10 All the pretty horses 18 Musical healing 27 Not as wyld as it sounds 36 Mystery behind marching band 34 Life with the school of rock
crescendo
I came into this class assuming that it would feel easy, because nothing could feel harder than SciTech. I assumed wrong. While SciTech and Ezine are different in premise, and I much prefer design over engineering, the topic of the class is just the surface. I have spent this class learning to get along with people who I occasionally want to murder, to recover quickly when my feature and ASF got deleted a week before the magazine was due, and to manage time wisely. Though the period itself isn’t too structured, Ezine leaves us no time to waste. The high workload of the class sometimes left us working past the bell and into lunch. Through impending doom, fire ant bites, and a deep and abiding hatred for that one computer that doesn’t support Illustrator, I’m particularly glad of one thing: My team. Without them, this class would have been unbearable, but with them, the hardships and successes have come together into something almost fun. If I took this class again, I think my magazine would be even better, and that is all that matters to me: The fact that I learned something. Much love,
Music is an art that has been around since
I was told that this class would have little
the beginning of humanity. It has brought
work and that you would be done with the
us together, taught us, inspired us, and
magazine in a week. This was a complete
so much more. For the contributors of
lie. I had no time to do homework. All
Crescendo, it has done it all. Through our
throughout making this magazine I have
time working on this magazine we have
never lost my focus, and I’m glad I didn’t.
gone from a group of high school students
I have spent this whole semester with four
to a tight knit group of friends. Through all
other people with whom I’ve become really
of our off-days, stress tornadoes, and weird
good friends. Because of these four people I
fantasies about jellyfish, we have gotten to
have learned to work well and adapt to new
know each other’s ins and outs like nobody’s
situations, especially when technology fails
business. Not only has it taught us how to
you at the most inopportune time, oh yeah
work with InDesign and Photoshop, but
and I guess how to love too. Even though
it has also taught us the value of being a
this magazine has made me stress more
community. When technical errors deleted
than any other project this year, I would
about a fifth of our magazine, we came
willingly make it over again. Enough about
together and no tears were shed, though
me, more about music. Music is what drives
several hours were spent re-doing all of our
almost all people to finish their homework,
work. Making a magazine was like climbing
finish that extra mile on their morning run,
a mountain: The whole way up was hard
or shoot for love. For many years I have
work, and it seemed as though it would
been involved with many different forms of
never be finished, but now that we’re at the
music and while working on this magazine
top it seems as though no time has passed
I got to learn about many more. I hope this
at all. As the editor in chief of Crescendo, I
magazine will help you learn about other
will always remember our time spent on this
forms of music, inspire you and bring peo-
magazine. Music truly is a gift, and I hope
ple together, just like it has for me.
that this magazine can help you unlock its
Thank you,
inspiration, like it has for me. Enjoy,
To many people, horses and music just don’t connect. In this feature, delve into the obscure world of Musical Freestyle Dressage, the ballet-style sport where horses are the dancers. Photo Credit: Ella Castro
Take a deeper look at the hidden qualities of music by learning about two organizations that use music to help people through hard times in their life.
Photo Credit: Emily Freeman
Learn about the most popular house concert in Austin. With interviews and tips from the owners, performers and attendees.
Photo Credit: Kathy Pinsky
Take a look into some of the benefits of learning music at the School of Rock. With inside experiences from current instructors and students at the School of Rock. Photo Credit: Michael McManus
Why are so many kids spending so many hours in marching band? Read to find out.
Photo Credit: Greg Kreth
Fiona Carolan, a lifelong music lover, has been taking piano lessons since the second grade. Despite the fact that a love of music often stops at a young age, Fiona is still listening and playing. Some of her current favorite artists include Twenty-One Pilots, Adele, and Florence and the Machine, though that is only a few. Music is very important to her in many ways, and she hopes she can share her love with you. Fiona has also long enjoyed the medical sciences, including psychology, which sparked inspiration for her feature and ASF on music and the brain.
Ella Castro doesn’t play any instruments because her hand-eye coordination is dangerous. Aside from the typical several years of childhood piano lessons and forced participation as a cellist in her eighth grade orchestra, she’s always leaned more toward liberal arts than fine arts. She is, however, an avid follower and practicer of Musical Freestyle Dressage - known throughout her group as “horse dancing.” This sport, which is the subject of her feature and ASF, demonstrates her ability to connect any project to horses - somehow.
Emma Pinsky plays saxophone for the LBJ Jaguar band. Before she learned how to play the saxophone, she was in her elementary school choir. This led her to spend her time after school to play with the different instruments If she is having a bad day or something isn’t going her way she will pick up her saxophone and play any music she has ever known - and from beginning band at her middle school to soloing on the fly, she knows a lot of it. Emma is proof of the myth that band takes away every bit of free time, but being a LASA student, she makes it work.
Connor Kavanagh may be summoned using the names Eris, Moony, and Snake Mum. She enjoys binge-watching shows for the fiftieth time. She is currently an artist with a small tumblr blog and many sketchbooks. In the last four years, she has picked up the tuba, piano, vocals and - her current favorite - kit drums. Now, she is performing with the school bands, writing songs with her band and playing downtown with the School of Rock. Her love of music has sparked a desire to share the School of Rock experience with her readers.
Clay Bertotti plays alto saxophone for the LBJ High School marching band. He started playing sax when he was in sixth grade at Kealing Middle School. Clay also enjoys playing ultimate frisbee and the ancient board game Go. However, his favorite thing to do is to play video games online with his friends.
You are at a large venue to see a performance from one of you favorite bands. As your eyes graze across the stage, you could name all of the instruments up there, right? You may know their names, but chances are you don’t know how each instrument works. This tour will serve as a quick guide as you make you way around the world of instruments.
{
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The bass guitar was created to fill a niche left empty by the guitar. This niche is the ability to play music in the lower octaves.
The earliest known instruments to influence the making of a guitar are the vihuela and the lute. The guitar takes on features from both of these instruments and melds them together.
Connor Kavanagh
}
a d fg b c e
The piano was originally created to fill a niche left by its predecessor, the harpsichord. This niche is the ability to control volume for playing in order to express different musical styles and emotions. The piano’s white keys play natural notes, while the black keys play sharp or flat notes.
