Paella on the terrace with amazing RLP kitchen staff
Deborah Szekely
bougainvillea
activity pool
poolside
a sweet bench
Kathy and Laura
beautiful views everywhere!
inspiring place to journal
daily quote board
piano concert in Oak Tree Pavillion
My latest visit to Rancho La Puerta, a world-renowned health and wellness resort in Tecate, Mexico, marked my 17th year as a musical guest at the Ranch. With 40 miles of hiking trails, delicious vegetarian food, stunning gardens, meandering brick paths, swimming pools, fitness classes, and, of course, a gorgeous Steinway B piano and dreamy performance space, the Ranch is my idea of heaven on earth.
While there, I presented two singing classes and a piano concert. My day included early morning practicing from 6–8 a.m. followed by swimming, soaking, yoga, and long walks. I brought my dear friend Kathy Lee as a guest, and she delighted in attending a variety of fitness classes, morning hikes, tennis, pickleball, Pilates, and lectures on diet and brain health.
One of the highlights of my week, in addition to seeing old friends from past visits, was a dinner for the presenters hosted by the Ranch’s co-founder, Deborah Szekely, who will turn 104 in May. During the dinner, she offered sage advice on living a long and healthy life: stay curious, follow the Ranch diet, and remain positive. Her mind is sharp, her stories engaging, and she continues inspiring others toward leading healthy, vibrant, and impactful lives. At the dinner she asked me to lead the group in a song, I chose a simple old camp tune that seems perfect for the tranquil Ranch atmosphere: “I’ve Got Peace like a River.”
Stay curious! Consider learning to play the piano- a wonderful way to engage your brain while adding artistic beauty and joy to your daily life. Play Piano Today with Laura Dean
Finding Joy in Difficult Times “We need joy as we need air. We need love as we need water. We need each other as we need the earth we share.” — Maya Angelou
Many things in our world are out of our control, and sometimes the daily news cycle is enough to make us want to stay in bed with the covers pulled up over our heads. Rather than dwelling on what we can’t change, let’s turn our attention to the loved ones, activities, and rituals that add peace and light to our days.
Liam at the Yellowstone RiverBowlingwindyTrain DepotLaura Loving LivingstonOh Deerall dressed upCan’t Think of Anyone Else to Blame by David RathmanArt walk TrioDowntown Livingstonhey sunflowerBig Sky CountryScott, Gail, and Laura Dean Scott and Laura
My nephew Liam and I recently spent a couple of days and nights in Livingston, Montana. Livingston is a historic railroad town near the North Entrance of Yellowstone Park. Many of the original buildings remain intact or have been painstakingly restored. The charming downtown area welcomes visitors with eclectic shops, bright flower baskets, and an artsy vibe. Liam and I visited the Railway Station Museum, bowled at the local bowling alley, walked along the Yellowstone River, strolled through Sacajawea Park, dined out, and explored many of the wonderful thrift stores and boutiques. We also joined an evening art walk where we saw several works by the artist David Rathman, who is originally from my hometown of Choteau, Montana.
After our Livingston segment, my brother and I drove from his home in Clyde Park (near Livingston) to Great Falls to visit my mom. The original Dean trio had a great time visiting the former homes of our beloved grandparents, reminiscing about our childhood, sipping afternoon coffee at the Buffalo Blanc coffee shop across from Central High, cooking dinner together, and swimming at my mom’s condo.
Liam loves music, records, and vintage finds. He introduced me to a song by the progressive rock band from the 1970s called England, and in particular, the song —“All Alone” from their album —Garden Shed. Liam asked me if I could play the piece. I failed to find the sheet music for this obscure track, but I composed something inspired by it…
How Did It End by Taylor Swift, played by Laura Dean
In a recent episode of And Just Like That (Season 3, Episode 9), Carrie Bradshaw—wearing a knockout “I just threw this on” kind of outfit—sat at a café table facing her longtime paramour, Aidan. And just like that….. their romance came to an end—in a swift heartbreaking scene.
After a short conversation about their insurmountable obstacles, Carrie and Aidan come to the conclusion: it’s over! After a goodbye embrace, Carrie turns on her heel and struts down the sidewalk (in her sky-high pumps, of course), away from Aidan, and into the next chapter of her life. Cue the Taylor Swift deep-cut slow burn, “How Did It End,” from her album, The Tortured Poets Department.
I’m a huge fan of And Just Like That, the sequel to Sex and the City. Decades removed from the original debut, the SATC characters—now in middle age, still in their fantasy footwear and otherworldly wardrobes—navigate real-life situations many of us “of a certain age” can relate to: aging bodies, adult children, career challenges, complicated relationships, and above all, the enduring power of friendship.
