Richard Meyer was born on June 22, 1957 in Los Angeles, California. He got his Bachelor of Arts at California State University. He taught students at Pasadena Unified School District for twelve years. And taught students at Oak Avenue Intermediate School District for twenty-two years. Mr. Meyer has won two orchestra association contests and has received a music educator award.
In Pasadena Unified School District he taught middle schoolers and high schoolers for twelve years. He then was the conductor of the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra. He directed music students for sixteen years. During this time he traveled around the world with his students. This included more than ninety students! And his students were in seventh grade, eighth grade, and ninth grade.
But before that, he taught students at Oak Avenue Intermediate School District for twenty-two years. In fact, he was in charge of the whole city’s elementary string program. In 1994, Richard Meyer was given the Outstanding Music Educator Award from the Pasadena Area Youth Music Council. Then in 1995 he won the Texas Orchestra Directors Association contest with Geometric Dances. He then went on to win the 1998 National Orchestra Association contest with Millennium. Today he lives in Sierra Madre, California with his wife Rose and his three daughters. He is a co-author of the book series String Explorer. And is also the String Editor of Alfred Publishing Company.
The violin has been one of the most popular of all the orchestra instruments of music for its brilliant sound and its nice design. It dates back to ancient times. For example, ancient Hebrew writings mention string instruments being used for rituals. But the violin may have been different from the ones we have today. Another instrument that inspired the violin was the Rabeb. An Arabic instrument that had only two strings that were silk. In the 16th century in northern Italy the first violin was created by an unknown inventor. Then over time the bow was added and the creation spread across the world. Because of the violin, new string instruments were made.
The bass, also called the double bass, was made in 1516. But there had first been several different kinds of tunings for the bass. Mostly because it had the lowest sounds and was very much larger than the other string instruments. The tunings we know today only came in the 20th century.
Cellos came later than the violins did and were officially known in 1556. It was first called violoncello meaning “big little violin” but was eventually called the cello. When it was first heard, people imagined its sound as a human voice. The creation of the cello inspired the idea of the bass later in the near end of the 16th century. So not so long after the violin and the bass were made.
The viola was first thought of in the 16th century. But was made and became popular in the 17th century. It was only thought of because the cello had just been created. So by then people either used an original violin, an alto viola, a violincello, or a double bass.
The first the violin was made by ancient Hebrews that used string instruments at rituals. And because of an instrument called a Rabeb. The the bass was made and has a much lower octave than the violin but had different kinds of tunings until the cello was made. While the bass was being edited, the cello was made and had an octave in between the bass’s and the violin’s octaves. Finally the viola, a violin sized cello was made.
The tango has existed in the world for over 150 years. It first originated on the streets somewhere from the 1880s to 1920s It was very popular to most people and spread quickly all over the world. But when it first started, it was a solo dance done by a woman. But then over the years it was a dance performed by a man and woman. But was still a dance also performed by a solo woman.
