I’m off to Croatia for a little while. What’s the cow to do with anything? Nothing really, but it’s one of my favourite photos I’ve taken this year. While I’m away you might like to write a piece of music or a poem about a Flutewise pet.
I quite like cows. When we did the auditions for the Galway Christmas concerts last year, I used one of my favourite, silly poems about a cow together with the Hungarian round for people to put together and make a performance. The results were stunning. I wish there had been a video camera there.
The poem was:
I’ve never seen a purple cow
I never hope to see one
But I can tell you anyhow
I’d rather see than be one.
I was given a purple cow with that poem on a tag around its neck for my birthday when I was 12 by my friend, Lynne. Lynne also played the flute and she had stunning red hair and a big sister called Lexie who played the clarinet and a little sister called Barbara who didn’t play anything I think. I digress.
So, while I’m away, enter a competition and write a piece about a Flutewise pet – and talk amongst yourselves again. Nicely. You are very good at that.
2008, seems ages away, doesn’t it? Well it will be here quicker than you expect. Time does fly. I always have to look and plan between 18 months and 2 years ahead, for some things it’s as much as 5 years! It’s sometimes hard to get my head around.
Easter next year has given me a bit of a problem because Easter falls early and although independent schools are holding their holiday over the Easter period, state schools are having their holiday much later. That means we can’t have a course at Abbotsholme next Easter because not enough people will be available to attend. But don’t worry, I’ve come up with a solution! I’ve persuaded Abbotsholme to allow us to use the venue in the summer.
I’m planning on Abbotsholme during 22- 25 or 26 August and we’ll have courses at Ovingdean Hall 22-24 February, 2-4 May and 31 October – 2 November.
Any thoughts or comments?
I have been busy this week, but I’m not sure what I’ve been doing! Thinking and planning about courses I think.
I’m getting ready to go to do the summer school in Croatia. It’s a wonderful place, with great people. The only thing I don’t like much at this time of the year is the temperature. It will be hot and humid. I like it hot and dry, very dry. Sandy is coming with me to help out with the teaching – it really is quite a challenge, the usual scenario is on the first day I meet the people who are on the course – age range from 6 years to nearly 40; playing standard from absolute beginner to professional! I have to teach them altogether in the same room for 3 hours every morning and at the end of the course we have to have a performance which can be televised!!!!!!!! No pressure there. I’m sure Sandy will really enjoy the challenge.
The work is made a bit easier this year because 3 Flutewise members are coming as well, Amy, Isabel and Laura. It’s useful because I’ve been able to choose some flute ensemble music I know they will be able to play and enjoy and that will give confidence to our Croatian friends.
We’ll tell you all about it when we get back.
Before I go I have to finalise everything for our summer course at Ovingdean. This one should be fun. As well as some regular course members we’ve got loads of new people coming. I’m really looking forward to it.
More about courses next year very soon.
I was really impressed with the comment Jack left yesterday about how scales are becoming his friends. He’s right and I’m delighted for him. Once you get to know your scales, they are easy and really fun to play. The hard part is actually learning the notes of them. But it shouldn’t be hard, it’s just a barrier we put down to stop us learning them because we think they are hard and boring.
At the weekend I was quite saddened when I heard so many people are opting to do exams without a scale element to them. This seems such a waste of time to me because if you learn your scales for a grade exam properly you can get 100% marks for that section! So why not do that?
When I did lots of teaching (about 120 – 130 pupils per week) I had a golden rule for people who wanted to take a grade exam – they had to learn all the scales required for the exam before the entry date. After the entry date we had time to enjoy learning the pieces and cover everything else needed for the exam and scales could be played each day with growing confidence. This rule always worked and guaranteed a good pass mark.
From talking to people on the course last weekend it sounds to me that everyone would really like to know their scales, so I’ve been thinking and would like your opinion on this.
How would you like it if on every Flutewise residential course we divided up into small groups depending on how well people know their scales. For 15 minutes 3 times each day, each group would work with a member of staff and see how much they can improve the scales they know and learn a few new ones. It would be like the Flutewise scale challenge. There could be several groups, e.g. Group 1 could be for people in the earliest stages of learning; Group 2 would cover F, G, D majors and relative minors; Group 3 could cover all scales up to 4 sharps and flats; Group 4 all scales; Group 5 – all scales very fast! People could stay in one group for a few courses or move up a group each course.
More about the weekend course – we always end a course with a short performance for family and friends. This isn’t really a ‘concert performance’, but more of a ‘presentation’ of work covered. Of course sometimes we give a proper concert; we had one in February at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Hove and we have played at Alton Towers at the end of courses at Abbotsholme. But I digress, this was a short ‘presentation’ from Flutewise Performers. It was special, because of a special guest.
We played Walk Like This by Ian Clarke (taught to Gareth by course members), Greensleeves, Threekey by Mike Mower, Gossec’s Tambourin and Gypsy Airs. Gareth also performed Zoom Tube by Ian Clarke. We also had an extra item. performed by Lucy, Hannah and Ellie with James helping out on keyboard. It was Ellie’s 15th birthday on the course and Hannah and Lucy had their Great Great Aunty Jane visiting from Canada. So they played My Heart Will Go On for her. I think Great Great Aunty Jane, who is 87, really enjoyed it.
Do you have any Great Great relatives? Oh, by the way, remember my question about what relationship April is to me? Well, I’ve had it confirmed by a genealogist that she is my first cousin once removed. I’m sure you’ll be pleased.
Tomorrow I’ll write about scales …………
I’m off to Croatia for a little while. What’s the cow to do with anything? Nothing really, but it’s one of my favourite photos I’ve taken this year. While I’m away you might like to write a piece of music or a poem about a Flutewise pet.