Haunted with the scene and the song, the next day, I watched the scene again and located the sheet music to “How Did It End” on Musicnotes.com. One of my favorite things about being a musician is the ability to get my hands on the sheet music and play something that resonates on a personal level. In this case, the inspiration was the perfect storm: a relatable story, a beautifully crafted scene, and an emotional song.
Taylor Swift’s lyrics for the first verse and chorus of “How Did It End”:
Come one, come all It’s happenin’ again The empathetic hunger descends We’ll tell no one Except all of our friends We must know How did it end?
We hereby conduct this post-mortem He was a hothouse flower to my outdoorsman Our maladies were such we could not cure them And so a touch that was my birthright became foreign
If you’d like to explore the possibility of playing music that moves you—just like I did with “How Did It End”—consider signing up for my beginning piano course here.
Last Saturday, I attended the Barry Manilow concert at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. My memories of Barry go way back to the ’70s, when my mom would play his records while cleaning the house on Saturday mornings. I love playing his ballads on the piano, and I still remember the words to his greatest hits. I gleefully sang along with my fellow Fanilows to all the songs, which just kept coming all night—Mandy, Weekend in New England, Looks Like We Made It, American Bandstand, and many more, ending, of course, with the grand finale: Copacabana.
Throughout the evening, Barry—who is 82 years old, by the way—sang, played the piano, danced, changed costumes, and told stories about growing up as the child of a single mother in Brooklyn. In particular, he highlighted his special relationship with his grandfather, who encouraged Barry’s musical talent.
What a delight and inspiration to see this American treasure—a consummate professional—deliver such a joyful and entertaining concert packed with pizzazz, authenticity, musicality, warmth, gratitude, grace, energy, and compassion. For the hour and a half that he performed, we all forgot about what was going on outside the performance hall and enjoyed the “True Blue Spectacle” that is Barry Manilow.
In addition to his stellar performances, Barry’s legacy project is The Manilow Music Project, which, according to the website, “empowers underfunded school music programs to provide quality music education. By donating instruments and equipment and providing scholarships nationwide, the project gives disadvantaged young people the opportunity to experience community, passion, and creativity through the gift of music.” To date, the Manilow Music Project has given away approximately ten million dollars in instruments and scholarships.
At our Seattle concert, Barry honored Ethan Thomas, a music teacher at West Seattle High School. Barry had Ethan stand up and announced that he would be receiving $10,000 for the school’s music program! Bravo! In his tribute to Ethan, Barry commented, “Music will change a young person’s life.” Indeed!
I just submitted this article to the Clarion, the bi-monthly publication of the Washington State Music Teacher’s Association, and I thought my readers may find it interesting. By the way, this is the first article I have written with the help of openAI.
Have any of you dipped your toe into the world of Artificial Intelligence, also known as AI? I have. I have used AI to generate a set list for a Gen Z couple who hired me to play for their wedding ceremony and the cocktail hour. I’ve used it to create a short narrative about the major musical time periods for a concert that I’ve given featuring composers from the Baroque to the 21st Century. I’ve use it to find weekly music riddles for my students that I write on a white board at the entrance of my studio. I have embraced ChatGPT as a personal administrative and research assistant who is available to answer my requests 24/7. AI has saved me hours of time and energy, and I think we can all agree that time and energy are among our greatest resources.
AI is rapidly becoming a valuable tool for independent music teachers. While some educators may feel hesitant to embrace technology, AI can simplify many aspects of studio management and instruction. Here are a few practical ways AI can enhance your work life while saving hours of labor.
1. Music Theory Assistance
AI-powered chat tools like ChatGPT can generate explanations, exercises, and quizzes tailored to your students’ needs. If a student is struggling with key signatures, AI can instantly create customized drills or explain concepts in new ways.
2. Music History Insights
Need a quick historical background on a composer or musical style? AI can summarize key information, suggest repertoire based on a student’s interests, or even help craft engaging storytelling for lessons.
3. Organizing Your Busy Schedule
AI can help structure your week by generating lesson plans, reminders, and task lists. Tools like Google Calendar’s AI scheduling suggestions or Notion AI can assist in balancing teaching, practice time, and administrative tasks. AI-generated to-do lists can prioritize important tasks, for example, aiding in recital planning, student follow-ups, and lesson prep.
4. Project & Recital Planning
AI can assist in creating structured project plans, timelines, and even recital programs. Tools like Notion AI or ChatGPT can generate theme ideas, student progress checklists, and repertoire suggestions based on difficulty level and performance goals.
5. Marketing & Social Media
For teachers looking to grow their studios, AI can help generate website content, write engaging social media posts, or draft newsletters. Canva’s Magic Write and ChatGPT can quickly create compelling descriptions for lessons, events, or studio promotions.
