The Music People

♪ MUSICAL TERM OF THE WEEK

2009-06-03T13:48:00.005+08:00

Veloce: Rapid, fast.
Word origin: Italian
Pronunciation: 'veh-loh-cheh'.

COMPOSER OF THE WEEK

2009-06-03T13:28:00.005+08:00

Bach, Johann Sebastian

BORN: March 21, 1685 - Eisenach, Germany
DIED: July 28, 1750 - Leipzig, Germany
HISTORICAL PERIOD: Baroque
COMPOSITIONAL MEDIA: Orchestra, chamber, music, keyboard and choral.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: One of the most important and influential composers in the history of music who mastered the composition of contrapuntal music. Some notable works include the sacred cantatas. St. Matthew and St. John's Passions, the B-Minor Mass, as well as keyboard works including the Well Tempered Clavier and two-and three-part inventions.

*Students in grades six, seven and eight are to check words in bold from the music dictionary.

J.S BACH, 1685-1750, BAROQUE.

PRACTISING

2009-05-31T18:34:00.002+08:00

Dear students, practical examination is around the corner and I hope these top tips finds you well. Do make good use of this june holiday to have quality and intensive practice.

Practising:
1. Practise regularly.
2. Plan your practice session before you begin it.
3. Tackle short sections at a time.
4. Work at the bits you can't play, not the bits you can.
5. Practise slowly at first, only speed up when you're 'note perfect'.
6. Later, practise your pieces right through and keep going even if you make a mistake.
7. Concentrate and ignore any distractions.
8. Try to include warms-ups, scales, arpeggios, and sight-reading each time you practise.
9. Practise performing your pieces to family and friends, they will be impressed.
10. Enjoy it! Every second spent practising makes you a better player.

Love,
Teacher Julia

"If I don't practise one day, I know it; two days, the critics know it; three days, the public knows it." Jascha Heifetz (1901-87)

Video on our Middle Eastern Drumming Workshop

2009-04-09T01:32:00.003+08:00

The smiles on everybody's faces show how enjoyable the workshop were! Let us look forward to the next drumming workshop!

Middle Eastern Drumming Workshop with Mr Amit Gilboa 26th Nov 2008

2009-02-07T15:06:00.022+08:00

Dear parents and students,

Hope the weekend has been great and students are catching up on practices. I have finally uploaded all the pictures from our workshop. It took me an entire day to upload the pictures but the time spent is worthwhile as I think you all look brilliant in it! We all had lots of fun and laughters and of course, a fantastic and addictive drumming time! Let us all look forward to the upcoming one! Proposed period should be during the one week march or june holidays. Do feel free to give suggestions and feedbacks! I'll be uploading the video soon! : )

With lots of love,
Teacher Julia (for most) /Miss Sim (for some)/ Aunty Julia (for two)

Middle Eastern Drumming Workshop

2008-11-17T23:25:00.007+08:00

Dear parents, students and drum enthusiasts,
Kindly note the final details of the upcoming school holiday workshop.

Title: Middle Eastern Drumming Workshop

Date: Wed, 26th Nov 2008

Time: 10am-5pm (lunch provided)

Venue: Talent House Studio, No. 9 Perak Rd, S208130.

*Mrt - Little India Station (Exit C)

*Bus services -
Along Sungei Road (outside Tekka Mall): 48, 56, 57, 131, 166, 170, 640, 851, 960, 980.

Along Rochor Canal Road (outside Sim Lim SQ): 23, 48, 57, 66, 67, 170, 851, 960, 980.

Along Jalan Besar Road (outside Sim Lim Tower): 64, 65, 130, 139, 147, 857.

Coordinator: Julia Sim (h/p: 9229-2946)

Instructor: Amit Gilboa

Assistants: Julia Sim, Serena Tan and Mandy Lim

Fee: $60/participant
(payment can be made in cash, cheque or ATM transfer to POSB savings 109-45400-1, all directly to Julia Sim by tuesday, 25th Nov 08).

Attire: T-shirts and Jeans.

* A certificate of participation will be presented at the end of the workshop.

Thank you and please contact me at 9229-2946 for more details.

Best regards,
Teacher Julia

Concerts that might interest some. (click on poster for a larger view)

2008-10-22T21:20:00.003+08:00

Love,
Teacher Julia

MAKING THE GRADE

2008-09-10T22:51:00.007+08:00

ON THE DAY...
If you have worked carefully and methodically in the weeks preceding the exam, if you have thoroughly learnt your pieces, mastered your scales and arpeggios, and have your sight-reading and aural well prepared, you should be feeling both confident and ready to make a good impression on the examiner!

Make sure that you've had a good night's sleep. Dress neatly and comfortably, and check that you have your music before leaving home. Ensure that your hands are clean and nails well-trimmed. Arrive at least 10 minutes before the exam. Don't hurry, but try to relax, you'll feel much happier.

