Concert Pianist Pens Memoir and Guide for Living

 Title: Whenever You're Ready; How to Compose the Life of Your Dreams

Author: Jeeyoon Kim

Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

Publication Date: August 24, 2021

Length: 264 Pages

About the Author
Jeeyoon Kim is a professional concert pianist who has performed in venues like Carnegie Hall, the Chamber Music Society in San Francisco, and the Stradivari Society in Chicago. As an accomplished performing artist and award-winning music educator, she credits her success to key disciplines, practices, and mindsets that she lives out every day.

Composing the Life of Your Dreams
Jeeyoon Kim has written a memoir that details her life as a concert pianist. She shares her techniques for preparing yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically for your own performances.

The book is organized like a piano concert:

• Prelude
• Movement #1; Practice until Practicing Is a Part of Your Normal Life
• Intermission #1
• Movement #2; Guard Your Mind and Keep Negativity at Bay
• Intermission #2
• Movement #3; Create, Dream, and Play
• Intermission #3
• Movement #4; Connect with Yourself, Others, and the Universe
• Intermission #4
• Movement #5; Take Care of Your Body and Your Environment
• Encore

At the end of each chapter, there are activities for you to apply in your own life.

My Thoughts
This book is magnificent. I found it to be informative, inspiring, and motivational.  I am a pianist (beginner/intermediate) and could relate to many of the experiences the author had in her childhood years of piano lessons, practicing and perfecting her skills. I was interested in how she deals with the "jitters" that many musicians deal with before performing in public. Jeyoon Kim learned at a young age that she would need to dedicate her entire life to music if she was going to achieve her goals and make her dreams come true.

This book is much more than a biography of the author's life. She shares her secrets for living a successful life and dealing with the challenges that we all ultimately face. There are workbook-like activities at the end of each chapter to help readers apply key concepts to their own situations. 

I found the first section of this book, "Practice until Practicing Is a Part of Your Normal Life", especially helpful. The techniques in this section of the book can be applied to any skill that you want to excel in. The author reminds us that the turtle wins the race over the rabbit. Perseverance and persistence are important traits to use when working toward a goal. The concept of natural talent is downplayed and a strong work ethic is emphasized.

I have been listening to Jeeyoon Kim's cd album "Over, Above, Beyond" while writing this review. The music is stunning. My favorite selection on the cd is her rendition of the classic children's song "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

You can listen to the author play the piano on her YouTube Channel. 

I highly recommend this book!

5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

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Mindful Practices to Spark Creativity

Be, Awake, Create: Mindful Practices to Spark Creativity

Author: Rebekah Younger, MFA

Publisher: Reveal Press

Publication Date: June 1, 2019

Length: 264 Pages








About the Author
Rebekah Younger has created artwork, knit clothing, interiors, businesses, communities, and books. She brings her love of creating to all aspects of her life and shares it with others through teaching mindful creativity. 

Activities to Spark Your Creativity
This book offers contemplations, mindfulness practices, and art activities to spark creativity. Each chapter is written to invite self-reflection and creative expression through "hands-on" learning. The print version of this book is a workbook/journal that allows the reader to record responses on the pages. If you read a digital copy, the author suggests the use of a journal or notebook to record written and artistic responses to the prompts.

My Thoughts
Creativity is defined as "the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination" (Dictionary.com).

Ms. Younger has done an excellent job in developing exercises, activities and prompts that encourage creativity. She considers herself a "creator" and uses her creative talents in everything she does. This book is not limited to the visual arts. The author encourages the reader to discover creative ways to express herself in art, music, dance, writing, photography, sewing, and other activities.  

Mindfulness meditation is used to develop an awareness of our environment and the world around us.  Meditation helps the creator stay focused and be awake to things that might be overlooked. A creator has a mindset that is open to new ideas and ways of doing things.

A few years ago, Ms. Younger had heart by-pass surgery and spent many months recovering. During this time, photography became a tool for her recovery. She used her camera to record images of ordinary things around her that she had previously taken for granted. She developed a new way of looking and seeing things that brought her joy and fulfillment.

