ISM Music Journal - January/February 2016

January/February 2016 The flowering of Scottish musicology A spotlight on ACE’s new Chief Executive, Darren Henley OBE New GCSEs in music

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

Welcome I am delighted that this New Year edition of Music Journal features Scottish Traditional Music students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on the front cover to accompany the wonderful article by Dr Sally LK Garden on the flowering of Scottish musicology. What a perfect start to the new year.

Above: Deborah Annetts Photo: Mark Thompson

And to add to the New Year cheer, I was pleased to see that the Government has finally understood that the arts generate significant economic benefits for the country. As George Osborne said when delivering his autumn statement, ‘One of the best investments we can make as a nation is in our extraordinary arts, museums, heritage, media and sport’. And the new Chief Executive of Arts Council England, Darren Henley, who gives an exclusive interview to the ISM (see pages 14–17), has played a crucial role in ensuring that Arts Council funding has not been cut. However, as Richard Morrison of The Times observed, we need to look further afield at what is happening to the arts and in particular the impact of the 56% reduction in the grant from central government to local councils over the last five years. This has led to local authorities simply not being able to fund the arts and even selling assets such as venues, paintings, and artefacts to fund day to day spending. Even local authorities with proud cultural traditions are facing bleak times. And, of course, many music services have received funding from their local authorities in the past so we wait to see with some concern what impact the cuts to local government funding will have on financial support for music education.

Please let me know if you hear of a music venue being threatened with closure or cuts to cultural provision in your area. And don’t forget that if you are under threat of redundancy or a change to your terms and conditions, then get in touch with our legal team who have a huge amount of experience in dealing with employment issues.

Front Cover Traditional Music students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

See feature on pages 10-13

On a different note, I am delighted that this edition of Music Journal highlights the ISM Members’ Day which will be taking place at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama on 14 April 2016 (see pages 4–5). In particular, I would like to thank the RCSSD’s Principal and former ISM President, Professor Gavin Henderson, for making the beautiful Embassy Theatre available to us.

We are most grateful. Members’ Day, which is free of charge to attend, will be combining a masterclass and an in-conversation piece together with the AGM and open forum. I hope to see many of you there.

Contents 2 4 6 7 8

News & campaigns Members’ Day Supporting our members Legal help Professional development

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The flowering of Scottish musicology Henley in action New GCSEs in music

14 19 22 26 27 31 32

News from our members Classified advertising News from our corporate members Local events listings Ask me a question

Volume 82 / Number 5 Published by: The Incorporated Society of Musicians 4–5 Inverness Mews, London W2 3JQ T: 020 7221 3499 E: membership@ism.org W: ism.org Editor: Deborah Annetts Sub-editor and Production: Kim Davenport Gee All ISM publications are copyright

Lastly, please do read the enclosed flyer which gives details of the upcoming vacancies at ISM board level from April 2016.

Printed by Optichrome, Maybury Road, Woking GU21 5HX

I wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year.

ISSN 0951 5135

Photo: © KK Dundas / RCS

Design: Cog Design www.cogdesign.com Typography: Marc Marazzi marazzidesign.co.uk Advertising: Cabbell Publishing Ltd, Wimbledon Studios 12 Deer Park Road London SW19 3TL T. 020 3603 7940 E. jane@cabbell.co.uk Editorial and advertising copy date: 1 February for March/ April issue Price: £6 per copy Subscription: £30 per year Circulation: 7,000 named recipients Views expressed in MJ are not necessarily those of the ISM. The publication of any advertisement does not imply endorsement of the advertiser or the product advertised.

deborah@ism.org

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

News & campaigns Bacc for the Future EBacc threatens music in schools as consultation is launched

Update: Good safeguarding practice in music education

The ISM and Association of British Orchestras (ABO) The Department for Education have published details held a seminar on good safeguarding practice in music education at the Guildhall School in London of their plans to make a new English Baccalaureate (EBacc) a headline league table for schools, and give it on Monday 5 October. a bigger role in Ofsted inspections.

The productive day saw contributions from The Government expect at least 90% of pupils to take music teachers, specialist schools, safeguarding professionals, music services and music education it which would make it all but compulsory in schools. hubs, as they came together to discuss what To get the ‘EBacc,’ pupils would be required to study constitutes good practice in music education. a minimum of seven GCSEs. No creative arts are included and – given that the average number of GCSEs There was a clear consensus among those attending that there was a need for a cross-sector approach taken per pupil is lower than eight – the EBacc risks forcing art, dance, design, drama and music and other to safeguarding in music education. creative subjects out of schools.

Many arts, educational and business organisations are supporting the Bacc for the Future campaign to ensure that creative subjects like music are valued, and more than 20,000 individuals have also backed the campaign.

The Government’s consultation closes on Friday 29 January and you can download a template response from baccforthefuture.com.

Government spending on the arts Plans for Government spending were announced on Wednesday 25 November.

Arts spending was protected, along with lottery funding, meaning the free-entry to museums and other key projects were protected.

School funding has also been protected, but the Education Services Grant, which supports some funding for music services from local authorities, was cut.

Over the coming weeks, the details for music service and music education hub funding will become known.

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We will now be working with the ABO and other key partners from across the sector to develop a Safeguarding Policy for Music Education to be accompanied by detailed guidance and training on best practice.

We want your views on new music and the BBC The ISM Composers’ Special Interest Group is looking at ways in which we can help the BBC to open up their commissioning of new music to a wider range of composers. This will also include not just commissioning, but also the broadcasting of new music that may have already been written.

We want your views: You can email us direct at derin.adebiyi@ism.org or complete our short survey at ism.org/composing.

The next Composers’ Round Table meeting will look at this feedback and make recommendations. It will take place on Thursday 28 January 2016, 1pm-4pm.

If you would like to attend, please contact derin.adebiyi@ism.org.

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

New partnership with the Royal College of Organists We are delighted to announce a new partnership with the Royal College of Organists designed to increase the breadth and availability of support for organists and choral directors. The partnership sees the ISM and RCO working together to build and deliver a wide range of services, information and development opportunities for organists and choral directors. Members of either organisation are able to join the other at a 25% discount. The Royal College of Organists supports and represents organists and choral directors of every age and all levels of attainment. For more information about this exciting new partnership including how to join either organisation, contact the ISM membership team on membership@ism.org or 020 7221 3499 or visit the RCO website: rco.org.uk

British Airways change in policy wording British Airways (BA) will shortly change the wording of their musical instrument policy.

They have however proactively contacted us to ensure that ISM members are aware of this change, and that the actual policy itself is not changing (overcrowded flights have never guaranteed that instruments can be carried in the cabin).

The new wording will not resolve the problem with BA in that no guidelines as to overall size for instruments that can be carried in the cabin will be published.

Our second report on instruments on planes will be published in the near future.

Tasmin Little OBE speaks in Parliament International violinist, Tasmin Little OBE, has spoken to MPs and Peers about the importance of music education.

Supported by the ISM, the group of MPs and members of the House of Lords who support music education was re-founded on Wednesday 2 December 2015.

Tasmin said: ‘Music education is hugely important to our schools, to children and young people. It is vital that the mixed messages are sorted out, and music included in the EBacc.’

Henry Vann, Head of External Affairs, ISM 020 7313 9327, henry.vann@ism.org

Music for Youth Proms take place On Monday 23, Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 November, the impressive Music for Youth PROMS took place in the Royal Albert Hall.

The Proms see more than 3,000 children and young people perform in full-scale symphony orchestras, jazz bands, chamber groups, rock bands and choirs from across the UK. mfy.org.uk

Be instrumental in supporting the musicians in your life – give them the gift of ISM membership. © iStockphoto/cinoby

Give the musicians in your life the security and peace of mind that comes with being part of a professional body. Buy your musician colleague, student, family member or friend a year of ISM full membership for £167 or a year of graduate membership for just £70 (if they graduated from their first degree-level qualification in music in the last ten years). Or why not buy your pupils ISM student membership when they go off to university or conservatoire? Student membership is just £12 a year.

To order your gift and find out more, go to ism.org/join.

If you have any questions about gift membership, please call us on 020 7221 3499 or email our Membership Officer Simon Frais at simon.frais@ism.org.

Please note: to be eligible for ISM membership the recipient of the gift must satisfy our entry criteria.

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

Members’ Day Our next Members’ Day will take place on Thursday 14 April 2016 at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama’s Embassy Theatre in London NW3.

The day will begin with a high profile musician ‘in conversation’ followed by the Annual General Meeting at 12 noon. In the afternoon, Dame Emma Kirkby DBE, illustrious soprano and one of the world’s most renowned early music specialists, will lead a masterclass for singers and lutenists. The day will conclude with the handing over of the ISM Presidential medal from Jeremy Jackman to Nicolas Chisholm MBE.

Attendance at Members’ Day will be free of charge and includes refreshments and lunch.

If you would like to attend Members’ Day, please call us on 020 7221 3499 or email membership@ism.org to book your place by Thursday 7 April. Please let us know of any dietary or accessibility needs at the time of booking.

Further details about the day, the AGM agenda and proxy voting form along with the Society’s Annual Report and Accounts will appear in the March/April 2016 issue of Music Journal.

Members’ Day schedule:

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10.00

Registration and refreshments

10.30

Welcome from Jeremy Jackman, President 2015-16

10.35

In-conversation with a high profile musician

11.35

Break

12.00

AGM and open forum

13.15

Lunch

14.30

Masterclass for singers and lutenists with Dame Emma Kirkby DBE

16.30

Presidential medal ceremony and closing words

16.40

Refreshments

17.00

End

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

Above: The Embassy Theatre Photo: Patrick Baldwin Left: The Embassy Theatre in 1906 Below left: The programme for Dennis Arundell’s production of The Father at the Embassy Theatre in November 1948 Right: Vanessa Redgrave at Central Photo: Patrick Baldwin

The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and the Embassy Theatre We are delighted to be holding our Members’ Day in such a historic and wonderful performance space.

Our grateful thanks go to The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and its Principal, Professor Gavin Henderson CBE, for hosting the event.

The original Embassy Theatre was built in 1888 as Eton Avenue Hall, designed by Rowland Plumbe.

