A LOOK INTO THE LIFE OF "THE FIRST LADY OF SONG"
Our mission is simple: We are reimagining music education by providing an ecosystem where students can learn, explore, create, share and connect as a community of young musicians nationwide
The YMU Campus offers students ages 4-18 a unique learning experience Our specially designed online platform uses powerful integrated software in a collaborative connected environment for our learners
So whether your child is exploring our online music library, participating in a collaborative music project, creating music in our online recording studio, participating in a virtual field trip, or improving their musicianship through music instruction, The Young Musician’s University is a virtual space where your child will thrive and discover their passion for music!
I hope that you enjoy this publication of The YMU Collective!
Mrs. Gray Director, The Young Musician's University4 Ella Fitzgerald
Celebrating Black History Month with a look into the life of The First Lady of Song"
7 YMU in a Nutshell
Find out more about The Young Musician's University and its vast benefits for youth
8 YMU is an official Music & Arts Rental Affiliate
10 Because of YMU
With EJ Gill
Dubbed “The First Lady of Song,” Ella Fitzgerald was the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than half a century. In her lifetime, she won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums. Her voice was flexible, wide-ranging, accurate and ageless. She could sing sultry ballads, sweet jazz and imitate every instrument in an orchestra. She worked with all the jazz greats, from Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Nat King Cole, to Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Goodman. (Or rather, some might say all the jazz greats had the pleasure of working with Ella.)
She performed at top venues all over the world, and packed them to the hilt. Her audiences were as diverse as her vocal range. They were rich and poor, made up of all races, all religions and all nationalities. In fact, many of them had just one binding factor in common – they all loved her.
EllaFitzgerald
“Justdon’tgiveuptrying todowhatyoureallywant todo.Wherethereislove andinspiration,Idon’t thinkyoucangowrong.”
Giveyourchildmorethanjustmusiclessons, immersetheminanonlinemusiceducation experiencethatwilllastalifetime!
ProfessionalTeachingStaff, VirtualFieldTrips,ElectiveClasses, Workshops,Clinics,Seminars, MusicCompetitions,Collaboration Opportunities,OnlineMusicLibrary, aStudent-RunRecordLabel, andmore!
MTheYoungMusician'sUniversityistheperfectplacefor youngmusicianstolearn,explore,create,share,and connect.Weprovideavirtualcollaborativecommunity foryoungmusicianstobuildafirmmusicalfoundation anddevelopalifelongloveformusic!Joinustoday andbecomeapartoftheYMUCampus!
But what exactly is The Young Musician’s University, also known as YMU? Well, I'm glad you asked! YMU is a virtual campus where students learn, explore, create, share, and connect with other like-minded young musicians along with our worldrenowned instructors in a positive and creative environment. YMU is ideal for students who want to engage in music and arts on another level by participating in more than just a music lesson. The Young Muisician's University goes far beyond that by offering an online music education experience full of discovery that will last a lifetime!
Instead of just taking lessons, we offer an array of instrumental classes, electives, virtual field trips, educational resources, competitions, workshops, clinics, seminars, performances, and collaboration opportunities for our students. Our music education ecosystem allows students to thrive and discover their passion and love for music! YMU offers an overall wonderful experience! Your child could be a musician, a doctor, a chef, an architect, or anything else they put their mind to and reap the many benefits of music education and have an amazing experience right here at YMU!
"The Young Musician's Univerisity not only raises amazing musicians but amazing people who go on to do amazing things! "
Music & Arts is the largest provider of instrument rentals in the United States and YMU is proud to be an official rental affiliate.
Some benefits for YMU students include their no-commitment policy, free exchanges, and the ability to return the instrument anytime Parents can visit YMU's website where they can easily rent instruments and have them shipped directly to their homes. Instruments go through ultrasonic cleaning and inspection by repair technicians before they are issued to students. Another benefit is while you are renting, you accumulate "credit" toward the purchase of an instrument Music & Arts carries the most trusted brands, such as Yamaha, Conn-Selmer, Buffet Crampon, Capital Edition, Giardinelli, Strobel, and more! All instruments are Educator-Approved and offer an affordable way to try out a Band or Orchestra instrument without a large investment!
"My name is EJ Gill and I am currently attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. YMU has helped me in my musical journey by giving me the opportunity to perform in many different environments. The experience of setting up, playing, and tearing down after a gig in so many different places gave me a solid foundation for what I would experience later in my career. Some of my future goals are to tour the world, become an established studio engineer, and give back to my community."
I would encourage all young musicians to do a few things:
#1: Never settle. Always find a way to get better.
#2: Develop good character. Your character has the key to open doors that your talent will never be able to.
#3: Continue to chase your dream. Don’t give up. It’ll be hard and things probably won’t go as you planned. But, everything you endure will prepare you for what’s to come.
Let us know about your latest achievements, performances, recordings, or other newsworthy milestones that you would like to share for possible publication in The YMU Collective!
Go ahead, hit that Share Button!
Little Music Essentials
is our online piano course designed for students ages 4-6. Parents can choose our group class option or our group AND private class option.
Concepts taught are: How to sit at the piano; Correct hand position; High and low; Loud and soft (forte and piano); Keyboard topography; Bar line and measure; Quarter, half, whole notes and rests; and Repeat signs. The first pieces in the book are played on the black keys Later in the book, C D E for the RH and C B A for the LH (Middle C position) are taught with beginner pre-reading songs
1
Little Music Essentials 3 has students reading music that is completely written on the staff After a review, the new concepts taught are: Staccato, Legato, slurs; Melodic and harmonic 2nds and 3rds; and Melodic and harmonic 4ths and 5ths Bass clef C D E is also taught for the LH Students then know all notes necessary to play in the C position Playing both hands together is taught near the end of the book
With imaginative instruction and fun interactive games, your toddler will gain new skills through music exploration.
Group Class Size: 6 students max Group Class Duration: 45 minutes each week
2 3
Little Music Essentials 2 starts with prereading, then moves to reading on the staff After a review, the new concepts taught are: Dotted quarter notes and 4/4 time, 3/4 time, Mezzo-forte, Staff and note reading, Steps and skips, and the Grand Staff New notes taught are F and G in the LH and RH, completing the Middle C position
4
Little Music Essentials 4 introduces students to new concepts such as: Flat and sharp signs; Ties; and Crescendo and diminuendo After reviewing C position and Middle C position, G position is also taught All three positions are used alternately throughout the rest of the book, with flat and sharp notes incorporated.
Private Class Duration: 30 minutes each week
MARCH