As another year draws to a close, I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog and, if you are a piano student or teacher, have found it beneficial and of interest. Here are my top six blog posts of the year – several are perennially popular and have appeared on my Christmas ‘favourites’ list many times.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all for reading my blog, and for your kind messages and continued support.
WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY, PEACEFUL AND FESTIVE CHRISTMAS
My Publications:
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.
Beethoven’s piano concertos are amongst the most emotionally satisfying in the whole piano repertoire. British pianist and teacher David Alexander has, for the past few years, been programming all five concertos in London as part of his own Beethoven project. On January 10th 2019 he will be performing Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 Op. 58 at St. Peter’s Church in Notting Hill Gate with the Johannes Ensemble conducted by Angelika-Rose Stangl. I asked David why the fourth concerto is so special, and what draws him specifically to this work. Over to David…
Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.4 in G, Op.58 stands out amongst the entirety of the keyboard concerto repertoire. The unique sound world makes it immediately recognisable and it has no less emotional and spiritual depth than is conjured up in his three last piano sonatas for example, composed fifteen years later. Listening to it leaves one to consider that they are hearing the composer’s heartfelt feelings expressed through music first and foremost over beautiful and successful harmonic and melodic notation. This in no way detracts from the compositional brilliance of the piece or the beauty of the work, the most lyrical of his five piano concertos. But it is a truly organic piece which speaks from the soul.
The opening very much sets the scene, a five-bar phrase played by the soloist and based upon very simple harmonies. However, a more spell-binding musical beginning is hard to imagine. Such simplicity is all-the-more striking when heard next to the huge technical demands asked of the soloist too during the opening movement; there follows virtuosity in abundance and a big cadenza too, but the work is rarely dramatic as such and the sound is never forced even at the loudest moments. One particularly special section is the start of the development section where the piano plays very soft passagework consisting of falling sixth harmonies over long sustained bass octaves in the strings. Time appears to be totally suspended, a thoroughly captivating and entrancing point. The second movement is comparatively brief. The orchestra’s very angular and pointed statements contrast with the tranquillity of the piano’s chordal writing before eventually resolving softly in E minor. There follows a short but emotionally charged cadenza before the movement draws to a close in complete stillness. The third movement is a lively rondo and is playful in mood. It is regularly interspersed with calming moments where one feels that the music literally needs to take a breath before immediately snapping back into character again. There is a third and final cadenza before a victorious finish.
The solo and chamber music repertoire of Beethoven have always been closest to my heart and to my pianistic ideals, both technically and musically. Therefore, putting on my own Beethoven Piano Concerto cycle was a must! I have no doubt that this will be one of, if not the most satisfying performance project of my life, and so far it has more than lived up to expectation. The idea was to take three or four years to study these works intensively and to perform them, in order to experience my very own and largely uninterrupted Beethoven journey. I wanted to develop some understanding of how each concerto moves on from the previous compositionally, structurally, and pianistically as Beethoven’s own mind developed to the form. I approached conductor Angelika-Rose Stangl who formed the Johannes Ensemble (as in Brahms) in 2011 and she was every bit as excited as myself to take on the project, and so all the ingredients were quickly in place. I find that not only has my own understanding of the music improved with each performance so far, but a real sense of evolvement regarding the partnership between myself, Angelika and the Johannes Ensemble has occurred throughout the cycle. Focused rehearsals, while also leaving room for some spontaneity in the performances have so far produced the highest of highs for all of us. This concerto will truly be the heart and soul of our project, our own heart and soul, and a performance experience like no other.
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.
Last Friday evening I disembarked from my train at Paddock Wood station in Kent (UK), and enjoyed a meandering car journey through what appeared to be a never-ending warren of country lanes. Eventually, we turned on to a long, narrow private road, which pereginated around various fields before revealing, in the distance, a large, palatial mansion. The house was beautifully set, classically formed (to my eye, at least), and effectively lit. Next to the house was a much smaller building, a coach house, and this was to be my home for the next two days. My room (pictured below) was of ample proportions, tastefully decorated in rich dark colours with luxurious fabrics and an impressive fireplace; had I inadvertently stepped into a romantic eighteenth century novel? I fully expected Mr. Darcy to sweep in and take me to dinner.
This was my introduction to Finchcocks Music. Finchcocks is an early Georgian manor house (pictured at the top). For 45 years it housed a large collection of historical keyboard instruments which was open to the public. Recently, Finchcocks was sold and has now started a new chapter, reopening as a retreat to study the piano. Piano courses are a feature most weekends throughout the year, and they are largely frequented by adult amateur pianists and piano teachers who are keen to improve their skills and meet other musically minded souls.
