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Photo Gallery: Rancid with Pennywise and The English Beat at Toronto’s Rebel

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All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her at minismemories@hotmail.com

Rancid
Rancid
Rancid
Rancid
Rancid
Rancid
Pennywise
Pennywise
Pennywise
Pennywise
Pennywise
The English Beat
The English Beat
The English Beat
The English Beat
The English Beat

6 Secrets to Writing an Effective Essay on Music Education

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Music education is becoming more appreciated in the American school system. Many schools have been trying to include music education in their curriculum due to the many positive impacts it has on students.

In fact, studies show that attendance rates, performance, and other life choices are much better in schools offering music education. This has further resulted in an increasing number of students choosing creative majors. Consequently, the process of applying for a music college even more difficult.

The field is highly ambitious and so are the schools. In order to create an arresting eye-catching essay, there has to be more to the content rather than just your passion for music. Even after getting into college, in order to keep up with the fierce competition, every student has to stay on top of academics, music theory and performance.

If you are a prospective student or a current one, hoping to create that masterpiece of an essay, you might be in need of some professional academic essay writers. With their help, it is indeed possible to jot down your aspirations on paper. However, if you are looking for extra help to get started on the topic, here is exactly what you need.

1. Work On The Idea

The idea of the paper often revolves around the main topic. Whether you are assigned one or have to choose one, the first thing to do is to add a bit of creativity to it. One can approach the writing in several ways, by offering a general overview of the topic or doing an analysis of a specific focus area.

Depending on the purpose of the article, the approach would be different. If you are writing an admission essay for a music school, then the focus is on you but you have to make it unique. Figuring out the core idea of the content is the most important step towards getting it right.

2. Develop an Outline

The second mistake that most students do is to get into the content of the essay right away. However, what would make the composition better is to work on an outline first. It would give you a better impression on which part you should focus more and help to organize your thoughts.

If you are working on a school essay, developing an outline could also help the studying process to understand the narrative of the content. Start by writing down your ideas, and the basic structure you have in mind that will allow you to put the thoughts in order.

3. Stick To The Format

The format of the essay entirely depends on its purpose. If it is supposed to be a motivational essay for music education, then it is not necessary to adhere to any strict format. On the other hand, if it is an essay for any other topic, then it is best to proceed with a set format in mind. The basic structure followed starts with an introduction, three or four paragraphs of discussion and then the inference.

For topics requiring analysis or even one that involves musical history, remember to include supporting facts to make it sound authentic. The inference is also equally significant where you present your concluding ideas effectively. Music is a very creative field, so even in the most analytical and descriptive articles, there would be a hint of creativity expected.

4. Don’t Stop with the First Draft

Much like any other field of writing, even in music education, it is best to work from a first draft. It allows one to let the ideas flow naturally on the first draft and attend to the refining of the content later. Working with drafts gives you creative freedom without confining yourself to the final results.

While you write, the most important thing is to keep the reader intrigued. Even if you have a dull topic, the narrative style could make it sound interesting to readers. It might require a few rewrites and edits but would certainly polish the final essay.

5. While Putting Yourself on Paper

Admission essays for schools usually have students talking about their passions, hopes, and goals. This is also the one part that nobody else can repeat as it is unique. Because what you need is to distinguish yourself from other candidates through your application.

Music school often seems to demands hard work and resilience. Use it as your secret weapon to talk about the challenges you have overcome in your life and why it would help to succeed in life. Drawing parallels from real-life events and taking inspiration is a great way to reflect your personality on paper.

6. Avoid Mistakes

The last thing you want to do is to have spelling and grammatical errors in your final piece. Remember to double or triple check for any such mistakes. There are plenty of online tools available that could check the grammar, spelling, and readability of any article.

Also, make sure to do a plagiarism check as well for your essay. Many institutions have special software to check this and you do not want to proceed with plagiarised content for any submission.

Creating compelling content might not seem like an easy task, especially in an area like musicology. however,  it is definitely not an impossible one. It could be a serious topic or even your ruminations, but with a good narrative style to back it up, the essay could easily grab the right attention.

4 Benefits of Listening to Music While Studying

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Studying can be challenging and finding ways to make it more pleasant is a natural human instinct. But is listening to music really helpful when you’re hitting the books? According to scientific research, there are definitely benefits to listening to music while studying.

Music activates various different areas of your brain and can help you to retain information and maximize learning. But the effects of music on your study habits will depend on your style of learning and choosing music that works best for you.

Stimulate your brain

The pleasure of listening to music might make studying more appealing, but does music help you study? Music changes how you feel, and often in a positive way but there are studies that show that music helps the brain to sort out and categorize information – a significant asset when it comes to studying.