NERVES...
Whether you like it or not, nerves and exam go together. Don't worry about being nervous - without nerves you wouldn't feel the necessary excitement and sense of occasion, and they actually help produce the extra energy you need.

You can learn to control them, though. If you're particularly nervous, sit quietly for a few minutes taking slow, deep breaths, breathing out slowly through the mouth. This will help to slow down your heartbeat and help you to feel more relaxed. If your hands or arms are shaking, drop them by your sides and try to feel their weight in your fingertips. In the exam room, alteration to the height of the piano stool may help to calm you. Remember also, that examiners are human! Just concentrate your mind on doing your best and enjoy your playing.

IN THE WAITING AREA...
Keep your fingers warm and flexible. Cold fingers just won't work properly!

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH...
Try to remain relaxed. Enter and leave the exam room witout hurrying. A smile would often help! : ) Be sure to know the titles and composers of your pieces; the examiner will probably asked you what you're going to play at the beginning of the exam.

Before you begin, sit still for a moment and think about the character of the music you are about to play. It will help you to concentrate, calm your nerves, and help to make the opening of the piece confident and musical.

Don't show any signs of annoyance if you make a mistake, just continue playing as if nothing had happened. Never comment verbally on errors (even a 'tut' should be avoided!). Remain absolutely still for a few moments after each piece. Remember that you are performing and that a performance begins before the piece and ends after it is finished. This will add to the overall impression.

THE RESULT...
If you were well prepared and you played musically and confidently, with scales, aural, and sight-reading all going without major mishaps, then you should pass, and pass well. Occasionally things just don't go so well for one reason or another. If you should fail and you feel you were prepared, then you must put it behind you and get on with your playing, it doesn't actually matter that much. Whether you take that grade again or begin to move on to the next is a matter for you to discuss with me, but whatever you do, try not to let it upset you unduly. Let us give our warmest wishes to the last batch of candidates who will be sitting for exam this friday; Samantha, Amanda, Amirah, Marcus, Teddy, Jia Yu, BEST OF LUCK!!!

Love, (though not always...)
Teacher Julia

2008-08-31T16:40:00.003+08:00

I chance upon this video on youtube, and would like to share it with everyone here.
This little girl is absolutely amazing.

Enjoy people :)

Love
Pamela

Year-End Concert

2008-08-06T15:24:00.002+08:00

Dear Chelsea, Lynn, Yong Sheng, Celine, Serena, and some to be confirmed, these are the samples for 'One Way Ticket' and 'Sealed with a Kiss'. Please make do with the videos while I search for the recordings.

Love,
T.J

Pamela in conducting and saxophone. 28th June 2008. Nanyang Girls Sch.

2008-07-14T12:25:00.006+08:00

Love,

Ms Sim

Belinda in Angklung Concert, 17th June 2008, RGS.

2008-07-14T12:00:00.005+08:00

Love,

Ms Sim

2008-07-04T09:09:00.000+08:00

2008-07-04T09:07:00.000+08:00

Concerts that might interest some.

2008-06-26T11:48:00.002+08:00

STRINGS OF LOVE

Teacher Julia

Concerts that might interest some.

2008-06-26T11:41:00.003+08:00

MESSIAEN AND THE FRENCH CONNECTION

Teacher Julia

African Drumming Workshop for Beginners

2008-06-22T22:28:00.003+08:00

Have fun with this,

Click on the flyer for a larger image.

Teacher Julia

2008-06-19T23:01:00.001+08:00

PEOPLE! SCALES ARE STILL NEGLECTED AT THIS STAGE!!! WATCH OUT! U ALL KNOW HOW DEVILISH I CAN BE...

worried teacher julia...

2008-06-19T21:16:00.002+08:00

Heyy

I'm Belinda ;)

Can ppl whose names are under the " profile" add in links to ur own blog?

Hee.. so that we can know more abt u by visiting ur blog? :D

Otherwise, you can also tag ur URL in the tagboard, and i can help u add it in (:

Thx! Gd luck for the practical exams ;)

Belinda

2008-06-18T23:34:00.002+08:00

Great thanks to Belinda and Amirah for helping me with the creation of this lovely blog today! Although I do find the blogskin a little too girlie and pinkish.. hah. This is everyone's blog and I hope we can post music updates, information, news, notices and announcements that we can share! Feel free to post invites of your school's concerts (band, drama, dance etc... ). Have fun, and let's harmonize life with music because we are the music people!

p.s: blog's title was suggested by Samantha and username by Celine. Our two lovely darlings!

Julia Sim

Reminder

2008-06-18T18:57:00.001+08:00

Dear students & parents,

I will be away from friday 20/6/08 to sunday 22/6/08. Please do not be alarm if I am completely unreachable. Do leave smses and I will check on them when I return on sunday evening. In the meantime, make sure you have serious and intensive practice as practical exam is approaching near.

Julia Sim