I think the ideas in this book will definitely spark creativity in the hearts and minds of the readers. The more you put into the activities, the more you will get out of this excellent book. Highly recommended!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I got a free digital copy of this book to review from NetGalley.

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Male Molestation Victim Pens Emotional Memoir

Songs from an Imperfect Life

Author: J. Ronald M. York

Publisher: St. Broadway Press

Publication Date: March 18, 2018

Length: 228 Pages










About the Author
J. Ronald M. York graduated from Belmont University with studies in voice and piano. He spent the next two decades in the field of interior design before opening his first art gallery. When not in the gallery, Mr. York can be found in his studio painting, at his piano composing, or assisting numerous nonprofit agencies with fundraising. He is the author of "Kept in the Dark."

“Secrets. We all have them, and we all hope they will never be revealed. My parents, relatives and a handful of close friends took our family secret to their graves. And yet, my parents held on to a box of incriminating evidence, through five moves in three different cities, to be left for me to find long after everyone was gone.”

Revealing is Healing

This is a story of family secrets and the effects these secrets had on the author's life.

The author's father was arrested, pled guilty and served jail time for molesting boys in his Boy Scout Troop in the 1950s. 

Mr. York was first molested at the First Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee when he was seven years old. The male predator was a respected, upstanding member of the church. 

The sexual abuse continued at church, in movie theaters, in public restrooms and department stores until the author graduated from high school.

As an adult, Mr. York pursued a homosexual lifestyle and participated in many risky sexual acts and dysfunctional relationships.

The author is now in his sixties and has written this book about his life with insight, understanding and compassion. It is time for healing and forgiveness.

My Thoughts

Mr. York's family appeared to be a normal church-going, white middle class family. No one would have guessed the secrets that were never discussed. However, keeping secrets came at a high price. The author never told his parents about the inappropriate touching at church or any of the other sexual encounters he had as a child. Yet, you have to wonder if there weren't many warning signs that were intentionally ignored.

Mr. York provides many examples of how his childhood abuse changed the way he perceived himself and those around him...and not in a good way. This story of abuse is very disturbing, but the author does not consider himself a victim. 

This is an account of resilience and determination to overcome the past and walk confidently into the future. This is a gripping memoir that is worthy of your time. Highly recommended!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

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Children's Book Review: Buddy; The Buddy Holly Story

ONE WORD BOOK REVIEW: ROCK (MUSIC)

Buddy: The Story of Buddy Holly

Author: Anne Bustard

Illustrator: Kurt Cyrus

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Children

Publication Date: February 1, 2005


About The Author
Anne Bustard holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

A Texas Music Legend
This picture book provides a delightful glimpse into the life of Charles Hardin Holley, better known as Buddy Holly.

The author uses colorful "Texas-talk" to describe Buddy's family and early life. Buddy was raised in a musical family so it was only natural for him to take to the guitar when he was in the sixth grade.

Just past Buddy's seventeenth birthday, he and his friend Jack were asked to sing and play on a weekly local radio show.

"Faster than greased lightnin', louder than a thunderstorm, more powerful than a Texas twister, and plumb full of gumption. Buddy and his friends wrote and played hip-hoppin' tunes. No foolin'. That music blasted them into out-of-this-world places".

The author includes an "Afterword" that gives biographical information about Buddy Holly's life and death.

My Thoughts
I was thrilled to find this book (1st ed., signed by author) at a local thrift shop. It is not a new book, but it is perfect for the Texas history/music niche for children ages 6 - 10. I am a Buddy Holly fan and I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

The text is lively and the color illustrations are superb. This book is excellent for a unit in Texas history or music history in the elementary grades. I would share a Buddy Holly song with my listener and then read the book.

I once was a substitute teacher in an elementary music classroom. The teacher had a large bin of picture books about famous musicians. Kudos to this teacher for including biography books in her lessons. This book is a perfect fit for a teacher or parent who wants to introduce students to a time when rock ruled.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI - I purchased this hardcover book with my own funds.