Some of the earliest hand drums have been found in the Middle East, the area that originally contained Mesopotamia. Since then drums have become more advanced and grouped up. This allows one drummer to play several drums at the same time, ex. Bongos, kit drums, marimba, etc.
It is a warm summer’s night, with the sound of a string quartet floating past your ears as gently as butterflies. You’re surrounded by crowds dressed as though they’re going to a wedding. Even the crickets seem humbled by the music; they remain quiet. There is a soft murmur from the crowd as the dancing begins onstage. The dancers here, however, are not people. They are horses- half a ton, hooved beasts- but they dance as well as ballerinas.
Top Left: Lexi, a Haflinger pony, demonstrates a correctly balanced headset. Bottom Right: Roxy, a mare who is learning to compete in dressage, relaxes in the pasture after a lesson. The Windsor stadium is dark, the seating lit only
equal. Like most judges and riders, she’s not
by the occasional exit sign and the glow of the
a big fan of pieces along the lines of Bee-
While Musical Freestyle is less structured
scoreboard. It’s nighttime; this is a finale of sorts.
thoven or Bach. “Classical music tends not
than classic-style dressage, it is by no
The first strains of a classical piece begin to vibrate
to have a lot of highlights,” she says. “You
means the easiest. Claire Darnell, the
through the air, transfixing the silent audience. Into
want more dynamic music, with a good
winner of many registered shows, finds
the ring, the center of attention, moves a black stal-
rhythm and beat to it.” Good music choices
that riders need to have agile minds to
lion. His rider gives a confident salute to the judges
range from the more common mixes of
compete in it. “The music doesn’t stop
and audience, and there is a split second of silence
movie soundtracks (“Think a lot of Michael
even if you run into problems during the
before the piece explodes into drums and horns.
Bay, a lot of bass,” says Diehl) to surprising
ride,” she says. “All you can do is move
The horse leaps immediately forward into a series
pieces like Lil’ Kim’s song “Lighters Up.”
on.” This doesn’t just apply to Musical
of movements that make it look like he’s dancing.
The latter was used by the second-most
Freestyle- all kinds of sports have the same
Though he weighs more than a ton, he seems lighter
valuable dressage pair in the world- Andreas
idea of not letting one screw-up ruin your
and more graceful than air.
Helgstrand and his mare, Blue Hors Mat-
performance.
ine- at the 2006 World Equestrian Games. The black stallion has an unusual name-
Competitions can be a good way to let all
Moorlands Totilas- but it hasn’t decreased
Lauren Baggett, a dressage trainer in central
a rider’s preparation show. Claire Darnell
his value. Recently sold for $21 million, he
Texas, has been competing in dressage since
won a CDI competition, which is the
is the most successful non-racing horse in
she was ten years old, and loves Musical
highest registered competition type. “My
history. Musical Freestyle Dressage, his forté,
Freestyle. “Dressage is innately a very
horse [Calimar] was super rideable and
is a type of English riding in which a horse
structured discipline, from practice at home
every moment was right with the music,”
is trained to dance to music. It features
to the tests we ride at competition,” she says.
she says. Darnell and her horse ended up
movements with such names as the piaffe,
“Musical Freestyle is the moment to put
winning the Musical Freestyle part of the
capriole, and levade, which are just as fancy
all of that structure into a dance.” Musical
competition.
as they sound. Horses jump high off the
Freestyle can be interesting to watch for ev-
Barrett Diehl, a dressage trainer at Austin’s
ground, rock back onto their hind legs, and
eryone, from judges to families and friends
own Barn 13, had a similar experience at a
trot in place.
of riders. Watching animals closer in mass
show earlier in her career. She won a show
to trucks than to humans perform what is
in North Carolina with her horse, Dawn’s
almost a ballet can be dazzling.
Peak, after a particularly good dressage
It’s pretty clear just from the name that music is an essential component to Musi-
run. “We went in and had the best test of
cal Freestyle. Picking the right kind can be
The audience has been silent through the beginning
our career together,” she says. “You can
tough and it often requires the help of a
of the piece. Quiet instruments, mostly strings,
just see how he puffed himself up and put
professional. Joan Darnell, Claire Darnell’s
have been prevalent to the ear. Though the horse is
on a show.”
mother, is a registered show judge for the
traveling with a bouncing step, there are no sharp
Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI)
angles in his movement. Energy seems to flow from
Not every horse is like Dawn’s Peak or
which is the world governing body for
his back legs over his back, up his neck, and down
Calimar. Lauren Baggett discusses how
dressage. “Sometimes people will pick pieces
his nose to complete the circle, making him look
not all horses have the mental ability to
that are not the best for their horses,” she
effortless and powerful. The sound swells, there are
compete in Musical Freestyle. “Horses can
says. “They tend to choose more ‘elevator
hints of a melody that the audience knows but can’t
be really rattled by all of [the music and
music.’” Elevator music is a common term
quite place- artfully collaged pieces of pop songs,
noise] and get tense and nervous.” To do
used in the dressage world to reference mu-
each too short to recognize. He is clearly showing
dressage at all, a horse has to be emotion-
sic that doesn’t have much of a beat.
off, charging straight for the other side of the arena
ally stable. With the added component of
with the speed and ease of a train before gracefully
loud music
Joan Darnell understands from experience
coming to a complete stop and turning a pirouette.
with judging that not all music is created
Edward Gal, his rider, flashes a grin to the crowd.
