April is National Stress Awareness Month and Casio America, Inc.is encouraging everyone to pick up an instrument and play to help alleviate stress. Whether you are practicing scales, playing a favorite song or improvising a tune, incorporating music into your daily routine can help improve physical well-being and shift moods.

Research from Michigan State University (MSU) indicates that listening to music and playing a musical instrument stimulates the production of opiates and endorphins, the 'feel good' hormones in our bodies, which can result in improved blood flow and blood pressure. Further studies from MSU show that listening to music and playing a musical instrument are frequent strategies used to deal with stress[1].

"Music can be an extremely powerful outlet for stress relief and can be used to improve emotional health, whether someone is playing, listening to, or singing along with their favorite tune," said Stephen Schmidt, Vice President of Casio's Electronic Musical Instrument Division. "Casio is proud to offer a variety of digital pianos and keyboards that can help reduce tension and facilitate relaxation. There is no better time than now to start playing an instrument and taking the time to unwind with music."

Casio's portfolio of electronic musical instruments offers a comprehensive feature-set geared to enrich the overall music experience for both beginners and experts. For example, Casio's Privia PX-150 digital piano features a combination of keyboard action and a powerful sound engine to provide a new level of detail, nuance and expression for a superior grand piano experience in the lightweight and stylish design that Privia is known for. Other features of the Privia PX-150 include the following:

• Casio's proprietary sound source, "AiR" (Acoustic and intelligent Resonator), which delivers unmatched realism and detail
• 88-note Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard
• Ebony and ivory textured keys to reproduce the touch feeling of an acoustic piano
• 4 Layer Stereo Piano
• 18 built-in instrument tones including strings, organs, electric pianos and bass
• Duet Mode to split the keyboard into two equal ranges, allowing both student and teacher to use the piano simultaneously

To learn more about Casio's line of Privia digital pianos or full portfolio of electronic musical instruments, please visit www.CasioMusicGear.com. 

About Casio America, Inc.
Casio America, Inc., Dover, N.J., is the U.S. subsidiary of Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, one of the world's leading manufacturers of consumer electronics and business equipment solutions. Established in 1957,Casio America, Inc. markets calculators, keyboards, digital cameras, mobile presentation devices, disc title and label printers, watches, cash registers and other consumer electronic products. Casio has strived to fulfill its corporate creed of "creativity and contribution" through the introduction of innovative and imaginative products. For more information, visit www.casiousa.com.

About Privia
Casio's Privia line of digital pianos redefines the digital piano category with unprecedented sound quality and performance features in stylish, elegant designs that are supremely portable. Featuring superb grand piano sounds and a new Tri-Sensor 88 note scaled hammer action keyboard and some models weighing only 25 lbs., Casio's Privia digital pianos are versatile enough for any home, studio, or stage. The award winning grand piano sound in Privia has been dramatically improved and now utilizes more than three times the memory of the previous generation for a more natural piano tone. In addition, Casio's new proprietary sound source "AiR" (Acoustic and intelligent Resonator) provides unmatched realism, detail and seamless dynamics for a remarkably expressive and powerful performance. For additional information on Casio's Privia digital pianos, please visit www.CasioMusicGear.com.

Songwriter Karen Littman, Academy Award-winning Director John Korty, and Grammy Award-winning Producer Narada Michael Walden have teamed up to create a compelling and uplifting music video that gives a face to homelessness in America. In the spirit of helping one another, Littman is giving the video free to organizations that are improving the lives and futures of homeless people everywhere. Nonprofit organizations can use "A Little Help" as part of their own campaigns for awareness and fundraising.

Littman will customize the final frame of the video with each organization's message and contact information. Nonprofits typically don't have the resources to create ambitious marketing or video production. Littman and her team hope the video will help raise money and awareness for organizations providing "A Little Help" to get the homeless on their feet again.

"A Little Help" is an honest picture of homelessness: from people surviving on the streets to families in shelters and job training programs. Homelessness does not discriminate by age, ethnicity or background. 

"Millions of Americans experience homelessness at some point of their lives. The stereotypes of homelessness don't reflect reality," remarked Littman. "Every homeless person has faced unique circumstances and challenges and has a unique future left to live. My hope is that 'A Little Help' gives people pause and encourages them to support organizations in their communities working with the homeless."

"A Little Help" is pitch perfect for fundraising and awareness campaigns.

Karen Littman, composed and performed the song, Oscar winner John Korty directed the video, and Grammy-winning producer Narada Michael Walden produced the song.

