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The Texas School of Music Blog

Here you will find articles related to our music school, its staff, teachers, students and events. We also post about music-related topics of interest such as notable musicians, interesting histories of instruments, playlists, and even pop quizzes!

We hope you enjoy our new blog and visit often to see what’s new. We invite you to comment and add any suggestions for articles you might like to see.

LATEST POSTS

WELCOME TO OUR NEW PIANO AND VOICE TEACHER ANGELA WANG

TSM is excited to welcome our newest teacher, Ms. Angela Wang. Angela is a multi-faceted artist with musical and technical skills that she applies to jazz, rock, contemporary, classical, and alternative genres. A classically trained pianist and composer, she has experience and training in production, performance, and film scoring. Angela has led ensembles, taught courses, and provided individual instruction within collegiate and private studio settings.

Angela founded her own studio in 2010 and has composed, performed, and produced original music for several albums. She has also composed and arranged scores for multiple commercials and films.

Over the course of her career, Angela has worked alongside other artists–photographers, choreographers cinematographers and playwrights. Angela also served as music director and collaborative pianist for America’s Got Talent finalist Christina Wells, guiding musical preparation and performances at Houston’s Miller Outdoor Theater (2021). Most recently, she collaborated on a multimedia project that was filmed in Houston’s historic Silos (2023).

One of Angela’s driving passions is honoring past musical traditions while forging new ones. Her past projects have involved artists from all around the globe, involving cinematography, dance, visual art, and theater to portray the history and culture of her homeland, Taiwan. Her current project, “Connecting Islands,” is devoted to connecting artists and creating collaborative works right here in Houston.

Angela’s academic background is equally impressive. She holds a Master of Music degree from New York University in Composition for Film, two bachelor degrees from Berklee College of Music in Contemporary Writing & Music Production and Piano Performance, and a Bachelor of Architecture degree.

Looking forward, Angela is eager to continue her work teaching budding musicians, building artistic partnerships, and sharing innovative art that inspires, educates, and challenges audiences around the world. And we here at Texas School of Music are looking forward to sharing that vision and having Angela as part of our fantastic team of instructors.

SUPER STUDENT CHRISTOPHER NOBLES

TSM “Super Student” Christopher Nobles has distinguished himself by the hard work, dedication, and positive attitude he shows every time he comes through the door. Christopher is a guitar student under the teaching of Mr. Tristan Alaniz and is also involved in two additional TSM group classes–Mr. Roscoe Bassell’s jazz ensemble and Mr. Rolando Benitez’s improvisation workshop.

Christopher is 14 years old and has been around music all his life, listening to a wide range of music from the Beatles to Frank Sinatra. When he was younger, his parents would play music that he now enjoys listening to and appreciates even more as his musical tastes have grown. He now also enjoys the beats of hip-hop and rap as well.

Christopher has had several family musical influences in his life, including his mother and grandmother who were both piano players in the past, and his sister who also plays piano and sings. He says, however, that his biggest influence has been his Uncle Joseph who sings, plays guitar, drums, piano, and bass. As a past member of a touring band and a musician who continues to make and produce his own music, Joseph has had a major impact on Christopher’s musical life and remains his main consultant in his musical journey, always willing to answer all of Christopher’s questions about music.

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In his own words, Christopher says that his experience with Texas School of Music has been “really great” and that he “loves the atmosphere and the faculty.” He added that “Mr. Sal and Mr. Tristan have taught me so much and have helped me develop a love for the guitar and all music in general.” As any of his teachers and fellow students will attest to, Christopher is already an excellent guitarist, consistently sporting a positive, upbeat attitude, and always willing to tackle new musical realms. We here at TSM salute you, Christopher, and look forward to many more years of musical collaboration as you pursue your musical dreams!

tHE BAZOOKA...
GUM, WEAPON, OR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT?

Actually it’s all three.

The original Bazooka was a folk instrument, a very primitive version of the trombone, invented by Arkansan radio and film comedian Bob Burns in the early 1900s. It consisted of a simple bare tube mouthpiece, two pieces of telescoping pipe, and a wide flaring bell. Not particularly beautiful in timbre or wide-ranging in pitch, Burns’ Bazooka was inspired by his experience of blowing into a gas pipe, which reportedly sounded to its listeners like a “wounded moose” during band practice in a plumbing shop.

Burns got good enough on his new-fangled instrument to play it in a brass band and continued to practice it constantly. Later in WWI, as leader of the Marine Corps jazz band, he introduced it to the troops in Europe and continued to use it in musical performances and as part of his post-war radio comedy show.

In the 1930s-40s Bazooka fame shifted from eccentric wind instrument to deadly WWII weapon to Topps pink bubble gum. During the war soldiers nicknamed the rocket-propelled launcher the Bazooka due to its resemblance to the instrument and later in 1947 Topps marketed its massively-chunked pink bubble gum along with its inner-packaged comic strip of “Bazooka Joe.”

Today the musical bazooka is rarely heard but still around as a novelty instrument (see video below), Bazooka the weapon has largely been replaced by modern rocket launchers, and yes, Bazooka bubble gum is still available for those who like to blow face-sized pink bubbles.

Credits:

Content

Encyclopedia of Arkansas https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/bazooka-musical-instrument-2186/
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bazooka

Photos

Bazooka instrument photo by Mike Keckhaver https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/bazooka-musical-instrument-2186/
Bob Burns and Bazooka logo are public domain photos

POP QUIZ
a BARON & a BALLET

OUR LAST QUESTION:

Which prominent British singer was declared a baron of an independent state in 2012?

ANSWER:

Ed Sheeran

Baron von Edward Sheeran is part of the incredible story of Sealand, a one acre micronation located seven miles off the coast of Suffolk, England. Sealand’s territory consists of an an offshore platform (originally called “Roughs Tower”) built in 1942 to house anti-aircraft guns during WWII. After the war the structure was abandoned, but soon became a territory of keen and competitive interest to radio pirates looking for off-shore locations to set up their non-sanctioned operations.

In 1965 the first pirate radio squatters attempted to set up operations for “Wonderful Radio London” but were soon expelled by former British army major Roy Bates who intended to set up his own pirate radio station, “Radio Essex.” Although broadcasting never actually began, Bates brought notoriety to the tiny territory by declaring its independence and proclaiming it to be the Principality of Sealand (with he and his family as royal stewards, complete with noble titles).

Despite multiple life-is-stranger-than-fiction escapades, business shenanigans, and legal squabbles, Sealand still functions and continues to be governed by the Bates family as if it were an internationally recognized sovereignty (which, actually, it isn’t). Nevertheless, with its own constitution, flag, passports, stamps, currency, national anthem and motto, Sealand generously issues titles to those who desire them. Thus transpired the barony of Ed Sheeran, who upon being conferred with the title, replied: “So I am a baron. Awesome.” In conclusion, friends, our musical fame may not be as grand as Ed Sheeran’s, but we too can be nobility (for a small price… see official website for details.)

Sources:

Content

Sealand Official | Principality Of Sealand https://sealandgov.org/en-us

Principality of Sealand en.wikipedia.org/…/Principality_of_Sealand

Sealand: A peculiar ‘nation’ off England’s coast bbc.com/…/20200706-sealand-a-peculiar-nation-off-englands-coast

The Principality of Sealand: The Incredibly Strange Story Behind the Micronation – TLG threwthelookingglass.com/principality-of-sealand

Ed Sheeran becomes a ‘baron of Sealand’ https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-20831502

Photo Public Domain

TODAY’S QUESTION:

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed a ballet in 1890 which featured music later used in which Disney film?

a. Beauty and the Beast

b. Fantasia