Above Left: Margo Mellon’s saddle allows her to sit comfortably while she focuses on balance and rhythm. Above Right: Raspberry, an American Quarter Horse, completes a tight turn with a young rider. and cheering crowds in Musical Free-
just as he can feel every breath and heartbeat of the
resonate with nearly anyone who’s compet-
style (the audience at most classic-style
animal that is his partner. He doesn’t think twice-
ed, especially those who have been to shows
dressage shows remains silent until the
just continues as though nothing has happened. The
with prizes like saddles worth thousands of
end of the test), horses can have a hard
horse is confident, his ego inflated by the crowds, and
dollars. “I was coming down the centerline
time staying calm.
follows his rider’s lead. As far as the judges and au-
when i realized I didn’t know if I was sup-
dience know, nothing happened.
posed to turn right or left, let alone the en-
A horse has to be emotionally capable,
Horses travel at four distinct speeds (known
tire rest of my test,” she says. “The test was a
but it also has to have the physical con-
as gaits), each one marked by the number of
complete bomb and I didn’t make it past the
dition to dance. According to Barrett
beats, or footfalls, within a stride. Each speed
first three moves. I walked out in tears, mor-
Diehl, horses should have “conforma-
feels different to ride, and looks different to
tified, thinking my season was over.” Many
tion that allows them to sit and really
an audience. From slowest to fastest, these
people who have competed in anything from
push from behind.” This is just one of
are the four-beat walk, two-beat trot, three-
dance to gymnastics to equestrian sports will
the terms only used by professionals like
beat canter, and two-beat gallop. “The walk
know the feeling of completely blowing a test
Diehl, referring to horses’ musculature
has a quiet kind of music,” says Joan Dar-
and having to move past it for the rest of a
and bone structure. Some horses aren’t
nell, “The trot has a clear two-beat kind, and
competition or a season. “Perfection is your
born with good bodies, and while they
the canter needs a jumping kind of rhythm.”
worst enemy,” Baggett concluded.
may be absolutely incredible lesson or
If the music playing for each gait was incor-
trail mounts, they often don’t have a fu-
rect, it would make the test look disjointed
Dressage, particularly Musical Freestyle, is
ture in high-level competitive dressage.
and uncoordinated- exactly the opposite of
by no means an easy sport. It’s strenuous
the goal for dressage.
physically, mentally, and emotionally, and
As the stallion is trotting in place, sinking back
requires a large time commitment for prac-
into his wealth of muscles, he misses a step.
With all the things that can go wrong- lack
tice and training. But on the occasion that it
The music keeps going, now it has changed from
of training, bad body structure, mismatched
goes well, it’s worth it- even when that’s not
powerful and dynamic to bouncing. The horse
music, and plenty more- there are bound to
in competition. Lauren Baggett reminisced
feels the ground slip under him, knows he’s out
be some bad experiences in Musical Free-
about buying her first horse, Wernon. “Even
of time with the beat. Edward Gal can feel it,
style. Lauren Baggett shared a story that will
though I had no clue what I was doing, he
gave me a few steps [of the passage] and if
show experiences, horse improvement, and
I wasn’t hooked on dressage before then, I
entertainment for the audience- riders,
certainly was after that day.” A passage is
coaches, and judges are at the surface, but
a higher-level dressage movement, a modi-
beneath them lie an array of show coordi-
fied version of the trot that feels to the rider
nators, choreographers, horse breeders, vet-
like floating. Not many people have experi-
erinarians, and many others. At the top of
enced movements like this- those who have
the sport stand horses and riders like Toti-
done it are lucky and they know it.
las and his rider, Edward Gal, but they are backed by many people. Sometimes, those
Competitions aren’t just places of stress.
people have never ridden before- musicians
Joan Darnell notes that they can be in-
and the studios that change songs into Musi-
credibly fun if they’re prepared for and
cal Freestyle scores often serve other sports as
luck is on the rider’s side. “I love it when
well, like dancing, figure-skating, and gym-
the horses and the riders are just having a
nastics. Without everyone involved, the sport
blast out there, everything’s working right,
wouldn’t exist.
and the music makes the horse look like it’s dancing,” she says. Good experiences can
As Totilas finishes the final walk to the centerline,
exist from Claire Darnell’s world-class FEI
Edward Gal knows they’ve won. The audience does
events to the small schooling shows where
too- their cheers subsided during the final quiet notes
Barrett Diehl and Lauren Baggett coach
of the song, but return in full force as he takes off his
their students. Being in the ring makes
hat and slaps his horse’s neck. The horse, powerful
some riders and some horses confident, and
even in his walk, looks proud. He holds his head high
can end up creating a lifelong love.
as the music fades out behind him and he is greeted with yells and congratulations and pats on the shoul-
Musical Freestyle creates an environment
der by coaches, trainers, and friends. This is Musical
full of people all working towards good
Freestyle.
Top Right: Katie McCollum and her horse Eyesa have won several shows. Bottom Right: Margo Mellon and her pony Lexi use jump to work on balance. Below: Sara Medlin greets Lexi, whom she sold to Margo almost a year ago.
the music
ELLA CASTRO
Musical Freestyle dressage horses match better with some types of music than with others. For example, taller horses tent to go with more powerful types of music, like musical soundtracks. Shorter horses (classified as ponies if the are under 14.2 hands tall) work better with cute, bouncy music, like Christmas songs. This chart may help people to see what horse breed and height match to find what type of music.
HOLIDay
ballet
classical
musical
jazz
pop
vintage
country
choral
R&B
opera
movie
satanic
blues
disney
rap
“Patriotic”
“Classical” “Dramatic” Musical Freestyle dressage is the final level of dressage in the Olympics out of three. It is performed in the evening on the last day of competition. This data comes from the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, where 18 competitors qualified out of 47. Horses included Valegro, who has since beaten the world record, and Augustin OLD, who is famously attached to his stuffed alligator.
Music isn’t just used for simple entertainment anymore, now it can be used to help people overcome certain challenges in their lives, like cancer, and the lack of speech.
memories of dancing with friends, loud concerts, and jogging with ear-buds urging you on with every beat. For some people, though, music can mean much more, it could mean getting over their depression, learning to talk with vocal impairment, or a way to channel their emotions in hard times.
Photo courtesy of Eddie Konopasek
The word “music” might bring up
Eddie Konopasek is a music therapist at the Center for Music Therapy in Austin. He works everyday with patients who are overcoming challenges in their life.
