We had a nice trip and I love the people...the food...the beautiful places...I only wish I could speak Italian a little better. But my grandma Maria understands me. I'm practicing my clarinet every day.
Best regards to all my friends in the USA and around the world.

Yours truly,
Little Johnny.

Little Johnny went to visit Sorrento, a town near Napoli.

He ate at a famous Pizzeria and loves the area very much.

The Amato family sends you this card.

Modern Italian songs are a great contribution to music, please go to any discothèque or record store, and select modern Italian singers and groups.
Every year Italians celebrate Spring with "Canzonissima"; which is a contest for the best lyrics and music. The arias that win the contest are distributed throughout Italy and the world.

Then, do you want to know where today's Italian artists get their inspiration?
They get it from studying the Old Italian songs!   Please, while you are at the discothèque or record store, select Old Italian songs.    Anything from the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's will be a rich heritage to you as it is for modern pioneers like Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli.   Another source of delight are the Operas, Operettas, and arias from the Neapolitan dialect. The famous song "O sole mio" is written in Neapolitan dialect.

Please become familiar with:
Composers like Rossini, Puccini, Donizetti and Verdi.   And singers like Caruso, Beniamino Gigli, Mario Lanza, Giuseppe di Stefano, Domenico Modugno, Perry Como, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Maria Paris, Narciso Parigi, Connie Francis, Ornella Vanoni, etc.

I promise you, these great artists will put a smile on your face and a warm fuzzy in your heart.

Then I have a wish: would you practice in composing some lyrics yourself? My dream is that all of my students become inspired in doing great things. Writing music or singing is one of them. I would be honored to come to your concerts and endorse your work.

Your teacher
Luisa.