SPRING TERM 2020/2021
THE BRITISH SCHOOL AL KHUBAIRAT
MUSIC NEWSLETTER britishschool.sch.ae
CONTENT MUSIC NEWSLETTER 2020/2021 Term 1 P03 P05 P08 P09 P13 P14 P16 P16 P17
Message from the Director of Music Face to Face Lessons Primary Music Secondary Music YMoG 2021 Brass Guitar Piano Singing
P18 P20 P23
Strings Woodwind Links to Concerts
A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC Where, oh where, has this term gone? It seems just a matter of weeks since I sat down to write the last Newsletter Introduction, yet we are already approaching the end of the Spring Term. Once again it has been a term of challenges and upheaval, but we have navigated our way through and had many notable successes on the journey.
‘ Having recently listened to well over 100 KS3 Minimalism compositions, I am amazed and so impressed by the levels of engagement, creativity and desire that have been shown by our students as we have moved from Distance Learning to face-to-face lessons. Instrumentally we have also seen a very strong uptake from new students and I know that the instrumental teaching team are delighted to be back teaching in person, albeit in many cases through a perspex screen. At a time when student well-being has come to the fore, I genuinely believe that we, as a Music Department have a fundamental role to play - I am very proud of the imaginative ways our teachers have responded to ensure that music continues to warm the heart and soul of the BSAK community. Our revised KS3 curriculum for next term will also enable students to relax a little, to listen to music that is both familiar and unfamiliar and reflect on the power of music as an emotional force. This is quite a shift from our normal curriculum, but one we feel is right in the current climate whilst also proving to be educational and challenging. Looking back over the past term we have been fortunate to publish a number of Informal Concerts online to replace our normal series of informal and formal concerts. Links to the various concerts appear later in this Newsletter. A growing number of students have also taken part in the online ABRSM and Trinity practical exams - these are new ventures and it is hoped that, as these become more standardised, more and more students will wish to take part. These will never fully replace the ‘real’ exam experience, but are proving beneficial and a useful target for students who thrive when working towards a particular goal. A good number of students have also acquitted themselves extremely well in the internal instrumental exams which have taken place in recent weeks. We look forward to the day when we can welcome external examiners back into BSAK!
The annual Young Musicians of the Gulf Competition has also taken place this term, albeit online. This was a wonderful event as ever, though of course lacked the camaraderie and a degree of competitiveness that we would normally experience by being in Bahrain. Our 12 students all had to record pieces for the first and second rounds as well as for the semi-finals and then record the same two or three pieces in one take which would be used if they progressed through to the Finals. This was a huge undertaking by both the students as well as their teachers and accompanists, all of whom gave up a number of weekends to ensure that the performances were of the highest quality. As with all competitions, there were surprises, successes and disappointments. Throughout the week our department Whatsapp group went through a roller-coaster of emotions - and emojis! All of our BSAK students acquitted themselves admirably and we were delighted that 9 of our 12 entries made it through to the second round - itself a fine achievement. At the same time we were disappointed that 3 didn’t make it through - such is the nature of the competition. They should still be incredibly proud of the manner in which they approached the competition and represented the school. William Hargreaves successfully made it through to the semi-finals on Guitar, which put him in a very strong position to retain the ‘Plucked String’ Award that he had won on the previous three visits to YMoG. Sadly, and somewhat surprisingly, he was not given a place in the Final, but nonetheless did indeed come away with the Guitar Prize for a 4th consecutive time. In his 5 visits to YMoG, William has managed to win 6 trophies in total which is a phenomenal achievement - and possibly a record! My thanks go to the students and staff who dedicated so much time to preparing their YMoG entries. A link to all our first round pieces can be found later in the Newsletter. Term Three will undoubtedly throw up more challenges but we will continue to show the same resolve and resilience to emerge even stronger. We are already looking at new, imaginative ways of providing further Enrichment and Performance opportunities for all our students, within the guidelines. As ever I would like to finish by thanking the wonderful staff in the Music Department - the academic teachers, instrumental staff, and of course our Administrator Karen, who does so much behind the scenes. I’d also like to thank you as parents for your ongoing support and your words of encouragement - they mean so much to the team. Finally a huge thank you and congratulations to all our musicians, from beginners to established performers, for their ongoing enthusiasm, dedication and commitment. Rob Hall Director of Music
Here is the space… for face to face | TERM 2
PRIMARY CURRICULUM CLAIRE DODDS The new year saw us all back to distance learning however, through the magic of Seesaw and Zoom, Music was still a prominent part of the Primary Curriculum.