Though they aren’t very well-known, programs and organizations like Purple Songs can Fly in Houston, Texas and the Center for Music Therapy in Austin,Texas can help people achieve these goals. They may be different in some ways, but their main goal is to help people get past, and
Not only does the Center for Music Ther-
right stride.” Patients are able to learn to
apy play music for patients, but they also
walk because the music engages their brain.
make music with them. “I’ve even worked
Another gadget they have is a large speaker,
well enough with some for my individuals
it’s called a transducer. Konopasek asked me
where I’m starting my own program here
to step on a large gray platform, and started
next month called Rock and Roll Music
speaking into a microphone. Vibrations
Therapy,” says Konopasek. “It’s going to
were sent up through my feet, responding to
be great. There’s going to be individuals
his voice as he explained, “We can put not
with different diagnoses coming together
just the sound, but the feel of any kind of
and forming a band.” Konopasek’s new
music through this thing.”
program will let his patients come together and interact with other people who have
For even more assistance in their goal of
what makes music so special.
similar connections to music. It should be
helping patients overcome challenges,
really helpful for Konopasek’s patients, not
the Center for Music Therapy provides a
“I work with a large range of different
to mention fun.
multi-sensory experience. “When your brain
cope with challenges in their life, and that’s
types of people using music and other non-music psychological tools to focus on non music goals” says Eddie Konopasek, a music therapist at the Center for Music Therapy. This center focuses on “people on the autism spectrum, people with Downs Syndrome, and [...] the visually impaired” says Konopasek. How do they help? They use music to make a setting that provides emotional support, motivation, and an outlet so that patients can have the setting they need to get through certain challenges in their lives.
is engaged by multiple senses at the same Music is the main component of the
time, it makes more of a change,” Kono-
therapy for patients at the Center for
pasek explained. He then continued to ask
Music Therapy, but the center also has
me how many senses we use when listening
several other tools that are integrated
to music through ear-buds. Obviously, the
into the music to provide patients the best
answer was one. Hearing. Then he asked
care possible. As I walked into the center
me about going to a concert. The vibrations
I found a strange treadmill-like machine
from speakers, lights, swaying bodies, and
at my right. Konopasek explained that
even food stands can give you an experience
it was a gait trainer, for helping patients
of up to five senses. Obviously the concert
learn to walk. He also pointed out that
would be more memorable, and all the
the long, colored floor tiles are, “mapped
smells, sounds, and feeling can activate all
out for certain segments to record like the
different sections of your brain and make more of an impact on people.
life-threatening illness, it really brings you
it works isn’t the same as understanding
down.” Freeman had been a rising dancer
how much it can help people, Konopasek
when doctors found a tumor obstructing
told me about one of his most memorable
her optic nerve and impairing her vision.
moment working with music therapy. It
The music she created in Purple Songs
was when he was in a program traveling to
can Fly didn’t necessarily cure her of
the Cayman Islands. Konopasek told me
cancer, but it did give her a creative outlet
about one patient in particular, “He was in
for her emotions, and a way to explain her
his twenties had never had any language
feelings. After working with the program,
skills, [...] and we were working pretty
Freeman says,“I feel like my diagnosis
intense with him for the whole week [we
was a blessing in disguise” . Though it did
were there] and by the end of the week
mean the end of her dancing career, Free-
he had this really useful vocabulary of
man had such pos-
about ten to fifteen words”. Fifteen words
itive experiences
is majorly impressive for someone who
with the program
had never spoken before in their life.“This
and the songs she
music really was the ultimate motivator in
created, that she
getting him to succeed”.
feels it was meant to be. Cancer and
The Center for Music therapy isn’t the
other illnesses can
only organization of their kind. Purple
impact people in
Songs can Fly is a program at Texas
ways they never
Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas.
expected, but Pur-
They have their own way of engaging
ples Songs can Fly
patients. They are based in the cancer and
helps makes here
hematology wing, and work to make songs
impacts positive.
with children who are at the hospital. “It just gives them exposure to the music and
Music may be
brings joy into a setting that’s not always
merely for enter-
comfortable” says Anita Kruse, the organi-
tainment at the
zation’s founder. They work with patients
surface, but its healing capabilities and
to make songs that they can send any-
ability to help people with their emotions
where they want. The program has sent
only shows us a glimpse of how deep it
kid’s songs to outer space, Carnegie Hall,
really is. Programs and organizations like
and the summit of Mount Everest. “[Pur-
Purple Songs can Fly and The Center for
ple Songs Can Fly] is really important for
Music Therapy are only a few examples
families because when a kid doesn’t make
of how much impact music can have on
it through for some reason, the family has their CD as a keepsake and they can hear the child’s voice.” Says Emily Freeman, a previous patient who has worked with Purple Songs can Fly to make two songs. “My first song was called ‘Back On Top’ because I just wanted to be back on top,” says Freeman. “Cancer or any other
people’s lives.
Emily Freeman (shown in these pictures) was a dancer before she was diagnosed with cancer. The program, Purple Songs can Fly at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, helped her with her illness. These pictures show her journey through cancer and how she got through her time at the hospital. Music helped her make the best of her time at the hospital.
Photos courtesy of Emily Freeman
Of course, though understanding how
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By Fiona Carolan Playing an instrument at a young age can help kids develop neurophysiological distinction. Though it may be a long word, it’s really quite simple. Kids can have an easier start to literacy. They begin to learn the difference between certain sounds. Music can also help with pain management, depression, and autism. Why? Because so many areas of the brain are active when people play music. This diagram shows just how many there are.
numbers The topics in Crescendo vary from sports to neuroscience, but they are all full of interesting facts and information. The authors and designers encourage you to read each feature, but understand that your interests may lie outside of our fairly specific topics. Looking for a brief introduction to a feature you haven’t heard about? Don’t have time to read everything? Look no further.
all the pretty horses
The Saxon Pub
Wyldwood By Emma Pinsky There are many different places in Austin to listen to music. They all differ in many different ways. In the next story you will learn about a popular house concert in Austin. This is the comparison of that popular house concert to a popular pub to listen to music in Austin.
The artists at The Saxon pub are usually local artists, sometimes some are from out of town. These artists usually appeal to an older audience because people under 21 don’t normally go to pubs and sometimes aren’t allowed. Also at the Saxon the artists do less engaging and story telling with the audience. They also pick less kid-friendly songs. Normally the audience at The Saxon is an older group of people. The audience doesn’t just come to The Saxon to listen to music, they go to drink and to catch up with friends. Though the audience seems to be less engaged during a show after they show they go and buy quite a bit of the artist’s merchandise. They buy CDs to T-Shirts.
The
aS xo
ub P n
The artists at Wyldwood are local artists from around Austin. Most of the time these artists are more folk music singers and only perform at house concerts or are up and coming in town. At Wyldwood these artists tell a kid-friendly story and engage the audience between almost every song. This helps the audience appreciate them more. The audience at Wyldwood is known for being respectful and very friendly. Everyone in the audience is friendly to each other and to the artist. All artists that have performed at Wyldwood have commented on how respectful the audience is to them. Also they are very family friendly people who aren’t bothered if your kids run around in the back.