Neuroscientist, Anne Blood, at McGill University in Montreal, says you activate different areas of the brain depending upon what music you listen to and it can stimulate underactive areas in the brain.

Your brain looks for patterns to be able to understand, recall and process information. The benefits may therefore not necessarily depend on the kind of music you listen to, but on how your brain responds to the pattern of a song.

 

Release stress

Studying can lead to stress, especially as an exam draws nearer. If you select the right type of music, it can lower your heart rate and your blood pressure, changing your mood and calming you down. Studies have shown that music can trigger the release of dopamine in the brain, which makes you feel happier, more motivated and relaxed.

Music helps in many different ways, but you also need to sleep and eat well, take breaks and have clear objectives. The effects of music on writing may be beneficial when it comes to creative writing, but not so much for research papers.

When you feel overwhelmed and the stress is really getting to you, you may want to pay for high-quality research paper at Edubirdie to help you cope. You can also get your thesis, dissertation and term papers done with the help of the writing experts there.

Typically, high-strung people may benefit the most from soothing music to help them relax and attain the right mental state for studying.

Hip-hop might not be exactly your cup of tea but research done by a couple of Cambridge University Professors found that hip-hop music helped people with mental health issues to study. It uplifted them and they accepted and managed their issues better.

Visualize better

There’s been a lot of debate on the accuracy of the Mozart Effect which claimed that listening to Mozart makes you smarter. Recent research tends to dispute these claims, but there’s still enough compelling data that suggests music may improve spatial reasoning. This means it may improve your ability to visualize better.

study carried out at John Hopkins University found that playing background music when doing reflection and creative activities, such as brainstorming, writing, and goal setting was helpful and that moving around activities stimulated productivity and increased focus.

Improve concentration

Music can help you concentrate by blocking out distracting noise. If you’re studying in a noisy place, you can often study better when you listen to music as you’re not distracted by the noise in the environment. This is why you’ll often see students sitting with headphones on while studying.

Of the music types, classical music for studying has received the most attention. A number of studies have shown that purely instrumental music stimulates certain types of brain waves.

If you’re too focused on lyrics, it can be a distraction rather than helping you to focus. Your ears are hearing the lyrics at the same time as your eyes are reading the words, giving your brain two language-processing tasks at the same time.

If you’re studying mathematics, you aren’t nearly as impacted by the lyrics because your brain doesn’t have to do two language processing tasks together.

Conclusion

The benefits of music to help you study will depend on your individual study habits and the type of music you select. For example, if you’re an introvert, you may prefer silence when you study, whereas if you’re an extrovert, you may prefer the external stimulation that comes from music.

At the end of the day, personality and personal preferences do play a part. Some studies have discovered a negative correlation between lyric-intensive music and study success, but apart from that, it all depends on experimenting a little and finding out what works best for you.

Author Bio:

Emma Rundle is a renowned freelancer academic writer specializing in science and engineering. She also works as a writing coach for students who aim to upgrade their skills and become professional authors, writers and writers. In her free time, she likes to compose music, write lyrics, play with her lovely dogs and try her hand in painting.

 

Pass Microsoft Certifications with PrepAway and Get Your MCSA: Windows 365

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Microsoft is a name that everyone has heard of. It is either because of its immensely popular line of operating systems or its Windows suite. But did you know that Microsoft offers certifications as well? Yes, Microsoft provides a variety of IT credentials that are accepted by many organizations worldwide. Let’s find out more about Microsoft certifications and exams.

Microsoft certifications

Microsoft credentials are divided into three levels: Fundamentals, Associate, and Expert. The acronyms below indicate different expertise levels:

  • MTA (Microsoft Technology Associate)
  • MCSA (Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate)
  • MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer)
  • MCSE (Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert)

In this article, we will be talking about an associate-level certification which is called MCSA: Windows 365.

How to earn your MCSA: Windows 365 certification?

The MCSA: Windows 365 certification provides proof that you have the skills to administer cloud-hosted business applications using Microsoft Windows 365. To earn this associate-level certification, you have to pass two compulsory exams:

  • Exam 70-346
  • Exam 70-740

While 70-346 test is all about the management of Windows 365 requirements and identities, 70-740 focuses on the candidate’s ability to enable Windows 365 services. MCSA: Windows 365 serves as a requirement for the MCSE: Productivity credential (the highest achievable Microsoft certification).

To give you a clear idea of the Microsoft certification procedure, below we will focus on one particular test. So, let’s find out more about 70-740 exam.

