The Sound of Celebration Many Independence Day events begin with music that has become part of our national traditions. Perhaps no composer represents American band music better than John Philip Sousa. His “The Stars and Stripes Forever” remains America’s official national march. Even today, its energetic rhythms and memorable melodies inspire concert bands around the…

Summer brings vacations, family visits, camps, and long weekends. It also brings a common question: “What should I do with my make-up lessons?” When my daughter was five, she thought a make-up lesson meant she got to wear makeup. We all had a good laugh when we figured out the misunderstanding. Now, both of my…

Exploring the Sounds of Afrobeats This month, MTMS students explored Afrobeats in the Music Technology and Learning Lab. Students noticed many similarities between the songs they heard. Several students mentioned drums, percussion, and steady beats. Others heard piano, electronic sounds, and changing vocal dynamics. Many students described the music as calm, chill, and easy to…

The Sound of the 80s: How Pop Music Found Its Voice The 1980s changed popular music forever. Artists embraced new technology. Producers experimented with fresh sounds. As a result, pop music developed a style that listeners still recognize today. Many songs from the decade remain popular. In fact, modern artists continue to borrow ideas from…

Music, Technology, and Human Connection The conversation also raised another important question: where does inspiration begin? As both a writer and musician, I’ve kept an eye on AI developments for a while. While I haven’t personally used AI music tools, I’ve started wondering how common they may already be. Recently, while listening to a musical…