…because I heard it via Facebook first – the power of social media:
the headline says it all – but why not click anyway
http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/news/article/950/council_scoops_two_top_national_music_awards
Category Archives: Pupil Performance
Musselburgh Grammar School’s New Year Concert
One word has been on my mind today – resilience – the ability to bounce back from difficulties, setbacks, even failures – the taboo word….
I had intended to say a few words about this by way of an introduction to one of the MGS Guitar Group’s pieces tonight but, when the moment came, I found myself thinking, just get on with it, man! But I later regretted this inclination.
What passed through my mind was the following. Resilience is obviously a good thing to promote, but how do you build it into the lives of your pupils, children, young people? Who would willingly throw obstacles in the path of people in their care? However, the adverse weather, as it has come to be known, threw difficulties in the direction of the Guitar Group – along with many others.
The annual Christmas Concert was scheduled for Thu 16 Dec. Having missed so many days of school, and with rescheduled exams in the offing about to affect rehearsal time, the decision was taken to replace the concert with a New Year Concert in Jan. The Guitar Group had prepared two pieces: Troika – pretty much associated with winter – and Merry Christmas Everybody – pretty much associated with Christmas. The members of the group felt that they wouldn’t be able to attack this piece with the same gusto in mid-January and we decided to take the risk of replacing it with something new – something last minute.
Our original plans derailed, resilience was called upon to embrace the new situation. We first rehearsed Carrillion on Fri 17 Dec. 27 days then passed before we met up again – this morning – the day of the concert. We rehearsed again and performed it tonight. There was trepidation in the air, for sure, but I’d defy anyone to describe it as under-rehearsed which, by our usual standards, it most certainly was. I was extremely proud of these pupils tonight!
See what you think:
There were many magnificent performances tonight – notably the Jazz Band which nearly blew the roof off with the power and commitment of its playing. One of the other highlights was a piano solo by Jamie (also in the Guitar Group – on his second instrument). He played Debussy’s Arabesque No. 1 with a mastery which belies his youth. If you don’t know the piece, this video might give you some idea of the undertaking and courage:[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/Yh36PaE-Pf0?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
Re the post from earlier this evening (pre-concert) have a look at the use of the word resilience over that past 200 years.
NBHS Christmas Concert(s)
Try as it might, the snow did not manage to disrupt this year’s NBHS Christmas Concerts on Mon 13 & Tue 14 Dec. We lost rehearsal time during the week of blanket closures. Even when pupils returned, not all could get in and some of those relying on buses missed another rehearsal. However, thanks to a bit of give and take between schools, some replacement rehearsal time was found and the Guitar Ensemble turned in two of their best performances to date. I was particularly pleased with the sensitive phrasing in the Sicilienne by Paradis – not for the want of my droning on about this topic, I can assure you – still, worth it in the end – I hope you agree.
Instrumental Tuition in Aberdeen in danger
Although this is a grim and worrying situation, it is encouraging to read that pupils are taking action. In addition to the threat to their learning, it is interesting to see social consequences highlighted by one pupil:
“The bands, choirs and orchestras we attend are a big part of our social life and are where we meet our friends from different schools across the city.”
Unsurprisingly, the students are using a social networking site to organise.
A petition – which articulately outlines many the extra-music benefits of instrumental tuition – can be found here.
Gender and attainment
Fight Poverty – Young People’s Song Writing Competition
Short notice, I know, but this just came in today. If you are a young song writer, feel strongly about world poverty, can work quickly then why not consider entering this competition. The deadline is 30 September, therefore I would recommend avoiding complex multi-tracked ideas and opting for a simpler format e.g. self-accompanied singer/songwriter or just a couple of people – voice(s) & piano/guitar. Video entry is the preferred entry format (uploaded you YouTube) and East Lothian schools are well equipped with Flip Video Cameras – intuitive to use – it’s impossible to go wrong. If you are interested and have questions, get back to me on the Any Questions page and I’ll do my best to help out.
The competition is being mounted by Fight Poverty. General details of the competition are here . Details of how to enter are here. Info on prizes can be found here.
Commonwealth Forestry Conference
Yesterday I accompanied a small group of NBHS pupils to the 18th Commonwealth Forestry Conference held in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC). This short promotional video gives some idea of what the conference is about:[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/C4c7_WlS33E?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
Our remit was to round the opening ceremony with some culture of the host country and we performed four songs by Robert Burns. As a result of various trips we were reduced to a skeleton crew (4 missing from a group of 7 seniors) and I was really impressed with the pupils’ ability to cope with the extra pressure – not the least of which was the jetlag experienced by one pupils who had returned from a school trip to China the previous evening! This pressure was in no small way reduced by the quiet, friendly and assured professionalism of the EICC team who were fantastic. The sound in the venue was clear as a bell and it was a pleasure to play there.
The Lea Rig:[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/JjBNj8iFDZ0?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
John Anderson My Jo; Ca’ The Yowes; The Deil’s Awa’ Wi’ The Excise Man:[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vwtw7grxU8s?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
Many thanks to Libby Jones for inviting us to play and to Caroline Davis for minibus driving, filming, recording and general joie de vivre.
Thanks also to Zoë (vocals) who, in her last two years of life at NBHS, transformed the life of the senior Guitar Ensemble members. In that time we’ve done more gigs in and out of school than one could ever have imagined. We’d all like to wish her luck with her musical future.
In The Frame
When does a lesson become a sound check? When many variables have to be investigated. David – now starting S6 at Knox – is to receive the Higher Music prize next week, in addition to the Michael Godek Memorial Guitar Prize. He is also to perform the Prelude from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 BWV 1007 – one of my favourite pieces.
To avoid feedback problems, in what needs to be an amplified situation, he has been kindly lent a Yamaha Frame Guitar by my friend and colleauge, Chris Day. So, David & I went to down to the school hall for his first shot of the guitar and to take note of the best guitar and amp settings.
Game as ever, David agreed to be recorded on this first shot and for me to post the recording.
To help you see some of the moves required in this piece, here is my friend Per-Olov Kindgren:
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/-F1tgImEymU?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]and to let you hear the Prelude as originally intended by Bach here is Mstislav Rostropovich:
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/LU_QR_FTt3E?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]Stand Up For Scottish Education
This short film, made in North Berwick High School, is a late contribution to Don Ledingham‘s series, Speak Up For Scottish Education:
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/8EtykOnn5HE?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
Robert Burns @ Head Teachers’ Conference
Towards the end of last term a small team of musicians from North Berwick High School were invited to play at East Lothian Council’s Head Teachers’ Conference. A little earlier in the day than they are used to performing, and 3/8 of the team down due to exams and university interviews, they nevertheless gave a great and very well received performance. Here are some excerpts:
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/Nx85Nxtkfzs?rel=0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]