It was developed to house the Hampstead Conservatoire of Music and School of Art in 1889, which had a Willis Grand Organ, a concert hall for performances, lecture rooms, an antique school and artists’ studios. The concert hall was occasionally let and the most notable production was in 1900 by the newly formed Purcell Operatic Society’s Dido and Aeneas, designed and directed by Edward Gordon Craig. From 1907 to 1915 the Hampstead Conservatoire shared the premises with the Hampstead branch of the London Academy of Music (later to become the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art).

remained closed until the end of the war. In 1945 Anthony Hawtrey, son of the actor Sir Charles Hawtrey, restored the Embassy and reopened the theatre with JM Barrie’s Quality Street.

Elsie Fogerty, a specialist in speech training and a firm believer in the importance of education, founded The Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art at the Royal Albert Hall in 1906. In 1957 the School moved from the Albert Hall, having acquired the lease of the Embassy Theatre at Swiss Cottage and its associated buildings. When Central arrived it was both rescuing an old theatre and weaving it into the fabric of new college buildings.

The School is now a college of the University of London.

Its alumni include Laurence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft, Harold Pinter, Julie Christie, Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench. It has subsumed the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, and was recently awarded Royal Title. It has also been declared, by HEFCE, as the Centre for Excellence in Training for Theatre, and achieved the highest rating in its sector for Research work.

By the 1920s the Hampstead Conservatoire had failed and in 1927 the architect Andrew Mather converted the building into a 700-seat theatre. It reopened as the Embassy Theatre in 1928 and continued to produce plays (including West End transfers), politically radical productions and commercial successes – from Paul Robeson in Eugene O’Neill’s All God’s Chillun Got Wings to Shakespeare’s Cymbeline with the last act rewritten

by George Bernard Shaw.

The Embassy School of Acting was started in 1933 and the students served as walk-ons for the theatre’s plays and presented their own productions on Sundays.

The theatre was bombed in 1941 and its doors

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

Supporting our members ‘On the recommendation of the ISM in a recent newsletter highlighting the tax return completion service by Performance Accountancy, I have just used their service, and found them to be excellent. I dealt with Louise Herrington directly, who has been both very helpful and extremely efficient. I would recommend that other ISM members should certainly consider them.’

Stephen J Wood Classical and jazz piano teacher, composer and arranger

Helping musicians through illness and injury

Counselling helpline

For freelance musicians, illness or injury can mean more than just medical problems. As well as any emotional stress and worry, the loss of income from being unable to work can lead to financial difficulties.

This is where the ISM Members Fund helps out.

The Fund supports ISM members through periods of illness or injury.

The Fund pays for a 24-hour telephone counselling helpline which all members and their families can call at any time to talk through any emotional strains.

Particularly after paying for Christmas and your January tax bill, you may be feeling the financial pinch. This may be the time to take a closer look at your household income and expenditure. We have designed an online budget calculator with freelance musicians’ particular needs in mind. This will enable you to see:

This help can take the form of a grant to help with your everyday expenses while you are not working. The Fund may also help with the cost of private medical treatment or therapy you need to speed up your recovery and return to work. If, sadly, the injury is likely • whether you are spending more money than you to have a permanent effect on your ability to continue have coming in in your usual work and so force you into re-thinking your career focus, the Fund can offer help with the cost • where your money goes each month and whether there is scope for cutting back of career advice and assist you through a period of re-training. The Fund can also offer grants towards the • how much you can put aside each month for cost of expensive disability aids which the illness or additional costs such as a pension, property injury make essential. deposit, holiday and repaying debts If you feel you need the Fund’s help please contact our Head of Members Fund Operations, Caroline Aldred on 020 7313 9310, caroline.aldred@ism.org or download an application form from our website.

To find out more about the Members Fund and some of the people it has helped go to ism.org/members/ membersfund.

Supporting members in retirement The Fund also supports older members who are struggling on a less than adequate income in retirement. This assistance maybe a regular grant to supplement this income so that the recipient is able to meet basic everyday living costs. Alternatively, it may take the form of one-off help with the cost of exceptional but expensive items which the individual needs but cannot meet out of their own resources, such as installing stair lifts and replacing worn-out gas boilers.

Helping members in crisis The Fund also assists members who are in financial difficulties for other reasons. Each year, for example, it makes grants to a number of musicians who are unable to work a full timetable because they are having to care for a family member.

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Our budget calculator for musicians

• whether you can afford faster repayment of any debts or loans you may have The budget calculator comes in the form of an Excel spreadsheet which does the mathematics for you automatically. ISM members can download it for free.

And finally – taxing tips Those of you who are currently racing against time to complete your tax return for 2014/15 by the 31 January deadline may find some of our online tips helpful. In particular, we have a list of the main tax-allowable expenses freelance musicians may claim at ism.org/advice/article/tax_allowable_ expenses_for_musicians and advice on claiming capital allowances at ism.org/advice/article/ capital-allowances-for-musicians.

Remember also that our tax helpline is available for prompt answers to your other queries.

Caroline Aldred, Business Support Officer, ISM

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

We’re here to help

Legal help

We know that this is a difficu lt time for man our members, y of particularly thos e working in th public sector. If e you are under pressure becaus cuts to local au e of thority budget s, or under thre redundancy or at of changes to your terms and cond please call us on itions, 020 7221 3499.

Copyright, performers’ rights and the internet

David Abrahams, Head of Legal, ISM

When composers and performers make their music and/or performances available online it is essential that they consider the implications not only for their own copyright and/or performers’ rights, but also the impact that their actions may have on the rights of other musicians.

Your own rights Composers own the copyright in their music unless they have assigned those rights to a third party.

If you have a publishing deal you will, in all likelihood, have assigned the rights in your compositions to your publisher. If that is the case you should not make your music available online without first securing the agreement of your publisher.

If you are an unpublished composer you should consider very carefully the pros and cons of putting your music up on websites such as Soundcloud or YouTube. While there may be benefits in getting your music heard by the widest possible audience, you should bear in mind that there may be disadvantages in making your music available effectively free of charge (unless your YouTube video is hugely successful the income flowing to you from the licence agreement in place between PRS and YouTube is likely to be very modest).

Similar considerations apply to performers. As a performer you have rights in the recording of any of your performances (unless you signed a buy-out agreement at the time the recording was made

stating assigning your rights to someone else).

A recording of your performance should not be put online without your agreement. As with composers, performers need to weigh up the pros and cons of making their performances freely available on the internet. It may well be helpful to use the internet as a shop-window for your talents but you need to bear in mind that when you upload material to the internet you are effectively making it freely available to a world-wide audience.

The rights of other musicians If you are considering putting a recording up online, you need to ensure that you have obtained any necessary permissions or licences from the other musicians involved. If you are recording music that is in copyright (written by a living composer or one who has died within the last 70 years) then you should obtain permission for the recording direct from the composer or (if they are published) from their publisher. If the composer is a member of PRS you will also require a licence from PRS to make the music available online, for example the Limited Online Music Licence (LOML).

You also need to consider the rights of any performers you are working with. You should make sure that you obtain their consent to any recording you are making, and their agreement to any plans you have to make the recording available online. The easiest way to do this is to set all the relevant details out in a written contract before the performance takes place.

David Abrahams, Head of Legal, ISM

This New Year: recommend a friend and get £30 off your membership Tell your musician friends and colleagues about the ISM and encourage them to become part of our thriving membership.

As a special offer for our members over the New Year period, we’ll give you £30 off your next year’s membership fee (increased from £10) every time someone you recommend joins the ISM as a full member (includes graduate rate membership).

This offer is only available until 31 January after which the reward for recommendations will return to £10 per new member.

£30

Off

Membe rs

Simply email membership@ism.org with the name and email address of the friend(s) you are recommending and ask them to quote the promotional code ISM12HF when joining. If they join at the full rate we’ll also give them £10 off their membership fee.

If you’d prefer to receive a £30 voucher for iTunes, Amazon or M&S, or donate your £30 reward to the ISM Members Fund, just let us know in your email and we’ll organise it.

Please note: the number of rewards you can redeem is limited to the value of your subscription upon renewal.

hip

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

Professional development ISM webinars offer members the chance to access key professional development opportunities at work, home or on the move.

Preparing to teach the new GCSE music in September 2016 Wednesday 9 March, 9.30am-4pm ISM, 4-5 Inverness Mews, London W2 3JQ Are you a classroom music teacher, head of department or instrumental teacher? Do you teach pupils undertaking GCSE qualifications? We’d like to help you prepare for the new GCSE music with a one-day course at the ISM offices in London with curriculum development expert and teacher trainer, Dr Alison Daubney.

Alison will take you through the changes to the new GCSE music qualifications and what they mean for your setting. She will also discuss the commonalities and differences between the qualifications offered by the AQA, Edexcel, Eduqas (WJEC) and OCR awarding bodies. This will help you make the right choices for your students in your specific context.

Through practical approaches, the course will introduce and develop the skills, knowledge and understanding required for pupils to thrive and develop as well-rounded musicians within the framework of these new qualifications.

You will leave with a bank of ideas to transform the ‘specifications’ into an inspiring and progressive ‘syllabus’ suitable to your context and ideas about how to encourage high quality compositions and performances.

Throughout the day, there will be opportunities to consider the often symbiotic relationship between music in Key Stage 3, and Key Stage 4 qualifications in order to help you to reflect holistically on the music offer across your curriculum and school.

To book your place, call our Events Administrator, Ceri Wood, on 020 7221 3499 or email ceri.wood@ism.org.

ISM members can book for just £30 (£10 off the regular price) including refreshments and lunch.

Booking deadline: Wednesday 2 March.

Webinars Manage your performance nerves Thursday 21 January 2016, 1-2pm

Do you struggle with performance nerves? Would you like to know how you can manage your nerves better and reduce stress so that you can enhance your performances? Join us online for a free webinar with Charlotte Tomlinson, an experienced performance coach who has developed a holistic approach for helping musicians manage performance anxiety.

During this webinar Charlotte will take you through how performance anxiety can arise and the possible psychological reasons behind it, along with some simple practical tools to manage the anxiety better.

Register for this webinar at http://bit.ly/PerformanceNerves

An introduction to self-publishing for composers Wednesday 27 January 2016, 1-2pm

David Abrahams, our Head of Legal, will explain the pros and cons of self-publishing for composers and give advice about the main issues that need to be considered by self-published composers (including legal, business and tax issues as well as networking and marketing and advice on the physical production of scores).

