Will Hay

Category: E-Newsletter

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  • Flashcards – Create your own learning resources

    Since the start of term I have been using a variety of flashcards intensively with my students to improve note recognition in sight reading . It has proved to be popular with my students as they can compete to see who can accurately read and play the notes in a shortest space of time. Some of them have even made their own set of flashcards so that they can practise using them outside lessons and get ahead of the competition. Filipa was keen to show me the cards she had made at home and having worked with them at home she was able to shave 5 seconds from her reading time the following week!

    If you don’t fancy making your own flashcards, there are a number of different sets available. I have reviewed their relative merits.

     Jane Bastien Flashcards – These are the cheapest and probably the best value flashcards on offer. They cover a wide range of notes including ledger lines as well as intervals and key signatures but no notes with sharps or flats.

    Chester’s Flashcards – Whilst these are the most expensive, they are also larger in size than the others and laminated, making them easier to handle, quicker to flash and more durable. They don’t offer key signatures or notes on ledger lines however.

    Hal Leonard Flashcards – Though cheaper than Chester’s Flashcards, Hal Leonard offers a similar size and quality of card to the Jane Bastien set but also offers cards with per defined rhythms which can be useful for composition activities. The types of card in this set are also colour-coded, however key signatures are not included in this set.

     

     

     

     

  • Autumn Leaves Composition Project

    Over the next half term I am running a composition project in which all my students are entitled to take part.

    The composition entitled “Autumn Leaves” must fit with the video and could take the form of a backing track or a song. There is a score of the appropriate length already set up on my noteflight studio with the associated video.

    The composition does not necessarily have to be realised in notational form within noteflight however it must be able to be performed in synchronisation with the video.

    It must be in ternary form, having two contrasting themes (prompted on the video template by the Autumn Leaf and the three trees).

    It must be completed and submitted by December 1st. The winning composition(s) will be shown/performed at the next concert on Saturday 3rd December, 11am at All Saint’s Church, Hoole.

    An example score with synchronised video by A. Student is shown below:

  • Three years later – Making Progress

    One of the joys of being a piano teacher is being able to appreciate the progress your students have made from the effort they have put in to their studies. I would like to share some of the progress that three students have made since they were last featured on my blog three years ago.

    In the early podcast episode, Louise, Sophie and Ruth played their favourite pieces from the ABRSM Prep Test syllabus. Three years down the line they have kindly agreed to share their favourite Grade 3 pieces in the video clip. As Ruth points out in the video, it is only by setting yourself challenges and striving towards your goals that you are able to achieve them.

  • Summer Newsletter 2011

    Now that the summer term has wound down, it’s a good chance to review some of the activities which have taken place. I was pleased to receive a great set of exam results last week which included six merits and a distinction. “Share one, comment two” week  has increased active participation on the Noteflight Studio. Why not take the opportunity to do some composing over the summer holidays? I am planning to have another composition competition in the Autumn Term, so watch this space for details!

    The TWO concerts this term were well attended and offered a wide variety of performances from piano solos and duets to ensembles and choirs. One of my piano students was even brave enough to sing a solo. We welcomed the Chester Music Society Youth Choir and Preludes at “Ludus Cantiones” with their conductors Helena Thomas and Katie Wilkes. Proceeds from ticket sales raised another £200 towards Betina’s Bursary fund. Unfortunately, Betina wasn’t able to take her Grade 1 exam this session but hopes to continue her violin studies in September and maybe take it next time. Feedback would still be welcome on the “Ludus Cantiones” concert held on 25th June.

    [powerpress feed=”vodcast”]

    Have a great summer and don’t forget to keep practising.

     

  • “Share one, Comment two” week

    Noteflight Studio

    Now that the pressure of exams is relaxing for many students I am encouraging everybody to explore composing more. The Noteflight Studio is such a powerful tool and I would ask all my students to share at least one of their compositions (enabling commenting) even if it is still a work in progress.

    Browsing the scores which other students have shared is a good way to get ideas of what might be possible in your own compositions. Try to add useful comments as this aids your own critical thinking as well as helping the person whose score you have just viewed, even if it’s only just “dropping by” and telling them that you enjoyed listening to it.

    The new features in version 2.5 including MIDI input and video/audio sync really add value to the resource. See the example below from the last concert.

    Tickertape