5 Top Tips to Aid Memorisation

Pianist Magazine produces a newsletter which wings its way into a reader’s e mail box every other month (sign up for your copy here). It’s brimming with piano news and information, as well as a few piano articles. I write a regular ‘Piano Tips’ feature, and today’s post presents the most recent, which focuses on memorisation. I’ve written about this topic endlessly (and I even give presentations on it), but hopefully, you may find the following suggestions of interest (here’s the original article).

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Memorisation is a hotly debated topic in piano playing. Irrespective of whether a piano piece is to played from memory or not, the act of memorising is incredibly useful. It can help with so many facets when learning repertoire; from understanding form and structure, to fully internalizing your chosen work (both physically and mentally), and therefore ultimately presenting a more unified, considered and engaging performance.

Here are a few ideas to aid memorisation:

1. Take the score (and a pencil) away from the piano and thoroughly study its structure, marking up important ‘landmarks’ such as its form (fugue, sonata form, ternary form, etc.), key changes, texture, chord progressions, and the like.
2. When you begin studying a work, memorise from the outset. Resist the temptation to ‘learn the notes’, returning to memorise later. If you can do this from the very beginning, bar by bar (or phrase by phrase), learning everything from the physical ‘feel’ of note patterns, fingerings and movement, to the required sound and musical details, you’ll find it easier to remember in the long run. This is because you’re already taking the music off the page and allowing it to permeate your mind.
3. Work without the score as soon as possible (that’s not to say you won’t return to examine it often). memorize each hand separately. This can be most beneficial, particularly regarding the left hand, which has a habit of ‘disappearing’ under the pressure of performance. Be aware of fingerings and note patterns especially, finding sign posts to jog your memory.
4. Ensure you have sectionalised your new piece, so that you can practise from various ‘points’. You may want to divide the work into as many as ten sections (or more). Practise playing from the start of each section until it becomes second nature (totally engaging your mind and focus when doing this). If you have a slip when playing through or during performance, you can easily recover by moving quickly to the next ‘section’.
5. Hear the piece in your head (away from the instrument) or visualise yourself sitting playing it at the keyboard. These are both useful techniques once the piece is under your fingers (and in your mind!). I find them extremely valuable tools. Sit quietly and mentally ‘play it through’ (concentrate completely so as not to miss any detail). Once you can ‘hear’ a piece from beginning to end with ease, you’re on your way to mastering (or conquering!) your memory.

For even more information on this topic, click here and here

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For lots of information on memorisation and much more, check out my book, So You Want To Play The Piano?

For useful piano repertoire, check out The Faber Music Piano Anthology, containing 78 pieces from around Grade 2 – 8, selected by me.

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Well done to the IASAS 2017 Forensics and Debate Team

ISB’s Forensics and Debate team performed exceptionally well at the fabulous IASAS Cultural Convention that was held at ISB this year, over the weekend of the 4th of March.

Our ISB students walked away with some fantastic awards and our congratulations go to the whole team and to these award-receiving students:

Debate
ISB ‘B’ Nicolas Young, Gian Chansrichawala, Saharsh Abbagani BRONZE MEDALISTS

Extemporaneous Speaking
Colin Vanelli GOLD MEDALIST

Oral Interpretation
Janita Luanpolcharoenchai FINALIST
Paola Lindo SILVER MEDALIST

Original Oratory Finals
Jeannie MacRae GOLD MEDALIST

Impromptu Finals
Colin Vanelli SILVER MEDALIST
Paola Lindo FINALIST

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Yuja Wang’s master class debut

As many will know, I enjoy highlighting master classes. Public ‘lessons’ can be beneficial and interesting for many reasons, whether for teachers, students or anyone who loves the piano. Most of those previously featured here on my blog have been given by pedagogues or more ‘mature’ artists, but the following videos offer something different; a brief but fascinating insight into the piano world of Chinese star, Yuja Wang.

Uploaded in January this year, these classes were filmed at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music in Tel Aviv, Israel. All three videos are substantial ‘lessons’ and there’s much to glean from Yuja Wang; this is apparently her ‘master class’ debut too.

from Melanie Spanswick http://ift.tt/2mNbxU8

Mother Tongue languages at ISB

Here at ISB, we focus on learning, and research that informs that learning. So we not only want to encourage our children and young people to be proud of their language heritage, but to also help them to maintain and further develop this significant resource. But we can’t do it alone. We encourage parents to take an active role in this development as well.

Mother Tongue Languages on Offer
Over the last two years our after school mother tongue program has had mother tongue classes in Swedish, Danish, Hindi, Korean, Japanese, Polish, Dutch, German, Chinese and French, with an Urdu class starting soon. These classes are generally held once or twice a week for an hour. They help our children feel both culturally and linguistically at home.