Each week a variety of activities were shared; from learning about famous composers to new songs to sing, practical music-making with tin cans and homemade drums. Many children joined the whole year group zoom music sessions, where rhythm activities, singing and listening activities took place. Many siblings and parents joined in too. Now we are all back in school and enjoying some face to face music-making.
Year 6 have been learning about the Brazilian Samba, playing complex rhythm patterns on a variety of new instruments. Mrs Smith has taken the music-making outside where the pupils have enjoyed playing and performing together as a Samba band, filling the air with the sounds of the carnival.
Year 5 have also been learning about rhythm and beat and playing lots of musical games. They have also been singing with Mr. Townley, singing rounds and partners songs, learning about harmony and performing together.
Year 4 have been busy learning various rhythm games and reading and writing down different note lengths. They have had a lot of fun using a brand new instrument - The Pool Noodle! They played rhythms on their desks and enjoyed beating along to their favourite songs.
Year 3 have enjoyed singing songs about animals and the environment. They have experienced part-singing with “Our Tortoise” which also has loads of fun actions and the Beatles classic “Octopus’s Garden”. They have just started a song called “Be Cool” and are enjoying the jazzy beat.
Year 2 started this term on Zoom. They learned the CAN-Can-can. Using two empty aluminium cans, they learned a series of patterns and performed along with the Music of Offenbach. Back in school, they have been learning some old classics - Octopus's Garden by the Beatles and Supercalifragialistic and Let’s go Fly a Kite, from Mary Poppins (the original).
Year 1 have been learning how to keep a steady beat on the hand drums, while singing familiar West African songs together. Much fun and a lot of joyous noise! Our next stop is Space with some intergalactic songs.
EYFS have been singing familiar rhymes and songs, listening to and learning new songs. They have also been zooming to the moon with scarves and shakers.
HEAD OF SECONDARY ACADEMIC MUSIC SASCHA DALLAS We have been so impressed with the work taking place in years 7, 8 and 9 this term. Here is a snippet of what has been going on in our key stage 3 music lessons in recent weeks.
A SPOTLIGHT ON KS3 MUSIC LESSONS
Composing The above musical extract has been taken from a Year 7 student composition, impressive isn’t it? To most people this will look like a foreign language, a page filled with nothing but dots and lines, but to our key Stage 3 students this is ‘Minimalism’. Students were tasked with composing their own piece in a minimalist style and we have been nothing but amazed by the standard of their work. If you have a son/daughter in KS3 please ask them to show you their composition, you will be impressed! Software: flat.io Flat.io is a cloud based music composition software, it is a fantastic new resource which is being used with great success in our KS3 music lessons. Click below to hear a completed Minimalist composition using flat.io: Y9 Minimalism composition
Minimalism A piece of music based on simple, repeated rhythms and patterns
WHAT’S UP NEXT? Podcasting Podcasting is a relatively new and exciting medium that is growing at an exponential rate amongst all ages. In the coming weeks we will be asking our KS3 music students to create their own music podcasts. They will be listening to a wide range of music and choosing their favourite pieces ‘Desert Island Discs’ style. They will record themselves talking about their chosen music and the reasons why the music appeals to them. We are looking forward to sharing some of our very own BSAK Island Discs with you in the near future. Do talk to your son or daughter about your own Desert Island Disc choices!
