Noelia Toscano's Explorations in Music

For this assignment, I chose the song Candy Store from Heathers: The Musical. Heathers is a 2014 off-Broadway hit that is based on the 1988 film where three girls named Heather run their high school in Ohio. It started in 2010 with its origin being Joe's Pub. From all their power in high school, they spark disturbing actions and reactions from their classmates. It is said to have some resemblance to the movie Mean Girls.  The musical follows the story of a girl named Veronica. She is a so-called "misfit" who wants to be popular and part of the popular crowd at any price. The three girls who rule the school are the Heathers. They are three girls named Heather, there is Heather Chandler, Heather McNamara, and Heather Duke. Heather Chandler is the leader of the group. The musical opens awareness to different topics in teen culture such as sexual assault, school violence, bullying, and teen suicide.  Candy Store is the second song in Act One. During this song, Heather Chand...

Musical Biography:        Britney Spears is an American triple threat. She is a singer, songwriter, and dancer. Although she is more known for her performance work than her compositions. Out of her 62 songs that she has released throughout her career, she is only credited with composition credits for 18 of them. That means more than 70% of her work is for performing. Britney is known as the "Princess of Pop." She is credited with having a majority of influence over reviving teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Her musical journey began at the age of 15 in 1997. This is when she first signed with Jive Records. She jumpstarted her career with her first two studio albums that are among the best-selling albums of all time. These albums were Baby One More Time (1999) and Oops!... I Did It Again (2000). From these albums she became the best-selling teenage artist of all time. She has nine albums with her latest album coming out in 2016. She as well has had 10 ...

     This is a picture of Machu Picchu.      Peru is a country in South America that is a mix of many different cultures. Peru is home to many including Indians, Spaniards, Europeans, descendants of African slaves, and Asians. It is a very old country with a rich history including one of the most important Peruvian cultures that lived in Peru around 600 years ago. This is the Inca tribe that built Machu Picchu and thrived for centuries before conquistadors from Spain came.       Due to all these different influences, Peruvian music is a fusion of sounds and styles. The music is primarily a fusion of Andean, Spanish and African roots. As well from all the cultural mixing, to go along with the unique music, there are unique dances.       The main reason this music sounds different is due to the cultural aspect behind the music. Peruvian music is used as a function of celebration and religion. Many types of music are use...

     First off, what is a saxophone? A saxophone is a member of the woodwind family that is typically made of brass. It is played with a single reed and creates a sound similar to the clarinet. The saxophone's fingering system is as well similar to other members of the woodwind family including the flute and recorder. The saxophone is commonly associated with jazz but is used in other musical genres. These genres include, pop, rock and roll, classical music, and funk.       The saxophone as well does not have an obvious predecessor like other instruments do. It is related to many other members of the modern woodwind family. According to an article about the history of the saxophone, "It has been suggested that the ophicleide, a tuba-like instrument in the Romantic period, is a direct ancestor of the saxophone. It has a brass-style mouthpiece, but its conical bone and woodwind-style keys are similar to the sax, although this link has been disputed," ( A...

    " Bust Your Windows " came out in 2008 when I was actually five years old. It is one of those songs that was always playing on the radio and as I got older, I kept playing the song. I think it is the aftermath of a horrible breakup where you acknowledge everything that happened and what you did. One review from Reddit's pop music community says, " Lyrically, "Bust Your Windows" could be described as the sequel and aftermath to Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats,"'  ( R/popheads - [throwback] Jazmine Sullivan - bust your windows ).  This review put into words my thoughts. Jazmine Sullivan says that she does not regret what she did, but she has self-awareness.  Click Here to listen to "Bust Your Windows " by Jazmine Sullivan - September 16, 2008, USA Basic Information      "Bust Your Windows " is written by Jazmine Sullivan and Salaam Remi. Salaam Remi is also the producer of the song. The song is technically a mid...

     For me, " Lo Que Siento" by Cuco is the best of both worlds. I love how the song is a clever blend of English and Spanish. As well, it is very relatable. I stumbled upon the song by having it sent to me by an old friend. The song had just come out and it put into words how I was feeling. I think that understanding the lyrics as well puts the entire song into perspective. For instance, the title of the song translates to "What I Feel." It remains one of my favorite songs and seems to be a theme song for different aspects of my life.  Click Here to listen to " Lo Que Siento " by Cuco - May 25, 2017, USA Basic Information      Cuco who is the singer of " Lo Que Siento" is actually the producer and composer of the song as well. According to an interview by Genius, Cuco says, "...in my head, I just heard the chord progression for Lo Que Siento in a way where it's mixed with a lot of Chicano rap. But then there's also that indie s...