As piano course director it was my job to ensure participants savoured the whole experience. My course began on Friday evening and concluded at 4.00pm on Sunday, it was advertised for intermediate players (around Grade 4 – 7 of the ABRSM exam system), but most of the seven attendees were beyond this level. From all walks of life, my students clearly shared a common love for the instrument and a tremendous capacity to learn.
The course was conducted in the main house; the basement had been converted from cellars into a most attractive and unusual performance and practice space (see photo to the left, where I am coaching Finchcocks owner, Neil Nichols). There were five designated sections for solo practice; within the cellars, rooms had been created with sound proof glass doors, each one resplendent with mostly historic grand pianos. There were seven grand pianos in total, available for student use. The main space contained a concert sized historic instrument, with plenty of room for participants to sit, walk and spread out during the course. And there was even a comfortable ‘coffee area’ with several sofas, designed as a much-needed respite from the intensity of the course.
I love teaching, talking about, and writing about piano technique, and Friday evening’s class was a basic introduction, surveying wrist flexibility and motility during practice and performance. This was well received, and it certainly got participants thinking about the importance of cultivating a relaxed posture. This is the first step to overall improvement. ‘Technique chat’ continued on to dinner. The meals were enjoyed back at the coach house, and they took place around a lavishly set table (pictured above), and consisted of a three-course meal with delicious food and copious wine, all prepared by a chef employed for the weekend.
Saturday was a full day, commencing with memorisation techniques, moving onto master classes, which continued after lunch. Course members were generally quite anxious whilst performing, but (hopefully) due to the relaxed nature of the weekend and the constantly evolving friendships forming between them, these open classes gradually became more light-hearted.
One aspect of the course that I particularly enjoyed and appreciated was the opportunity to give one-to-one lessons. Neil Nichols, who now owns Finchcocks and hosts the courses, was keen for students to have time with me on their own, rather like a private lesson. This works extremely well, and it offers the chance to address issues in a more private domain. I gave private lessons on both Saturday and Sunday during the course.
After a feast on Saturday evening, Sunday began with a morning of sight-reading; ordinarily this is seen as a dull, perfunctory element of piano playing. But I’m always keen to show that it can be fun. After waltzing through my sight-reading notes (I aim to give course members practice notes), we embarked on solo sight-reading, and, after coffee, this was followed by duets, and finally, trios or three pianists at one keyboard. The trios were definitely a highlight (see photo above), and due to the plethora of instruments, we were able to double up and have six pianists at two pianos (photo below). I find this one of the best and most engaging concepts for those wanting to improve their reading. It also encourages students to really become acquainted with the fellow course members.
After all the classes and private lessons, the course ended with a final performance of a trio by composer Mike Cornick. Coffee and a rather indulgent slice of cake closed a delightful weekend. I had made wonderful new friends and worked with some talented pianists.
Piano courses are a great way to improve many facets of music study. They seek to inspire, address technical and musical issues, consolidate learning skills and endeavour to suggest new practice ideas. My thanks to Neil and his wife, Harriet, for their superb hospitality. If you would like to study the piano in luxury at a country retreat, do check out Finchcocks. Next year’s tutors include Graham Fitch, David Hall, Andrew Dunlop, and Warren Mailley-Smith.
If you would like to attend one of my courses in 2019, the dates are as follows:
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.
This week Pianist Magazine and Schott Music are kindly running a competition on Pianist’s website; the prize is a copy of my new piano pieces, No Words Necessary published by Schott Music. This volume features 12 original piano pieces intended for students of around Grade 3 – 6 of the ABRSM examination board level.
These pieces are melodious and comfortable to play, and they are suitable for children or adult learners. If you or your students enjoy playing music by composers such as Ludovico Einaudi, Yirumi and David Lanz, then they might like to try these compositions. You can find out more about the pieces, and hear them, here. And you can read a recent review on Pianodao website, here. To enter the competition (there are three copies to giveaway), click here.
‘These are pieces which I believe could easily find their place in the intermediate player’s heart, combining easy-to-master patterns, melodic charm, and simple structural cohesion. They give players a vehicle through which to develop expressive, engaged playing. And with plenty of variety on offer, too, the collection offers good value. If you’re looking for a fresh collection of accessible contemporary pieces, do give this a try! Warmly Recommended.’
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.