Parent Workshops and Resources
In the Elementary School, at the start of each school year, the English language teachers give an informative and practical workshop for parents on how to help their children to become functionally bilingual in two languages here at ISB. In addition, we are gradually building our reading material in languages other than English; organizing and expanding after school classes; and exploring other ways to support our school’s multilingual capacities.

 

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Included

At ISB, we believe that families should have access to an education that meets the needs of all of their children. As an inclusive school, ISB is committed to successfully serving a managed number of students representing the full range of learning differences; mild, moderate, intensive and the exceptionally able.

The Intensive Learning Needs program at ISB is unlike any other program in Bangkok. It offers children with special needs, diagnosed developmental or intellectual disability (e.g. Global Developmental Delay, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down’s Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy) the opportunity to learn with a highly trained special education teacher within the vibrant international school setting of ISB. They receive a highly individualized curriculum focusing on functional academics and life skills and are also integrated with typically developing peers to the maximum extent appropriate. It is a leading model of inclusion, which serves these learners in the best way possible.

Enrollment for 2017-2018 is now open for prospective students aged PreK-Grade 5.

Our approach ensures that students receive highly individualized instruction to address their unique learning and developmental needs AND are full and valued members of our community.

We offer:

1. Highly qualified on-site multidisciplinary team: special education teacher, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, school psychologist and counselor
2. Low Student to Teacher ratio: Minimum 2 adults to 4-6 students
3. Individualized Education: Student’s Individualized Education Plans will be carefully crafted around their individual needs to ensure the best mix of individualized instruction in academic, life and social skills, language and occupational therapy, and integration into learning opportunities with typically developing peers.
4. Speech and Occupational Therapy by trained and experienced therapists
5. Purpose built classroom: Kitchen and recreational area, fully accessible bathroom and shower, sensory/occupational therapy space
6. Outstanding Facilities: As members of our ISB community, our students will have access to our beautiful campus and extensive facilities

Download our brochure for more information.

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February 2017 Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver Statistics Package with Graphs & Charts

February 2017 REBGV Statistics Package Mike Stewart Realtor from Mike Stewart

Low supply continues to limit Metro Vancouver home buyers

Reluctance amongst Metro Vancouver* home sellers is impacting sale and price activity throughout the region’s housing market.

Residential home sales in the region totalled 2,425 in February 2017. This is a 41.9 per cent decrease from the record 4,172 homes sold in February 2016 and an increase of 59.2 per cent compared to January 2017 when 1,523 homes sold.

Last month’s sales were 7.7 per cent below the 10-year February sales average.

“February home sales were well below the record-breaking activity from one year ago and in line with our long-term historical average for the month,” Dan Morrison, Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) president said. “Limited supply and snowy weather were two factors hampering this activity.”

New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Metro Vancouver totalled 3,666 in February 2017. This represents a 36.9 per cent decrease compared to the 5,812 units listed in February 2016 and an 11.4 per cent decrease compared to January 2017 when 4,140 properties were listed.

This is the lowest number of new listings registered in February since 2003.

The total number of properties currently listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in Metro Vancouver is 7,594, a four per cent increase compared to February 2016 (7,299) and a 4.9 per cent increase compared to January 2017 (7,238).

The region’s sales-to-active listings ratio for February 2017 is 31.9 per cent, a 10-point increase from January. Generally, analysts say that downward pressure on home prices occurs when the ratio dips below the 12 per cent mark for a sustained period, while home prices often experience upward pressure when it surpasses 20 per cent over several months.

“While home sales are not happening at the pace we experienced last year, home seller supply is still struggling to keep up with today’s demand. This is why we’ve seen little downward pressure on home prices, particularly in the condominium and townhome markets,” Morrison said.

The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver is currently $906,700. This represents a 2.8 per cent decrease over the past six months and a 1.2 per cent increase compared to January 2017.

Sales of detached properties in February 2017 reached 745, a decrease of 58.1 per cent from the 1,778 detached sales recorded in February 2016. The benchmark price for detached properties is $1,474,200. This represents a 6.5 per cent decrease over the past six months and is unchanged compared to January 2017.

Sales of apartment properties reached 1,275 in February 2017, a decrease of 28.8 per cent compared to the 1,790 sales in February 2016.The benchmark price of an apartment property is $526,300. This represents a 2.3 per cent increase over the past six months and a 2.7 per cent increase compared to January 2017.

Attached property sales in February 2017 totalled 404, a decrease of 33.1 per cent compared to the 604 sales in February 2016. The benchmark price of an attached unit is $675,500. This represents a 0.3 per cent decrease over the past six months and a 1.3 per cent increase compared to January 2017.

The post February 2017 Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver Statistics Package with Graphs & Charts appeared first on Mike Stewart.

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Office of the Private Education Commission joins ISB’s Intensive Learning Needs program launch

ISB was honored to have Dr Payom Chinnawong, Secretary General, Office of the Private Education Commission of the Ministry of Education join our Intensive Learning Needs program launch.

from International School Bangkok http://ift.tt/2loo7Hj