Bach Chorales, which he has analyzed, in his own hand writing. I promised his wife, Pearl, that I would get them on the internet and share them, but, as you see, I haven't done this yet, as it seems such an overwhelming task. I know I will get it done, but in time. I have enjoyed all of my students over the years. I am now teaching the LIVE-on the internet with my 'Simply Grand Piano Workshop" and again, this has become an extraordinary experience. I am with students from all over the world, and their progress has been absolutely amazing. Not to mention, all of the wonderful relationships that have taken place. I knew this would be a very unique experience, but had no idea that I would have such extraordinary students with a strong desire to learn. They are definitely taking the opportunity to learn from me, and I am enjoying all their new discoveries and successes. Who would know that a little girl from Holly Michigan would be able teach piano, live, on the internet and have students from many countries. I don't think the internet was even a thought at that time. I'm currently working on a new CD, writing original music, which hopefully will be out in 2011, and am pursuing a concert series. Although, this year, I had a freak accident in which a run away car ran over me, and broke my collar bone in 2 severe breaks and everything has been on hold. I am healing and fortunately had a lot of the classes written for the live classes, so I didn't have to cancel lessons, but have had to cancel many performances for the remaining year. I'm always in Palm Springs in December, playing with the orchestra, and will miss my musical family. Enjoy the web site and all the music, and always be "Simply Grand". Alana LaGrange
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About Alana Alana is a classically trained jazz, recording artist and arranger, and teacher and has taken her own experiences learning piano and applied them to the online lessons. Her professional career is now an asset to all students who are studying with Music and You. Most advanced teachers do not teach beginning lessons, and that is why it is so important to her to teach this course online. |
Music and You does not grant permission for copying text,
graphics, free piano music, or sound recordings from this site.
© by Alana LaGrange 1999 All rights reserved
Music and You does not grant permission for copying text,
graphics, music lessons, or sound recordings from this site.
Please contact me for permissions. alana@musicandyou.com