Earlier this month I presented a workshop for piano teachers at Millers Music in Cambridge. This activity will become increasingly important during 2019; Schott and I have organised several workshops across the country, and I’m really looking forward to meeting and working with teachers and students. The following article was published on Millers Music website earlier this week (you can read it here) and it offers basic relaxation ideas, which is why I thought it useful to publish today. Hope it’s of interest.
My workshops for piano teachers offer a few ideas for developing basic flexibility in piano technique, with a view to harbouring positive habits during piano practice and piano performance. It’s a privilege to work with teachers, talking about technique, how to develop it, and more specifically, how to keep students free from pain, discomfort and tension.
The following tips serve as elementary suggestions; some can be done away from the instrument, and, as with piano practice, regularity is the key to success.
Before a practice session begins, sit at the instrument and drop your arms by your side, so that they hang loosely from the shoulders. Ensure your upper torso is really relaxed; it’s sometimes difficult to notice tension – this is why a good teacher can prove crucial. Relax from the shoulders and arms, through to the wrist and hand. The feeling should be one of looseness and ‘heaviness’. Remember this feeling, as it provides a useful reminder of relaxation during practice sessions.
From this relaxed position, swing your arms up (from the elbows), and literally rest the hands on the keyboard or a table top; it’s the ‘feeling’ that you need to cultivate, so it doesn’t matter if there’s no instrument present. Keep your upper body relaxed and loose as your hands rest on the piano keyboard. And don’t worry if you are not in the ‘correct’ playing position (your hands and wrists will probably be in a hanging position). This is not about playing, but rather about understanding the feeling of relaxation required for the concept of ‘tension and release’ necessary in developing technique. Assimilation may take time, especially in older students.
The next step is to use a simple five-finger exercise: try middle C – G with both hands in either minims (half notes) or semibreves (whole notes). Start with the thumb (in the right hand); play and hold the note (middle C) and then drop the hand and wrist afterwards. Keep hold of the note; you may need the other hand to help here, as both the thumb and fingers have a tendency to fall off the keys at first. As you drop your wrist, ensure that it feels loose; the wrist should be relaxed, and will probably be ‘hanging’ down from the key. It’s not the position you would ever use to play, but it can provide the key to promoting flexibility, fostering relaxation. Work at each note in this way and then try with the left hand.
The final step for basic relaxation, would be to use the five-finger exercise again, but this time introduce a circular wrist motion technique. That is, using the same note pattern, but forming a circular motion with the wrist between every note whilst keeping it depressed. They key here is to make sure that the whole arm, wrist and hand feel totally loose. If done after every note, this motion can really instigate complete flexibility, both physically and mentally, that is, students learn to remember the feeling and start to implement this into their practice regime. I encourage pupils to play to the bottom of the key bed, or play heavily and powerfully on every note, establishing a firmer touch.
These steps may take a good few weeks to master, after which we move on to little exercises (usually by Czerny, and these are followed by J S Bach’s Two-Part Inventions), implementing wrist motion techniques on extended passagework.
My Publications:
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.
Every pianist knows the importance of legato, or the creation of a smooth musical line or phrase, notes joining evenly from one to the next. But there are many instances in piano music where we can’t join the notes; the melodic line might leap beyond our comfortable stretch, for example. How do we overcome this inconvenience and lull our listeners into believing that we’ve created a beautiful legato line? In my recent article for Pianist Magazine’s newsletter, I offer a few ideas to instigate the illusion of legato. I hope it’s of interest.
Legato, or playing smoothly, is probably one of the first techniques we master as beginner pianists. We learn how to transfer our finger weight evenly from note to note, joining them all neatly. But what do we do when notes are difficult or impossible to join? Whether a large leap or an awkward, widespread melody line, we simply can’t reach the notes purely with our fingers, and yet there still must be a sense of shape and legato. That’s where the illusion of legato comes in handy.
Sit down at the piano and with your right hand play a middle C and then the D next to it; use your thumb followed by your second finger. Practice playing legato, transferring weight from thumb to finger, listening to the smooth sound you create. Now play both notes with a rich tone, using just your thumb, and listen to the sound ‘gap’ between the notes as you play them one after the other.
To create the illusion of legato, we must close that sound gap. Play the C with your thumb using a deep touch. Keep your thumb depressed on the key until a millisecond before you move it to play the D, also using your thumb. The D must be played slightly lighter than the C, and by moving the thumb from the C to the D extremely quickly and lightly, the ear shouldn’t be able to detect a gap in the sound between the notes. Aim to match the sound of the second note (D) to that of the dying C.