LISTEN HERE If you are looking for something interesting to listen to then why not try this episode of ‘How Music Does That’. The link below will take you to an interesting discussion about the most viewed Tik Tok video ‘M to the B’ which has had over 500 million views! TikTok and the Hypnotics - How Music Does That (podcast)
YMOG
2021
Young Musicians Of The Gulf
MRS ALISON BRYCE HEAD OF BRASS It has been fantastic to see the Brass Team in person again after such a long period away from school and I am delighted with how everyone is progressing! It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm and energy our brass players bring to their music-making, and I am looking forward to a time when we can begin ensemble playing again.
Our beginners have been busy trying lots of different instruments, and some of our year 2s have also been playing piano in their lessons too. We have welcomed several new students this term, and despite Distance Learning, Brass is definitely thriving at BSAK! Normally we would have lots of students taking exams with either Trinity or ABRSM in December or June. As face to face exams are not being offered at the moment, Kesu (trombone) and Caleb (trumpet) worked extremely hard for their Grade 6 and Grade 8 respectively. They both achieved high merits which is testament to their hard work and commitment. I’m very proud of them!
Caleb on trumpet and Will on piano both worked extremely hard for this year’s YMOG 2021 competition. Will made it through to the 2nd round on piano but sadly Caleb missed out on a second round place (he was most definitely robbed!) I am immensely proud of both Caleb and Will and loved hearing how they both blossomed as musicians during the time they spent working for the competition. Bravo both of you! You make my job so rewarding!
All that remains for me to do is thank you for your support of the Brass and Piano department and wish you a relaxing Spring Break. Please try not to leave your instruments in their cases for the whole holiday! Playing little and often will ensure that your embouchure muscles remember what to do and will mean that we don’t have to start all over again in the Summer Term. Have a great holiday!! Ali Bryce Head of Brass
KALANA DE SILVA HEAD OF GUITAR We were absolutely delighted to see most of our students face to face this term, especially years 7 - 9 whom we haven’t seen for almost a year; we are nonetheless pleased with the progress they made through zoom lessons.
Congratulations to William for achieving the Young Musicians of the Gulf best guitarist award (Plucked Strings) for the 4th consecutive year. It has been an amazing journey with William, who has been one of the premier music students at BSAK. Please see more about William and his journey through the years at BSAK later in the newsletter. This term we are pleased that some of the students have decided to sit the internal instrumental exams. Well done to Alexander, Casper, Daniel, Finn, Hendry, Oliver, Sophie and Quinn for the effort they made in the lead-up to their exams. We also would like to congratulate Ahsan, Caspar, Jasper, Keera, Luke, Matthew, Oliver, Reef, and Samuel who achieved fantastic results in their internal exams during Term One.
This term Alicia - Grade 6 (Classical), Aman - Grade 5 (Rock & Pop), George - Grade 6 (Classical ), James - Grade 6 (Rock & Pop), Ryan - Grade 8 (Classical), Sara - Grade 4 (Rock & Pop) have taken Trinity College London exams. They all have worked really hard towards their exams and we wish them all the best as we are still awaiting most of the results. Well done to Ryan for achieving his Grade 8 in classical guitar this term. A fantastic achievement!! Ryan started playing the guitar at BSAK in 2014. He was part of the advanced guitars ensemble for YMOG in 2019 and played the bass clarinet for the school orchestra. He has also picked up some drumsticks most recently and really enjoyed making music with William Hargreaves his colleague on occasion to come up with music or just play songs from artists we listen to. Ryan expresses his music journey at BSAK as “I have really enjoyed my musical journey at BSAK as I was able to experiment with different instruments, such as the flute and clarinet, before coming to play the guitar. I feel very fortunate to have access to musical education with extremely talented and welcoming music teachers, such as Mr DeSilva.” We wish Ryan all the best!
BSAK Advanced Guitarists who will lead the way in 2021-22
We would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thanks to our brilliant and supportive parents for their ongoing support! We wish you all a restful break! Kalana De Silva Head of Guitar
MUSIC
THROUGH
THE
WILLIAM HARGREAVES
An Interview with one of our elite scholars before he leaves us for University next year.