Register for this free webinar at http://bit.ly/Self-publishingComposer

Introducing the ISM Teachers Pack: essential advice for instrumental and vocal teachers Tuesday 1 March 2016, 1-2pm

Caroline Aldred, our Business Support Officer, will present our new Teachers Pack. The aim of the webinar and the pack is to empower instrumental and vocal teachers by providing easy-to-follow advice on self-promotion, choosing the right business structure, how to use contracts and how they can protect you, employment rights and home working, recovering unpaid fees, and negotiating teaching rates with schools and parents.

Register for this free webinar at http://bit.ly/ISMTeachersPack

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

The flowering of Scottish musicology Dr Sally LK Garden reflects on an increased interest in Scottish musicology and its ‘far-reaching expression of life’ I remember it struck me as odd, that day in the mid1980s, when I came to complete my undergraduate music studies at the University of Aberdeen – Scotland’s third most ancient university – that I could emerge from a wonderful, immersive musical education without having gained an insight into, well, the music of Scotland, the music of my native land!

Scotland, I understood, had given much in the way of literature, language and learning – from pre-Reformation times to the Enlightenment and beyond – to the rest of the world. Yet I could do nothing, for all my newfound learning, to put her music in historical context. It seemed to me as strange as it was sad. How could the distinctive culture and linguistic inheritance I carried within me, find no expression within my education?

Was our musical heritage really so meagre and worthless?

A farmer’s daughter, I knew my fiddle music, my Scots songs and, of course, the famed Gaelic song collections of Marjory Kennedy-Fraser, as well as I knew my Brahms and Bartok. But I was young, and too much the quiet country lass to see, then, the visceral historical connexions between the music of my farmhouse home and the great intellectual currents of continental Europe.

Above: Marjory Kennedy-Fraser, 1857-1930. Musician and collector of Hebridean songs.

Artist: John Duncan Photo: Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Left: Angus Mackay, 1812-1859.

Piper to Queen Victoria, 1843-1853.

Artist: Alexander Johnston Photo: Scottish National Portrait Gallery

So it was, the day after finishing my ‘finals’, I started afresh. Returning to the university library, I sought out an old journal, one which promised an article on a Scots composer I knew little about.

To my delight, I found it, and saw that it even furnished a photograph, suggesting the composer in question – Learmont Drysdale, a minor figure in our Scottish musical firmament as it turned out – was at least worth more than passing glance. I was stunned. Here was my culture! And no-one had told me anything about it!

Not that I blamed my alma mater for this strange gap in my musical education. There had been a sympathy, at Aberdeen, for promoting a course in the music of Scotland. But with an atmosphere of austerity, and Thatcherite cuts in full swing (Scotland has a long memory!), the university had other worries – the Music Department was facing closure, and full shut down would come not long after my graduation. The music of Scotland, indeed music itself, seemed a low priority in the political scheme of things. And for me, it seemed the end of very short research road indeed.

Newfound cultural confidence But things have changed, remarkably, in Scotland since my student days. At least, it is my perception that things have changed. A quick survey of publishing in Scottish musicology – by which, here, I mean studies of the music of Scotland – suggests a steady increase in interest (boosted slightly by a popular infatuation with all things ‘Celtic’), but not an explosion of work in quantitative terms.

Rather, the change has been qualitative. From my point of view, as a performer working in historical musicology, it has felt like a sea-change, a sudden impetus from newfound cultural confidence, community initiative and wider political engagement. I know we have a reputation for rain in Scotland, but really, the musicological sun has begun to shine here and it is bringing us a bountiful harvest of scholarly work, in all manner of fields.

In traditional music, studies of Scots and Gaelic song, ballads from oral tradition, fiddle music, and especially piobaireachd or pibroch (the ‘classical’ music of the pipes), abound. In art music, everything from lute books to symphonic poems and contemporary composition are given scrutiny and the benefit of critical editions and commentaries. In organology (spurred by

Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

the University of Edinburgh’s internationally renowned instrument collections), early keyboards, harps, fiddles, bagpipies (again!) and their makers, all receive attention. And out in the ‘field’, even singing traditions in Glasgow pubs have been surveyed!

So, what’s driven the clouds away? Well, as our tourists often discover to their surprise, Scotland is an old northern nation with her own church, law, and education system, her own languages (Scots and Gaelic) and a long history as an independent state prior to 1707. She has had three referenda in the last 35 years alone – two on the question of independence, and one, a resounding ‘yes’, to restore her Parliament – and since the 1970s (a period of huge economic stress and social upheaval), a slowly growing independence movement. She has, through this time, through my lifetime, undergone a difficult transformation.

Whole industries – mining, shipbuilding, textiles, and more – have been swept away, and rural economies changed by global market forces and technology. So it is perhaps natural in such uncertainty that we have begun to search for those common threads which bind our communities and express our sense of nation; natural that we search out the culturally familiar amidst the politically unfamiliar.

Couple this with ever greater diversity within the discipline of musicology itself, a legacy of new initiatives in music teaching in our schools, a general widening of access to higher education, an institutional focus on research as a measure of excellence (driven by the Research Excellence Framework) and you can see the conditions, or at least some of the conditions, for growth and, dare I say it, enlightenment.

Still, drawing in this ‘hairst’, this Scottish harvest of scholarly work, takes a great deal of musicological machinery. The processes of investigation, preservation, interpretation and

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dissemination involve a wide range of individuals and institutions.

Chief amongst these latter, is the School of Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Founded 1951 to ‘collect, archive and promote the cultural traditions of the nation, the School not only functions as a vast repository of recorded sound and written material, but has an active engagement with traditional musicians and a long record of publishing and digital dissemination. Its close association with the university’s Department of Celtic gives it added linguistic lustre. The much younger, but highly active Elphinstone Institute, at the University of Aberdeen, has made its presence felt as a focus for ethnomusicology. It regularly promotes festivals and workshops and its roving North Atlantic Fiddle Convention has gathered musicians, audiences, and academics together in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Northern Ireland, as well as its home base in Aberdeen, highlighting the music traditions of the Scottish diaspora along the way. At Glasgow, great strides have been made in curriculum reform (the Royal Conservatoire today offers a wealth of traditional music studies), whilst the University there currently enjoys a strength in musicological research across the board. Even the young University of the Highlands and Islands has come in on the act, offering an MMus in Popular Musicology.

Individual work has also brought us fresh insight.

In the 1980s, vocal ensemble Cappella Nova, founded by (ISM member) Alan Tavener, made groundbreaking recordings of early Scottish choral music, most notably that of Scotland’s iconic C16 polyphonist, Robert Carver. Work by indefatigable author and broadcaster, John Purser, changed the scene utterly with a new general history of Scotland’s Music. And Musica Scotica, the publishing initiative led by the late scholar Dr Kenneth Elliott, now enjoys a thriving 2-day annual conference and gathering of Scotland’s musical minds.

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

Above and left: Traditional Music students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Photo: © KK Dundas / RCS

Pioneer performer-scholarship But what is most encouraging, in a small nation such as ours, up amongst the snows, is the continuing and increasingly important role of the individual performer-scholar – the professional artist who works with the wider public. Whether it be, as in my case, working in residency (I spent 3 years as Historical Musician in Residence at the Wighton Heritage Centre, Dundee), instituting lecture-recitals (I was a few years ago privileged to give the first live music event at the National Library of Scotland), or simply working on the concert platform, wider engagement with the public is key. The more creatively we sow our Caledonian scholarship, the more we seem to reap of community engagement.

But such work is hard, and for encouragement and inspiration, we must look back to that excellent musician, Scotland’s pioneer performer-scholar (and early ISM Council member), Marjory Kennedy-Fraser, whose exquisite Songs of the Hebrides still sit by my piano today.

Through the vehicle of her lecture-recitals, which she gave at ISM Monthly Meetings in the 1890s, Kennedy-Fraser found her initial platform for what the American Musicological Society today terms ‘public musicology’ – the creative dissemination of music scholarship direct to the public. And in this work Kennedy-Fraser provides masterful example, for whilst her musical motivation was ‘aesthetic rather than theoretic’ she nevertheless employed many of the methodologies of musicology we

still use today – field transcription, recording, tonal analysis, and critical commentary. These, she blended with the finest artistry – providing highly imaginative arrangements, sympathetic translations, as well as her own sensitive performances – in all, enabling her to bring her Gaelic song store to the public not as something ‘quaint’ and ‘archaic’, but, in her own words, as an ‘elemental, basic, far-reaching expression of life’.

As Kennedy-Fraser shows us, if we have something to say, something of ourselves to give, we make our own methodologies. We make musicology follow art and not art musicology, and that is why the role of performer-scholar is, I believe, destined to deepen with us here in Scotland in the decades to come.

Perhaps from our happy scholarly harvest here in the north, our splendid flowering of Scottish musicology, we can sow the seeds of encouragement to a younger generation of musicians right across the British Isles. I certainly hope, wherever we are, and however we now engage musicology in our art, it may prove for us, just as it did for our performer-scholar of the ‘Celtic gloaming’, a joyous, purposeful ‘far-reaching expression of life’.

Dr Sally LK Garden Mezzo-soprano and musicologist, currently affiliated with The University of Aberdeen and Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz s.garden@monsgraupius.org

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

Henley in action From reading the news on Classic FM to running the entire station, Darren Henley OBE shook up the sector in 2014 when his appointment as the new Chief Executive of Arts Council England was announced. What can he, with such a commercial background, have planned for the Arts Council’s future? The ISM’s Francesca Treadaway finds out.

‘What’s a day in the life of the Chief Executive of Arts Council England?’ I say with a smile to Darren Henley, who was sat across from me in a glass-walled, modern room in the trendy offices at Arts Council England. With a laugh and a knowing look to his Personal Assistant colleague he reaches for his diary – bright orange to match his watch – and gives it a quick flick through.

‘Well, no two days are the same… let’s look at last week. Yesterday I was in Derby at the Rolls Royce Factory with Sinfonia Viva; earlier in the week I was in Cambridge, before that in Exeter… before that Plymouth. My home is in Kent!’

Over the past five years, the organisation’s budget has been reduced considerably; leaving parts of the creative sector it supports – performing and visual arts, museums and libraries – struggling in the wake of funding cuts from central Government and local authorities. Relations between the Arts Council and the organisations that they fund have since improved according to their latest stakeholder survey so Darren has got one massive job on his hands to maintain the status quo in the face of the policy of austerity being followed by the Government.

Six months into the job, and Darren Henley is keeping up the promise he made during his interview for the role: to spend half of his working hours outside London, visiting organisations and artists across the country. He is often to be found on a train somewhere ‘charging around the country, engaging with as many people as possible’.