It can help to employ the ‘drop-roll’ technique’; a pair of slurred or joined notes are played with the hand and wrist dropping as the finger or thumb plays the first note, then rising up as the second note is played. Using the wrist and hand to ‘drop’ into the C, as you reach the bottom of the key with your wrist in a lowered position, ‘catch’ the D (played with the thumb) as your hand and wrist rolls upwards.
Practice until the legato is smooth and fluent; you will need to listen carefully. You can then experiment with other fingers; try playing two consecutive notes using your fifth finger. Then try using your fourth finger. Also practice the same note patterns using the left hand too.
Finally, introduce larger intervals. Play from a middle C to an E; the drop-roll technique, slurring the two notes with your thumb, will be most beneficial with larger note skips. Drop the hand and wrist into the C, playing it with your thumb, via a flexible downward movement, and as you turn the wrist to move upwards, manoeuvre the thumb extremely quickly to play the E softly. As always, match the sound of the dying note (C) to that of the new note (E).
Work will be required in order to close the sound gap and create the illusion when playing larger intervals, but with practice it is possible to ‘join’ notes without using consecutive fingering or the sustaining pedal.
My Publications:
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.
International School Bangkok (ISB) have a delegation of three Grade 8 students at Yale University participating in the World Scholar’s Cup, Tournament of Champions.
They participated in March 2018 in the Bangkok Round at which they qualified for the Global Round. In June, they went to Kuala Lumpur for the Global Round and there they qualified for the Tournament of Champions.
What is the World Scholar’s Cup?
As well as being one of the most prestigious academic programs in the world, World Scholar’s Cup is also an inspiring experience for every student who participates. All participants explore a new “theme” each year, one that connects science, technology, art, literature, music, history, and social studies. This year’s theme has been “An Entangled World” with topics centered around:
Special Area – Human Relationships
History – The History of Diplomacy
Social Studies – Black Markets
Science – The Science of Memory
Art & Music – Braving the Distance
Literature – Voices of the Inseparable
At the Tournament of Champions, as at any World Scholar’s Cup event, teams undertake different academic and social challenges that require them to practice leadership and to hone and demonstrate important new skills.
These challenges include:
Team Debate (collaboration and public speaking)
Collaborative Writing (persuasive rhetoric)
Scholar’s Bowl (group problem solving, in a modified quiz bowl style)
Scholar’s Challenge (an exhaustive interdisciplinary examination)
Scholar’s Show (a fabulous all-volunteer talent show)
Our ISB delegation prepared hard and have done an outstanding job at this year’s competition. While in the U.S.A, they also received a special invitation from the Royal Thai Consulate in New York to have an informal interview with some New York based Thai Media agencies. They cited our young leaders as being, “a source of inspiration for young Thai at home and overseas.”
Well done to our Panther Scholars! See you back at ISB soon!
from International School Bangkok https://ift.tt/2DE8KqT
Christian Shearer (ISB Class of 1996) has been at the cutting edge of global ecology since his early 20s. He launched Panya Project (www.panyaproject.org) in the early 2000s, an ecological agriculture and natural building education center in Northern Thailand. ISB students from the past 15 years or so are familiar with the Panya Project as it has been a popular site for ISB’s Week Without Walls and Global Citizenship Week programs.
Most recently Christian co-founded Regen Network (www.regen.network), a startup technology company aimed at tracking, verifying, and valuing ecological information, particularly from the world’s farmers, ranchers and land managers. Regen Network has gained traction from a number of well-known natural products companies and some of the world’s largest producer groups. “What we are building unlocks the data for land managers and brands to make profitable, ecologically sound, management decisions,” shared Christian.
Regen Network plans to launch a number of pilot projects later this year, including a program to reward indigenous communities for forest stewardship, in partnership with the Rainforest Foundation. The program looks to scale up to over 25 million acres of indigenous land and to bring together the brands and consumers who are passionate about rainforest health with the stewards of the land.
In South East Asia, Regen Network has partnered with GenBlue and EarthPulse to work on the re-establishment of Mangrove ecosystems along the coastlines of Myanmar and beyond. Christian explains, “Mangrove ecosystems may be, dollar for dollar, the most effective ecological investment we can make right now. Worldwide, 85% of mangrove ecosystems are severely degraded and five species of mangrove are threatened with extinction. The habitat mangroves provide above and below the water, the reduction of coastal erosion, and the amount of carbon they sequester is of incredible value to this planet right now.”