Since it is a pub, The Saxon serves alcohol at their bar. They sell drinks from beer to wine to scotch. The Saxon doesn’t normally sell food, but on special nights they have what they call “order-in” menus from other restaurants around the area. They also don’t permit you o bring any of your own food or drinks. The Saxon Pub has a bar, tables and chairs for you to sit on, but there is a limited number of these available. On popular nights, such as Mondays with Bob Schneider, when all of these available fill up people have to stand all around the pub. The Saxon Pub has a 150 person capacity including the people in seats and people standing.
As far as beverages and food go Wyldwood is pretty lenient. They provide 100 hot dogs for people to eat and a jug full of water for their audience. They also highly encourage BYOB (for adults) and to bring your dinner or picnic to eat with your friends or family. They do ask if you BYOB to follow the law and not give any alcohol to minors. Wyldwood takes place in a very large backyard, so there isn’t normally problems with getting seats. They don’t provide seating so bring your own. Wyldwood does have a reservations limit though. The owners of Wyldwood only allow 250 reservations because they don’t want their backyard to get too full with their growing popularity.
The Saxon has a small parking lot in front of the doors that the first about 30 cars can use. Once that fills up customers have two choices on where to park. If they arrive after 6:30p.m. they are allowed to park in the Genie Car Wash parking lot. Also they can park in additional street parking behind the Saxon in Lamar Square.
Wyldwood has had some parking problems in the past. They have an old tennis court that they have converted into a parking lot, but when that fills up people start parking on the side of the street. This normally works okay because the side of the road is wide, but this causes some problems when everyone is trying to leave.
BY, EMMA PINSKY Photos by Amy and Andrew Murphy
Get an inside look at the backyard concert that people are calling the “hidden gem” of the Austin music venue.
A
few Saturdays a year in south Austin, when the sun starts to set, I am greeted with a large oak tree wrapped in Christmas lights and a sweater, the smell of one-hundred hot dogs in a crock pot, and the sound of chickens clucking. Next I am approached by people young and old, artists and listeners, old friends and new friends, to talk about music, school, food, and everything in between. All the while, kids are running around, dogs are greeting the new guests, and someone is checking the sound system. The artist for the night plugs in their guitar and introduces themselves. Everyone sits down to listen to the artist start their story about the song they are about to play. For the next three hours I don’t have to worry about anything, I’ll just sit and have a good time with my family and friends. This is Wyldwood. Amy and Andrew Murphy were tired of people talking during music shows set in clubs, to escape the “club scene” they started Wyldwood; a concert series in the backyard of their hidden away home. To many people Wyldwood maybe a strange name, but it has a very simple meaning. Wyldwood is the street the concert is on. They host these house concerts every other Saturday during the summer in Austin, and have been for the past ten years. They have a ten-show season booked with the city’s biggest local artists including Matt the Electrician, Kevin Russell, Wild Ponies, Curtis McMurtry, and many more. “When you go to a club with a lot of people, a lot of them aren’t there to listen to the music,” says Andrew, his wife nodding in agreement.”There is a great musician playing, but everyone’s
too busy telling each other stories and socializing and visiting. We wanted to create a place that was a place you could go listen to music.” Andrew is a Quality Assurance Agent at Capital Metro and his wife, Amy, is an accountant at the Tax Trailer in Austin. Their free time is spent booking artists, investigating artists for their Amy and Andrew Murphy are the owners of Wyldwood. Every show, or upgrad- summer they open their house up for people they barely know to ing the stage listen to local music. the first performer at Wyldwood. area. Amy and Andrew were not new to Austin music when they had started their shows. In fact they had lived in downtown Austin for years and had gone to many concerts at local bars. When they decided to move away from the hustle and bustle of downtown they moved to an old house with wide open spaces, a chicken coop, and a deck. In order to celebrate the new move and Andrew’s nearing birthday they decided to have a party. Amy hired a local band Andrew liked to come out and play on their deck and they had quite a few friends invited over. “We were sitting in the yard and I looked at my friends and said, ‘Gosh I wish we could do this all the time but I can’t afford to pay a band all of the time .’ And he said, ‘You should do house concerts.’” That friend was eventually
Putting on a house concert isn’t as easy as Amy and Andrew make it out to be on Saturdays. Wyldwood didn’t start out as big as it is today. Wyldwood had to grab the attention of people and then slowly grow into a major attraction. Amy describes to me how gradually the show has grown, “It started really small when we first started having shows. I think our first show we made, we had twenty people here.” “It was just kind of word of mouth through our artist friends. The three people that played that first year they told their other musician friends, ‘Hey this is really cool you should do it.’ And so we were able to kind of build up the reputation of putting on a decent show.” Today it has expanded so much that
the largest show had around 250 people attending. Amy and Andrew are so popular they had to close off their email list. Once they closed the list, they had 1,800 people on it. They spent all their free time looking through their email list editing it down to the frequents and the old supporters. Now the email list has about three-hundred people. If you are not on their email list you will just have to keep an eye on their website in order to get yourself one of the 250 reservations. One-hundred percent of the profits go to the artist of the night. Upon arrival it is a suggested $10 donation for people thirteen and up. This season the price is going to be raised to $15 in order to provide more profit for the artist. The Murphys take no money for themselves even though there is $100 in direct costs and the price of the equipment and sound system. Once you enter a Wyldwood show there is no more of the statistics. The price, the amount of reservations, all those numbers don’t matter anymore. It’s all about hanging with your friends under a large oak tree listening to music. The Murphys endorse this because they
aren’t behind the scenes trying to run things; they pull up their own lawn chair and enjoy the music like everyone else. The show has two parts with an intermission in between. Even during intermission the Murphys will talk with you, but not about how much money anything costs or any other statistics. Instead you can go to the Murphys front porch and get some water, a hot dog, re-apply your bug spray, buy the artist’s merchandise, talk with the artist and on a lucky day you’ll meet the Murphy’s dogs To perform at Wyldwood there is an audition process an artist must go through. Amy told me one of the major requirements of being considered for Wyldwood is they have to see them perform. “Our policy is that if we’ve never seen you, we want to see you first. So, if it’s somebody that’s not local that I’ve never seen before I tell them, “Please let us now when you’re playing in town and we’d love to check out a show and consider you for a future booking.” But we don’t book sight unseen.” Amy said. I asked local artist and Wyldwood performer Curtis McMurtry how the Murphys investigated him. “There is more of an audition process than I realized. They came to my CD release party later that summer. I’m pretty sure I saw Amy there, at least, if not both of them. I think they have come a couple other times to see me last year.” McMurtry has performed at Wyldwood twice before. His first time he opened for his friend Matt the Electrician and his second time he had his own show. McMurtry really enjoys playing at Wyldwood because they “are the