Nobody can accuse Darren of being too focused on London.

Left: Darren Henley Photo: Piers Allardyce

‘I spend half of my working week out of London’, he explains, ‘but what that has meant is that I have got a great insight into what is actually happening

on the ground across the country. We believe very strongly that we are an Arts Council for absolutely everybody. We want to have a strong London because it is important to have a strong capital city, but this is not the only place that we should focus on.’

Darren’s career began in his local radio station in Kent aged 16, later reading the overnight news on the newly-launched Classic FM.

Darren admits, ‘I used to read the news on a Sunday afternoon, sleep on the Chief Executive’s sofa then get the first train back to Hull on the Monday morning. He never knew!’

He probably did not realise then that he one day would have that office – and that sofa – as the station’s managing director, leading the brand of Classic FM, the most developed multiplatform brand in commercial radio with a concert series, thriving website, wide publishing activities, and record label amongst other branches. ‘Anywhere people listen to classical music, we were there’, Darren recalled fondly.

Although his career move seems bold, Darren’s approach remains unchanged. He worked at drawing people towards classical music while at Classic FM and his objective now is to bring culture to all, especially those who would not usually get the chance.

‘We have five goals at the Arts Council.’

Darren begins.

After a slight pause, he counts off his fingers, ‘We want take great art to everyone, we want to have good workforces, great resilient organisations… and the remainder are around children and young people.’

Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

Above left: Musiko Musika Photo: Harriet Armstrong Above right: Arcadia Bristol Photo: Paul Box

He continues, ‘What we want to be doing is developing the audiences of tomorrow. We believe that young people should have access to the best possible cultural education at the highest possible quality. Some of those young people will also go on to become the practitioners of tomorrow, whether it be music or visual arts, dance or drama or any of the other art forms. We are, as a country, worldleaders in the cultural industries. It is worth £77bn a year and it is really important when you have a fast growing industry like that you put your investment into the grass roots.’

It is clear that a cultural education, which includes music, has always been important to him.

While at Classic FM, he worked with the Government to produce two reviews: Music Education in England and Cultural Education in England. And soon after, the National Plan for Music Education in order to support the delivery of the music curriculum in schools in response to the Henley review.

Just a week before we met, the Arts Council launched the Cultural Education Challenge, with Culture Minister, Ed Vaizey, and Schools Minister, Nick Gibb. Its mission is to encourage sector leaders across the arts, education, local authorities, schools, higher education institutions and others to work together in ‘cultural education partnerships’, to create joined-up arts and cultural provisions locally, to ensure that more children and young people experience great arts and culture both inside and outside of schools.

But as we are aware, a strong cultural education in schools is currently at risk as a result of the recently announced English Baccalaureate policy initiative proposed by the Government (baccforthefuture.com).

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What does he think about the looming threat of the EBacc?

He carefully replies, ‘Make no mistake; it is absolutely vital that we have a strong culture education in all subjects including music in schools. When I wrote my review on music education, I said that there should be a sixth grouping of subjects in the English Baccalaureate, to include subjects such as art and design, dance, drama, design technology, film studies and music – and I stand by that.’

He continues without missing a beat, ‘Working together to ensure that cultural education inside and outside schools is strong is important. One of the things for me though has not been about saying it’s all doom and gloom. We have incredibly talented young people and dedicated teachers who are delivering amazing results in quite tough circumstances around the country. The role of the teacher should never be underestimated because it is in the end the teacher who will have that moment with a young person that will spark and change their lives forever. I think it is very important that we never forget that.’

Working together is at the heart of the Cultural Education Challenge. Darren explains in more detail, ‘In response to my review on cultural education in 2012, the Arts Council, along with partners the Heritage Lottery Fund, British Film Institute and English Heritage, came together as a cultural education partnership group, in order to address a number of recommendations made in that review.

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

‘One of those was to see the formation of cultural education partnerships, to encourage sector leaders to come together and share resources and identify ways in which they could enhance access to arts and culture for children and young people.

We trialled these partnerships in Barking and Dagenham, Great Yarmouth and Bristol to see how they would work.

‘To launch the Cultural Education Challenge, we unveiled 50 cultural education partnerships across the country, in areas identified as being in most need. They will be modelled on previous pilot cultural education partnerships, and our national Bridge organisations will support them to inform priorities, gaps and provision. We are expecting really good outcomes.’

Nearing the end of our conversation, I realised that much of our discussion focused almost entirely on grass-root level culture and in particular, music education. I was keen to know what exactly Darren had planned to support musicians in the profession.

Darren pauses for a moment before replying.

‘I think there’s a lot of exciting things there but we do have some challenges around making sure classical music is something that as a career appeals to everybody and we have work to do on that.’

He digresses, ‘I should say as well that the conservatoire world do a hugely important job – the music conservatoires right across the country do an amazing job. I think they have changed enormously from 20-30 years ago; they were about creating concert musicians. Now they are about creating very rounded professionals who will work in one form or another.’

Above left: Pitt Rivers Museum Photo: University of Oxford Above right: Take Five Edition X – Southbank Centre Photo: Emile Holba

As our conversation draws to a close, I wanted to know, what was his personal highlight of joining Arts Council England?

He smiles and answers with unwavering enthusiasm, ‘there is a real expertise, a real passion, loads of knowledge, a sense of caring about the arts and culture worlds that we work with and a real diligence to make the best cultural experiences possible for everyone. The most exciting thing is while we ourselves don’t create any great art, we enable a lot of people up and down the country to.’

Did he think twice when he got the call?

‘When the head-hunter called me and said “Ok, there’s this job, would you be interested?”

I thought, actually I would because there’s a real opportunity to make a difference in lots of ways – things that we haven’t even dreamed of.’

Francesca Treadaway, Communications Officer, ISM

‘What is interesting me at the moment is what we can do to help people in their mid-careers if you like, so it is not just those people who are coming out of university or conservatoires.’

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

New GCSEs in music From September 2016 new GCSEs in music will be rolled out across the country. We asked each of the four main exam boards to tell us about their new qualifications.

In previous issues of Music Journal, we have talked about the importance of music being included within exam reform and not treated like a secondclass subject. ISM members fought hard to ensure that music GCSE was not ignored and – from September 2016 – new GCSEs in music will be taught.

The first exams will take place in 2018, with the first results expected in August 2018.

With the syllabuses being finalised by awarding organisations and accredited by the exams regulator Ofqual, we thought we’d take a look at the four GCSE options on the table.

There are four main exam boards or ‘awarding organisations’ which deliver GCSE music: • • • •

AQA (formerly the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) Edexcel / Pearson

Eduqas (the new brand from WJEC) OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations)

We asked each of these four awarding bodies to tell us a little bit about their new qualifications.

Don’t forget, you can find our comparison chart, and further information about GCSE music on the ISM website at ism.org/gcse

AQA Music is constantly evolving, inspiring creativity and expression in a way that no other subject can. That’s why we’ve designed a relevant and contemporary GCSE qualification that offers your students the chance to study a wider range of musical genres, with more opportunities for practical learning. Our GCSE brings theory, listening and composition to life in new and engaging ways, and links to the world around us like never before.

We know that every student has different learning styles and musical tastes, which is why our GCSE values all music styles, skills and instruments.

Broaden your students’ minds and foster a love of all music with a qualification that students of all abilities and backgrounds will enjoy.

Our specification and assessments have been designed to the highest standards, so that your students and parents can be confident that an AQA award provides an accurate measure of achievement.

The specification supports progression to further and higher education in music and related subjects, and provides all students with a platform to inspire a lifelong interest and enjoyment of music.

Teaching resources include: • •

•

•

classroom performance editions of the study pieces for modern and classical instruments schemes of work: a variety of ideas across all titles to help you plan your course with confidence

teacher guides: detailed guides for the study pieces with suggested activities to help you to support your students in all areas of the specification

student guides: detailed guides specifically written for your students to complement the Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

teachers guides in supporting them in all the areas of study •

•

suggested listening lists: detailed examples of the elements in the music for all areas of study to help you prepare your students for the written exam exemplification materials: showcase sets of students’ work supported by examiner commentaries and guidance

Sarah Perryman Qualification Developer for Music 01483 437750 music@aqa.org.uk

Edexcel / Pearson The new Edexcel GCSE qualification in Music is designed to inspire the next generation of musicians. Students will be able to engage with a range of set works to nurture in-depth musical understanding, enjoy wider listening to develop their transferrable appraising skills, and develop their performing and composing skills in a choice of musical styles and genres.

There are three components to the qualification: performing, composing and appraising.

Students will perform a solo piece and as part of an ensemble, for a total time of at least four minutes.

These performances may be on any instrument or voice, in any style. Students may improvise, use a score, rap or beat box or perform their own composition.

In the composing part of the qualification, students will compose one piece of music to a set brief, and one freely-chosen piece of music. The total time should be a minimum of three minutes, and scores submitted for both.

The weighting of performing and composing is the same, providing equal opportunity to students in both sets of skills. Teachers will assess students’ performances and compositions using assessment grids provided in the specification.

As part of the appraising section, students must study eight set works from four areas of study, which are: Instrumental music 1700–1820, vocal music, music for stage and screen, and fusions. The appraising exam is 1 hour 45 minutes, and has 80 marks. Students will be asked a series of questions on extracts from the set works (via CD played in the exam). A final essay question will require students to compare extracts from one set work and an unfamiliar piece of music.

Free support materials will be published on our website in the coming months. A paid-for anthology and CD of all the set works will be available to purchase (but is not compulsory for the qualification).

Overall, the Edexcel GCSE qualification in Music will enable students to develop their skills in and love for music.

At the time of writing this article (24 November 2015), OCR are still awaiting accreditation decisions from Ofqual. Our draft specifications and assessment materials are on our website – we are very close! Hopefully by the time you read this, accreditation is final.

020 7010 2176 TeachingMusic@pearson.com

Eduqas / WJEC The accredited WJEC Eduqas GCSE Music is an inspiring qualification with four flexible areas of study allowing teachers the freedom to explore music which suits their students. It provides a foundation for skills in performing, composing and appraising; covering a range of musical elements, contexts and language: Area 1, Forms and Devices, allows learners to gain a broad understanding of musical structures and compositional devices. Learners are not limited © iStockphoto/Sohl

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

to one specific genre or period, neither are they expected to gain a detailed chronology of Western Classical music.