Microsoft 70-740 exam overview

As mentioned earlier, 70-740 is a required exam for the MCSA: Windows 365 certification. The number of questions in the exam is not specifically stated, but it may lie within a range of 40-60 items. The candidates are required to answer the questions within 120 minutes. Here is a list of some of the topics that will be covered in the exam:

  • Managing end-user devices and clients: client deployments (user-driven) deployment of Windows 365 ProPlus, reporting and telemetry, and planning for Windows clients
  • Provisioning of SharePoint Online: SharePoint site collections, collaboration solutions, and external user sharing
  • Configuring Skype for Business Online as well as Exchange Online for end users: email configuration, external resources, groups, contacts, archive policies, and communication settings
  • Planning for Skype for Business Online and Exchange Online: anti-spam policies, anti-malwarepolicies, and mailbox migration strategy
  • Securing and configuring Windows 365 services: Microsoft StaffHub, Microsoft Teams, OneDrive for Business, PowerApps, and Microsoft Flow

Preparation options offered by Microsoft

The Microsoft certification exams are known to be tough, and Microsoft technology experts are well aware of this. That is why they offer you these preparation resources:

  • Online training

This gives you access to a set of training videos that cover 70-740 exam syllabus. Created by seasoned Microsoft specialists, online training allows you to join a virtual class and interact with your instructors and fellow candidates.

  • Instructor-led training

This type of training is available in two forms:

  • On-demand
  • Classroom

Both of these options offer hands-on labs and SATV redemption. A benefit of On-demand training is that it can be accessed anytime, anywhere. And a benefit of Classroom training is that you can ask the instructor questions in real time.

  • Self-paced training

The Microsoft Virtual Academy is a perfect platform for you to gain access to the courses required to prepare for 70-740 exam online. The advantage of this method is that you can create a work schedule by yourself.

  • Practice test

Microsoft offers a practice test that consists of questions similar to the ones in the actual 70-740 exam. Take a few different practice tests and you will be able to figure out what types of questions to expect and how to approach them.

Microsoft Certification Program Info:
https://www.prepaway.biz/microsoft-certification-exams.html
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/exam-list.aspx
https://www.examsnap.com/microsoft-certification-training.html

Windows Server 2016 Exams
https://www.prepaway.biz/70-740-exam-dumps.html
https://www.prepaway.biz/70-742-exam-dumps.html
https://www.prepaway.biz/70-741-exam-dumps.html
https://www.prepaway.biz/70-743-exam-dumps.html

SQL Specialization
https://www.prepaway.com/70-463-exam.html

  • Books

If you prefer to read books rather than watch videos, then “Exam Ref 70-740 Enabling Windows 365 Services, Second Edition” is the perfect material for you.This study guide is written by Orin Thomas who is a high-class Cloud Operations specialist at Microsoft. So, purchase the book and let Microsoft professionalshelp you with your 70-740 exam.

Apart from these resources, you can also find exam dumps on sites like PrepAway. PrepAway offers a great selection of practice tests in ETE format. These files can be opened with the Vumingo ETE Exam Simulator.By creating an environment similar to that of the actual exam, this software gives you the opportunity to become familiar with the atmosphere of the real test. When it comes to exam dumps, you also need to be aware that there are many websites that have irrelevant and outdated content. So, make sure to always use reliable platforms like PrepAway.

Benefits of having a Microsoft certification

Getting certified sure has its benefits. But getting Microsoft certified enhances those benefits. A credential from Microsoft gives you:

  1. Recognition. Microsoft is recognized as a top-tier organization by just about anyone. So, many employers would recognize the standard of your skills and give you the right appreciation.
  2. Acceptance. The Microsoft certifications are accepted worldwide since the quality of the organization’s products and services is well known.
  3. More job opportunities. Having extra qualifications means that you gain access to more job opportunities (depending on your skill level).
  4. Higher salary. The better you cope with the assigned tasks, the greater the demand for your services. For certified individuals, extra qualifications mean higher salaries. According to ITCareerFinder, MCSA: Windows 365 certified specialists can earn around $83,000 per year.
  5. Updated skills

Since the field of IT is very dynamic, your skills can very easily become obsolete. Microsoft always updates their syllabus and exams to suit the new developments. So,when you obtain any Microsoft certification, you update your knowledge and skills in accordance with the needs of the modern job market.

For these and other reasons, having the Microsoft certification under your belt can be highly advantageous for you.

Conclusion

Earning a certification is the best way to reach a prominent position in the field of IT. But just any certification won’t do. You need one that is accepted by the best of organizations and one that most complements your goal, like a certification from Microsoft, for example. Even though Microsoft tests are tough to crack, if you work hard using the proper resources, you can surely pass your exams without much of a hassle.

