Monthly Archives: May 2014

The Fixer! Billy Purnell at NBC’s The Voice

I got a call from Scooter Braun’s office to come to the set of The Voice at Universal’s back lot to help the band Rixton, particularly their lead singer, Jake Roche, who was going through tonsillitis and bronchitis.  Scooter is manager to Justin Beiber, Ariana Grande, Tori Kelly and others. The band was scheduled to appear as special guest on The Voice that day. He was very ill but I was able to work his voice to a place where he could get through the show, and he nailed it!  I worked with the other two singers also, Danny and Charley. The drummer, Lewis, doesn’t sing. They asked me to do the same on Wednesday for the Ellen DeGeneres show; that one I did over Skype and once again he did an amazing job. They might have me do it again for their show on the 13th at the Roxy in Hollywood.

Billy Purnell is one of Southern California’s most sought after voice teachers. His list of clients includes major and indie label recording artists, television and film stars from the Disney Channel, Nickelodeon Broadway, and others.  He is the creator of the Ultimate Voice Training for Singers home-study singing program that has sold in over 75 countries around the world, and Billy has taught private lessons across the United States,  Japan, Australia, Holland, the Caribbean, and Hungary. In addition to teaching here at the Fender Center for the Performing Arts.

The Vibraphone

Have you ever heard of the Vibraphone? Our piano keyboards in our KRF classroom have a special setting called the vibraphone which is similar in appearance to the xylophone, marimba, and glockenspiel. The vibraphone, like the piano, is considered a percussion instrument. Most people think a percussion instrument is only found in the drum family, but it is actually any instrument that is played by striking.

Vibraphones have been around since 1927, and were designed by an American named Henry Schluter.

The instrument looks like a piano with large brown-colored aluminum keys, arranged like the piano, but without the black and white colors. It even has a damper peddle like a piano. Since the keys are too large to be played with fingers, mallets are used to play them. Under the keys are metal tubes called resonators. Like a pipe organ, the size determines the pitch. They can be tuned. There is also a small motor to drive a disk inside the resonator.

Now when you select vibraphone on a keyboard, pretend that your fingers are long mallets hitting large keys that will resonate tubes.

Vicki Woods
Piano/Keyboard Instructor

Win $10,000 Branding Package!

 

SOCAL ICON is the annual solo vocal competition for aspiring young singers between the ages of 7 and 18. And it’s back for a seventh consecutive year!

Boasting celebrity and industry judges from television, Broadway, film and recording; the annual singing contest is conducted over a three-month period beginning in June and concluding with final concert event on Saturday, September 6th.

For more information check out The 7th Annual SoCal Icon Singing Competition on
Facebook

Dates
June 14th - The Village at Orange - Orange, CA
June 28th - South Coast Plaza - Costa Mesa, CA

Lukas Nelson & P.O.T.R.

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real - sometimes referred to as POTR - is an American rock group based out of California. The band consists of Lukas Nelson (vocals/guitar), Anthony Logerfo (drums), Corey McCormick (bass), and Tato Melgar (percussion).

POTR will appear at the Fender Center Rhythm Lounge on Aug 16, 2014 at 8:00 p.m., doors open for VIP at 7:00 p.m. and General Admission at 7:30 p.m. The VIP pre-concert reception includes Meet & Greet with artist, 2 complimentary wine/soft drink tickets, munchies and preferred seating prior to GA entry. Lukas Nelson will be featured at a Master Class earlier in the day.

Special thanks to Nelson for this support of the Kids Rock Free program at Fender Center, which is dedicated to providing free and low cost performing arts education to children in and around Inland Southern California. Lukas Nelson & P.O.T.R. rock at KRF to benefit children’s musical education and keep our community in music lessons.

Join us August 16, 8:00 p.m. (Doors open 7:00 for VIP, 7:30 for General Admission) here at Fender Center for the Performing Arts. For more info call 951.735.2440.

Get tickets online!

KRF KIDS LIVE ON STAGE

Your rockstar is growing up fast. Don’t miss out on making the memory of a lifetime. Register your child by May 15th to perform at the Spring Jam Music Recital.

This is the only time of year all the KRF Kids showcase together.

You take care of them year round, this is their chance to shine for you!

REGISTER