ISB is proud of a graduate like Christian Shearer who is so passionately involved with trying to save our planet and in enriching communities globally. For more information, please reach out to the Regen Network (www.regen.network) or contact him directly (christian@regen.network).
from International School Bangkok https://ift.tt/2Q4mGBs
IASAS, the Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asia Schools, began in the fall of 1982. The seeds of the organization, however, were planted long before that with sports competitions that were arranged between many of the international schools in the Southeast Asia region. For example, Singapore American School (SAS) and International School Bangkok (ISB) participated in an annual, multi-sport event called theSingapore-Bangkok Gameswhich started in 1961. In 1980, the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) asked to participate in this event, creating what then became known as theTriangular Games. Thus it was around this time that the idea of forming an international school athletic conference began to develop.
It was probably at an EARCOS Conference in Hong Kong in 1981 that the idea of forming IASAS became a reality. Primarily spear-headed by the Heads of School from ISKL – Gail Schoppert, SAS – Mel Kuhbander, and Jakarta International School (JIS) – Everett Gould, there was expressed a desire to create an international athletics conference in the region. This organization was to be modeled after a similar conference that was active in South Asia, SAISA, which was familiar to some, as well as a conference in Europe that is still in operation, the ISST.
It wasn’t too long after that that the Activities/Athletic Directors from schools in the region met at the old Singapore American School campus on Kings Road tasked with creating the organization. Participating in this meeting were the AD’s from ISKL – Al Daniel and Dave Hagan, from SAS – K.S. Kasinathan and Dick Lewis, as well as representatives from JIS and ISB. The result, as we now know, was IASAS, which formally started in October of 1982 with four schools: JIS, SAS, ISKL and ISB. International School Manila (ISM) joined the conference the very next year, while Taipei American School (TAS) joined the group in 1986, creating the six-school conference that has flourished ever since.
In the early days the conventions included soccer and volleyball (first season), basketball and swimming (second season), softball and track and field (third season), as well as a cultural convention (dance, drama, debate, forensics, music and art) and a mathematics competition. Over the years, various activities were added to the agenda, and today the wide-ranging IASAS activities include:
Math Contest, Film Festival & Chess [non-travel activities]
For everyone involved, students, coaches, administrators, parents and community members alike, IASAS is one of the most memorable times of any school year. Now in its 37thyear of existence and widely recognized as one of the most robust international school conferences in the world, we can only thank those who came before and helped to create such a remarkable organization. We certainly hope that it will continue to prosper for many decades to come.
from International School Bangkok https://ift.tt/2QUQnC7
Today’s guest post has been penned by renowned composer and educationalist Christopher Norton. This is the second post in a series which offers practice ideas and suggestions for those teaching group improvisation (you can read Part 1, here). Christopher’s work has, for many years, involved teaching students how to improvise using his imaginative and very popular music. Over to Chris…
Having looked at right hand chords (with a track) using root position G, first inversion G and second inversion D chords, with a bass pattern added, we can now talk about some simple techniques for right hand improvising on Samba Sand from Connections for Piano 3. Here’s the piece again:
With the track, play this left hand pattern 3 times:
Once this feels comfortable, almost automatic, you are ready to try adding right hand.
With students, I often find they are happier tapping than playing initially, so I would try tapping unaccented quavers (eighth notes!) on the right leg while playing the left hand chords:
Now for the magic moment – miss one eighth note out. For example:
Now we play right hand notes, playing the same rhythm. I suggest starting with G, A, B, C, D, but play around to see which ones sound good where! My first solution:
I’m already using some principles of melodic development – repeating a phrase with one note changed (bars 1 and 2) repeating an idea (bar 3) and having a contrasting idea (bar 4) The tune also joins the left hand rhythmically for the final bar of the phrase.
Now try missing out the 5th eighth note. Tap first:
This suggests different tunes. For example:
Notice I’ve added a low D and an E (so a sixth note) Students often do this – adding new notes – quite naturally (and so do I!). If a tune suggests itself, go for it, whether the notes are the given ones or not.
Now experiment with missing other eighth notes out to create different rhythm patterns. Always tap first, then play. And don’t be worried if slight variations happen spontaneously, while tapping and while playing. The left chord rhythms may also vary spontaneously as well…
Another useful tip: play the left hand chords and try playing right hand rhythm patterns starting on one note. G is the best starting point. Then try 2 notes (G and A) 3 notes (G, A, B) and 4 notes (I like G, A, B, D – when in doubt, keep it pentatonic!)
