Dear Reader,

My heartfelt message for you is that you find luck and happiness in your life. I'd like to share some advice so that you will have both. One thing I know is that when you are in school, please work hard to learn as much as you can. If you work hard, I know that you'll get lucky. Work and luck go hand in hand. With enough work you may be able to make your own luck.
A little knowledge of the computer can also go a long way, and I suggest everyone apply themselves to the use of a computer. For example, I used a computer to write my book. First off, you need to get a computer-music program for writing and arranging music. That is what I did, and I am not as young as you, I am in my 7th decade! If I can learn to do this, so can you.
I would also like your teachers, your school board and your parents to support the arts in your school curriculum; they should introduce you to literature, drama, and music. This opens up all the possibilities that lie within you.

Music, of course, has been an important part of my life.

I studied a system of music called "The Schillinger System of Musical Composition" by Joseph Schillinger. Mr. Schillinger is both a teacher of music and mathematics, and combined the two together. With the use of permutations, one could gather ideas upon ideas. This system is used for scoring music for movies. I also applied this system to my guitar playing, which gave me a different perspective to playing and thinking as a composer rather than just as a guitar player.

I would like to mention chords, a very important part of music. A chord is the union of two or more sounds heard at the same time. Chords add color to music. Henry Mancini wrote a song called "Moon River," which is a song written with diatonic notes. These are notes only of a major scale and in the key of "C," which are all the white keys you see on the piano. When Mancini put harmony (chords) to the melody it became a wonderful work of music. Chords can and do consist of notes outside of the diatonic scale.

When learning an instrument or composing music, the teacher opens the door, but you must enter by yourself to learn about the wonderful world of chords. All the great composers, such as Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, Debussy, etc. had great knowledge of chords.

Remember accomplishment and success are often the result of commitment and perseverance.

Also remember that understanding can overcome any situation, and with determination and persistence you can achieve whatever you desire. So my dear friends you must practice, practice, practice.

Work hard, good luck with your studies, and I wish you . . .

All my best,

Joe Messina