Jigsaw Jam

A very exciting complete performance of "Jigsaw Jam" at the "National Youth Music camp". Music for youth came to film it, and it will be available to watch along with free downloadable music and backing tracks  at www.mfy.org.uk at the beginning of September. Woo hoo!!

Music Camp underway.

All is going well at the National Youth Music camp, and we have the SUN!! . As ever, there is wonderful music, and incredible talent. To top it all, Dame Cleo laine popped in for lunch! (pictured with Chloe, and this weeks camp director Jonnie Bridges).

Two new books for brass teachers.

I have been asked for a long time to do a Razzamajazz Repertoire book for E flat brass and F horn. Well here they are! . I hope they will be useful. get them from http://www.kevinmayhew.com/

Strange things happen!

It has been interesting seeing the various performance of my grade two piece pop up on youtube since the new syllabus came out a couple of weeks ago. Some of them have completeley ignored the "Jazz quaver" instruction (very common), and because of this, have changed the whole nature of the piece. (The performance above is the best ...so far). It will be interesting to see how many examiners will encounter the jazz quaver issue,.... and how many will notice.....??.

Watts V The Flintstones!

I was very excited today to go and buy my copy of the new grade 2 piano book. I have a piece in the book, and as the copy the ABRSM said they would send me hadn't arrived, I had to go and get one just to see what it looked like (and felt like). I have had pieces in the woodwind syllabus before, but this is my first piano exam piece. I have to say it did feel a bit strange, and my first thought was I wonder if the ABRSM had known that I failed grade five theory on my first attempt if they would have published my piece ( I concentrated the second time!). My piece is in the C section with an arrangement of the Flintstones, so there may be a bit of competition!. 

Harmonica Man does it again.

My lovely husband Chris Shrimpton gave an incredible performance at the 20th anniversary concert of the Church of Christ the Cornerstone in Milton Keynes last night. He played the lovely arrangement by Andrew Cottee of the Genevieve suite, and also played the Gordon Jacob harmonica suite with orchestra. It was a wonderful evening, with an exciting mix of Choral and instrumental music. Chris played brilliantly!.... very proud!

Jigsaw Jam

An exciting three days at "Music For Youth National Festival" in Birmingham, where I was workshoping my new commission "Jigsaw Jam". Its a set of ensemble pieces for any beginner pitched instrument, using just the first notes that they learn. the pieces all fit together like a jigsaw (and make a seaside picture!).

We played the main piece "The Sky" with an ensemble of 450 young people in Symphony hall Birmingham on Monday, and I was thrilled with the way it went. The music and backing tracks can be downloaded FREE! on the MFY website very soon.

The nine bits of the jigsaw are.

1. The Sky (everyone!)

2.Beach huts and bandstands (beg. brass)

3. Carousels and Candyfloss (beg. woodwind and recorders)

4. deckchair dreaming (harmonicas)

5.Ship Ahoy! (beg strings)

6.Waves on water (pitched percussion)

7.Sinister seagulls (voice and beg ukullele)

8.Parasols and picnics (beg guitars)

9.Shrimps and tiddlers (ocarinas).

The exciting thing is, I'm sure it will be really useful.

Times are changing (for the better!)

I was surfing the internet this morning and came across an ad by the ABRSM (Associated board of the Royal schools of music) for a course they are running called "Play by ear". I was delighted , and slightly shocked at the same time. I wasn't surprised that the ABRSM are providing more broad minded approaches (because they are), but I had a sudden flashback to my childhood, when playing by ear (to most people) was a sin!.
I have very strong memories of people commenting about someone "Oh she plays by ear you know!". I accept its preferable to be able to read the music as well, but I dont hanker for my young days when visiting my piano teachers spider plant filled house and smelling the music centre floor polish was enough to fill me with terror.
I was raised in a broad minded musical home where we played without  music as well. Thank goodness!!

Nineteen Christmas songs and a musical!

Exciting times. Lots happening at the moment. my new Christmas book has arrived, with twenty new ideas for Christmas, including a mini musical "Six minute Nativity" ( for busy teachers!). I am as usual excited by it all.
I have just had two great days doing Wider Ops workshops in kent . It was a great opportunity to road test the big commission piece I have just done for "Music For Youth". A HUGE piece for all instruments found in beginner wider ops type groups . Its going to be FREE to download from the MFY website in September, and we are work shopping it at Symphony Hall Birmingham at the start of July...... To be continued....Watch this space!.

surely not

Lands End to John o-groats with Beetho-van !

Check out Anthony Hewitt's epic trip from south to north on his bike, stopping every day to do piano recitals on the piano which follows behind his bike in "Beetho Van"! . Hats off to him! Going round the block on my bike is an epic trip, and I don't even stop to play the melodica! http://www.olympianist.com/

Shrimp society tango band

A Stunning evening at "Night of Musical Stars" raising money for Street light trust. The Tango band was in full force, and there was a real joy in playing. Its such fun to play in a band with a relaxed creative agenda. Want to do more!.

This was a surprise!

I was surprised to see this view as one of the new "views of the British Isles" stamps today. That was my Dads office!

Rake's Garden

One of the highspots of my Easter holiday was having coffee in my friend Rake's ( a brass player!) beautiful garden.

More shrimps at the Rivoli Ballroom

Shrimps at the Rivoli ballroom

The "Shrimp band " Played at Peter Fishers 50th birthday party at the Rivoli ballroom http://www.therivoli.co.uk/ in London on Friday night. What a lovely evening it was, and in such an incredible venue . Its been heralded as London's best kept secret, and I can understand why. The building was once a music hall, and then a 1950's ballroom. It has been wonderfully preserved, and going there was like stepping back in time. The room was full of Peters friends , many of whom did "Party pieces". Peter topped off the evening off with his own brand of virtuosic violin playing. Among the guests were the Queens glass restorer who had (by coincidence) worked on the chandeliers in the ballroom, also a pianola roll maker (you don't meet one of those every day!)