Area 2, Music for Ensemble, is flexible as pieces may come from a number of different genres crossing several traditions. Learners focus on texture and on how to write for specific combinations of instruments and voices.

Areas 3 and 4 are favourites with learners: Film Music and Popular Music.

The examined component will ask questions based on the Areas of Study.

Our carefully compiled Areas of Study are designed to encourage musical and practical teaching and facilitate integrated approaches to teaching and learning. Our intention is that students will take a genre ‒ listen to it, play it, compose like it, talk about it and then understand, recognise and describe/ evaluate the genre.

Our examined component will not be based on set works. This is an approach our current GCSE takes, and is well received and popular with our current centres, and teacher and student feedback has been hugely positive. Having Areas of Study and not set works will enable flexibility and encourage teachers to choose diverse and interesting repertoire that will engage learners.

The fingerprints or characteristics of each Area 60% of the course is practical and all marks of Study are clearly laid out in the specification. awarded are for compositions or performance, not Exam questions will stick to exploring the for writing about them. There is no compulsory solo students’ knowledge and understanding of those performance and learners may play in ensembles characteristics – this approach is not designed to with the option to perform as a soloist. catch you or your students out!

‘The new Eduqas Specification offers a very clear Topic Exploration Packs will be created to support approach to developing musical skills across a broad your planning and teaching, for each Area of Study. range of music. It is accessible for all, from classically They will include scores, activities, questions trained violinists to rock guitarists! It has a clear focus and suggested listening. These will be released allowing for a flexible approach to learning, not just fact once the specification is accredited and in time for learning or teaching to an exam, but lifelong musical first teaching in 2016. Area of Study 3 ‒ Rhythms skills. The support from the WJEC is brilliant, they offer of the World – is already available and can be a personalised service, where you can quickly obtain an downloaded from our music website page. answer from one of the friendly team.’

Do you have any questions and want to talk to us?

Pete Allen, Music Teacher.

If you need specialist advice, guidance or support, Our new specification puts music-making at the please get in touch. heart of the classroom.

01223 553998 Catherine Webster music@ocr.org.uk 02920 265 316 @OCR_PerformArts catherine.webster@wjec.co.uk eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/music/gcse/ The examination will consist of prepared and unprepared extracts, giving learners a sense of security but also the opportunity to demonstrate and apply knowledge in different contexts.

Questions will focus on musical elements, context and language. Learners will be able to play the set pieces independently or in classroom arrangements.

OCR The vision for OCR Music is to be musical, practical, flexible, accessible, and integrated, with clear progression between our qualifications. We have worked hard to ensure there are clear and accessible options for all instrument players, whether classical or contemporary, including music technologists, DJs and MCs. We have designed our new draft specifications to cater well to all abilities and tastes, and to provide courses that can be personalised to the students.

We have three components. For performance and composition, there are two portfolios – one to be learner choice regarding their performance and composition, the other to fulfil the regulatory requirements of ensemble performance and composition to an OCR set brief.

new GCSE music Preparing to teach the

0am-4pm Wednesday 9 March, 9.3 ws, London W2 3JQ ISM, 4-5 Inverness Me will unpack the Dr Alison Daubney which A one-day course led by consider the music qualifications and changes to the new GCSE cations offered by ences between the qualifi commonalities and differ make the right choices s in order to help you to the four awarding bodie specific context. for your students in your bers including members, £40 non-mem To book your place (£30 r Events , please call Ceri Wood, ou refreshments and lunch) hip@ism.org ers 21 3499 or email memb Administrator, on 020 72

by Wednesday 2 March.

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS We welcome your brief news (max. 150 words) and good photographs. Please email mj@ism.org.

The next deadline for copy is 1 February for March/April issue

Edmund Jolliffe Last year, Edmund Jolliffe was the recipient of the Renée B Fisher Composer Award for his piece The Strath. The piece will be performed on 14 May 2016 in New Haven, Connecticut and is designed for younger pianists to explore contemporary techniques.

Last year also saw a number of his carols winning competitions: His setting of Jesus Christ the Apple Tree won the Ely Consort Advent Composing Competition and was premiered in Ely Cathedral on 28 November.

Slightly further afield, A Christmas Lullaby won the Hendrix Carol Composition Competition. Selected from 85 entries, this was premiered in Arkansas, USA, in December.

Edmund continues to enjoy writing music for younger musicians and Stainer and Bell have published a collection of short pieces for clarinet and piano My Family and Other Animals. The Mighty Chieftain Comes (Recital Music) also remains on the Trinity Grade 1 double-bass syllabus. edmundjolliffe.com

History in Music An unusual CD named Travelling with Time, of fairly recent works

by Anthony Gilbert, was released in October 2015 on the Prima Facie label. It contains seven compositions with oblique references to human conflict and near-resolution, arranged in a sequence covering two historic periods: the Nordic invasions of Britain and France and their consequences, and 20th-21st-century conflicts with a hint of possible resolution, the two groups separated by a ’transitional’

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piano sonata. All but two of the works are re-issues, and the artists involved include distinguished soloists Richard Casey, Ian Buckle, Simon Turner, Lesley-Jane Rogers; a mixed quartet of woodwind and strings; students from the Purcell School; the Northern Chamber Orchestra, and the Bingham Quartet. anthonygilbert.net

Organist to the University of Sussex

D’Arcy Trinkwon has been appointed Organist to the University of Sussex.

As Organist, his involvement will include giving regular recitals on the iconic Meeting House organ following the recent major overhaul of the instrument.

Built nearly 50 years ago by Grant, Degens & Bradbeer, the instrument is considered an excellent example of neo-classical organ design in Britain. Its visually striking features commented on by observers and part of its iconic, and now historic significance, include plate-glass swellshutters with a black metal framework that were visionary for the time. A new, cutting-edge wireless console (by Renatus) – one of only two in the country – makes an impact

that enhances these features.

The restoration work was carried out

by Clevedon Organs; the consultant was Paul Hale.

In March D’Arcy will also take part in a special concert in memory of his predecessor in the post, John Birch.

Choral practice, performance and pedagogy Dr Michael Bonshor is a longstanding member of the ISM, specializing in teaching singing, alongside working as a choral conductor and music psychologist. He has recently been awarded an Early Career Fellowship with the Institute of Musical Research, Royal Holloway, University of London.

As part of this fellowship Michael is organising a day long, participative choral conference at the University of Sheffield, with IMR funding to help other Early Career Researchers to present their work. The event will feature workshops, performances, and presentations demonstrating the practical applications of research in the areas of choral performance, choral education and training, choral leadership, and community singing.

The conference is entitled Choral practice, performance and pedagogy: real world applications of choral research, and will take place in the Music Department at the University of Sheffield on Friday 8 April 2016.

For further information, please go to www.the-imr.uk/early-careerresearch-events or contact Michael directly: pocketmaestro@hotmail.com.

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

ensembles plus large group sessions in creativity, improvisation, etc. Pianists (solo and ensemble), strings, wind, and singers are all welcome, making music in any combination.

Above: Philip Duffy and the Liverpool Bach Collective

Liverpool Bach Collective Liverpool member Philip Duffy founded Liverpool Bach Collective 18 months ago, with the aim of putting on performances of Bach’s cantatas in churches in and around Liverpool every month as part of Sunday Evensong.

There are eight singers and around 12 instrumentalists, single strings, wind as prescribed by JSB and continuo.

Philip (who was for many years Master of the Music at Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral) strongly believes that the cantatas really need to be performed in the context of an act of worship, which is, after all, what they were composed for. The cantatas performed are always based on the readings of the day in the particular church; the present season includes performances in six Anglican and four Roman Catholic churches.

After finding it difficult to identify churches with suitable organs, Philip commissioned a continuo organ from Master Organ Builder Gyula Vágy of Budapest – it’s a delightful instrument which has now been in use for three months and has inspired both musicians and congregation. It has three ranks of pipes, and the carvings on the case include Bach’s own monogram (which also forms part of the logo of the Collective).

Holiday Music Holiday Music piano/chamber music courses, which celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2015, are moving from The Menuhin School to The Purcell School in Bushey, Hertfordshire. The format remains the same: intensive coaching of individuals and small

On the team for 2016 (31 March-3 April and 18-21 August) are Muriel Levin (director, piano), with distinguished guest tutors Danielle Salamon (piano, voice) and Robyn Koh (piano, harpsichord); plus the Colourstrings Musical Director Rachel Erdos (violin, Alexander Technique), and John Sharp (cello, voice, creativity). holidaymusiccourses.com

Opera with young children in Greece For the first time in Greece, Epirotiki Opera Tsakalof trained and involved very young children of the public elementary school, as protagonists and chorus in the new production of the fairytale opera The Little Fugitives and the House in the Forest. The premiere was given on the 14 October in Ioannina – a candidate city for the title of European Capital of Culture 2021 – under the direction of Aspasia Zerva (Greece) with the assistance of the renowned director Nikolin Gurakuqi.

Maestro George Chlitsios (Greece) conducted the Symphony Orchestra of Epirotiki Opera Tsakalof.

a wealth advice on finding and choosing students, choosing where to teach, how to market yourself and your lessons, and what help to encourage from parents. She also includes a library of creative teaching ideas, to help with everything from sightreading to aural.

Currently on sabbatical from her teaching, she is available to reply to any emails with questions about the book, or teaching the piano.

The book is available from Lulu publishing (lulu.com) and amazon. co.uk/com at £6.99. alexandrawestcottpiano.co.uk

Tavener conducts Tavener

This programme aims to bring opera into the elementary school and to give motivation to young students to participate actively in all aspects of preparation, rehearsal and performance.

Alan Tavener directs his vocal ensemble Cappella Nova in this unique tribute disc featuring many world premiere recordings of gorgeous choral works by Sir John Tavener. A very personal sequence, the programme tracks Cappella Nova’s 25 year association with Sir John (Alan’s third cousin), including pieces specially written for the group: Ikon of the Nativity, A Buddhist Miniature, Two Hadiths, and Paradise Choir (from his extended, large-scale Resurrection) as well as rarely heard works such as Take him, Earth, for Cherishing and Sunrise in your Heart alongside his most famous piece, The Lamb. Sung with passion and dedication, this album is a true labour of love, celebrating the memory of one of the most original, beloved, and farreaching composers of recent times.