YEARS
AT
BSAK
ALEX TCHOBANOV HEAD OF PIANO It has been a very exciting term for our Piano Department here in BSAK. I would like to congratulate Heidi Cheah for gaining the “Excellence Award’’ at the Hong Kong Performance and Talent Award Competition, where she competed with pianists from all over the world. I would also like to congratulate William Hargreaves for making it through to the Second Round of the YMOG Competition in Bahrain.
He played beautifully throughout the whole event and showed talent and determination. We have also had a number of students doing a superb job in their remote ABRSM exams. Many congratulations to Nuoze Han (Distinction Grade 7), Mohammad Shote (Distinction Grade 2), Heidi Cheah (Merit Grade 8), Zaid Al Nasseri (Merit Grade 3), Zahraa Meah (Merit Grade 4), and Cadence Moore (Merit Grade 1). In addition, I would like to congratulate our long time piano student Marwan Ali for his acceptance at the prestigious Brown University in the US, his piano video being part of the application. We will truly miss his dedication and brilliant performances at BSAK. Congrats to all. Alex Tchobanov Head of Piano
RAMZI HAKIM One of our fabulous team of Piano teachers at BSAK, Ramzi Hakim, has published his debut album for solo piano. The album is a collection of the most famous Arabic songs, arranged by a Lebanese composer Wajdi Abou Diab for piano in a classical way. This work comes as an attempt to build a bridge of communication between European classical music and Arabic music, and to expose the ‘classical audience’ to the Arab heritage.
To watch the Release video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=055t w8ro1Mw The album is now available for online streaming and download on all the major online music stores https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/ramzih akim/sammena-shi-mnaerfou
PHILIP TOWNLEY HEAD OF SINGING What an unpredictable term this has been! I would like to commend all our students for how they dealt with the extended period of distance learning. It was wonderful to see their continued progress and it was a delight to hear them live again after so long.
This year we had four singers take part in YMoG: Adele, Amelie, Maya and Rose. It was absolutely fantastic to see the efforts by our singers with a number of them getting through to the second round. Well done! I would like to offer my thanks to the other members of staff involved in giving up so much of their time to make sure the recordings were of the highest standard. As we approach the summer term a number of students in all genres will be taking exams - best of luck to all of them! These will all be done virtually. We have been blessed this term with eleven new singing students of varying ages. We welcome all these students wholeheartedly to the singing department and wish them all the best as they start their singing journey. As with each term, we sadly have students leaving for pastures new. We wish Katie all the best for her new start at one of the most prestigious boarding schools in the UK. I would like to thank all parents for their support of the singing department over the past term. It is very much appreciated. I wish you all a wonderful holiday. Philip Townley Head of Singing
BRIANA CORRIGAN ROCK & POP SINGING As good as Zoom has been, there is nothing quite like hearing a voice in real time, in the same space, be that in a 200 seater auditorium, The Royal Albert Hall or your own front room. So having the soul strains of Bill Withers Ain't No Sunshine sung by Logan echoing around my music room at 9:30 on a Monday morning or listening to the delicate and intricate beauty of Eva Cassidy's version of Over The Rainbow, courtesy of Trinity, filling the space just before break time has indeed been good for the soul and testament to the power of music to keep us on the right track in the face of major challenges.