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Kindle Books For Kids: 14 Days of Valentines by Big Red Balloon

14 Days of Valentines (Big Red Balloon)

Author: Big Red Balloon

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Date: January 27, 2013




About The Author
Big Red Balloon is dedicated in aiding parents and teachers to bring out the best in children. They strive to nurture thoughtful, responsible children by introducing quality, captivating books that will encourage imagination and creativity. 

Mice Are Nice
A charming blue mouse sends his true love (a cute pink mouse) 14 yummy sweets for Valentine's Day.

This story was inspired by the classic "12 Days of Christmas" and can set to music for added enjoyment.

The gifts include cotton candy, lollipops, cakes, gummi drops and much more. Each day the pink mouse receives more sweets from her sweetheart.

The last page of the book features the two mice surrounded by all the gifts that were given in the past 14 days. 

My Thoughts
This book is an excellent book to share with children. I think I would read the story aloud and then invite the children to sing it with me. The full-page color illustrations are perfect for sharing with individuals or a group of children.

The themes of love, generosity and friendship are evident in this story. This is a wonderful book for children of all ages.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

This book is available as a FREE Kindle book at Amazon.Com TODAY! These promotions don't last very long so grab your copy NOW.

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Children's Book Review: Freedom Song! The Story of Henry "Box" Brown

Freedom Song: The Story of Henry "Box" Brown

Author: Sally M. Walker
Illustrator: Sean Qualls

Publisher: HarperCollins

Date: January 3, 2012



About The Author
Sally M. Walker’s many award-winning books bring history and science alive for young readers.

A Slave Family
Henry Brown was born to slave parents on a plantation in Virginia. He worked in the cotton fields as a child and he was allowed to grow-up with his parents.
Music was an important part of Henry's childhood and he always had a song in his heart and on his lips. He was afraid to voice his "freedom song", but it was always in his heart and mind.

When Henry was almost grown, he was sent to work in a tobacco factory in Richmond. He met a young slave woman named Nancy and they were allowed to get married. Henry and Nancy had children and they lived together in a slave cabin. Henry was very happy and continued to sing songs to his wife and children.

One day Henry learned that his family had been sold and would be sent far away. He was desperate to save them but he couldn't keep the family together. Henry was determined to escape to the North where he would be free.

With the help of several men who "knew the way of the Underground Railroad", Henry planned his escape. He built a wooden box that was just large enough to hold him. He got in the box and his friend shipped him to Pennsylvania.

His journey was very difficult and he almost died along the way. When he arrived at his destination, he was released from the box and lived as a free man for the rest of his life. No one knows whether he was ever reunited with Nancy or their children.

My Thoughts
Henry "Box" Brown was a real person who escaped slavery very much like it was described in this story. The story is documented by a letter that was written in 1849 by the man who received the box and set Henry free. This letter is now housed in a special collection at the New York Historical Society.

This is an excellent resource to supplement social studies and history curriculum in the elementary grades. The subject of slavery is not always easy to explain to children, but this book provides an excellent way to show children how slaves lived, worked and were treated by their owners.

The illustrations are excellent and add a great deal of value to the story. I highly recommend this book as an honest look  at the American culture and history during the 1800s.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I check-out the print version of this book from my local public libary.

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Future Girl Rock Star

Isn't this baby girl cute? I have used this image before but this is the first time I have colored the guitar pink for a little girl future rock star.

I will enter this card in Mo's Digital Challenge #143 - Dancing and Singing.

This is how I made the card;

I started with a blank card made from kraft cardstock and measuring 5" by 6 1/2".

I used "Baby Girl Pink Words" (The Paper Studio) flocked cardstock for the background.

I layered a piece of vintage sheet music and a white heart-shaped paper doily.

I used the digital stamp "Future Rock Star" from Mo's Digital Pencil Shop. I colored the image with Copics sketch markers. I highlighted the guitar with a white Prismacolor pencil.

I embellished the card with two glitter photo corners (Martha Stewart), a tiny faux pearl swirl and a faux pearl butterfly.

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Free Vintage Digital Stamps

Today I would like to introduce an excellent blog that posts a free vintage digital image EACH day. The name of the blog is Free Vintage Digital Stamps.

Digital art or digi stamps are images you download/save/re-size and print from your computer printer to use in craft or collage projects, handmade cards, or DIY projects for personal use.

It is OK to use the images for personal use or for projects you plan to resell.

Today I downloaded this French Chair Collage Image. I printed it out on kraft cardstock and lightly sprayed it with a matte clear acrylic sealer.

I then mounted it to  a piece of white "Solid Pearl - Paper Studio" cardstock and attached it to a plain kraft card that measures 4" by 5 1/2". I used acid free/photo safe Elmers Rubber Cement to glue the card together.

I embellished the card with two silver brads, two faux pearl stickers and a piece of vintage seam binding.

I am going to use this card as a birthday card but it would be great for any occasion.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Make A Music Video With Animoto

Animoto has recently implemented a new feature that allows you to fit your photos/video to a song. It is now much easier to have your content and music end at the same time when you are designing a video slideshow. This is a very helpful feature if you want the entire song to play during your video. If you do not set the music and photos to end at the same time, the music will gradually fade out at the end of your content.

I have designed two new music videos to demonstrate this feature. Animoto has hundreds of royalty-free songs in their music library. I made selections from the music library, and then I chose photos/video to illustrate the music.

Music really speaks to the emotions and it is a great way to connect with people. There are many other services on the Internet that assist you in creating video presentations, but I think Animoto is the best when it comes to artistic style and creativity.

I chose the popular country song, "You Are My Sunshine" and illustrated it with a combination of my own photographs and pictures provided in the Animoto photo library.

In this video, I chose a cute children's song from the Animoto music library and illustrated it with some family portraits and some floral pictures from the Animoto photo library.

Animoto provides a license to use their music in public forums (like YouTube) so you do not have to worry about copyright infringement issues. I used the Animoto Pro account to make these videos but there is a free option available to try the service to see if it meets your needs.

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Book Review: Along The Cherry Lane

Along The Cherry Lane; Tales From The Life Of Music Industry Legend Milton Okun, As Told To Richard Sparks, is an enchanting and amazing memoir. This book reveals the details of Mr. Okun's unique career in the world of music, told in a series of stories and interviews.

Milton Okun is a musician, teacher, conductor, music arranger, producer and publisher. He has worked with some of the biggest stars in the world of folk and popular music.

A critic once wrote, "Of all producers, Milton Okun's range is the widest, from Placido Domingo to the Muppets."

Mr. Okun is a real rock star in the world of professional music...but most of his work was done behind-the-scenes.

Early Years

Milton started playing the piano at the age of four. He saw his first opera at the age of six. By the time Milton was eight years old, he was practicing three or four hours a day and had decided that he would one day be a concert pianist and play at Carnegie Hall.

Milton became very ill with nephritis (a kidney infection) at the age of fourteen. The only cure was enforced bed rest for two years. During this time, Milt was forbidden to play the piano. At the end of the two years, he had lost his ability to play at the level he was before the illness. He had to give up his dream of being a concert pianist, but this was not the end of his music career.

 

The Wide World Of Music
Milt Okun's career went from school teacher to working with some of the biggest names in music. He transformed three unknown singers who had never worked together into one of the most famous musical acts of their generation; Peter, Paul and Mary. He was a music producer for John Denver, Placido Domingo and dozens of other musicians. He is the founder of Cherry Lane, a music publishing company. Music is his life and this book highlights his many accomplishments.

My Thoughts
After reading this book, I feel like I have been sitting by the fire chatting with Milt, his family and his associates. The interview format is casual and friendly. Mr. Okun appears to be a very humble man and is very generous with praise for his talented family and the musicians that he worked with. I learned a great deal about the work that goes into producing a big hit in the music world. Milt had his share of challenges through-out his long career, but he does not dwell on the negative. This memoir is up-beat, entertaining and informative. Milt does a very good job in sharing a picture of his life. Kudos to Richard Sparks for a job well done!
I am now going to my collection of old record albums and dig out some of my John Denver favorites. I will be listening with a new appreciation of all the work that was done behind-the-scenes to make this music so beautiful.

Disclosure: I connected with Milt Okun on Twitter and he was kind enough to send me a copy of this book to read and review.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below ~ I love to hear from you!