Piano Teaching as a Career

Obituaries

Alexandra Westcott is a North London Piano teacher of some 25 years’ experience teaching over 40 students a week. She has run local theory workshops and memorising workshops, and ran the local ABRSM centre for 10 years, so is well placed to write about what needs to be taken into account when considering piano teaching as a career.

With regret, we report the deaths of: John Stafford of Woodbridge Alison Pottinger of Moreton-in-Marsh Ruth Underwood of London Rae Woodland of Saxmundham Iris Reeves-Serby of Great Missenden

Her book Piano Teaching as a Career: Tips and Advice on Becoming a Piano Teacher is a slim volume but contains

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

Our new members

We offer a warm welcome to the following members who joined before 30 November Full members

Leicester

London – West

Scotland – South East

West Yorkshire

Birmingham

Rebecca Peacock BAHonsLiverpool Grace Pepper BAHonsLeeds

Justine Chen BMusHonsRAM PGDipRAM Nathan Gash BMusHonsKings MMusRCM PGDipRCM Liam McCloud BMusHonsUWL Steliana Nedeva MMusGuildhall Cristina Prats-Costa MARAM

Lauren Clay BAHonsLiverpool MMusBCU Philip Erskine BAHonsDurham Maggie Tam BMusHonsEdin

Joost Hendrickx BAHonsLeeds Scott Kitchen BMusHonsHuddersfield Rebecca Long BMusHons Francesca Minney BAHonsHull BAHonsLCM

Tony Bridgewater BAHonsCantab Ruth Hopkins BAHonsOxon MMus Naomi Stevenson BMusHonsBirm

Bournemouth Matthew Clarke BMusHons

Brighton Joanne Burns Jana Cadez Amali Lucy Colquhoun BMusHonsRNCM Karen Kennard BAHonsSoton CertTABRSM LGSMD Jia Luo MMusRNCM PGDipRNCM Adeline Thompson BMusRNCM

Cambridge Graham D Milgate James Trundle

Cheltenham Thomas Jacob BAHonsBristol

Croydon Hilary A Goldsmith PhD MAOpen BMusHonsLond LGSM

Devon & Cornwall Nathan Vernon BEdPlymouth

Guildford Joanna Montague-Smith BMusRoyalHolloway CTABRSM DipABRSM

Hereford & Worcester Stephen Bridgwater

Lea Valley

Jenny Ewington ATCL LTCLMusEd Carina Gascoine Ranita Klimach MMusRCM Rachele Poll BAHonsChichester

Liverpool Craig Wakerley BA PGCE

London – North Dawn Burns BAHonsBristol Stavros Diamantopoulos MMus PGDipRSAMD Abigail Dolan PhD Sinead Egan BMusHons Marilyn Herman BAHonsMiddlesex Eleanor Kornas BAHonsCantab Josephine Lively Azusa Matano Caroline McLean AGSM Sam Moffitt BAHonsOxon MARAM Christopher Payne BAHons Daniel Thomson BAHonsMelbourne

London – South East Rachel Ambrose Evans BAHonsCantab Manuel Arellano MMusTrinityLaban Rebecca Chevis BAHonsOxon Maria Chiossi PGDipTCM Michal Cwizewicz Hannah Ely BMusHonsManch Camilla Harris BAHonsDurham Patrick Leresche MPerf Merlin Segal-Jones BMusHonsCityUnivGSMD Sabrina Ruth Speight AGSM CertAdvStudiesGSMD Abigail Sudbury PGDipRNCM

London – South West Matthew Ratcliffe BAHonsPlymouth

Scotland – South West Rachel Taylor BMus MMus

Manchester

Sheffield

Laurie Dempsey BMusHonsRNCM PGDipRNCM Delia Stevens BMusHonsRNCM

South Wales

Norfolk Theresa Jayne Long

North of England James Wenham BAHonsYork

North Yorkshire Andrew Bryden BMusHonsAberdeen Emma Louise Dickinson Anna Snow MAYork Catherine Strachan BMusHonsRSAMD

Northern Ireland Laura McFall BMusHonsUlster

Nottingham Heather Daykin BAHonsBristol Anna Hill BAHonsNotts Zoe Turner DipTCL LTCL Lisa Wright BMusHonsSheff PGCE

Oxford Luke Howard Carl Welch

Portsmouth Emily Cook BMusHons

Reading Diane Yousofian BMusHull LGSM

Amanda Bouskill ATCL Joshua Abbott MA

Wiltshire Megan Jacobs BAEssex MA

Overseas Lucy Norton AdvCertABRSM BMusCapeTown FTCL LRSM LTCL LTCL

Southampton

Student members

Emma Louise Docherty Sarah Finch BASouthampton Maria-Lena Loncke MMusSussex Fiona Smith

Birmingham

St Albans

Shima Kobayashi Melvin Alexandra McPhee BAHonsNotts Maria Noakes James Potter Jamie Wilkins BMusHons Caz Wolfson BMusHonsGSMD

Staffordshire Richard Ward PGCE QTS

Suffolk Emily Wyke BMusHonsKings

Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Nicky Grant MARAM Marina Kuznetsova LTCL Rachel Why BMusManch GRNCM PGDipRNCM

Megan Hill Emily Taylor

Bristol

Matthew Owens

Eastbourne & Hastings Emily Bristow

Guildford

Michael Oram

Kent

Matthew Anderson Harriette Piesley

Leicester

Samuel Howes

London – North Aislin Barraclough Angela Pagan Benito Mark Biggins Shannon Rebekah Carpio Mandakh Toya Dorj Robert Ellis Dale Holt Maya Irgalina Augustin Irving James Larter Frances Leith MARAM Inga Liukaityte Martin Luedenbach Jonathan Morris Annabelle Park Mathew Seal Alice Western

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

London – South East

London – West

Oxford

Sheffield

Suffolk

Emma Burgess Paola Cammarota Anandi Sala Casanova Georgina Combe Olivia Holland Charlotte Howes Lwsi Jones-Angove Jessamy Robinson

Jonatan Bougt Elizabeth Bunday Alec Coles-Aldridge Davide Fensi Sean Frost Gregory Hearle Thormod Rønning Kvam

Jack Wilson

Eliane Schnegg

Taylor Moulton ALCM

Christopher Johnston MAChichester Imy Luc

Joseph Keenan

West Yorkshire

Kathy Hart

Nathan Burch Eleana Griffiths James Grunwell Lara Jones

London – South West Corentin Fanuel Ilya Kondratiev Chloe Murphy Jorge Nava Fabrizia Pavan Emma Purslow Mateusz Rettner Svetoslav Todorov Asia Jimenez Anton De Vez

Portsmouth

South Wales St Albans

Manchester

Amy Bowles BAHonsYork Daniel Chappell Samantha Clarke Laura Innes Shu Ting Leung Daniella Sicari

Mid-Wales

Lucinda Heyman

North Wales William Jones

North Yorkshire Alexander Shaw

Northern Ireland

e Letters after your nam

are As a member of ISM you use letters to ed titl en automatically ember of the after your name: MISM (M Member of the ISM) or SMISM (Student continuous ISM). If you have been in or more, you membership for 15 years ISM) status. gain FISM (Fellow of the logo from the Download the appropriate bsite to add to members’ area of our we tionery and your website, personal sta marketing materials.

Aine McKee

Classified advertising MUSIC COPYING SERVICE. Quality printed music produced at reasonable prices. For further details contact David Turner, computer based music copyist, at 23 Overbrook, Hythe, Southampton SO45 5BE, Tel: 02380 848146, email: dfturner@ waitrose.com NEED AN ORCHESTRATOR OR ARRANGER? Experienced orchestrator and arranger available for hire - competitive rates. Please visit www.anthonyesland. com or email info@ anthonyesland.com for more information.

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YORKSHIRE DALES Wensleydale (centre of village) Self-contained, one bedroom apartment, sleeps 2/3. Full details: Tel. 0169663368 or email: john_joanfoster@ hotmail.com PERFORMANCE NERVES? Stage fright? Call Rosemary Wiseman Tel. 020 8958 8083 www. rosemarywiseman.com FRENCH HORNS, Several from £150. 01747 828552 VARIOUS BRASS, WOODWIND & STRINGED instruments for sale and/or rental.

Tel: 07974 412269

How to Book: Please send advertisement copy with payment (cheques payable to the ‘Incorporated Society of Musicians’ or T: 020 7221 3499 with credit card details) to the ISM, 4–5 Inverness Mews, London W2 3JQ or email mj@ism.org by 1 February for March/ April issue.

Private and Trade 50p per word, minimum £5.

Advertisements from ISM members are half-price (ie, 25p per word, minimum £2.50). Name, address and contact details must be paid for if included. Box numbers £2 extra. Prices include VAT. A series of six or more identical insertions qualifies for 10% discount.

STUDENT CELLOS, mostly German, various sizes, from £100. Tel. 07974 412269

OPPORTUNITY FOR CONDUCTOR, with associated amateur or professional orchestra, to conduct a concert performance, or simply make a recording, of new music of 14 minutes. Music illustrates a story. Scored for 12 instruments by PHD music student.

Suitable for Symphony Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra. Composition already accomplished in modern classical tradition. Terms according to experience. Please send CV to humptrum@ hotmail.com. Humphrey Truman.

TRUMPETS! Bach700 (several) Excellent condition. All serviced. £100 each. 07974 412269

BASSOONS several good COR ANGLAIS: student instruments from B&H. Blackwood, £600, 07974 412269 Conservatoire, Low E, Serviced. £1495 ONO. SPINNETT WITTMAYER 07974 412269 (German) 4 octaves, C-D, light walnut. BGC CONCERT PIECES FOR needs tuning, hence VIOLIN – Chaconne and £650 for a quick sale.

Bulgarian Etude - by Tel 07974 412269 James Hewitt. View and buy on www.tutti.co.uk.

SW FRANCE: Beautiful Further details www. gites for rent in the most jameshewittmusic.co.uk idyllic surroundings.

ISM members discount PAESOLD 3/4 concert and use of Steinway B double bass. Model 590. possible. Full details: £1250 ono. 01747 828552 www.frenchconnections. co.uk property 157289 or tel 07860238733 moira_ hayward@yahoo.co.uk

PROFESSIONAL RECORDER PLAYER / Choral Singer available for work; recent Birmingham Conservatoire honours graduate. Contact Philip Mizen: 01353 664470 SELF ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION – £120. contact 01373 302468 or refroudassociates@ gmail.com VIOLA, 16” /40.25cms.