Mashup of Rush’s ‘YYZ’ With ‘Milkshake’ by Kelis

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DJ Cummerbund does it again, this time by mashing up Rush instrumental “YYZ” with the Kelis R&B pop single “My Milkshake”. The producer says, “I wanted this to be the most disliked video on YouTube and you people aren’t helping me at all.”

The Canadian Music Hall of Fame Welcomes Four New Inductees: Andy Kim, Bobby Curtola, Chilliwack and Cowboy Junkies

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The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) today announced four legendary Canadian artists will join The Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Inductees include Andy Kim, Bobby Curtola (posthumously), Chilliwack and Cowboy Junkies. The newest inductees will be celebrated at an industry event on Sunday, October 27 at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre in Calgary, AB.

Established in 1978, The Canadian Music Hall of Fame recognizes Canadian artists who have made outstanding contributions to spotlighting Canadian music here at home and/or on the international stage. Andy Kim, Bobby Curtola, Chilliwack and Cowboy Junkies will join the ranks of Canadian music icons including Anne Murray, Joni Mitchell, k.d. lang, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Oscar Peterson, RUSH, The Guess Who, The Tragically Hip, Shania Twain, and more.

“We are very proud to welcome these four highly deserving artists into The Canadian Music Hall of Fame,” said Allan Reid, President & CEO, CARAS/The JUNO Awards & MusiCounts. “Canada has such incredible talent that are represented on the international stage and The Canadian Music Hall of Fame Ceremony Presented by Music Canada will help us recognize and honour these individuals for all of their artistic contributions to the cultural fabric of our country.”

The newest members of The Canadian Music Hall of Fame are:
• Andy Kim: JUNO Award winner, Andy Kim got his start working at the iconic Brill Building in New York at a young age, where he went on to craft major hits including “Baby I Love You,” and “Sugar, Sugar.” Years later in 1974, he released the #1 hit song “Rock Me Gently.” Kim’s musical longevity was cemented with the release of his 2015 album, It’s Decided.

• Bobby Curtola: (Posthumously): From the beginning of his career at sixteen, to his rise to fame with his hit single “Fortune Teller,” and then receiving the first Canadian registered gold album, Bobby made his mark in Canadian music. Before the JUNO Awards’ inception, Bobby won an RPM Gold Leaf Award for Best Male Vocalist in 1966 and his early success helped shape the Canadian music industry of today.

• Chilliwack: Chilliwack’s style has continuously evolved since the band’s inception in 1970, championing genres including psychedelia, blues rock and eventually pop. The JUNO Award nominated* band known for their classic hits “Lonesome Mary”, “Fly at Night”, and “My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)”, head into their fifth decade continuing to thrill their audiences across the country with their live performances.
*Bill Henderson and Brian MacLeod took home a JUNO Award in 1982 for Producer of the Year for “Watcha Gonna Do”, “Secret Information” for Chilliwack.

• Cowboy Junkies: Anyone who has followed Cowboy Junkies’ journey knows the band has always traveled its own path. In 1988, they proved that there was an audience waiting for something quiet, beautiful and reflective. The Trinity Session was like a whisper that cut through the noise — and it was compelling. For the past three decades, the band has remained true to their unique artistic vision and to the introspective, quiet intensity that is their musical signature, creating a critically acclaimed body of original work that has endeared them to an audience unwavering in its loyalty.

The MusiCounts Inspired Minds Ambassador Award (MIMAA), presented by the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation will also be handed out during the Canadian Music Hall of Fame Ceremony. The award recognizes an individual who has had an extraordinary impact on education and the charity over the course of its history. The MIMAA recipient will be announced in the coming weeks.

An hour-long special showcasing the event will be available to stream on November 2, exclusively on CBC Gem. In addition, a second special highlighting the Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees and featuring in-depth interviews will air as part of Music Day on CBC, broadcasting Sunday, March 15, 2020, ahead of The 2020 JUNO Awards on CBC.

The 49th annual JUNO Awards and JUNO Week 2020 will be hosted in Saskatoon, SK from March 9 through March 15, 2020, culminating in The JUNO Awards, on Sunday, March 15, at the SaskTel Centre, broadcast live on CBC, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, the free CBC Gem streaming service in Canada and globally at cbcmusic.ca/junos.

Photo Gallery: Our Lady Peace with Bush, Live and Dear Rouge at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage

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All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her at minismemories@hotmail.com

Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace
Bush
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Dear Rouge
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Taylor Swift Announces ‘Lover Fest’ For US and European Stadiums

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Taylor Swift has announced her first concerts in 2020 to support her new album, Love. “Lover Fest West” and “Lover Fest East” will likely add more dates. Continuing her historic career, she will become the first woman in history to open an NFL stadium when she performs at the inaugural concert at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on July 25 and 26.

