Happy Christmas!

Have been meaning to blog for weeks, but this Christmas has been as crazy as ever. Did my usual run of Christmas galas with John and Cleo at the Stables last week, had a few crazy nights with friends and family, church events, and then there was.... Oh yes, Christmas. Here are a few highspots ( the orange thing is a satsuma nativity , the bit at the bottom is the Loch Ness monster).

It takes two!

Chloe and a friend came home from University at the weekend, and among other things, it was a real pleasure listening to two music undergraduates having such a laugh playing Pauline Halls book of very easy Christmas carol duets!.

It reminded me of what fun piano duets are to play . I have spent many a happy hour crying with laughter playing duets, probably because I'm not very good at playing the piano!

Do you know any of these strange people?

Had a great weekend but mix with the weirdest!

Sweet inspiration

Its strange how the world changes on the Ist Dec. All of a sudden people switch on their Christmas lights, folks wish you a merry Christmas and the radio stations can officially play carols.

I had a little magic moment myself. I went in a shop in town that I have not been in before ( that sounds like the first line of an Enid Blyton novel). Its an old fashioned sweet shop, and when I walk by, I'm just always amazed its still there.

Well, in I went, and was transported onto a Willy wonker film set. This lovely shop went back yards, and was filled with every sweet you can imagine! from sherbert fountains to liquorish pipes, and there were hundreds of jars of all the old favourites. I would have spent longer in this Aladdins cave , but actually had to do some work (!) but bought a quarter ( yes a quarter) of winter mix. I was transported back to my childhood. Yes , they did taste like disinfectant, but they helped me while away my walk home.

I wonder if the shop will be there tomorrow?

Sweet inspiration

Dots from Wots

I have been very aware lately about my lack of blog posts, which is rather disappointing as when I log onto blogs I like to read and they STILL haven't written anything, I get very cross.

The general reason I haven't written is because I have been waiting for something profound to pop into my head that I can blog about, something interesting.

As that hasn't happened I thought maybe I could tell you about my dull day, and just make it SOUND interesting, and then blog with abandon about the mundane.

Well actually apart from throwing boiling hot tea down my trousers in my ice cold room teaching today and losing all my cleverly crafted reports on the computer, theres nothing much to report.

One exciting thing is that I have finished my "warm up" book which is the first in the "Red Hot Dots song library". There are six books in total all of which should be out by the middle of next year ( hell, that is exciting!).

I also bought the tackiest most wonderful 3D advent calender for 50p yesterday ( Rake if you are reading this don't get too excited, but I am going to buy you one!) It features ( on rather second rate paper) Santa AND angels playing ( rather predictable) instruments, What I want to know, is why don't you see angels playing bassoons and tuba's.

What's the temperature?

I am just working on a set of resource song books. I was pondering on the title of such a series. Should it come under the "Red hot" banner, or the "Cool"?. It occured to me that those two temperatures would be quite acceptable, where as "luke warm" certainly wouldn't..... funny that?.

Watch this!!!!!

This is a topical MUST to watch now. Its William Galison who we heard last weekend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJW67YfLWgs very clever

Octuba fest!

A couple of weeks ago we went to our friend Rake's "Octuba fest" at Northampton Music centre. It was awesome, and we heard arrangements of famous classics, pops and lollipops all for Tubas !
Highspots of the evening included "Thriller", " I predict a riot", and a lovely new composition of Rakes for tuba which she had dedicated to her Dad.

Band of angels!

Marthas band played at a kids "White knight"party at our church as an alternative to a halloween party. SCARY!!

Chris is a champ!!

I am very proud to say my husband Chris came second in the "National Chromatic Harmonica Championships" this weekend in Bristol.

The weekend festival was very exciting with all genre's represented, and virtuosic playing from fine players from all over the world in the evening concert.

This is only the second time Chris has entered the competition, and he has only been playing seriously for under three years (he practises, unlike me!).

There were some very nice performances throughout the day, and workshops and seminars . All quite "Harmonicarry" really. We also has some very nice pumpkin soup in the covered market.

All very exciting, what more could you ask?

Angels on Youtube!

Not only is my collection of choral music now out, but two of the new carols from it are on youtube
go to the the link to hear my new setting of Angels from the Realms of glory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W2GhBP0fbg

Exciting!!