It has been affirming and exciting to get back to face to face teaching and I've been delighted at how both voices and confidence have grown over the last difficult months. Rock & Pop students have finished their first round of the newly packaged Trinity Exams and I’m pleased to say have had some good success. Just as many aspects of this last year have proved challenging, the new format video exams created quite some room for growth! However it also offered a great opportunity to develop new skills. The central requirement, after perfecting your pieces, is to create an engaging 10-15 minute performance of the 3 songs for video, which requires quite different skills to live performance and is a test of both stamina and nerves. To record the sessions we decided to give the old music room an upgrade, and with the fantastic support of Stephanie, Antonia and Peiris, it has been transformed into a decent recording space which we are all using to record students for exams, competitions, auditions and the ever growing number of performances viewed online in our “new normal.” We’re currently getting stuck into rehearsing new songs for the upcoming Unplugged which will take place in term 3. We’re all extremely excited to see the return of this celebration of Rock & Pop, to get the band back together and find new ways to collaborate with each other to create an online version of this termly concert within the set parameters. There is definitely a sense of hope and excitement bubbling up among the students as we continue learning how to keep the music playing in these Covid Days. If you’re interested in being a part of Unplugged, contact Ms Corrigan or Mr de Silva
ROGER NORKIE HEAD OF STRINGS We were all very pleased when BSAK opened its doors again for face to face learning. We welcomed back Years 7, 8 and Year 9 students whom we had not seen since March 2020. These students have only had their instrumental lessons via zoom and regardless of this hurdle, we are very impressed with the progress they have made.
Their determination to continue their practice without the incentive of concerts, ensembles or examinations should also be recognised . The look of joy on their faces as they had their first lesson in school was a wonderful moment and shows that, although zoom lessons do serve a purpose during these times, nothing beats being together, albeit socially distanced. Last term, we recruited several new students who, before the school closed, had their taster session and signed up. These young starters had their first lesson in the last few weeks and need to be commended for waiting patiently before making a start, learning the instrument of their choice. It is always a teacher's highlight to start a new student on the instruments we love to teach, so we would like to warmly welcome them into the department and look forward to their progress in the coming years.
As the term progresses we will be encouraging students to think about preparing for the next round of internal exams and we would like parents to know that as soon as it is deemed safe to do so, our wonderful Orchestras, String Quartets and other string groups will return. The teachers are already preparing new and exciting repertoire for the different ensembles. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all parents for their support of the String Department over the past term.
It is highly appreciated and we wish you all a wonderful holiday. Roger Norkie Head of Strings
CLAIRE DAY HEAD OF WOODWIND Our Spring Term has certainly been a game of two halves! Distance Learning and a taste of the new virtual performance ABRSM exams featured in the first half term and the delight of face-to-face lessons, YMoG and new beginner instrumentalists heralded the start of the second half term!
The highlight for Mr Kerr and I is very definitely being back in school - playing duets with our pupils and no longer peering at a computer screen all day! Woodwind students faced a brand new exam offered by ABRSM; this exam gives students an opportunity of progression measurement as part of their musical journey. The Performance Exam has the same standing and value as the traditional ABRSM exams and during Covid restrictions, is an exam that can be done virtually. With that in mind our students prepared 4 pieces from the syllabus and had to record them in one take, with no editing, to be submitted for examination. In theory this seems like a fairly easy thing to do… but we were to discover just how difficult it is to record a performance of 4 pieces to a standard that we were happy to be examined in! ABRSM seemed determined to ensure that this exam was taken seriously and therefore their examination standards were rigorous, demanding and seeking excellence in all areas and grades. And so it is with great pride that we congratulate the following students (guinea pigs) who all passed their exams in January achieving 4 Passes and 6 Merits. Yasmin, Izzy, Becca, Clodagh, Aaliya, Mia, Zoya, Scarlett, Celina Raphael
Wishing Avishi, Olivia, Ryan and Maisie the very best of luck as they take their exams in March.
It is always an exciting time when beginner students join the Woodwind family - and with that in mind Mr Kerr and myself would like to welcome onboard Haniya (flute), Hana (flute), Naila (flute), Marah (flute), Hayah (clarinet), Liam (clarinet), Nathan (saxophone), Rosanna (flute), Maxwell (saxophone), Imogen (clarinet), Isla (clarinet), Lottie (flute).
