Alexandra Stewart // Blog

Hello Indaba,

For those of you searching for a few new sounds to get attached to, I'd like to direct you to three very dear friends that go to school with me:

1) Bridget&Luke - I've quite easily listened to their latest song "rewind" 10 times since I arrived at work this morning. They were born in the same city, on the same day (a few years apart) and in general, the whole thing is meant to be. There isn't a video or site to purchase the music just yet but hang tight.. I'm sure it'll be coming soon.

SIte: http://www.myspace.com/bridgetluke

Favourite Track: "rewind"

***Fun fact: luke was a finalist for the Mariah Carey contest on Indaba. Check it out!

2) Tyler Bernhardt - When you check out his myspace, you'll see that Tyler has recently explored all things beats & auto tune. Far from the indie/pop he was writing when I first met him, he still manages to win me over. Tyler is constantly evolving as a musician.. you never really know whats going to happen next.

Site: http://www.myspace.com/tbernmusic

Favourite Track: "18(Mind in Check)" - Favourite because he sings the "coo coo coo coo" from Bobby McFerrin's "Dont Worry Be Happy"

Video: Here is a video of Tyler performing "Young Bride" by Midlake at our sophomore recital this spring. And yes, that is Luke on vibes.

ENJOY!

-Alexandra

Indaba,

I thought you'd all appreciate this project that I stumbled upon this morning. I think that it will serve as inspiration for creating projects here on Indaba.

I successfully loaded each video and loved how simple and soothing the project was. It was a great way to begin the morning. Though it involved 16 layers, each of the different instruments and sounds had its place and purpose.

It's amazing that you can now create music on this kind of level with people from around the world.. even if you never actually meet in person.

So many opportunities.

Check out the individual videos that created the project too. I really enjoyed the vocalist:

Hope the weather is as lovely as it is here in Canada,

Alex

Dear Indaba,

I have finally posted a new song on my profile. Its a song from my recital last week. Videos coming soon! I even had a little fun doing MGMT's song "Kids" so stay tuned.

I feel in love with Chet Baker's version of "You Dont Know What Love Is". Here is a video/recording

I sincerely hope that you enjoy this song.

Only a little bit of the semester remains and I'm dying to visit Canada and spend the summer in NYC.

xo,

Alex

Hey Indaba,

I thought some of you might enjoy this fun drumset:

Drums

The "B" key is my favourite

Heading to Buenos Aires in 11 days. From what I can tell it will involve tango, incredible bohemian parties, beautiful music, dark smokey rooms, honky tonk pianos with pro players ripping them to shreds and sultry voices in the night.

Be expecting photos & music video.. very blogotheque style

Oresti and I will also be appearing in piano bars.

Can't wait for this,

Alexandra

Hey Indaba,

While I've been gone from the city & keeping far away from the snow in Canada, Miami has been treating me very well. This year's courses kept me busy but I have decided to highlight a part of my fall semester called "Rock Styles"..

Yes, it seems that they even teach you how to be a pop star when you study music here. Luckily for me, I was taught by the best. Jon Secada best known for his 1992 classic "Just Another Day" and alumni of the Frost School decided that each Monday night, before flying to Argentina to judge this year's round of Latin American Idol, he would come and teach us what he does best (check the clip below)

After weeks of pop training it was time for my classmates and I to be graded in a hour long concert of pop/rock classics. I on the other hand decided to try something a little different. Over the summer I became a huge fan of Lykke Li. Below is my version of her single "I'm Good, I'm Gone".  Hope you all enjoy & sorry for shoddy camera job.  

-Alex

Hello Indaba,

Now that the semester has started, I'd like to find some time (while I'm wasting time and not doing my homework) to write to you. I figure its music related and hopefully educational to some musician out there...

After working as a marketing intern this past summer and being fortunate enough to experience some of the other side of the music industry, I admit that I was a little concerned about jumping back into the college level performance world. I wasn't excited to come back and be a part of the routine. I had been doing the routine since high school and wasn't sure that all of the testing and excercises were still helping. Looking back on all of these thoughts, I have to say that I was incredibly immature to think that my life wouldn't greatly benefit from yet another year of music school. Sure, if you can sing, you can sing. But there is always room to learn and grow and build on your creative process.

You know, it really takes a certain type of person to be a performance major. We know that at least a few times a year we will have to get up in front of faculty and peers to perform songs that represent our entire repertoire of the semester. We know that someone is bound to put a melody in front of us and ask us to sight sing it by hearing the tonic of the key. And we're probably, as jazz players, bound to transcribe solos from the people who set the standard for the genre and everything we learn. [One time a friend of mine was told to become familiar with all of the parts to a symphony. When at his exam, the teacher picked a random page and said, "With the piano, play all of the important parts of this page." **one of the most terrifying things I've ever heard a music student asked to do**]

But I forgot that I am one of those people who crave the competition and the moment right before you walk into the jury room. I forgot how good it feels to play a song and know your audience felt it too. I forgot that it's not supposed to be about rigorous tasks and assignments that seem to take up all of your Saturdays. It's about making music, and taking every detail from your courses and creatively adding them to music of your very own.

I'll sign off with my trascription homework. While I'm listening to this song one too many times on my ipod, I hope you'll be enjoying it!

xo , Alex