Recording

Tonight I did some more recording in a really sweet studio. I re-did a couple of hymn arrangements, and recorded Joseph Smith's First Prayer. It should be coming soon to my web page. I also recorded a couple of classical pieces, and a couple other sketches that I am working on.

Podcast, For Real this time.

So one of my hymn arrangements, the Hymns of Christ Medley, is on the podcast of LDS Music Today. It can be heard online at www.ldsmusictoday.com, or through Itunes. And last time I checked, I was leading the online survey of favorite song for the particular podcast.

January Happenings

Well the new semester has begun. I am teaching Class Piano 111, and 112. My four students in the Piano Pedagogy Labratory Program are preparing for State Testing which is coming up at the end of February and begining of March. I played the first movement of Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto in The University of Michigans Concerto Competition, at the end of December. I didn't advance in the competition, but it was a good experience, and only the second time I have performed since having my defibrilator implanted. I also performed Be Still My Soul, also known as Finlandia at The Ann Arbor Stake Relief Society Fireside on Jan. 21st. It has been a busy stretch. My website continues to recieve more visitors. I have also tried setting up a Myspace Music page to try and get more exposure with the younger crowd, but it could use some work. I will try to improve it.

Happy Birthday BrandonBascom.com!

My website turned 1 year old today. The site got over 350 unique visitor, with November being the most visited month. More to come shortly.

Update

Unfortunately I was left out of the podcast of LDS Music Today. They have started their Christmas music shows, so I have no idea when or if I will be on that podcast.

My web page has continued to get more exposure. I averaged over 2 unique visitors a day in the month of November. It has been viewed in 14 states, and 5 countries.

My page has been linked on www.ldsfiles.com which is quite exciting.

Creche Exhibit

I will be playing at the Ann Arbor Stake Creche Exhibit Christmas Concert.
It will be held at the chapel at 1385 Green Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan at 7:30 p.m.
More can be found at www.crecheexhibit.com.

Traffic

I am still waiting for the podcast to come out on www.ldsmusictoday.com. Meanwhile, my website www.brandonbascom.com has had the most hits ever in it's existance. Also I am preparing for the University of Michigan Piano Concerto Competition.

Podcast

One of my songs will be featured on an upcoming podcast of LDS Music Today with Steve Larsen.
It can be heard at www.ldsmusictoday.com starting around November 6th.

Fireside

So it's been a while since I have written. Lately I played at a fireside that Robert Millet spoke at.
I have also been busy teaching two sections of Class Piano at The University of Michigan. More to follow soon.

web page

www.brandonbascom.com had the most hits it has ever had this September! It has been viewed in 10 states and 4 countries.

Michigan

Well, It has been forever since I have posted a blog entry. We made it to Michigan. I am currently teaching two sections of class piano at The University of Michigan. I am really enjoying it. I also teach 4 students in the PPLP program, which stands for Piano Pedagogy Labratory Program. I teach students who range from ages 8-14. It is a quite extensive program with state testing and many recitals. I am really enjoying my private lessons with Professor Harding, as well as my pedagogy class with Dr. John Ellis. I don't have any private students at this time, but am looking for students.

Richy Ramos

This past Sunday, Richy Ramos played a special musical number, "Jesus Once of Humble Birth." He did a great job! Here is a picture of Richy, in the black coat. He is the second young man from the Harlem 2nd ward, a Spanish speaking ward to play a special musical number.

UM Professor Harding

I recently found out that I have been accepted into Professor Christopher Harding's studio at The University of Michigan. Professor Harding has studied with Menahem Pressler and Nelita True. Harding has taken twenty-five first prizes in national and international competitions. I am excited to be in his studio, and know that it will strecth me.

The Harman Grant in Harlem

Here is a picture of Filipe Munoz clapping and counting in a group piano lesson made possible by The Harman Grant.