Check out the full list of dates below.
June 20 — Werchter, Belgium @ Werchter Boutique
June 24 — Berlin, Germany @ The Waldbühne
June 26 — Oslo, Norway @ Oslo Sommertid
July 1 — Roskilde, Denmark @ Roskilde Festival
July 3 — Gdynia, Poland @ Open’er Festival
July 5 — Nîmes, France @ Festival de Nîmes
July 9 — Oeiras, Portugal @ NOS Alive
July 18 — Sao Paulo, Brazil @ Allianz Parque
July 25 — Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium
July 26 — Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium
July 31– Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium
Aug. 1 — Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium

Haviah Mighty has won the 2019 Polaris Music Prize for the album 13th Floor

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Haviah Mighty has won the 2019 Polaris Music Prize for the album 13th Floor.

“For me, the 13th floor is something that we remove from our reality because it is something that we don’t understand and therefore we dismiss it,” said Haviah Mighty. “This is very parallel to so many of the experiences that I speak on, on this album. I’m in a room with so many different people from so many different walks of life who have acknowledged that this is something they feel is important. These people don’t necessarily share the narratives that I do, or the walks of life that I have, and yet, here we are, finally on what I believe is the 13th floor. This is the moment of resurgence where the dismissal that has existed is now being removed, and the discussion is being had. I’m so grateful that the people around me push me to be brave enough to speak my truth and to have it be acknowledged in this way.”

The Prize, which was presented by CBC Music, goes to the best Canadian album of the year based on artistic merit without regard to genre, sales history or label affiliation. It was determined by a Grand Jury of 11 music media professionals drawn from the greater Polaris jury pool of 199 writers, editors, broadcasters, DJs and personalities from across the country.

Haviah Mighty’s victory came with a $50,000 monetary reward. The nine other Short List nominees each received $3,000 courtesy of Slaight Music.

Held at the historic Carlu in downtown Toronto, the evening featured performances by nine of the 10 Polaris nominees. These included Marie Davidson, Elisapie, FET.NAT, Dominique Fils-Aimé, Les Louanges, Haviah Mighty, PUP, Shad and Snotty Nose Rez Kids. Jessie Reyez was also in attendance. CBC Music’s Raina Douris was the host for the gala. Re-watch the Polaris Music Prize gala performances and winner announcement HERE.

The 2019 Polaris Short List was:

Marie Davidson – Working Class Woman
Elisapie – The Ballad of the Runaway Girl
FET.NAT – Le Mal
Dominique Fils-Aimé – Stay Tuned!
Les Louanges – La nuit est une panthère
Haviah Mighty – 13th Floor
PUP – Morbid Stuff
Jessie Reyez – Being Human In Public
Shad – A Short Story About A War
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – Trapline

The Grand Jury who decided the winner included Jacques Boivin (ecoutedonc.ca), Stephen Cooke (Chronicle Herald), Erin MacLeod (Freelance Journalist), Christine McAvoy (3AM Revelations), Max Mertens (Freelance Journalist), Nneka Nnagbo (Ottawa Beat & Melted Magazine), Ryan B. Patrick (Exclaim!), Chantal Rondeau (Indigenous Today), Fanny St-Amand (Belle et Bum), Richard Trapunski (NOW Magazine) and Melissa Vincent (A.Side).

“This year’s Grand Jury were exceptionally thorough in their listening and discussion, changing their opinions and taking on new points of view in response to their fellow jurors’ passionate arguments about the meaning of Canadian musical art in 2019,” said Polaris jury foreperson Katherine Duncan. “Their commitment, dedication and heartfelt debate is inspiring to share. It’s with great pleasure that we congratulate the winner of the 2019 Polaris Music Prize!”

The past winners of the Prize are: Jeremy Dutcher (2018), Lido Pimienta (2017), Kaytranada (2016), Buffy Sainte-Marie (2015), Tanya Tagaq (2014), Godspeed You! Black Emperor (2013), Feist (2012), Arcade Fire (2011), Karkwa (2010), Fucked Up (2009), Caribou (2008), Patrick Watson (2007) and Final Fantasy / Owen Pallett (2006).

Video from 1995: Tupac on Growing Up Poor, His Rise to Fame & His Future

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In 1995, Tupac Shakur and MTV News correspondent Tabitha Soren took a stroll down the Venice boardwalk for an in-depth conversation about where the rapper has been and where he sees himself going.