OCMS

Usually about music but also other interests of mine.

[oconnormusicstudio]

Little Free Library Week, May 17-23, 2026

The Greenbriar Little Free Library (recently repainted!) pictured above is at the corner of Point Pleasant Drive and Peekskill Lane in Greenbriar, Fairfax, VA. Join Us in Celebrating Little Free Library Week! This May, we’re excited to mark a special milestone: the anniversary of Little Free Library becoming a nonprofit organization on May 17, 2012. We’ve dedicated our efforts to making books…

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

BookCrossing

  Several years ago, my mom found a book with a curious label in it.  The label said it was a “BookCrossing” book.  My mom doesn’t have a computer, so I registered the book and I was off and running. I think this idea is so cool. Each book has a unique BCID (BookCrossing ID).  By entering that number at http://www.bookcrossing.com/ you can see where the book has been – and then you can track…

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

Not Friday the 13th in 2026

Today, January 13, holds a couple anniversaries for me.  I remember the day of the Air Florida Flight 90 Crash in 1982 so well. We were living in the Metro DC area and our young son had just turned 2 in December.  Tom, my DH, worked in DC and I was never sure the route that he drove home from work. Sometimes, he left his car at the Vienna Metro lot and took the subway. It all depended on traffic,…

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

Mary Alice Tibbetts Kelly

  In Memory of Mary Alice Tibbetts Kelly October 29, 1923 – November 29, 2025 Scripture Reading “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” — 2 Timothy 4:7 Life Story Mary Alice Tibbetts Kelly was born on October 29, 1923, the youngest of four children. Her three siblings were already college-aged when she arrived, making her a late and unexpected gift to the…

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

AARRGGHH!

   

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

Will Today be a Snow Day for the Schools?

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

Those Genius Grands

Those Genius Grands

[oconnormusicstudio]

February 8: On This Day in Music

. 1709 ~ Giuseppe Torelli, Italian composer, died at the age of 50 . 1741 ~ Andre-Ernest-Modeste Gretry, composer . 1932 ~ John Williams, American Academy Award-winning composer and conductorMore information about Williams . 1934 ~ Elly Ameling, Dutch Soprano . 1936 ~ Larry Verne, Singer . 1937 ~ Joe Raposa, composer/songwriter (Sesame Street) . 1938 ~ Ray Sharpe, Singer . 1941 ~ Tom Rush,…

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

No Piano or Organ Lessons Today

    Fairfax County has closed school today so…no lessons today due to the snowy weather. Keep practicing! Those using Piano Maestro may find a new assignment for today 🙂  

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

Piano lessons not just for kids

Note: The O’Connor Music Studio specializes in adult piano lessons. ~~~   By Diana Greenburg  When Paula Fay started taking piano lessons for the first time in her late fifties, it fulfilled a lifelong dream. “I always wanted to learn how to play as a child, but my parents couldn’t afford it,” she said. Today, four years later, Paula can play some of her favorite tunes. And she’s loving every…

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

No Piano or Organ Lessons Today

    Fairfax County has closed school today so…no lessons today due to the snowy weather. Keep practicing! Those using Piano Maestro may find a new assignment for today 🙂  

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

No Piano or Organ Lessons Today

    Fairfax County has closed school today so…no lessons today due to the snowy weather. Keep practicing! Those using Piano Maestro may find a new assignment for today 🙂  

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

Gene Krupa, Born January 15, 1909

  Eugene Bertram “Gene” Krupa lived from January 15, 1909 to October 16, 1973.  He was an American jazz and big band drummer, actor and composer, known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style. One of my all-time favorite non-piano songs is Sing Sing Sing. Krupa joinedBenny Goodman’s band in 1934, where his featured drum work made him a national celebrity. His tom-tom interludes on their hit…

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

Practice Pie: The Step-By-Step Guide To Helping Your Child Enjoy Their Music Practice

  Music practice arguments in families are seemingly so ubiquitous that it’s become a trope used in sitcoms. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Your child can have a wonderful experience with music and you can enjoy watching their progress without practice becoming a battlefield. In Practice Pie, I’ll teach you how to support your child in their musical journey. I can’t promise it will be as…

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

The Studio is Getting a New Organ

  January 29, this new beauty will replace the two older organs that I have now. This Allen MDS-16 model is a two channel, internal speaker instrument. A perfect organ for a home or small church or chapel setting. Great 8′ Diapason 8′ Rohrflote 8′ Flute Celeste II(Sw) 4′ Octave 4′ Spitzflote 2′ Super Octave 2′ Waldflote Mixture IV 8′ Krummhorn Chimes Swell to Great Swell 16′ Lieblich…

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

Put Mozart on the Map

  Show your support for revitalizing music education! Join the 1st worldwide virtual recital celebrating Mozart’s birthday on January 27th. “Putting Mozart on the Map” marks the 1st event in a new global campaign to inspire and engage music students by coupling classical music with today’s technology, and honoring Mozart in a way that’s never been done before. Every musician – concert pianist or…

View On WordPress

[oconnormusicstudio]

Fun with Music for Young Children in Northern Virginia...

The second semester of Fun With Music will meet every Monday from 10-11:30 am in the Gathering Place of Pender United Methodist Church at 12401 Alder Woods Drive Fairfax, VA 22033. This program is for moms and dads with their children ages 0 to 5. A fee of $30 covers the cost of food and supplies for the semester. Each week there is 30 minutes of singing, a snack and toys are brought out for the…

View On WordPress