Amp.Amsterdam // The Sonic Branding Company’s Post

My latest piece for Pianist Magazine. You can find the score in the centre score section of the magazine. Played here by Chenyin Li: #elementarymusic #pianorepertoire #educationalpianomusic

Yippee!

The learning moment for me is that Puccini elected to not ever quit and overcame adversity when it counted the most. We all have been faced with situations like his and each of us can also overcome adversity in life by recognizing that it is a process that includes developing resilience (sometimes called a thick skin!), adapting to challenges, and finding ways to grow and move on from difficult experiences. What are some of the ways and strategies all of us can use to successfully navigate choppy seas, based on my research on this issue? 1.     Accept that adversity and challenges are a part of life, and we better get used to it. To accept something doesn’t mean however that we need to give up and resign ourselves to our fate. Quite the opposite; but acknowledging something is actually the first step to overcoming it successfully. This is precisely what Puccini did opening night, 1904. 2.    Stop denying reality and hoping it will just “go away.” Bad news: it rarely does and in fact, when we delay accepting the hand we have been dealt, we give the problem time to grow, percolate and get worse. Time is the enemy when it hits the proverbial fan, so we need to get on with not feeling sorry for ourselves but to get in gear and move and start puzzling out other options and solutions. What did Puccini do? He immediately took to dismantling his work and revising it in a different form that turned out to be genius. 

https://lnkd.in/eMBVZ2Qt 100 Days of Dante: Paradiso, Canto 18 with Dr. Jane Kim Dr. Jane Kim from the Torrey Honors College at Biola University reflects on Canto 18 of Dante's Paradiso.

From Audience Member to Performer: Translating Live Music Inspiration into Artistic Creation Last week, I had the privilege of attending a Love and Rockets concert, an experience that immediately sparked my creativity. Today, I'm excited to share the result: my cover of their iconic track, 'An American Dream.' This project exemplifies the dynamic relationship between live music experiences and artistic interpretation: Immediate Inspiration: The energy of the live performance provided new insights into the song's emotion and delivery. Historical Appreciation: Seeing music legends perform their decades-old hits live reinforced the timeless nature of well-crafted songs. Artistic Interpretation: The challenge of capturing both the recorded version's nuances and the live performance's energy in my cover. Industry Reflection: Observing how established artists adapt their music for modern audiences while maintaining their core identity. This experience underscores the vital role of live performances in the music industry, not just for audience enjoyment but as a source of ongoing inspiration for fellow musicians. I invite my network to discuss: How do live music experiences influence your work, regardless of your industry? How can we translate inspirational moments into tangible outputs? #MusicianLife #LiveMusicInspiration #AlternativeRock #ProfessionalMusician #MusicBusiness #ArtisticProcess #CoverSong #CreativeInspiration"

A few thoughts from Stevie Wonder and Take 6. 😎 Alvin Chea & co, FTW!

On Sunday I sang in the summer performance of the wonderful ‘Harmony Belles’ choir. It had me reflecting on how much we can learn about high performance teams from choirs. Choirs are a beautiful example of a team that’s ‘more than the sum of its parts’, with each individual contributing to the whole in sub-groups - sopranos, altos, mezzos etc - a complex interdependent system just like we find in organisations. In teams at work, as in a choir… 1. Egos aren’t useful. No single individual or sub-group can carry the performance, everyone must play their part neither overshadowing others, nor being overshadowed. 2. You need a great leader to be the best team you can be. Someone who provides inspiration, direction, offers critique & praise, pushes the team out of their comfort zone and genuinely cares. 3. Being part of a team of people who trust, support & challenge each other and who dig deep to give their best to achieve a great end result is a privilege, a responsibility and so much fun! If you’re joining me for team coaching soon, watch out for choir analogies! #highperformanceteams #teamcoaching

Salsa is shaped by some very influential and important figures. Meet Celia Cruz, know as 'The Queen of Salsa' and the most iconic figure in Salsa music. Link in bio to read the full article on our blog. [Old World Order, Latinx, Latin American History Month, Hispanic, Latin American, Salsa, Celia Cruz]

Music can help to awaken or evoke repressed emotions piano often helps violin often helps It is the wave, the frequence, the tone, often the dissonance, it might help to dive into an emotional world that is repressed, In this way, music—through its instruments, voices, frequencies, and compositional techniques—acts as a mirror to our inner world. It invites to explore emotions that might otherwise remain hidden or suppressed. Whether through the tones of a piano, the expressive cries of a violin, or the dramatic intensity of opera, music serves as a language another communication that can speak directly to the body, unlocking emotions that words alone may fail to express. try it, what comes up https://lnkd.in/dQ4_S3WC Chopin Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. posth. Jan Lisiecki outstanding version Tom Odell für Elise https://lnkd.in/d6JczRgi

While I’ve never seen Queen perform live, their legacy is unforgettable. Queen didn’t just perform on stage; they commanded it. 🎤 Their presence was larger than life, from Freddie Mercury's electric energy to Brian May's iconic guitar solos. Every performance was an experience that pulled you in, not just because of their talent, but because of their charisma. As Freddie said, "The reason we're successful, darling? My overall charisma, of course." Charisma is such a powerful force in both music and communication. It’s the ability to captivate, influence, and leave a lasting impression. Whether you're delivering a speech or leading a team, how you carry yourself can change how people perceive you. Just like Queen on stage, it’s not always about what you say—it’s how you say it. That energy, that confidence, that undeniable presence is what makes others take notice and remember you. Queen’s charisma not only made their music unforgettable but also redefined what it meant to perform. In the same way, when you bring that kind of authenticity and energy to your communication, you create a connection that sticks. How do you bring charisma into your everyday interactions? #CharismaInCommunication #FreddieMercuryMagic #LeadershipPresence #CaptivateYourAudience #TimelessImpact #CommunicationCoach