Getting Started with AI
OpenAI’s ChatGPT is available for free at https://chat.openai.com, with enhanced features available through a paid subscription. Other AI tools, such as Google’s Gemini and Microsoft Copilot, offer similar capabilities.
Embracing AI doesn’t mean replacing the human touch in teaching—it simply enhances our ability to be more efficient, creative, and responsive to students’ needs. By incorporating AI thoughtfully, independent music teachers can spend less time on administrative tasks and more time focusing on what truly matters: making music.
Now excuse me, what with all the time that I saved co-writing this article with ChatGPT, I’m stepping out for a long leisurely walk.
By the way, is 2025 the year that you’ve promised yourself that you are going to learn how to play the piano? You may be interested in checking out my online beginning piano course:
More news…I have a newish Youtube channel, and here you can find weekly videos including piano performances and piano tutorials. Be sure to subscribe on the Youtube site! I release a new video each week! https://www.youtube.com/@lauramusicstudio
This past Friday evening, several fine people were at the Seattle Town Hall for a special Fever musical event: The Best of Bridgerton on Strings. I attended with my daughter, Ruby. We all enjoyed a pleasant hour of music played by the talented and engaging Seattle String Quartet. The stage held a resplendent display of candles and flowers which surrounded the musicians with soft lighting and bathed the audience in a warm glow. The setting perfectly complimented the evening’s repertoire which featured pieces from the three seasons of the Netflix series, Bridgerton. And, oh, aren’t we excited for season 4 which is in the works for a possible release in 2026!
As you may know, gentle readers, the music of Bridgerton is a mixture of covers of contemporary pop songs and original music written by composer Kris Bowers. Inspired by the candlelight Bridgerton concert, I’ve included a piano cover of “Wrecking Ball” from Season Two, Episode 8 which features the love story of Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma – “The Viscount Who Loved Me.”
I am told these string quartet candlelight concerts are available in many large cities, and feature thematic concerts such as the music from Metallica, Taylor Swift, The Beatles, Adele, Fleetwood Mac and more. If you get the chance, I hope you will attend one of these relaxing concerts!
Sincerely, Lady Whistledown
To watch the video of “Wrecking Ball” played by Laura Dean click below.
For online, at-your-own-pace beginning piano instruction, visit me on Teachable. Use the coupon code: HOLIDAY for a 25% discount off of my beginning piano course good through January 1, 2025.
Give the gift of music for the holidays! The piano course makes a great gift!
The Fisk Jubilee singers were a group of talented and courageous students from Fisk University of Tennessee, who first toured their musical show across the United States in 1871 while raising money for Fisk University which, at the time, was severely underfunded. I recently saw the world premier of Jubilee presented by the Seattle Opera at the beautiful McCaw Hall. Jubilee was created and directed by Tazewell Thompson with vocal arrangements by Dianne Adams McDowell, and orchestration by Michael Ellis Ingram.
In some 40 spirituals (and one classic aria), the opera tells the story of the often difficult journey of the original Jubilee singers and also highlights their personal victories and struggles. The Seattle Opera program reminds us, “These traditional songs, created, refined, and shared anonymously by enslaved Americans, are the foundation on which all American music has been built.”
The Fisk Jubilee Singers from 1882 photo wiki-media
In particular, I enjoyed the humorous scene and performance of “Ezekiel Saw the Wheel,” the uplifting “There’s a Meetin’ Here Tonight,” and the emotional “Wade in the Water.” If you aren’t able to make it to the Seattle Opera for the production, you can listen to 10 selected pieces on Soundcloud. For a modern recording of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Celebrating Fisk (The 150th Anniversary Album) is available on Spotify.
Patsy Cline’s Walkin’ After Midnight, coming out on Sept 17, 2024, a bookby Judith A. Proffer with Julie Dick Fudge, and Illustrated by Yoko Matsuoka, celebrates the magical childhood dreams of the legendary country musical artist Patsy Cline. Patsy’s dream world includes daydreams, sleep dreams, and dream walking. This delightful book, beautifully illustrated, includes a white piano, a vintage red radio, a retro soda shop, a charming dog named Pepe, and sweet treats. Throughout the book, Patsy dreams of making it big in country music. The poetic prose and whimsical illustrations made me want to leap into the pages of the book and wander with Patsy through her musical dreamscape.
When I saw the cover of this book, I thought it was going to be a biography of Patsy Cline. However, it is more about dreaming big and following your heart, imagination, and aspirations – wherever it may take you. This tender book, written by Patsy Cline’s daughter, is a delight for Patsy Cline fans as well as all dreamers – both children and adults.
Patsy Cline died in a plane accident in 1963. She remains an indelible influence in country music. Her biggest hit, “Walking After Midnight,” climbed to #2 on Billboard’s country charts in 1957. Her resonant voice and heart felt songs remain relevant in the 21st Century.
