My Music Monologue

    Welcome to my Blog! I'm so happy to have you! My name is LaRene Villa. I was born in Fairbanks, Alaska, and have lived here all my life. I have a stout white American Staffordshire Terrier named Cujo and Dexter, a super moody Senegal Parrot with a catchy sense of humor. I enjoy jogging with my pup, watching and criticizing scary movies with my son Pedro, and going to Costco with my hubby. Hey, Costco here in Fairbanks is a BIG deal! I am currently pursuing my bachelor's degree in Psychology. I strongly believe that psychology and music are closely correlated, and I'm excited to apply this understanding in my research within the field. 

   My mother was a professional pianist, and she played for church services and events. I grew up in a musically based household where I'd hear my mom practice daily. She performed a variety of music from Classical to Contemporary to Pop. She encouraged me to take piano lessons, which allowed me to hold a few songs near and dear to my heart. I can only play a little, yet my son grew up playing the piano as well. He turned out to be an accomplished pianist, specializing in classical music, with Chopin being his favorite. I enjoyed playing a few Pop songs and had fun with Beethoven's "Fur Elise." My desire has always been to play Jazz, yet having learned mainly "by the book," I've had a bear of a time trying to wrap my mind around opening up to free-style or playing with chords. I used to attend concerts with my son while he was in Dr. Zilberkant's music program. Those were certainly incredible performances to witness! We enjoyed both the music and passion Dr. Zilberkant expressed while conducting each piece.   

    I tend to listen to a mixed bag of tunes, including Classic Rock, some Metal, Jazz, Rap, Latin, 70's Disco, Classical Piano, and Show Tunes. Music helps me focus and encourages creative thinking. It motivates me to push hard during a good run, brings up pleasant memories, and allows me to tune out negative emotions. Music can be destructive at times, especially while driving, so I try to play positive and soothing melodies during my morning commutes. Music emphasizes our uniqueness and I enjoy learning about others through their playlists. I feel it is an effective ice breaker to learn the different styles and types of music folks gravitate to. There is a strong connection between music and personality. Please feel free to comment and share what types of music you enjoy during your morning or afternoon commutes. What kinds of songs do you gravitate to when you are concentrating on a task or perhaps a research paper? 

Thank you so much for visiting my page! I'm excited to share and learn more about your musical nature.

                                                                       Musical Faves  

https://www.classicfm.com/composers/chopin/blind-pianist-lang-lang-the-piano/- This website highlights the jaw-dropping talent of young blind pianist. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQEpknjUeZg#:~:text=The%20famous%2018%2Dth%20Variation,in%20Time%22%20(1980).- Rachmaninoff- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini - 18th Variation | Somewhere in Time