I have been teaching the Harlem 2nd ward, a spanish speaking ward piano lessons. The Harman Grant is a program that sends keyboards to church congregations along with music books. The participants get to take the keyboards home and practice. If the participants make significant progress, the instructor can give the participants a certificate to receive their own keyboard, and the lender keyboard goes back to the congregation so that the program can continue. This last Sunday, Felipe Munoz played I am a child of God in Sacrament meeting as a special musical number. It was exciting for me to see the progress not only that Felipe has made as well as the rest of the class. Most of the participants come from homes that have no musical instruments, and have never had lessons. Felipe did an excellent job.

Kurt Brandon Bascom is here!

Kurt Brandon Bascom was born on August 4, 2006 at 8:21 a.m. He weighed in at 7 lbs 15.6 oz. and was 21 inches long. He came almost two weeks early. Lindsey had a value that was high on her last diabetes test. After another sonogram the specialist said that he was big enough. So we went and turned all the paperwork in to Lindsey's work at The Marriott Marquis Hotel, and went home to get the hospital bag. After waiting five and a half hours in the waiting room we finally got into a room at 7:30 on the 2nd of August. There we started two 12 hour drugs with an hour break inbetween each to start inducing. But due to a shortage of nurses at St. Luke's Roosevelt hospital, Lindsey wasn't getting the attention that she should have been, so her medicine was being increased every forty minutes rather than every 20. At about midnight on the 4th, they said if she didn't start dialating by 6:00 a.m. they would have to discuss our options which would only be a C section. Thank goodness she started dialating a couple hours later. And at 8:21 Kurt was born!

Back to New York.

Well, I am back from Michigan. The concert went o.k. There weren't as many people as I thought that there would be. It was a late concert, and the audience wasn't as receptive as I thought they would be. But I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. But it was a great learning experience.

I was able to finalize housing for Fall while I was there, as well as check out the city. The Ann Arbor Art Fair was happening while I was there. It is a big art fair, and quite fun. And the good news is that Lindsey didn't have the baby while I was gone!

Off to Kalamazoo!

I leave for Kalamazoo in the morning for my concert there. It will be July 22nd, at 910 West Main
Kalamazoo, Michigan at 9:15 p.m.
So blog updates will be even more sparse than they have been recently as I have prepared for this concert.

I have updated my webpage to include icons, the little picture next to the web site address.

Also, I have gotten my first mailing list requests which is exciting! It is finally working.

Lindsey is doing well except for charley horses in the middle of the night! Less than a month to go!

Exposure

Well Today I discovered a few new avenues to get some more exposure. I had a nice conversation with the mother of the owner of KSTAR 1400 AM radio, and 96.7 KQMB FM in Utah. I know that they have a Sounds of Sunday, and Sounds of the Sabbath show. So I will shortly be sending them a CD. There are a couple other avenues that I will be pursuing shortly.

Up and Running!

Well I am excited to report that my web page is now basically functioning. The contact form now works. And finally the Mailing List is up and running. So come join my mailing list.

Yesterday, Lindsey and I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. I liked it. They real you in, and then wham! Time for another sequel. I thought it was definately entertaining.

Other than that, I am getting ready for my trip to Kalamazoo, and still working.

Lessons in Harlem

Today I went to church in Harlem at the new LDS Chapel. Here is a picture of the beatuiful building. The construction was under the direction of the temple committee of the church.

I teach piano lessons to members of the spanish speaking congregation after church. Here is a picture of our class.

The Harman Grant is making it possible for these students to have music books, and a keyboard that is leant to them to practice on. If they practice and make good progress, they can receive a coupon for their own keyboard to keep. The first keyboard that they were leant, goes to the next student and the cycle continues. We are making great progress. In two weeks, Felipe Munoz will be playing a solo special musical number in Sacrament Meeting. Some of the challeges are those that accompany group lessons, mainly lack of individual attention. But the majority of the students have never had musical instruction before, and can now count basic rhythms, read notes in both clefs, and can play one line melodies. This is a great achievement as piano lessons are not a major part of the students cultural background. I am quite proud of their accomplishments.