Here’s an example of a tune which gradually build the number of notes:
This is another principle of melodic development – playing the same rhythm with different notes. And I’ve also done a new rhythm in bar 7 and I have also repeated a pattern higher up (bars 1 and 2, then bars 5 and 6).
In the next lesson, we will look at various other right hand tricks – grace note, chords (ie more than one note at a time), pedal notes, arpeggio figures and changing direction. Lots of fun!
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.
Curriculum is a fundamental part of schooling and a topic common to all educators but the details are sometimes less familiar to all parents. Teachers are writing, reviewing and adjusting curriculum on a daily basis in order to provide the best learning for their students.
The curriculum at International School Bangkok (ISB) is multi-faceted and is based on ongoing educational research and global best practice. It is driven by the broader goals of our school to include ISB’s Vision and Mission, Definition of Learning, Attributes and Values. We define the learning that takes place at ISB as meaningful and transferable, where understanding is constructed by developing and applying knowledge, skills and attitudes.
But how does this style of teaching and learning, and these broader goals, translate into the curriculum we use in each subject and classroom?
Macro Curriculum
From those broad goals, our Learning Design Center has developedsubject-specificmacro curriculum, which then funnels down to the micro curriculum of each grade level and class. The marco curriculum includes philosophy statements identifyingwhat we believe about learningin that area and standards that identify the key learning outcomesfor each grade level. It is built around long term transferable ideas that are at the heart of the subject and aligned to the standards.
The Big Ideas
Big Ideas are the core concepts, principles, theories and processes that serve as the focal point of curriculum, instruction and assessment at ISB. They are the building materials for authentic understanding and coherence. Big ideas are meaningful patterns that enable us to connect the dots of otherwise fragmented knowledge and skill and they go beyond discrete facts and skills to focus on larger concepts within and among the subjects areas. We use them to help us think broadly about learning across all grade levels.
What are some of these big ideas embedded in the macro curriculum frameworks?
How does what I read influence how I read it?
When does accuracy matter?
How do my creative choices best express my ideas and intent?
What makes a healthy relationship and how do I develop safe boundaries for myself and others?
How does strategy affect outcome?
What’s another way to say it or express it?
How do I know that my answer is reasonable?
These big ideas sit within a curriculum framework that has three components:
1)long term transfer goalsdescribing the independent goals we have for our learners; 2)essential questionsidentifying what we ask our learners to grapple with; and 3)enduring understandingsdescribing what we want our learners to understand.
While these ideas are written with the end in mind, our 12th graders, it is important that our students across all grades interact with thesebig ideas,working towards the same goals. Here is an example of a framework for our PK-12 English/Language Arts program:
PK12 Transfer Goal:
Communicate ideas effectively in writing, discourse and oral presentations to suit various audiences and purposes.
PK12 Enduring Understanding:
Effective writers and speakers take deliberate steps and make intentional choices about content, language and style that are matched to their audience and purpose.
PK12 Essential Question:
How does what I write influence how I write it?
How do audience and purpose influence the way I communicate?
In partnership with the ISB Learning Design Center, ISB teachers across grades PK-12 package the learning into the micro curriculum, theunits of instructionbased around key learning goals in order to create developmentally appropriate learning for our students. This micro curriculum is informed by and aligned to everything in our macro curriculum.
Essential Questions
Here is an example of how we use the essential questions across grade levels. In the image, grade 10 students are helping grade 2 students understand the complex idea of –where you live determines how you live.From a grade 2 perspective, they wondered –why is Thailand hotter than Norway?Their grade 10 buddies helped them answer that question using the samecritical thinkingandgeography skillsthat they are using in Grade 10.
This is a perfect example of the implementation of ISB’s multifaceted curriculum, which focuses onbig ideas through meaningful and transferable learningthat is aligned to our schools mission, vision, values and attributes.
from International School Bangkok https://ift.tt/2PvCA88
Writers, composers, musicians, and almost anyone in the arts, tend to wait with bated breath after the completion and release of their latest achievement. Will anyone actually like it? And more pertinently, what will the critics say? Never is this more true than when publishing compositions, because our tastes in music, particularly educational music, are all very different. Therefore, I was really delighted to read this lovely review of my new piano pieces, No Words Necessary, written and published earlier this week by writer and reviewer, Andrew Eales, who owns the Pianodao blog. I’ve published Andrew’s complete article below, but you can read the original, here. For more information about the pieces, and to purchase No Words Necessary, please click, here. Over to Andrew…
Lots of piano players enjoy the contemporary stylings of popular composers such as Ludovico Einaudi, Yirumi and David Lanz, but it’s not so easy to find really good arrangements of their music that are accessible to intermediate players, and which manage to be both concise and accurate distillations of the post-minimal piano style.
