We’re very excited to hear Begin play with the Seattle Rock Orchestra this Friday June 8th at 8pm. They are performing at The Chapel Performance Space at The Good Shepherd Center.

Begin is a wonderful asset to our school. With her musical talents and fun teaching methods she brings a wealth of  experience to our school. You can learn more about her here http://bit.ly/NKSG4l

The Good Shepherd Center is known for it’s wonderful acoustics and is a valued part of historic Seattle. You can learn more about this beautiful concert space here: http://bit.ly/NKTAxK

One of our gypsy jazz guitar teachers – Ryan Hoffman – played at the famous Seattle jazz venue Jazz Alley with his group Pearl Django. The show was a big success and they sold lots of CDs and everybody was happy!

Here is some good music from Pearl Django online:

You can buy their CD here:
http://www.pearldjango.com/files/cdcatalog.htm

ROCK BAND CAMP IS FUN!!!

The first week of rock band camp this year was a SMASHING SUCCESS!!!
4 Rock stars came together and formed a great band named “THE MOUSTACHE BRIGADE”

Sign-Up For Rock Band Camp Now!

What They Did At Rock Band Camp

Students at rock band camp had the opportunity to play different instruments like drums, piano, bass, guitar and sing or rap! They take short private lessons on each of the instruments and test out what they learned with the group.

Making a Music Video

In addition to learning a lot of great music, they came up with a band name and create a music video and plot for the video. Then they record the music track for their video and mash it together with the video together in an awesome quirky masterpiece!

The Plot of the Music Video:

The Moustache Brigade came together this Spring break to rescue Jimi Hendrix’s last guitar from the EVIL PANDA.

Well… we have lots of snow on the ground and getting anywhere will be a pain in the butt for students who need to drive.

If you’re lesson was canceled, all you need to do is reschedule another appointment online or wait till next week when we will hopefully have less snow.

The roads are still icy so we are officially closed for a snowday on THURSDAY!

Many of our teachers are having trouble making it in.

If you don’t have a subaru or all wheel drive then its pretty tricky to drive at the moment, be safe!

There is a lot of snow on the roads at the school.
Many of our teachers are having trouble making it in.
If its bad here its even worse further outside the city – so we are officially closed for a snow day on WED.
Stay home, stay warm, practice and make lots of snow people!

As planned on our holiday calendar, we are closed for January 16th (MLK Day).
Enjoy the snow! If you need help rescheduling, just email us and we’ll get back to you ASAP.

We are planning on being open for the rest of the week.
If we cancel lessons because of the weather, we will alert you via email and phone.
If you can not make it to your lesson this week due to weather, please call us ASAP @ 206-407-9610.

This is a picture taken in Capitol Hill this weekend. Someone has turned the Jimi Hendrix statue into a giant snowman… either that or Jack from Jack in the box has been taking music lessons!

Ryan and Pearl Django will be performing at Jazz Alley January 3rd through Sunday. Joining them will be the fabulous jazz guitarist Martin Taylor as the band’s special guest. Martin is truly and amazing musician and it’ll be a great show so come on out and see it for yourself.

Here’s Martin and Pearl Django taping a live radio spot at KPLU’s downtown studios last year. Listen for them this year Wednesday and Thursday playing on KUOW.

We just received an award from ThumbTack for being ranked #1 on thumbtack for most popular lessons in Seattle!

We’ll keep working hard to improve our facilities, learning new teaching methods and giving out the best prizes for students who practice!

Frank “Sugar Chile Robinson” really knows how to pound on that piano! His feet don’t even touch the ground..pretty adorable, but he means business! He’s so awesomely talented at such a young age!

Naomi is a very talented young piano student at Off the Wall.
She recently redecorated her binder. Here is a picture:

*This was not a paid endorsement for Piano Lessons. However, Naomi might have received some candy from Off the Wall at one point in time…

We just finished up our 3rd and final session of Rock Band Camp for the summer. Students learned to play new instruments, work with an ensemble, record their music, and design a band name and album cover.

We delivered the high-quality instruction we’re known for through private coachings during the day and a high teacher to student ratio. We look forward to working with more budding rock stars next summer!

Please let us know if your child would like to be involved and we’ll be sure to send you more information in the spring.

Youtube is awesome!

Amazing cello cover of the song Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson.

It’s not quite a marimba they built out in a forest, but how it makes its sound is similar. In this awesome Japanese commercial, a rolling ball plays Johann Sebastian Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.

Off the Wall’s first rock-band camp was a huge success and we’re looking forward to more this summer! Our new band, The Underwater Trees, performed songs by Green Day, Coldplay and an original tune titled “I’m a Zombie.” Their debut music video will be available for viewing soon.

We delivered the high-quality instruction we’re known for through private coachings during the day and a high teacher to student ratio, and look forward to working with more budding rock stars.

Please let us know if your child would like to be involved. Camp sessions run for 1 week (M-F) from 9am to 2pm.

Click here for video!

Electrodes are often used to help people with muscle problems.  This video shows us that when placed on a person’s arm, they can move your fingers in certain ways, potentially helping you learn hand positions for stringed instruments (violin, viola, cello, bass), or even getting the rhythm down.  Buuuut, I’m not so sure this is the best way to learn…  listen to the last thing in the video.  Haha!

Leonard Solomon created a Bellowphone in the 1980’s, but here’s one of his newer inventions… the incredible, astounding, mind-blowingly majestic Oomphalapompatronium contraption!  Does this remind anyone else of Belle’s creative father in Beauty and the Beast?

This extremely talented (and rather unusual) cellist/singer/songwriter, Ashia Grzesik, went to school for music at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA!  Ashia took classical voice and cello lessons, even played with professional symphonies, before she went to perform in the theatrical, cabaret style with Cirque du Soleil in Vegas.

Off the Wall School of Music loves learning and teaching fun music like this!  Yes, even silly songs can help you learn how to play the piano.