Bring back Minsrels galleries!

I have just spent two days adjudicating for the Mid Somerset festival. One of the days was the chamber music classes at the beautiful Guildhall in Bath ( complete with minstrels gallery). It was so inspiring for the young performers to play there, and the standard of ensembles was very high. I have had a mad few weeks of (among other things) festivals and writing. All has been very interesting and inspiring, but why does everything happen at the same time?. Hopefully now I have a little time to do the washing, and empty the bins!.

Lovely pictures of Avril Dankworth.

I have just come across some lovely pictures of Avril taken in the sixties when she was doing teacher training all over the world. She did a lot of music Education workshops in this country ( I went with her sometimes). She had many visits to Hong Kong, and did teacher training for music teaches in the British forces bases abroad. That was in the days when money for education was plentiful. There were such exciting things happening then. I would have LOVED to go on one of the Hohner courses for teaching recorder and harmonica. Beautiful pictures Avril!

Cecil Sharp House

An inspiring day on Friday mentoring for "Music For Youth"at Cecil Sharp House in Camden. The day was filled with such a wonderful variety of music, played by young people in a very exciting venue (Music For Youth provides great opportunities for young people to experience things like this.)Cecil Sharp House is the headquarters of the English folk dance and song society. It is steeped in years of great music making. There is also a very nice cafe!

Not enough music in schools

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17226187
From the BBC website . Makes interesting reading.

New Music camp video

Very pleased with our new music camp promo video. worth a watch!

That was close!

AUGHHHHH!!A great day rehearsing in London with the Shrimp band, but then we left the bag with instruments and (hours of) arrangements on the train home!!. The day was saved by a very helpful ticket man who had the whole of the network rail looking for "mouth organs"!, and Mr Shrimp who did a heroic tour of the Birmingham to London line to collect the cargo!. I was so worried about how I was going to find the time for arrangements again. PHEW!!!

Spooky!

I have just rediscovered these pictures. The first is me (playing bassoon) and my friend Alison Tumber at music camp in the 70s. The second photo is of our daughters at the same music camp about five years ago (!).

Bad, but clever!

C, E-flat, and G go into a bar. The bartender says, "Sorry, but we don't serve minors." So E-flat leaves, and C and G have an open fifth between them. After a few drinks, the fifth is diminished, and G is out flat. F comes in and tries to augment the situation, but is not sharp enough. D comes in and heads for the bathroom, saying, "Excuse me; I'll just be a second." Then A comes in, but the bartender is not convinced that this relative of C is not a minor. Then the bartender notices B-flat hiding at the end of the bar and says, "Get out! You're the seventh minor I've found in this bar tonight." E-flat comes back the next night in a three-piece suit with nicely shined shoes. The bartender says, "You're looking sharp tonight. Come on in, this could be a major development." Sure enough, E-flat soon takes off his suit and everything else, and is au natural. Eventually C sobers up and realizes in horror that he's under a rest. C is brought to trial, found guilty of contributing to the diminution of a minor, and is sentenced to 10 years of D.S. without Coda at an upscale correctional facility

Go Bryony!

Just to say, that I'm rather proud of my ex saxophone pupil Bryony Hannah who is in "Ask the Midwife" on a Sunday evening at the moment. First I would like to say that I am very much enjoying the series, and am getting very emotionally involved, but I would also like to say ( in case you hadn't realised), I KNOW HER!!

Music and the Thames

I am a member of the Royal Society of Musicians of which Handel was a founding member. The society holds many musical archives, including a copy of Handel's Water Music in the earliest extant edition. As part of celebrations for the Queens diamond jubilee, it is being lent to the National Maritime museum for their exhibition "Pageantry and the Thames" which is open from the 27th April to the 9th September. Its exciting to remember that Handel wrote the water music and the Royal fireworks for similar events.

Watch this!

I love this!

I just came across this fantastic retro ad!. I love it, and it reminded me of our trip to the Hohner factory a couple of years ago when we went to the World harmonica fest. I had a melodica for Christmas, and am hooked!!!. The Shrimps have been playing quartets for harmonica, Melodica, Ukulele and bassoon. (awesome!). I have done arrangements of old swing numbers, some cafe house music and some tangos. We have a booking for a friends wedding, to play during afternoon tea. I haven't been so excited about playing in an ensemble for ages!. Harmonicas and melodicas would be such good instruments to put together for wider ops ensembles.

Red Hot Song Library Folksongs.

This is the new addition to my song library. These are traditional folksongs with a lively twist, and because there are easy second and third parts, I think they will be really useful for choirs or classroom singing. Its such a shame that a lot of our traditional songs are being lost because the repertoire that many of our young people are singing is based on popular songs. I really wanted this to be a fun way to re introduce these songs...really hope it works.

The product of an evening on youtube

Avril Dankworth teachers days.

I have just come across some old photos of Avril dankworth leading some teachers workshop days in the 60s. Avril was a great innovator in her time and became well known as a music Educator all over the world. This photo shows some of her home made instruments. The photo is damaged unfortunately,but it looks as if the gong she has made is expolding!.

The photo below looks scarily like the one I posted in the next post of me doing a teachers day in berkshire recently...spooky!!

Berkshire teachers day

A really nice day today in Reading with eighty Berkshire music teachers . I lead some workshops with ideas for "First access" ( wider ops) group teaching. I really enjoyed my day and met a lot of "Kindred spirits". These pictures are from one of the group sessions.