The search for an educationally sound and musically engaging alternative just got easier with the publication by Schott Music of No Words Necessary, an excellent collection of 12 new pieces composed by Melanie Spanswick.
These interesting and enjoyable pieces will certainly satisfy those looking for approachable contemporary piano solos, and they further confirm Melanie as an imaginative and engaging composer.
So let’s check it out …
Concept and Recordings
Ever since it was established in 1770, Schott Music has been open to current trends and new development in music, seeking to represent a broad and colourful spectrum of new music. At present, they seem to be going through something of a golden age, with a succession of brilliant new publications in 2018, and much more scheduled for the coming months.
No Words Necessary joins their releases for this Autumn and brings well-known teacher, writer and adjudicator Melanie Spanswick to Schott’s roster of contemporary educational composers. Spanswick may be known to readers as the author/compiler of the outstanding Play it Again: Piano series, which I reviewed here last year.
According to Spanswick, No Words Necessary is:
“… a collection of 12 piano pieces intended for those who are approximately intermediate level, Grades 3-6. Consisting of melodious tunes and poignant harmonies, they are reminiscent of the Minimalist style…
Easy to learn and comfortable to play, they are equally well suited to the younger or more mature learner, and perfect for either concert performances or playing for pleasure. The collection will hopefully unleash the imagination and make piano playing an immensely rewarding experience.”
The Pieces
While reading on, you can start to discover the pieces for yourself using the composer’s own video recordings of them:
The pieces appear loosely in order of difficulty, with the beautifully serene Lost in Thought providing a wonderfully contemplative opener. Inflections particularly reminds me of Philip Glass, while in Dancing Through the Daffodils there are echoes of Bach and Clementi, their motifs refreshed for the present day.
Spanswick’s melodic sensibility is more to the fore in the swaying Pendulum, the lyrical Walking in the Woods (my personal favourite here) and delightful China Doll. Other highlights for me include the restrained Voices in my Head, exotic Phantom Whisperer, and Beneath, which conjures a superb sense of hushed wonder. All these pieces are in my view well worth a look.
In terms of level, I would say most are accessible at the lower end of the advertised range; the book is ideal for the Grade 4 player wanting to explore fresh new music.
A feature of the contemporary post-minimal piano style is the emphasis given to organic flow rather than single gestures; often such music includes little in terms of suggested articulation, phrasing, and only a block outline of dynamics. Teachers will be pleased that Spanswick gives more detail here, including indications of balance between hands using a different dynamic for each.
The Publication
For the book itself, Schott have used their generic plain cover, which is a little disappointing given the target audience and imagination of the music within.
Inside though, Schott’s house style is as welcome as ever: with quality cream paper, crystal clear notation engraving and well spaced layout, the presentation is a cut above that sometimes found elsewhere. The amount and suitability of suggesting fingering throughout the collection is also, I think, spot on.
The premium quality Schott bring certainly adds to the ease and enjoyment of exploring the music itself.
Conclusion
It’s been a busy year for new piano music, but this latest publication certainly shouldn’t be overlooked.
These are pieces which I believe could easily find their place in the intermediate player’s heart, combining easy-to-master patterns, melodic charm, and simple structural cohesion. They give players a vehicle through which to develop expressive, engaged playing.
And with plenty of variety on offer, too, the collection offers good value. If you’re looking for a fresh collection of accessible contemporary pieces, do give this a try!
WARMLY RECOMMENDED
My Publications:
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.
ISB introduced new Sport Coordinators this school year, and these inspired individuals have already helped facilitate significant growth and positive change within our programs. Borne from our annual review of the ISB Athletic and Community Activities Office programs, and with the full support of our school leadership and the Strategic Improvement & Learning Committee of the Board of Trustees, these positions aim of further improving student learning and the quality of experience for our athletes.
The Sport Coordinators work closely with the ISB Athletic Department, acting as champions and advocates for each of our thirteen pathway programs (IASAS sports). Our Sport Coordinators have already delivered a significant impact to our programs this year, generating a number of proposals for facility enhancements and helping to facilitate our Season One coaches’ professional development day. Our Coordinators are identifying ways in which each sport can continue to raise its profile, grow in strength and opportunity, meet our ever-changing needs, and fulfil our ISB vision and mission.
