Thursday, 30 December 2010
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
RPO at Waterside
Just back from an amazing concert from the Royal Philharmonic at Aylesbury's new theatre. Despite the fact that its interior looks like it is made out of Jenga blocks the acoustic is truly stunning - loads of precision and luminously clear, yet still rich and thrilling. It must be how a mouse would feel stuck inside a cello! This would be a truly terrifying acoustic to all but the most accomplished players, but this orchestra absolutely revelled in it. Particularly enjoyable was Bizet's Carmen Suite; with the dazzling staging and vocal performances of an opera stripped away, the sheer craftsmanship of the orchestral writing was beautifully presented.
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Saturday, 18 September 2010
Website offering unbelievable discounts uncovered and believed to be fraud
A musical instrument retail website offering impossible prices on high-end instruments has been uncovered, with suppliers immediately moving in to close it down. The website, vibemusicstore.cc caught the attention of Simon Young of the Vibes Music in Plymouth, initially because of the website’s name, but then caused alarm as the site was offering high-end musical instruments at something like 80 per cent mark down.
Young got in touch with MI Pro to ask whether we could alert the industry that the dodgy site had nothing to do with him.
Phoning the contact number on the vibemusicstore website (a British mobile number) went through to a gentleman in Dubai, who denied any knowledge of the online address. Vibes Music has since contacted suppliers, who have assured him that they are acting to close the site down.
Phishing sites are created to tempt people into transferring money, while no product is ever intended to be shipped.
Young got in touch with MI Pro to ask whether we could alert the industry that the dodgy site had nothing to do with him.
Phoning the contact number on the vibemusicstore website (a British mobile number) went through to a gentleman in Dubai, who denied any knowledge of the online address. Vibes Music has since contacted suppliers, who have assured him that they are acting to close the site down.
Phishing sites are created to tempt people into transferring money, while no product is ever intended to be shipped.
Friday, 27 August 2010
Brendel Master class
Alfred Brendel's master call was a late-breaking extra event at the Verbier festival this year. Kit Armstrong played Mozart's sonata in D K586. Brendel described Mozart's late piano sonatas as like the Hancock building in Chicago: it looks really close when you set off walking towards it but seems to get further and further away.
This young pianist has already a formidable technique and his performance was very listenable-to from the start. But he is the most amazingly teachable young man too. For example, when Brendel recommended he think about the character of a phrase or a voice this transformed some of his phrasing.
The master also encouraged him to free his style a little - always with humour - telling him he was very very good at playing hands together but that sometimes this was not always strictly necessary. He also recommended something I will take away and work on myself, which was always to perfectly finish a phrases in its own distinct style, and then perfectly to start the new one too, getting the tone, articulation and character exactly right from the very first sound to the last. It sounds very simple and obvious. But without an ear really attuned to the detail of every sound being produced as well as understanding line and structure, totally impossible to achieve.
This young pianist has already a formidable technique and his performance was very listenable-to from the start. But he is the most amazingly teachable young man too. For example, when Brendel recommended he think about the character of a phrase or a voice this transformed some of his phrasing.
The master also encouraged him to free his style a little - always with humour - telling him he was very very good at playing hands together but that sometimes this was not always strictly necessary. He also recommended something I will take away and work on myself, which was always to perfectly finish a phrases in its own distinct style, and then perfectly to start the new one too, getting the tone, articulation and character exactly right from the very first sound to the last. It sounds very simple and obvious. But without an ear really attuned to the detail of every sound being produced as well as understanding line and structure, totally impossible to achieve.
Friday, 16 April 2010
Children's Concert
CHILDREN’S CONCERT
TRAVELLING BY TUBA — THE SEQUEL
Chris Cranham (tuba)Stewart Death (piano)
Chris Cranham (Tuba) and Stewart Death (Piano) are a unique duo performing stunning, innovative programmes – “Travelling by Tuba are experts who really get their enjoyment of music across” (The Times). With a vast array of Wind and Brass instruments they owe their success not only to their virtuosic performances but to their ability as irrepressible entertainers to communicate with audiences of all ages.Following the great success of their concert last year, we have invited them back to perform “Travelling by Tuba — THE SEQUEL”. Featuring Wind and Brass instruments from the Four Corners of the Earth and, impossible as this may sound, the opera Carmen in four and a half minutes. Imagine the sounds of the Roman Cornu, the Swiss Alpine Horn – the original one thousand year old mobile phone – the beautiful Chinese Dragon–headed Trumpet and a pair of six foot high Tibetan Dungs! Contrast these with the mellow sounding Gems Horn and the trickiness of the Ocarina. Hear the blaring Turkish Schnib and the Zulu warrior Kudu Horns. Marvel at the Cembasso, Verdi’s tuba with the bell going forward – such an amazing variety of sights and sounds. A marvellous musical journey and a brilliant introduction to brass instruments for children of all ages.
