Let's teach harmonica in the schools.

Where did all the harmonic players come from?


At Kid's Talk Radio we had the pleasure of interviewing Harmonica Super Star Magic Li and his star student 11th grader Megan Lewis.  We are planning to features their interview and some of there fine harmonica playing in the days and weeks to come.

We want to do all that we can to support music in the schools.  One of my special projects is to keep jazz alive, by encouraging young people to give jazz a chance.  Megan has been introduced to blues harmonica playing and the relation to jazz.  Megan was fun to interview and you are going to learn a lot.
 

Magic Li answers the flowing questions and much more:

1.    Whats with harmonic music?
2.    What is going on with elementary school music?
3.    What is involved in playing the harmonica?
4.    What is the downside of not having music in our schools?
5.    What is the history of the harmonic?
6.    What about jazz in the schools?
7.    What is it like playing harmonica in high school?


For those of you that are new to the harmonic, here is a little definition.

A harmonica is a free reed wind instrument. It has multiple, variably-tuned brass or bronze reeds which are secured at one end over an airway slot in which they can freely vibrate. The vibrating reeds repeatedly interrupt the airstream to produce sound.

Unlike most free reed instruments (such as reed organs, accordions, and melodicas), the harmonica lacks a keyboard - instead, the player selects the notes to be played by placing the mouth over the proper airways, usually discrete holes in the front of the instrument. Each hole communicates with one or more reeds, depending on the type of harmonica. Because a reed mounted above a slot is made to vibrate more easily by air from above, reeds accessed by a mouthpiece hole often may be selected further by choice of breath direction (blowing, drawing). Some harmonicas, primarily the chromatic harmonica, also include a spring-loaded button-actuated slide that, when depressed, redirects the airflow.

The harmonica is most commonly used in blues and American folk music, but is also used in jazz, classical music, country music, rock and roll, and pop music. Increasingly, the harmonica is finding its place in more electronically generated music, such as dance and hip-hop, as well as funk and acid jazz.


Questions about the harmonica?


If you are thinking about playing the harmonic and have questions for Megan or Magic Li, send them to Kid's Talk Radio.

Where can I find more information?

Super School University
Kid's Talk Radio Los Angeles