YMoG This year the Young Musician of the Gulf Competition (YMoG) took place using a virtual format - we had a conversation with the five woodwind students who took part in the competition each of whom represented BSAK with great enthusiasm, flair and of course, stunning music. Mia started learning the flute in Year 3 and is now in Year 9. This YMoG was her first year to be entered as a soloist - in a previous year she made it to the semi-final twice as part of Senior Flutes and also Funky Brass. Mia prepared well for the competition which came on the back of her achieving Merit at Grade 8 in January, and although she found the prospect of being in the competition exciting she missed being able to travel to Bahrain and be part of the energy that can only come from being part of a live experience. Mia also plays the piano, adores rugby and netball and loves to sing for pleasure. Looking ahead, Mia would like to study biochemistry at university as she is interested in becoming a physiotherapist. If you would like to listen to Mia play please follow this link - you’re in for a treat!! https://youtu.be/5rtIElTphrA Scarlett has been playing the flute for over six years and has just passed her Grade 8 with Merit. Scarlett prepared a couple of years ago for YMoG as part of The Senior Flutes Ensemble but unfortunately broke her arm literally the evening before we were due to fly; she was unable to travel (or play her flute!). You can imagine how excited she was to participate as a soloist this year despite the competition being virtual. Scarlett also has a penchant for dance and has her Grade 8 in ballet...she qualified for the European Irish Dancing Championships a few years ago. Still figuring out what she wants to study at university Scarlett is very sure of one thing - she will never stop playing her flute - she cannot imagine life without her music...you can hear why when you listen to her beautiful playing by following this link https://youtu.be/YO3JB9QirlI Maisie is a Music Scholar in year 10 and this year was her first performance in the YMoG competition. Maisie started playing the Oboe when she was in year 3 and was inspired to learn through her mother who reached diploma level on the instrument. Outside of school she enjoys listening to all kinds of different music and also has a passion for dance and football. Maisie would love to go on and study journalism at University and get into magazine journalism when she is older. She said that taking part in YMoG this year was nerve racking due to all the recordings she had to make but was worth it for the experience, though she would have preferred to have travelled to Bahrain and perform in front of a live audience instead. Check the lovely sound Maisie makes on her oboe here. https://youtu.be/D7bsdxUDi0E
Kirstie has experienced YMoG on three separate occasions and definitely prefers the ‘live’ experience rather than performing in front of a camera. Receiving feedback from other musicians and the ‘buzz’ of waiting to go on stage to perform cannot be beaten! Kirstie remembers the exciting/nervous feeling when she reached the semi-final as part of Senior Flutes, which came from not knowing what to expect when stepping out on to a big, new stage with the audience packed with people other than parents (who always support well, no matter what you sound like!) Kirstie has a real passion for art and loves to paint and do journalling, reflecting shows she watches and books she reads; she will include her art in some way at university but also has a great love of English so is not quite sure where her passions will lead her. Please take a listen to how beautifully she plays by following this link https://youtu.be/qUTmPUmlA0Y - Enjoy! Ryan has played the saxophone for the past 5 years and has enjoyed every moment of it. He has been to YMoG for the past 3 years and has thoroughly enjoyed not only the camaraderie from the team but also the chance of meeting new people from such diverse backgrounds. Whilst the competition this year was drastically different from the live performances, Ryan liked the fact that he could still watch his school’s performances online. In the future, Ryan is keen on branching out to new styles of music such as blues and jazz. Outside of music, he plays football for the school team and has a passion for basketball. In the future, Ryan is ambitious to study economics at university, looking to become a financial analyst. Hope you enjoy listening to Ryan by following this link https://youtu.be/UbYFtYqDCA4
News just in! An amazing 139/150 for Ryan at Grade 8… a distinguished Distinction!
Mr Kerr and myself hope that you enjoy a wonderful Spring Break and we look forward to teaching our woodwinders again next term -
stay safe! Claire Day Head of Woodwind
Watch - YMOG Musicians 2021
Watch - Flute Concert
Watch - Virtual Concert - March 2021
Watch - Informal Concert Piano & Strings
Watch - Informal Concert Wind Brass & Guitar