winner [of] all house concerts.” He discussed why he thought Wyldwood is so successful in getting artists to come out and perform, “They make you feel very at home and they make you feel like you are worth being there. They always have these huge crowds out at Wyldwood eight times a year and that is not easy to do when not a lot of people have heard of the artists that are playing. So that you’re even there is great.” When you perform at Wyldwood the Murphys try to make you feel at home and make sure your night goes well. They cook the artist a homemade dinner, and invite them to sit down in their living room to talk. Also, after the show, they offer a spare room of their house to the artist, in case they are on tour or live far away and need a place to stay. The Murphys said they view it as inviting a friend over for dinner, rather than feeding an artist, who just performed for them. The main aspect of Wyldwood is the audience. The audience is what makes
Wyldwood different compared to a performance in a bar, or at the Long Center. The audience is more respectful to the artist, they interact more with the artist, and the people in the audience are more intimate with each other. The Murphys always talk about their audience in an appreciative and nice way. About the audience Amy said, “The audience that comes to a show like this are pretty respectful and are in it the same reason we are in it. They don’t like going to clubs and having to listen to Joe-Blow’s story about his new BMW.” Wyldwood frequent Kathy Pinsky has attended Wyldwood for about eight years. She says Wyldwood is one of the more family friendly music events in Austin because of the great atmosphere in the audience. She also talked about
how there is space in the back for kids to run around and let their energy out without interrupting the adults listening to the music. The kids can always come back to the front with their parents and enjoy some of the music. The Murphys suggest, if your kids will go back and forth a lot, you should sit further towards the back to interrupt less people around you. She says Wyldwood is one of the more family friendly music events in Austin because of the great atmosphere in the audience. Kathy starts to tell me what her favorite memory of Wyldwood with her family is. “I just remember that when we would first start going our kids were little and we would take glow sticks. We were some of the first people who would
Curtis McMurtry is a local artist who grew up and now performs in Austin. He has performed at Wyldwood twice. His first time was opening for Matt the Electrician in the 2014 season. His second time he had his own show in the 2015 season. He also preforms at popular clubs around town.
take glow sticks to Wyldwood. Our kids would always take some extra ones and make some new friends by the sharing glow sticks. Now when we go back it seems like almost every family that has young children has some glow sticks with them.” If you think Wyldwood sounds interesting or like something you can do with your family I would definitely recommend checking it out. In fact, I asked all the interviewees for their tips for you. Amy and Andrew said, “Picnics are
The Hems have performed at Wyldwood once. They performed at one of the earlier shows in the 2015 season. They are a very popular local folk artist in Austin.
always good. You can bring your lawn chair and a nice blanket, get some food on your way down and enjoy music and dinner with your friends. Also those glow stick things from the dollar store. [...] It makes it easier for parents to see their kids. If you bring a ball or something you may want to rig it up to be [...] seen in the dark, or just use it until the sun goes down. As for the adults, a little wine is always a little nice.” Curtis had a more simple piece of advice. “Just go and see if you like it. Maybe it’s for you, maybe it’s not but hopefully it is. It’s a really fun time.” Kathy has all the expert tips to have the best time. “You should look on the calendar find a show that you like. Get a group of friends that you like, pack a picnic and check it out. Oh, and definitely make sure to sign up early. They reach capacity very quickly. Also make sure to get to the actual show early, so you can get good seats. That
would be some good advice. I would take a picnic, turn your phone off, sit back, don’t chat with your friends. Make sure to enjoy the music. It’s the reason you came.” Kathy also has some advice for the artists you should go see. “I have a top three. I like Suzanna Choffel’s songs and her show because I just love to listen to her voice outside in that environment. [...] I like Curtis McMurtry’s shows. [...] I like Curtis’ songs and the girl that plays cello with him, Diana Burgess that’s always a nice mix. Lastly, I also really like Matt the Electrician because his shows are full of good things. [...] In between the songs he’s so engaging and funny. Those three are always enjoyable shows.” If you plan to come to Wyldwood I hope you take their advice and hope you enjoy it. Wyldwood is still rapidly growing popularity in Austin and it will get harder and harder to get reser-
vations. The 2016 season schedule is posted on Wyldwood’s website, wyldwoodshows.com. All shows start between 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and end between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. And all shows have a suggested $15 donation per person thirteen and up. All reservations open two weeks before a show and you can get reservations through their website. There are only 250 spots so keep a close eye on their website to get a reservation before they are gone. The Murphys also have a page on their website for you to see all the rules and ‘dangers’ of Wyldwood to help you be more prepared when you come to their show. Wyldwood has such a great environment and is always relaxing and calming. This season is filled with many amazing artists, so I hope you and your friends will come check them out. I hope to see you there!
4 4 b b 4 4 b b 4 b 4 b 4 b 1 b 4 4 b b 4 b 4 b 1b 4 2 b 4b 4 b 4 4 b b 4 b 4 b 4 4 4b 4 b b 4 b 4 4 b 4 b b 4 4 b 4b 4 b 4 4 b b
Arranged by Emma Pinsky
Chords may just seem like boring whole notes to musicians, but chords are really what gives a piece of music color. This is a simple step-by step guide for beginners or a musician needing a refresher on how to build and balance a chord.
4 b 4 b 2b 4 44 b b 44 b b b
1
3
The first step of building a chord is to pick a key the chord will be in. Normally, in music the chord will be in the same key as the piece. The example will be in the key of Bb.
4 3
44 4 44 4
b b b b b b
5
After the root is the second most important note. This note is called the fifth. It is called the fifth because it is the fifth note on the scale of the key you are in. In order for a chord to sound in tune with all three notes together, this note must be about three cents sharp. In a Bb chord the fifth is a D.
