The #1 rated online and app-based piano instruction software, Playground Sessions; Multi-Grammy Award-winning composer/record producer/humanitarian and co-creator of Playground Sessions Quincy Jones; and the world’s largest source for music publications, Hal Leonard, are inviting participants from all over the world to come together to learn how to play “You Raise Me Up” as part of the largest virtual piano recital launches today.
As part of the “You Raise Me Up Global Piano Recital,” Playground Sessions will offer free lessons that begin today, and will include instructor-led classes for beginner, intermediate, and advanced players. New lessons will be released every day until the full song is learned. A 30-day free trial to the complete Playground Sessions app, and a newly designed ‘kids course’ available for 90 days is also being offered as part of the “You Raise Me Up” campaign.
All levels of piano players will learn to play different sections of “You Raise Me Up,” in which participants will be invited to upload a video of themselves playing their parts to Instagram or Facebook using hashtag #GlobalPianoRecital, or to playgroundsessions.com.”
At the end of the 30-day period, on June 16, all of the parts from the different levels will culminate in the “You Raise Me Up Global Piano Recital” – a video compilation of all of the recital submissions from around the globe which will be featured on the homepage of playgroundsessions.com and shared on social media.
Says Jones: “In the midst of uncertainty, I hope this gift of music can do for you what it’s done for me time and time again: shed some light, hope, and provide a space for expression when it’s difficult to find the right words.” Adds Larry Morton, CEO of Hal Leonard, “Music has the power to heal and to bring joy into our lives. We are delighted to support Quincy and Playground Sessions in this wonderful event.”
Says Chris Vance, Founder & CEO of Playground Sessions, “The song choice of ‘You Raise Me Up’ is reflective of a growing desire to provide inspiration through music. My hope is that people will take something positive away from the quarantine, and what’s better than learning to play the piano which can last a lifetime.”
Adds Brendan Graham, composer of “You Raise Me Up”: “In these times of great affliction for people everywhere, the ‘you’ can be each of us through what we do to help each other, to keep each other safe…to raise each other up. ‘I am strong when I am on your shoulders, You Raise Me Up…to more than I can be.’”
While people are mandated to stay at home and kids can’t go to school, online education is currently a top way to make productive use of time. People are turning now more than ever to learn music in a time of need for joy, stress relief, and creative self-expression as evidenced by a recent surge in the popularity of Playground Sessions.
Playground Sessions is anticipating thousands of participants of all ages to join in – from non-musicians to advanced players, and even celebrity musicians. Please visit www.playgroundsessions.com for more info.