National Association of Music Educators

I have just got back from two days at the NAME conference in Birmingham with Kevin Mayhew Ltd. It was an excellent event, and very exciting meeting many people who use my books and find them useful. It was also really good to be able to talk to teachers and explain my work to them, and find out what they needed.

Ghana music trip.

The MK Music service is hoping to send a group out to the Mansec Music project in Ghana next year, and Martha would very much like to go. In order to do this, each member of the team has to fundraise to pay for the trip and support the project.

We organised a craft fair yesterday to do this ( supported by good friends!). It was a really good day, AND the sun shone. We had crafts in the hall, and burgers and music in the carpark! ( what more could you want).

September songz

I always find September an exciting time work wise, as everything comes back to life after the summer holidays when not much going on (except Music camp of course!!). I suppose its the best time of year for us who write educational music, and the new works start to take off and sometimes you get a bit of feedback.

A few interesting things happening. I am writing a commissioned piece for the "Sing up" project, as well as my usual scheduled things.

A while back we recorded the CD for the "Angel voices" book I've been so excited about. Not only will that be out soon, but two of the songs which are carols have already been published in the above collection for upper voice choirs. ( good grief Christmas!!).

I am trying to get my head down to get lots of ideas onto manuscript but as usual am easily side tracked. Plenty of apples to pick, lavender to harvest lakes to walk round............

New look!

The Red Hot recorder tutor now has a new look!. It was thought that as its been out for a while now, it should be freshened up.

(splat attack!!)..... I like it, but a bit emotionally attached to the old one,

Interesting!

We have been away in Wales for a week ( a bit wet, but fantastic). I actually had time to read the newspaper, and was interested in this study just reported.
A study by a psychology professor has found links between personality and music taste.

The Heriot-Watt university professor Adrian North said: "We have always suspected a link between music taste and personality. This is the first time that we've been able to look at it in real detail. No-one has ever done this on this scale before.

"People do actually define themselves through music and relate to other people through it but we haven't known in detail how music is connected to identity."

According to the study heavy metal fans are gentle, indie music listeners lack self-esteem and lovers of pop music are uncreative.

He found that country and western fans are hard-working, rap fans outgoing and jazz and classical music supporters are innovative and bursting with self-confidence.

Contrary to the stereotype, heavy metal fans are gentle and at ease with themselves but they tend not to be hardworking.

Those who listen to heavy metal and classical music share character traits of being creative, at ease and introverted.

But classical music fans have high self-esteem while heavy rock fans lack self-belief.

More than 36,000 people around the globe took part in the survey, the biggest of its type ever conducted.

They were asked to rate 104 musical styles in the study and were also questioned on aspects of their personality.

Christmas is coming!

There have been a lot of carol arrangements for beginners, and quite a lot for the more advanced pianist, so I thought I would like to write a book for players in between. I wanted this to be a really useful resource for the piano teacher and also a fun book that would inspire the pupil, so have done something a bit different. Each carol arrangement has two "takes". "Take one" is a traditional arrangement, and "Take two" is a jazzy version. This way, the book has everything you would need for pre Christmas piano playing - whatever your preference.
OUT NOW!!!

More photo's from Junior Music camp.

A few pictures from Roger that capture a bit of music camp atmosphere.

A lot of sunshine on Junior camp.

How is it, that kids don't notice the weather!. Torrential rain hasn't dampened the spirits on junior camp, and today and yesterday the heavy showers predicted just never came. Its been another excellent camp. With a lovely creative buzz, some excellent music making, and the best balanced brass group seen on junior camp for years.

The feed back session today when the groups showed each other what they had been doing was wonderful, and the show looks great for tomorrow. Lets hope the weather holds!!!!!!!!!!!.

FANTASTIC week

Just had a really brilliant week at the National Youth Music Camp Teenage camp 2. I was resident for the week and we worked on one of my shows "Loads of lather".

The standard of music making was very high, the campers were wonderful, and there was some very eminent (and awfully nice) tutors.

There was a huge variety of music making with most genre's covered, and was the creative atmosphere was as inspiring as ever.

John Dankworth made an appearance and sat in with our big band. He talked to the saxes about instruments and mouthpieces and told anecdotes about international superstar musicians. ( the kids were awe struck).

If I didn't still feel that I was jet lagged from the experience I would write more...... more later.