2
3
5 5
b b b b
4 4 4 4
The last step of building a chord is to make sure it sounds correct. In order to do this you play the root alone, then add in the fifth, and lastly add the third. If the chord sounds correct you have a chord! If it does not sound correct then you should repeat and re-tune steps 2-4.
4 4 b 2 b 4 1 4 4b b 4 3 b 44 b 4 4 b b
Next you have to find what is called the root of the chord. The root of the chord is the main note that is heard and the loudest note played. This note should be in tune. This is the note that determines how the chord will sound. In a Bb chord the root is a Bb.
The last note of the chord is called the third. It is the least important and should be played the softest. It is called the third because it is the third note on the scale of the key you are in. For this note to sound in tune in a chord, this note must be played about fourteen cents flat. In a Bb chord the third is an F.
5
2 5
Jaime Rose, a local music student, playing his acoustic guitar in the comfort of his room.
Photo courtesy of Rose
See what effect music has on the lives of several musicians and how a local music school has tied their lives together. CONNOR KAVANAGH
E
very week, Every week, parents watch as their children pile into a small building just off of Anderson Lane. Loaded with instruments and determination, these students prepare to play downtown. Before they can do that, they must master the nuances of performance. From overcoming stage fright to shredding a fretboard in the lime-light, there’s a way for everyone to learn, and what better place to do this than the School of Rock?
culture of the SOR blends a unique variety of personalities and musical preferences with the wide array of skill sets the instructors have developed through years of experience and dedication. The SOR gives students a new perspective on the music they’ve grown up with all their lives. Whether students use music as a career, a hobby, or an emotional release, the SOR can change how students perceive their favorite songs.
concepts a lot easier at a younger age.” SOR is known by its members for creating a comfortable, relatively stress free environment formed by the union of teachers and students working together. “It’s the one thing I look forward to through the entire week,” says Jaime Rose, a musician and guitar student currently attending SOR. “You get to play shows in downtown Austin on Sixth Street. How many kids can say they get to do that, even if they’re already a musician going to another school? It’s a really good place to be, the teachers here treat you as actual people. In most other schools they treat you like you’re lower beings, here the teachers treat you as equals. You call the teachers by their first names, it’s just a really good environment. We have really cool people and it’s awesome.”
The SOR offers music instruction in The School of Rock isn’t just a movie. drums, guitar, bass guitar, vocals and The School of Rock (SOR) is a keys, as well as programs that span franchised company that offers music the broad age range of students. The lessons to anyone age 6 and up. “SOR available courses span from Little Wing, is the type of thing that I wish I had so for students in preschool, all the way to bad as a kid, because I would’ve done the Adult programs. This gives anyone that rather than trying to play a sport,” with an interest in learning music an says Jud Johnson, a touring musician opportunity to start at any age. Of and local SOR instructor. course, it is much easier to learn music when you start at a younger age. “It’s Music can be beautiful and daunting, easier to pick up on the subtleties of especially when it comes to mastering music, and it’s a language, it’s literally it for yourself. That’s what makes the a language,” says Johnson. “Your brain SOR a popular place to learn. The can wire itself to understand different Michael McManus, a drum instructor currently residing in Franklin Tennessee.
Photo courtesy of McManus
But the ultimate goal of the SOR is to prepare students to further their music studies after graduation. Many graduated members have gone on to start bands of their own, join bands and go on tour, or even join back up with the SOR as an instructor. Many of the instructors have worked with a variety of different bands and solo artists throughout the years. For example, Jud Johnson has played for bands including: What Made Milwaukee Famous, Otis The Destroyer, The Couch, A Sinclair, Frank Smith, Matthew Logan Vasquez, Full Durham, Brendan Bond, East Cameron Folkcore and Pink Nasty. Another drum instructor and studio musician named Michael McManus has played for acts including Twelve
Photo by Connor Kavanagh
Stones, Saving Abel, Scott Stapp, The Sick Puppies and several others while working as a studio musician. During their times as touring musicians, they have played around the country and even around the world. The SOR helps to prepare young musicians for their first performance on stage. Sometimes it may seem as though these musicians always play with ease and grace, but the truth is that even the most experienced musicians were nervous before their first appearance in front of an audience. “I was terrified, I rushed every song I played,” says Johnson in regards to his very first show. “ We played with a really bad pop punk band called 3 Hour Power Shower, they were the worst, so we were a lot better than they were. They were a lot older, and it was such terrible music. I guess I was 14 or 15, I felt like I had a leg up on it just cause I started as a kid. But after the fact it was like, ‘This is great, I’m gonna keep doing this’”. “The first show that ever played was at the Hard Rock in Memphis, and I just got that feeling that I was hooked,” says McManus. “That I could get out there and actually play.” Being a member of the SOR doesn’t mean that you have to go on to be an instructor or a touring artist. The SOR is also about building relationships with the other students. “Everybody’s very different, but that makes it easy to click with anyone,” says Rose. “Like you’ve got Gaige who is this really tall goth chick who was 5-foot-10
Jud Johnson outside The North Door after the Fall Best of Season show. when she was 12, she’s one of my best different. It was something to get lost in friends, we’ve got you who likes all these when I was growing up, it kinda became online nerdy things like Tumblr and like a friend in a way. And there was video games, and then there’s me who something very powerful about playing doesn’t really have one specific style, I an instrument and kinda getting lost in play mostly acoustic guitar, but I listen everything, and being able to turn to to metal constantly, and I think that’s that for a variety of reasons.” really cool… I wouldn’t have met a majority of the friends I have now if it Ultimately, whether or not you go to a wasn’t for this school. I’m in two bands music school, music is something that right now, I’m in this metal core band can last a lifetime. Music can be a life with some friends at school and I’m changing thing, especially for Johnson. about to join another one.” “It sounds cheesy, but music gave me The SOR also gives students a way a sense of purpose. To find something to release their emotions and let out that you can do for the rest of your tensions. “Music can nurture your soul, life is great. But if you really want to and music is one of those things you be involved with music, be it singing, can’t really touch, like you can’t touch a dance, performance, you can do that melody, but it can help you get through forever. It’s something that’s therapeutic, times of your life,” says McManus. and you can be a constant student Music has helped him get through of it and never be the best and that’s rough periods of his life. “When I look awesome. It can be competitive, but back on them, I might have been going it’s art so it’s not. It’s something to be through a time that was extremely shared. There’s a fellowship of it that’s happy, or extremely challenging. And it’s great.” almost as if I have a soundtrack for each of those different events of my life. Now playing music, is something entirely
The sun’s scorching summer rays are so hot it makes your skin melt. You can hardly see ten feet in front of you because the heat waves radiating off of the asphalt below. Your throat dries out, but your water supply reduces. This is the story of a marcher. Although this does not sound appealing,
Why are so many people in marching band?
