Music and family

 Over the weekend, I asked my mom some questions about her view on music. She is a music teacher at Buffalo Elementary school in Union. She is the most music loving person I know (besides my Grandpa). Here is what she told me!

what type of music do you like? 

I truly enjoy all genres of music.  My playlists are very eclectic! So, it really depends on my mood.  In the car, I listen to 80's and 90's rock and hip hop.  I love disco and Motown.  My favorite artists are Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Bryan Adams.  Of course I listen to a lot of children's music because of my profession.  I have to keep up to date with my students.  I love piano instrumental music, band music, and jazz.  I love 90's country but not really anything before or after that time.  I also love gospel and Christian music since I do play at church.  Mercy Me and Lauren Daigel are my favorite Christian artists.  I also love Broadway musicals - especially Wicked, Cats, and Les Miserables!

what does it make you feel? 

Music makes me feel happy and energetic.  During car line every morning, I am always dancing and singing as I open car doors and greet my students and families.  Music also relaxes me.  I love the instrumental piano playlist my masseuse plays during my massage.  They are contemporary songs that I sing in my head!

who’s your favorite artist? 

I love the Gap Band, Rick James, Kool and the Gang, Weird Al Yankovic, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Fall Out Boy, Imagine Dragons, Chopin, Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Scott Joplin, Tori Amos, Bruno Mars, Prince, Whitney Houston, Lauren Daigel, Bryan Adams, Tom Petty, Beyonce, Adele, Christine Aguilera, The Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Billie Eilish, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Alan Jackson.  These are just a FEW of my favorites!   I also love Broadway musicals! - Andrew Loyd Webber and Alan Menkin!  The acapella group Pentatonix has produced some fantastic mash ups and cover songs.  I love how they put a new spin on an old song.  I also love their evolutions of music and artists.  My students love this group, too.  We also love the group Walk off the Earth.  They use many unusual instruments.  My students love watching them and see how they use classroom instruments.  

what other songs do you like from them? 

I truly love all music!  I try to teach my students that we may have our "favorite" songs that we listen to, but we need to appreciate ALL music and musicians.  The talent that is involved with creating music is what should be appreciated.  Whether it is creating new music, remixing old music, or singing cover songs, musicians should be appreciated.

when did you know you liked them? 

I was born in the 70's, grew up in the 80's, graduated high school in the 90's, so I have a broad span of genres of music.  I have loved every genre in my lifetime.  I do believe that AI is an interesting new way to create music but it is also a threat to the craft of music artists. While we can use AI to create music, it seems like cheating.   

Stayin' Alive (Gospel & Choir)

Can you tell me something about why you like this type of music? 

I love listening to 80's and 90's rock and pop in the car.  It is my "go to" music when I'm stressed or just need to chill.  This music reminds me of junior high and high school and I have fond memories of those years.  It's amazing how many of these songs are being used on Tik Tok now!  

If you could listen to one song for a day on repeat? what would it be? 

I don't know if I could do this although, I do listen to the same songs everyday.  LOL.  When I have PTO programs, I am listening to the same songs every day and I usually get an ear worm of those songs.  It is not intentional, just the job.  I could listen to the same playlist everyday which has many types of songs. 

what’s the main emotion you feel when listening to a song that brings back memories?

Whenever I hear Chopin's Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1 in E flat major, I remember sitting on the couch watching and rocking my sweet baby girl.  This is the song I always played to get her to sleep. When I hear this, my mind immediately takes me back to that moment. It was just our time to sit quietly and be together.