Colin Irving 1986. £1200 ono. Telephone 07798 906393

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS We welcome your brief news (max. 200 words for Platinum and Gold members, max. 150 words for Silver members) and good photographs. Please email mj@ism.org. The next deadline for copy is 1 February for March/April issue.

Pay for three months’ subscription under the tutti service level, ‘Choice’, and we will add another three months’ subscription at no extra cost.

This will give you six months to trial the sales of your musical products for a subscription of just £39.60, including VAT. This offer is limited to the first 20 applications. Apply now to sell@tutti.co.uk or call 01760 441448 quoting ISMJ/1.

To find out more about selling your music on line go to tutti.co.uk/l/ISMoffer (NB the letter after the forward slash is a lower case L) impulse-music.co.uk Above: Scratch Youth Messiah in November, conducted by former ISM President Suzi Digby

Concerts from Scratch/ The Really Big Chorus

Photo: Andreas Grieger

Marianne Barton writes: A record number of young singers (c. 1,400) took part in our award-winning Scratch Youth Messiah in November, conducted by former ISM President Suzi Digby. Hackney Children’s Choir (Director, Tom Daggett) won the £500 prize from ChoraLine.com for raising the most money for our charity partner WaterAid. In May we perform Verdi’s Requiem.

Join the chorus of 1,000+ singers for a Dies Irae that positively thunders around the Royal Albert Hall!

Our third August Summer School at Warwick University with Brian Kay culminates in a performance of Elijah at Birmingham Town Hall, where Mendelssohn conducted the first performance exactly 170 years ago. We return to New York to mark the 15th anniversary of 9/11 and to give the first US performance of our 2014 commission In Praise of Singing conducted by its composer Jonathan

Willcocks. Brian Kay also conducts Fauré’s Requiem.

Full details at www.trbc.co.uk, where you can also join our mailing list.

Impulse Music Consultants Have you made recordings, composed music or written books about music?

Impulse Music Consultants created www.tutti.co.uk so that composers, performers, educators and independent music publishers could distribute their music to a global market.

Wigmore Hall Wigmore Hall is to stage a week-long festival of Irish culture in April 2016 as a major part of the UK’s contribution to the worldwide events marking the centenary of the Easter Rising.

John Gilhooly OBE, the Limerickborn Director of Wigmore Hall, has directed Irish Culture in Britain – a Centenary Celebration (19–24 April 2016), which features many of the leading Irish artists and ensembles of our time – from established classical Celebrating 20 years of promoting stars such as Ann Murray DBE, Ailish musicians on line, Impulse is offering Tynan, Tara Erraught, Michael Collins ISM members a unique, risk free way and Robin Tritschler to the uniquely of discovering whether your products traditional Irish pianism of Mícheál Ó will sell worldwide. The process is easy Súilleabháin. and available 24/7. You provide the Music being performed ranges from product, we warehouse it, sell it, and traditional Irish songs to the world despatch it and you collect the profit. premiere of a specially-commissioned Sellers can add products in physical string quartet by Irish composer format or as downloads. You are in Gerald Barry. control of the product information, writing and editing it on the seller site Booking opens on 5 February 2016. and you also set the selling price. wigmore-hall.org.uk Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

The ISM and MMA (the National Association of Music Teaching Professionals) are proud to have a joint membership scheme available to all ISM and MMA members.

To find out more about this combined membership, go to ism.org.

We are very grateful to all our corporate members for their support.

PLATINUM CORPORATE MEMBERS

ABRSM

NMC Recordings

Avid

Birmingham Conservatoire

Bath and North East Somerset Music Hub Leeds College of Music

Park Lane Group

Dartington International Summer School

Rhinegold Publishing

Forwoods – ScoreStore

Drums for Schools

The Royal Central School Of Speech & Drama The Royal Philharmonic Society

Impulse Music Consultants J&A Beare London College of Music Music Mark National Preparatory School Orchestra Oxford University Press Paritor Ltd

Make Music Swindon

Trinity College London

MiSST – The Andrew Lloyd Webber Programme

Victoria College Exams

Musicguard

Yamaha Music Europe

Royal Northern College of Music The RNCM has won the Excellence and Innovation in the Arts title at the Times Higher Education Awards for its off-site project After the Silence: Music in the Shadow of War. Now in their 11th year, the THE Awards are widely recognised as the Oscars of the higher education sector, shining a spotlight on the outstanding achievements of institutions, teams and individuals in the UK higher education sector.

Professor Linda Merrick, RNCM Principal, said: ‘This prestigious award is testament to the important role the

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ALFA Education Ltd Colchester Institute

Luton Music Service

Below: THE Awards – (l-r) Rory Bremner (host), Michelle Castelletti (RNCM Artistic Director), Fiona Stuart (RNCM Learning and Participation Manager), Linda Merrick (RNCM Principal) and Anita Taylor (Chair of Higher Education in Art and Design)

GOLD CORPORATE MEMBERS

Playnote Ltd Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance Wigmore Hall For further information about our different levels of corporate membership and a full list of over 160 corporate members, visit ism.org

College is playing in shaping the art form of the future. It is also a powerful public endorsement of the quality, creativity and impact of our work.’

Taking place in July 2014, After the Silence: Music in the Shadow of War was a three day event at IWM North commemorating the centenary of WW1. Over 300 students took part, performing 85 pieces including 25 world premieres, ranging from intense grittiness and iconic classical works, to morale-boosting jazz and ragtime, transforming the iconic venue into a living installation in which every emotion was exposed and examined. www.rncm.ac.uk/news

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

Right: Sam Sweeney, inaugural Artistic Director of EFDSS’ National Youth Folk Ensemble

Right: The world’s only octave contrabass serpent

final year students of LCM’s BA in Musical Theatre, directed by Head of Performing Arts, David Henson.

Musical Direction was by Noam Galperin, orchestrations by Andy Smith and choreography by Anthony Whiteman.

Dracula followed hard on the heels of two other productions: on 11-14 November students from LCM’s BA English Folk Dance and Acting presented as an ensemble piece Mike Poulton’s adaptation of the Song Society classic Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Fiddle player and BBC Radio 2 Folk Chaucer. This was followed by the Musician of the Year Sam Sweeney has operetta Six Nights in Naples (25-28 been named as the inaugural Artistic November), with music by LCM Musical Director of the English Folk Dance and Theatre lecturer Richard Link and lyrics Song Society’s (EFDSS) new National by his writing partner, Eden Phillips.

Youth Folk Ensemble. uwl.ac.uk/lcmlive.

Sam will work closely with EFDSS to develop the programme in its first year. He will lead on the artistic vision London Philharmonic of the Ensemble, collaborate with Orchestra a team of professional folk artists, The London Philharmonic Orchestra devise content for the residential joins many of London’s greatest courses and co-create repertoire with cultural creative and educational the young musicians by drawing on institutions next year to mark 400 English regional traditions and styles. years since Shakespeare’s death.

Recruitment for the first cohort of At the heart of its season at Royal young musicians to join the Ensemble Festival Hall, the LPO gives seven will begin in spring 2016, with the Shakespeare-themed evening National Youth Folk Ensemble formally concerts, along with numerous talks, starting in October 2016. A series of pre and post-concert performances sampler days will take place across and a range of education events.

England between March and June 2016 Highlights include a gala evening as the first level audition process for of music and readings on the exact joining the Ensemble. anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, curated and directed by Simon Callow (23 April) and a collaboration with London College of Music Globe Education for a new musical LCM’s performance activities reached version of A Midsummer Night’s to the heart of the London music scene Dream for the summer FUNharmonics on 7 October. In Modern Dress was a concert (5 June). ground-breaking collaborative venture featuring staff and students in concert lpo.org.uk/events/shakespeare.html performances where traditional forms of live music-making interacted with cutting-edge technology. Led by LCM’s Professor Simon Zagorski-Thomas and Dr Andrew Bourbon, the performance at London’s Kings Place was attended by a large and enthusiastic audience.

The University of West London hosted performances (2-5 December) of Dracula (The Musical), with book, music and lyrics by LCM Lecturer Alex Loveless (based on the original Bram Stoker novel). Performers were the

Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music is to create the largest virtual collection of historically significant musical instruments in the UK in major partnership with the Royal Academy of Music, the Horniman Museum and Gardens and University of Edinburgh thanks to an award from Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE’s) Catalyst Fund. A partnership with Google will ensure that the

content reaches the widest public through the Google Cultural Institute, which is working with a variety of institutions around the world to make important cultural materials accessible to everyone and to digitally preserve them to educate and inspire future generations.

From the earliest surviving string keyboard instrument in existence (dating from 1480) to the famous ‘Viotti ex-Bruce’ violin, made by Stradivarius in 1709, and from a pair of bone clappers in the form of human hands made in Egypt around 3,500 years ago, to the world’s only octave contrabass serpent, the general public will be able to explore 40,000 individual instruments held in more than 100 musical instrument collections in the UK.

It is expected that MINIM-UK (Musical INstrument Interface for Museums and collections) will be completed by Autumn 2017.

Further information from museum@rcm.ac.uk.

The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and Classic FM The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (NYO) and Classic FM have announced that NYO is to become Classic FM’s Orchestra of Teenagers.

The partnership with Classic FM, the UK’s biggest classical music station with more than 5.5 million listeners Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

each week, underlines NYO’s vital role in national cultural life and will enable a wider audience than ever to engage with its work.

and audience members. This was the biggest expansion in NYO’s 67-year history, and in its first year alone reached 1556 young musicians.

NYO and Classic FM will work together to inspire a new generation of young concert goers and a major focus of the partnership is a £5 ticket scheme for under 25s. Classic FM will promote the offer to its listeners, encouraging more young people to experience NYO’s acclaimed performances.

Through special programmes during the year, Classic FM will also showcase the work of NYO, using its impressive roster of alumni.