Other areas we’ve targeted this year include researching top-level competition, delivering enhanced training techniques, instilling mental toughness, providing more challenge and enrichment opportunities, and establishing better vertical alignment by sport, U11-Varsity. We are also brainstorming more ways to connect with and enrich our local community through camps, outreach programs, and events. Keep your eyes open for the upcoming BBSA coaches’ clinic for parent-volunteers, the Panthers’ Volleyball Academy, and more innovative ideas emerging from this fledgling program and these highly invested educator-coaches.
Our ISB Sport Coordinators are also here to help answer any sport specific questions you may have, and they are happy to help direct you to an appropriate opportunity or program for your son/daughter. Please feel free to reach out by email if you have any queries.
For anyone in the Cambridge area (UK), I will be presenting a workshop at Millers Music next Friday. This free workshop is essentially for teachers, but anyone is most welcome to come along. I’ll be focusing on topics which run throughout my Play it again: PIANO course; with a brief walk-through of both books (touching on Book 3 too), followed by a practical workshop highlighting the suggested practice techniques intended for technical improvement which feature at the beginning of Book 1 and 2.
There will be plenty of opportunity for audience participation, and hopefully lots of discussion. Each audience member will be given a copy of my workshop notes detailing the considered topics, which will mostly examine the importance of cultivating a tension free technique.
The workshop will be held from 6.30-8.00pm on Friday 16th November, and you will find Millers Music in the heart of the city: Millers Music, 12 Sussex St, Cambridge, CB1 1PW, UK. You can register to secure your ticket, here.
If you would like to find out more about Play it again: PIANO, which is a course for students returning to playing the instrument after a break, click here. You may also be interested in the following video, which has been recorded by piano returner Tommy, who runs a ‘piano corner’ on Youtube; this is the first video in a series which will survey each piece in Book 2.
My Publications:
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.
During this year’s summer holidays, a frenzy of youth soccer tournaments took place in four regions across Thailand. Sponsored and organized by MILO Football Academy, the tournaments in the Bangkok, Northern, North-Eastern and Southern regions were open to Thai kids and youth from 7 to 15 years of age.
International School Bangkok (ISB) student, Ethan Speirs, competed for one of the 128 teams in the Bangkok tournament. Finishing second place in the region, his team progressed to the finals where the top eight teams from the regions battled it out for the national championship.
The Milo talent scouts watched from the sidelines and selected 48 players from age groups, U-8 to U-14 to attend a four-day training camp with FC Barcelona coaches in Chonburi. Having spent time with these boys in training, Barcelona’s professional coaches assessed them for footballing talent as well as their attitude to the game on and off the pitch. They then chose 8 from the 48 players. Three players from Ethan’s age group were invited, based on these qualities, to represent Thailand visit FC Barcelona’s ground in northern Spain at the end of September.
So, at the end of a long, intense summer of football matches and training sessions, the 3,000 enthusiastic youngsters from around the country had been whittled down to eight talented players… until ultimately, the scouts had identified their three football stars in the making. And we are proud to say that Ethan Speirs was one of them.
Ethan attended the world-famous Camp Nou for a game watched by 78,000 fans. But the excitement didn’t stop there. The group toured the stadium’s impressive facilities and gained a glimpse into FC Barcelona’s illustrious history, before completing three days of training with the Barcelona youth coaches.
When a family member asked the scouts about the selection process, the feedback the coaches gave revealed that they were looking for a much broader set of qualities than simply outstanding footballing skills. The scouts had noted Ethan’s gratitude for the opportunity, his responsible behavior both on and off the pitch, his care and respect for the other players and organizers. He had also demonstrated integrity and acommitment to the hard work; and when he was unsure of the coaches’ instructions, he displayed courage by asking clarification questions during the coaching sessions. All of the qualities that run parallel with our own ISB values.
Ethan’s exciting journey embodies the set of ISB Learner Attributes that we aim to instill in our students and the core values that guide our community and learners. Outstanding talent on its own can only get you so far. It’s the attributes and values we promote at the heart of our curriculum that we believe help to make us better human beings, and help to open doors to incredible opportunities. Congratulations to Ethan for your impressive achievements this summer. We are all very proud of you.
from International School Bangkok https://ift.tt/2FaIlUj
As another year draws to a close, I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog and, if you are a piano student or teacher, have found it beneficial and of interest. Here are my top six blog posts of the year – several are perennially popular and have appeared on my Christmas ‘favourites’ list many times.
Athletic Director