This photo shows the LBJ marching band at UIL of 2015 playing “Architechtonic”. After months of preparation and practice, they march in their final competition.
P
ast marcher Maggie Landwermeyer
of teamwork builds friendships and can
band helps people make friends. “At the
says marching band teaches skills
allow friends to bond more easily.
beginning of each year, Mr. Mayer, the
like leadership and teamwork and
band director, always says to the new
creates friendships that are important for
“... All my friends were in marching band.
parents, ‘Your kid will have 150 friends
the rest of life. These skills make marching
We were kind of friends with the people that
because they are in marching band,’” says
band a worthwhile experience instead of
were in our classes that weren’t in marching
Martinez, “I know that’s done-up and sappy
a waste of time. Landwermeyer marched
band, but when you’re in marching band,
and all that, but it’s absolutely true. It has
sousaphone at Texas Tech and throughout
and you spend so many hours together, and
certainly been a great way to connect with
high school. She explains how a good band
you’re so close to each other, you have so
people who aren’t in your class because
requires teamwork to function properly.
many inside jokes and silly little things that
I knew juniors and seniors when I was a
happened; other people are outsiders for
freshman and a sophomore and that was
“For me, with marching band, I learned
that, so for me, they couldn’t ever really be
definitely not something that could be said
a lot of teamwork,” says Landwermeyer,
that great of a friend as my marching band
about everyone in the class of 2016. So it
“Everyone does their parts together for one
cohorts,” says Landwermeyer.
definitely gave me some new friends and
common goal, and everybody has to do
continues to.”
their equal part or else the product won’t be
Pit Captain Michael Martinez of the LBJ
According to Martinez, marching band
exactly what you want it to be.” This kind
band similarly believes that marching
requires more than just teamwork.
34 | Crescendo
“Marching band taught me leadership,
because we needed them as part of the
Martinez explains his unexpected favorite
because even if you are not a section
team. It made me better academically
part of marching band. “My favorite thing
leader, in my case I’m pit captain, but the
because of having that study-time,” says
about marching band in general was the bus
upperclassmen in general and even more
Landwermeyer. She continues talking about
rides to and from games because I got to
if you are a section leader or in leadership,
the positive outcomes of band.
hang out with some of my best friends and
you have to show a lot of that leadership.
just talk about the experience that we had
You definitely get thrown into it and you
“Teaching others taught me leadership
might not know what you are doing. I’m in
because I didn’t need extra help; I was more
boy scouts and I did leadership training, but
of somebody that was giving extra help
Martinez discusses the different ways
none of that compared to the amount of
to students, so it sort of taught me how to
marching band was worth it, and why he
experience I got from marching band.” The
teach things to people in a way that maybe
doesn’t regret sticking with it. “My worst
leadership obtained from marching band is
the teacher didn’t teach it, but maybe they
experience was the second week of band
used for the rest of life.
could understand the way I explained it.
camp because I didn’t understand the sheer
So it taught me leadership, and just helping
amount of work I was going to be putting
other people.”
in, and I didn’t expect to be taking half of
Landwermeyer had to teach other students and tutor some of her friends because of a
either had or were going to have.”
my summer. I was wanting to quit, but the
rule called No Pass, No Play. No Pass, No
Bowie High School freshman Jack Nielsen
upperclassmen told me not to. I don’t regret
Play requires you to pass all of your classes
plays trombone in the Bowie Marching
staying in marching band, and I don’t know
in order to do any extracurricular activities,
Band. He explains how marching band has
where I would be had I not done marching
which includes marching band.
helped him throughout the school year. “It
band.”
was kinda hard to get good grades at first
So why do marchers stand out in the
“I think it was my junior year when No
because marching band took up so much
sun? The everlasting friendships created,
Pass, No Play came out, and I wasn’t ever
time, but I learned to not procrastinate.
experiences and skills that last for the rest
in danger of not passing a class, but several
Marching band fixed my procrastination
of life make marching band worth it. This
of my classmates that were in the band
problem, which helped me for the rest of
temporary sacrifice has both immediate and
were. We would form study groups together
the year, marching band is less about the
long-term effects.
to help people so that they could get good
music, and more about the experiences that
enough grades to be able to be marching,
it creates.”
This photo displays the Bowie Marching Band doing their 2015 show titled “Deep”. The underwater theme is shown by the waves made by the marching band.
Choosing the right instrument to play can be a very difficult process. By taking this quiz, you can find a basic idea of what instrument would suit you best.
Start! Are your lips small?
Yes French Horn
Kind-of
Are you an extrovert?
Are you a band nerd?
Euphonium
Are you a perfectionist?
No
No
Tuba
Oboe
Do you want to play for the school?
Yes
No
Do you like to play the melody?
Kind-of
Yes Trumpet
Piano
Saxophone
No Trombone
Are you a large kid?
Yes Bassoon
Flute
Do you like jazz?
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
No Are you talkative?
Yes
Flute
No Clarinet
• Flute- Better for extroverts, and talkative, needs lots of air. Some flute players are very introverted and quiet. • Clarinet- Sociable, and some demonstrate leadership. Others are not leaders • Oboe- Intelligent and kind of introverted • Saxophone- Extroverts who enjoy personalizing music. Outgoing. Good for jazz. • Bassoon- Better for bigger kids, outgoing, with a strong sense of humor • • Trumpet- Extroverts who like to be the lead instrument. Smaller lips. Good for jazz. • French horn- Requires smaller lips. Are in the middle of introverted and extroverted. • Trombones- Talkative and extroverted. Good for jazz. • Tuba- Requires larger lips. More disciplined. Leadership. Mix of introverted and extroverted • Euphonium/Baritone- Good for bigger lips. Usually giant band geeks