For more information and concert tickets, please visit: nyo.org.uk/2016

Pianoforte Tuners Association (PTA)

Code of Conduct and piano owners are encouraged to use tuners/technicians who have the letters MPTA after their name as an assurance of their underlying skills. pianotuner.org.uk

British Voice Association

Following the highly successful and inspiring Rock and Pop day The PTA has just held a very successful in September, the British Voice training day at Steinway Hall with Association is presenting, in January Mario Igrec, author of Pianos Inside and February 2016, two separate but Out. PTA’s Continuing Professional linked half day conferences, exploring Development Days are open to nonthe effects of stress on the voice. members in order to encourage all This is relevant for both the singing piano tuners/technicians to improve and the speaking voice, and the Classic FM has already supported NYO their knowledge and skills. PTA Full problems and possible ways in recruiting the 2015/2016 musicians members will have passed a threeforward will be explored by a clinical by promoting its nationwide auditions part PTA test where a high level of psychologist, a psychotherapist, on-air. This resulted in just under 800 accuracy and stability is required in the a speech language therapist, and applications from outstanding young tuning section; repairs and regulation voice coaches. players, all Grade 8+. The partnership skills are similarly examined, as follows the 2015 launch of NYO Inspire, britishvoiceassociation.org.uk are knowledge of tuning theory, an initiative aimed at giving teenagers repairs, reconditioning and piano of all backgrounds experiences of construction. PTA members abide by a orchestral music both as musicians

PIANOFORTE TUNERS’ ASSOCIATION

Further details and application forms are available from the administrator 1 Speed Highwalk, ,Barbican, , London,, EC2Y 8DX 020 7496 8980

Do you: Need a piano tuner?

Need advice about purchasing a piano?

Want to join the Association?

Want to become a piano tuner?

Visit www.pianotuner.org.uk or contact the Secretary on 0845 602 8796 The Association provides the music profession and general public with a first class professional service in which they trust.

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

LOCAL EVENTS LISTINGS Full listings can be found on our website, ism.org Sunday 24 January

Sunday 14 February

Oxford New Year Pupils’ Concert

West London Valentine Tea Party & Local Group Meeting

4pm, St Nicolas’ Church, Market Place, Abingdon, OX14 3HF Pupils’ concert around grade 5 to grade 8 standard. Any instrument or voice. A good baby grand piano is available. The concert will be followed by refreshments.

Cost: £5 members and concessions, £8 non-members. Performers and accompanists free.

Contact: Carolyn King, carolyn2king@ btinternet.com, 01235 522774

4-6pm, 14 Barlby Road, North Kensington, London, W10 6AR We would like to extend an invitation to West London members to our Annual Meeting and a Valentine’s Day Tea Party, kindly hosted by Betty Roe MBE. Entertainment and light refreshments will be provided.

Contact: Ivor Flint, ivor.flint@virgin.net, 020 8968 9605

Sunday 7 February

Sunday 24 April

South West London Scaling the Leger Lines of my Career

South West Scotland Alexander Technique – workshop/ discussion with Isobel Anderson

2-4pm, New Malden Methodist Church, 49 High Street, New Malden, KT3 4BY An interactive workshop with Marion Friend MBE exploring the possibilities for personal and professional development in music.

The workshop will be an opportunity to meet fellow local musicians, share experiences and discuss work-related issues, reflect on our musical journey and share good practice, and work through some issues that might be impeding our personal and professional development. We’ll be doing a bit of brainstorming about promoting ourselves in this challenging economic climate and sharing tips on CVs, social media, collaborations and marketing.

Advanced registration only, payable on the day: £5 members, £10 non-members Contact by 10 January: Sarah Clevely music.theory@hotmail.co.uk, John Irving johnirvingimr@gmail.com

2.30pm, 12 Hamilton Park Avenue, Kelvinbridge, Glasgow G12 8DU Isobel is a piano teacher at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She is an Alexander Technique specialist and works with instrumentalists and singers, musicians and non-musicians.

Alexander Technique is a form of mind/body re-education resulting in greater health and wellbeing. This method has been found helpful for relieving back pain, systemic problems, breathing disorders and stress, also for improving co-ordination, stamina, and posture. Please join us for what is certain to be a very interesting afternoon.

Cost: £8 members and students, £10 guests Contact: Emma E Sinclair, emmaesinclair@ googlemail.com, 07799100867

ISM Lea Valley has been busy with events, including the Advanced Pupils’ Concert, where students performed a wide variety of repertoire. The pianists played music from Scarlatti and Bach to Poulenc and Schmidt, and the singers performed some classical songs mixed with musicals such as Cats and Phantom of the Opera.

A Social Musical Afternoon was also held, where new and old songs were performed, followed by refreshments.

To see all of our event reports in full, please go to the local group section in the members’ area of the website at ism.org

ISM meeting room We have a fantastic meeting room available for hire at our home at 4–5 Inverness Mews, London W2 3JQ. Members can hire the space at the special members’ rate of £100 for a half day or £190 for the full day. Included in your hire rate is free use of tea and coffee, internet facilities and flat screen TV. The room takes up to 16 people board room style, with 25 theatre style.

For further details and bookings, please contact Stephanie Collier at roombooking@ism.org or 020 7313 9321.

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

Ask me a question Sandy Holland

Music educator, performance examiner, writer, co-director of E-MusicMaestro

Tell us a little about yourself.

I have a varied career as a musician, with teaching at the heart of it. A Nottingham University Master’s graduate, I first began teaching classroom music to children ranging from seven to eighteen years old and, at that time, I enjoyed conducting choirs and staging concerts and musicals.

I had lots of fun teaching in the classroom but, eventually, I decided to focus on what I loved best ‒ piano teaching. I have taught piano in state schools, public schools, a military sixth form college, a college of further education and two universities.

I began A level performance examining for OCR in 1999 and, a few years later, became a lecturer in music education at Edge Hill University and at the University of Cumbria.

I have been a grade and diploma examiner for Trinity College London and I now examine for ABRSM.

Since 2010 I have been co-director, with Peter Noke, of E-MusicMaestro, the online music education company. I write or edit much of the textual content, as well as contributing to the musical development resources and overseeing the promotion and communication aspects of the business, while Peter is predominantly the recording artist, sound engineer and video producer.

Who or what has most influenced your career?

Childhood experiences were the major influence on my eventual choice of career and the support of both my parents was crucial. My mother unwaveringly supported every concert, festival and exam I did and prioritised my piano lessons in a relatively slim family budget. My father was an amateur pianist who taught me my first piece, which I can still remember.

Who is your all-time favourite artist and why?

My first and most enduring hero was Vladimir Ashkenazy, from whom I acquired a love of Chopin’s music, and it was thrilling to hear him perform live years ago. These days it depends on what I’m listening to, for example I admire Pletvnev for Scarlatti, Barenboim for Beethoven, Martha Argarich for virtually everything and Mompou’s recordings of his own piano works are the best I have heard.

What was the last CD/ download that you purchased?

I bought a CD by Cuban jazz pianist, Alberto Rodriguez, having heard him play a stunningly good set at the 2015 Marciac Jazz Festival in France. He’s a very talented, exciting performer and the discerning audience at Marciac gave him a The next major influence was my childhood standing ovation. piano teacher, Ethel Hatfield, an eccentric What are your plans for the future? musician who bounced around the room I intend to carry on teaching piano and with the greatest enthusiasm for the developing E-MusicMaestro resources. simplest of pieces. She had been taught I’m delighted with the huge popularity of

by Nellie Houseley, the great John Ogdon’s Aural Test Training and, on the strength of first teacher. There was a strong music it, we have just developed a brand new festival tradition in the local area so I was website, with exciting plans for helping introduced to competitive performing at and supporting music students, teachers an early age and later I entered my own and parents. I’m currently part way through students and choirs in the same festivals. composing hundreds of little pieces for our My family and I held adjudicators and innovative piano sight reading resource examiners in awe, in a way that does not and I’ll also be adding to my new Maestro really happen these days! the Music Dog materials to encourage and inspire children to improvise.

What would you say is your greatest achievement to date?

What is your ISM membership to you?

I think it is my contribution to the lives The ISM has been a great support to me of aspiring musicians, through teaching, throughout my career, providing invaluable examining, published academic articles advice during a major dispute with an and E-MusicMaestro resources. I have employer, favourably influencing the enabled many of my pupils to fulfil their outcome. Membership of the ISM helps me dreams of studying music at major music to keep up to date with important news colleges and universities, eventually and gives me a feeling of belonging to becoming professional musicians the wider, music profession community. themselves. Sometimes former students get in touch and say lovely things to me www.e-musicmaestro.com about the time when I was their teacher.

Do you teach pupils with dyslexia?

Do you specialise in teaching children and adults with dyslexia, other Specific Learning Difficulties or any other Special Educational Needs? We’re working with the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) to identify members who have this specialism and are happy for this to be listed on the ISM’s online Music Directory. Please let us know by emailing louise.goodwin@ism.org.

For more information about the BDA visit bdadyslexia.org.uk or email bdamusicdyslexia@gmail.com.

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Sound-isolating practice rooms

EDUCATION > HOME > RECORDING

Having enough space to practise is often an issue in music departments; our modular, relocatable Music Practice Rooms provide an excellent solution to this problem.

Each module offers an individual space for solo or ensemble practice, whilst providing an effective acoustic barrier to avoid disturbing other classrooms.

Head of Music at Lancaster and Morecambe College, Pete French, was delighted with the new sound-isolating practice rooms installed by Black Cat Music: “The facility used to be a lecture theatre. It was just one space we could use; now we’ve got three spaces. The modules are being used every day with all three year groups time tabled in, so they are getting maximum use.”

The rooms, from MusicPracticeRooms.com, use a prefabricated panel design that is affordable, easy to install and allows rooms to be custom configured to suit available space. “We are very happy having them here,” continued Pete French.

“The music practice rooms have changed the whole nature of the course, because they are so sound-proofed. The students love them and yes, they work very effectively.”

To watch the video of this interview scan here or go to youtube.com/musicpracticerooms Pete French - Head of Music, Lancaster and Morecambe College

Brought to you by

“The Music Practice Rooms have changed the whole nature of the course, because they are so sound-proofed.

The students love them and yes, they work very effectively.”

Get in touch

Telephone: 0844 846 9740 www.musicpracticerooms.com

YOU’RE FREE TO TEACH WHAT YOU WANT ANY OLD TIME Did you know, with a Schools Printed Music Licence, you can: ■

Make as many copies of your printed sheet music as you need

■

Make any instrumental rearrangements you want

All without seeking any other permission – leaving you free to concentrate on teaching and playing music.

For more information, visit schools.cla.co.uk/printedmusic

CLA are at Music Expo 2016 Visit us at Stand C17 and ask about our free drinks reception

CLA IS THE SOLE AGENT FOR PMLL WHO ARE OWNED BY THE MUSIC PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION