Jay Garden
Listening to a solo instrument can seem simple at first. With only one performer and one instrument, it may appear that there is less to hear than in an orchestra.Yet the opposite is often true. In a solo performance, every detail stands out—the color of a note, the shape of...
Jay Garden
Listening to a symphony for the first time can feel overwhelming. Unlike most songs, a symphony unfolds on a much larger scale, developing themes and musical ideas across multiple movements. With so much happening over an extended period of time, it is easy to feel lost or unsure of what...
Jay Garden
When you listen to a piece of music, what are you really hearing?Most people focus on the melody, lyrics, or beat. But the power of music is not found in individual notes alone. It comes from the way those notes are held together over time.Music Is Built on ExpectationOne reason...
Jay Garden
Silence as More Than AbsenceWhen I was a child taking piano lessons, my teacher often told me to “listen to the rests.” As a young student, I didn’t quite understand what she meant. How could I listen to silence?Only later did I realize what she meant: silence in music is...