Seattle is without a doubt an established mainstay on the American musical scene - what with being the host to major festivals such as "Bumpershoot," the birthplace of the "grunge" rock sound of the 1990's and home of the Experience Music Project rock museum. For students wanting to embark on a career in musical production, Seattle music schools provide a chance to grow and learn in a city in which the thriving music scene plays a major role.

You step through the darkened entranceway, leaving the tropical night behind. Suddenly, waves of sound crash over you Iike ocean surf. Breaking out in a sweat, your heart pounds to the rhythm of bass, bongos, bells and brass. The walls seem to pulsate. The pungent smell of perspiration mixed with perfume assaults you. As your eyes adjust to the dark, broken by hypnotic flashes of the multi-colored strobes, you realize it’s not walls that enclose you, but dancers— scores of dancers gyrating, weaving and swirling, limbs flashing, hips thrusting in quarter—time beat. You fill your lungs with the spicy aroma, tighten your belt a notch and plunge in. Welcome to Chango’s.

If your band is seeking to make a break into the competitive world of the recording industry, getting your name out into the public eye can often be very difficult. Recording studios rarely sign contracts with unknown bands because the music industry operates on popularity. If a band isn't achieving some level of local success, then the big record companies assume that they just aren't what the listening public is interested in hearing. To break this cycle, many bands are turning to online media as a method of promoting their music and building their fan base. If your band is trying to make a name for itself, online promotion of your music can be your best option.

It is critically important it is for children to have the opportunity to broaden their minds and experience through participating in the arts and art education. I reiterate, there are many qualities that are honed through music education, including discipline, team work, communication, perseverance, self-mastery, and courage. Also, it has been illustrated that children who study music are more likely to graduate high school and go on to college.

School choir always contains a mix of students at the high school level. Some students choose to be there because they have had positive experiences in elementary and middle school choirs. But across the country, financial cutbacks have removed music programs from schools. So it is becoming more and more common for students to join choir in high school having had no previous choral experiences. If you are new to choir, here are a few tips for getting the most out of the program.