Most of the footage in "A Little Help" was shot on location at Homeward Bound of Marin's (www.hbofm.org), programs for the homeless. A version of the video customized with Homeward Bound's message at the end can be seen here.

"In fundraising, as in life, we all need a little help sometimes," says Mary Kay Sweeney, Homeward Bound's executive director. "We're proud to work together with Karen Littman to send a message of love and positivity into the world."

About Homeward Bound of Marin

Founded in 1974, Homeward Bound (www.hbofm.org) serves an average of 1,200 people yearly in 15 residential programs ranging from emergency shelter to permanent supportive housing. Services include counseling, job training and workshops in "life skills" like parenting and budgeting.

About Morphonix LLC

Morphonix (www.morphonix.com) is an award-winning developer of learning games that teach children about neuroscience in fun and engaging ways. Founded in 1990 by Karen Littman, Morphonix™ LLC was created to research the educational value of new media and technology, and to apply this knowledge to the development of innovative programs that better educate and support children.

Source:
Karen Littman, President, Morphonix LLC
Email
415-331-5010 

Jazz at Lincoln Center's 2015 Gala, entitled "The World of Duke Ellington," will celebrate the indomitable spirit of swing and legacy of Duke Ellington, the most influential figure in American music. This special one-night benefit concert will take place on April 29, 2015 – on the 116th anniversary of Ellington's birth – at 7pm at Frederick P. Rose Hall, the "House of Swing," located at Broadway at 60th Street, New York, New York.Hosted by Michael Keaton, the gala concert will feature the finest names in jazz and dance conveying the genius of Duke Ellington whose music explored all themes: love songs, siren songs, dance, civil rights, spirituals, blue mood, avant-garde, Afro-Latin and more.

Directed by Robert Pullen and drawn from a script written by historian Geoffrey Ward, "The World of Duke Ellington" will feature the critically-acclaimed Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and special guests Tony Bennett, Baqir Abbas, Melissa Aldana, Jonathan Batiste, Shirley Caesar, Dick Hyman, Adriane Lenox, and Christian McBride.

Proceeds from "The World of Duke Ellington" will help to enable the thousands of performances and the diverse education programs and resources produced by Jazz at Lincoln Center each year. Through its concerts, free webcasts, direct musical instruction, and distribution of scores, Jazz at Lincoln Center reaches more than one million people globally, of all ages. The organization employs more than 1660 artists per year on its bandstands and classrooms.

On this special evening, the Ed Bradley Award for Leadership in Jazz will be presented to Jazz at Lincoln Center Board Chairman Robert J. Appel. The Award, named in honor of CBS News correspondent and original Jazz at Lincoln Center board member Ed Bradley, celebrates the integrity, wisdom and pioneering spirit of outstanding leaders and is Jazz at Lincoln Center's most distinguished award. Mr. Appel's commitment to the arts and to Jazz at Lincoln Center is unprecedented. His recent gift to this organization was the largest single private philanthropic contribution to date in support of Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Jazz at Lincoln Center will also bestow the 2nd Annual Ashley Schiff Ramos Community Development in Jazz Award to Wendy Oxenhorn, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of the Jazz Foundation of America. Through this award, Jazz at Lincoln Center recognizes an extraordinary individual who uses jazz to enlist and engage people for the purpose of bringing communities together. Ms. Oxenhorn's work at the Jazz Foundation of America serves as an inspiration to keep jazz alive and to support the unique individuals in the jazz community.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Gala Chairmen are Helen and Robert J. Appel, Jody and John Arnhold, Diana and Joe DiMenna.

Gala co-chairmen are Wynton Marsalis, Lisa and Dick Cashin, Burwell and Chip Schorr.

Vice Chairs are Shahara Ahmad-Llewellyn, Lisa and Peter Berger, Jessica and Natan Bibliowicz, Betsy Cohn, Gail and Alfred Engelberg, Mica Ertegun, Larry Gagosian, Marlene Hess and Jim Zirin, Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee; The Perelman Family Foundation, Karen and Charles Phillips / Infor, Susan and Jack Rudin, Rebecca and Art Samberg; Barry F. Schwartz, Melanie Shorin and Greg S. Feldman, Katherine Farley and Jerry I. Speyer / Speyer Family Foundation.

Gala tickets begin at $2,500 and tables begin at $25,000. For gala benefit inquiries, please call 212.245.6570 or email [email protected].

SOURCE: 
Jazz at Lincoln Center
http://www.jalc.org