Tickets: £6 adults, £3 children
TRAVELLING BY TUBA — THE SEQUEL
Chris Cranham (tuba)Stewart Death (piano)
Chris Cranham (Tuba) and Stewart Death (Piano) are a unique duo performing stunning, innovative programmes – “Travelling by Tuba are experts who really get their enjoyment of music across” (The Times). With a vast array of Wind and Brass instruments they owe their success not only to their virtuosic performances but to their ability as irrepressible entertainers to communicate with audiences of all ages.Following the great success of their concert last year, we have invited them back to perform “Travelling by Tuba — THE SEQUEL”. Featuring Wind and Brass instruments from the Four Corners of the Earth and, impossible as this may sound, the opera Carmen in four and a half minutes. Imagine the sounds of the Roman Cornu, the Swiss Alpine Horn – the original one thousand year old mobile phone – the beautiful Chinese Dragon–headed Trumpet and a pair of six foot high Tibetan Dungs! Contrast these with the mellow sounding Gems Horn and the trickiness of the Ocarina. Hear the blaring Turkish Schnib and the Zulu warrior Kudu Horns. Marvel at the Cembasso, Verdi’s tuba with the bell going forward – such an amazing variety of sights and sounds. A marvellous musical journey and a brilliant introduction to brass instruments for children of all ages.
Tickets: £6 adults, £3 children
ISM survey of teacher rates
survey
TWENTY-EIGHT pounds per hour is the mid-point of the range of fees charged by private music teachers, according to research commissioned by the Incorporated Society of Musicians.
Almost 1,100 instrumental and singing teachers reported what they had charged for private lessons in September 2009, making the survey a truly authoritative picture of tuition fees charged by professional musicians in the UK.
Most teachers in the UK charged between £24 and £34 per hour and the mid-point was £28 per hour – meaning half of the respondents charged more than this and half charged less. Teachers who had taught for more than 15 years tended to charge more than those with less experience.
Teaching fees were highest in London, the South-East, Southern England and East Anglia.
http://www.ism.org/news_campaigns/article/price_of_private_music_lessons_revealed1/
TWENTY-EIGHT pounds per hour is the mid-point of the range of fees charged by private music teachers, according to research commissioned by the Incorporated Society of Musicians.
Almost 1,100 instrumental and singing teachers reported what they had charged for private lessons in September 2009, making the survey a truly authoritative picture of tuition fees charged by professional musicians in the UK.
Most teachers in the UK charged between £24 and £34 per hour and the mid-point was £28 per hour – meaning half of the respondents charged more than this and half charged less. Teachers who had taught for more than 15 years tended to charge more than those with less experience.
Teaching fees were highest in London, the South-East, Southern England and East Anglia.
http://www.ism.org/news_campaigns/article/price_of_private_music_lessons_revealed1/
Thursday, 15 April 2010
Beethoven study day
The Beethoven Study Day - part of the Amersham Festival of Music - was hugely successful.
Our lecturer amused, informed and illuminated us with his views on Beethoven's character and music. His research on the unpublished composition fragments - frequently completed by himself from short score in the case of orchestral works, or from a melody line in the case of a piano work -was absolutely fascinating. One could see and hear Beethoven's ideas taking shape, and witness how during the compositional process an initial idea - often really quite a banal one - had been sculpted into something wonderful and new. I gained much insight from understanding how Beethoven's improvisatory playing informed his composition process, and how the maestro's incredibe powers over form and structure shaped in particular the 9th symphony and the late sonatas.
Our lecturer amused, informed and illuminated us with his views on Beethoven's character and music. His research on the unpublished composition fragments - frequently completed by himself from short score in the case of orchestral works, or from a melody line in the case of a piano work -was absolutely fascinating. One could see and hear Beethoven's ideas taking shape, and witness how during the compositional process an initial idea - often really quite a banal one - had been sculpted into something wonderful and new. I gained much insight from understanding how Beethoven's improvisatory playing informed his composition process, and how the maestro's incredibe powers over form and structure shaped in particular the 9th symphony and the late sonatas.
Exam results
Well done to the following:
Michael who passed at Grade 5
Romy who passed at Grade 2
Mia who passed at Grade 1
Michael who passed at Grade 5
Romy who passed at Grade 2
Mia who passed at Grade 1
Monday, 4 January 2010
Exam successes
I am very pleased to report the success of the following students:
Francesca achieved a pass at grade 5
Arthur achieved a merit at Grade 2
Hannah achieved a merit at Grade 1
Richard achieved a pass at Grade 1
Congratulations to each of you!
Francesca achieved a pass at grade 5
Arthur achieved a merit at Grade 2
Hannah achieved a merit at Grade 1
Richard achieved a pass at Grade 1
Congratulations to each of you!
Piano party
Many of the younger learners really enjoyed kicking off Christmas at the "piano party" on Saturday December 12th. This was a great afternoon of fun, food and drink, offering the youngsters a chance to perform favourite pieces to an appreciative audience of friends and family. After tea, we finished off by singing carols round the piano.
Adult learners' piano concert
The adult learners piano party was a great success. All the pianists showed great musicality as well as courage in playing in public in many cases for the first time ever. Well done everyone, it was a lovely evening. Thank you for making it so special!
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