A few changes

My sincere apologies!  It has been almost two months since I have posted anything.

The reason, I think is quite an exciting one.

Friday 21 November, on a rainy Friday afternoon, I got married! :)  Happy day surrounded by wonderful people.

I guess you will all be wondering what the music component was - well...my very good friend Hemi played solo guitar for the processional (a surprise to my husband the exact song choice), our dear friends from Opoho church who form part of the music group played a selection of hymns before the ceremony, Mozart Piano concert 21 second movement with piano and flute for signing the register, and we walked out to "Let's Go Fly a Kite" from Mary Poppins.  The song after the recessional was a favourite of mine - Feeling Good with Helen Bevin doing the most fantastic viola solo.

Our first dance was to Sinatra singing "Always".

No string quartet, no bridal march, no Pachelbel's Canon - all lovely at weddings, but as we have played them so many times in our own string quartets, it was lovely to do something different.

We had two wonderful photographers capturing the day and they have sent through a photo we can share online.  If you choose to send this on, please do not crop in any way.

After two weeks off teaching (a week to prepare and a week to recover) it is now the final weeks of teaching for the year!

More events

What a fantastic end of term we had.  Rather tiring with so much going on, but also very happy to be a part of some fantastic music making.

Half way through the school holiday break, and there is no sign of things slowing down yet.

Tomorrow, 5 October at the Sargood Centre at 3pm the Cellists of Otago present their concert: Voices of Peace with special guests Stephen Diaz (counter tenor) and Nick Cornish (oboe and saxophone).  It's not every day you get to hear 14 cellos!

Arts Festival Dunedin is about to launch, with some rare gems on display 10-19 October.  http://www.artsfestivaldunedin.co.nz/ for more information.

The Royal NZ Ballet returns to Dunedin for Christmas Carol in November accompanied by the Southern Sinfonia.  Dickens' fantastic tale of Christmas past, present and future set to wonderful music from a live orchestra.  How many traditional carols can you identify?  http://www.rnzb.org.nz/shows-and-events/the-vodafone-season-of-a-christmas-carol/about/

University students are starting to bury their heads in textbooks, senior secondary school students are thinking about the approaching external exams too.  The weather oscillates between beautiful spring/summer days to the forecast of snow and chilling southerly winds that accompany them.   However, there is also that sense of optimism in the air.  Days are longer with daylight savings, birds are singing again.  There is hope, there is joy and life is pretty good!

Upcoming concerts

Some fantastic concerts coming up!

Thursday 25 September

Southern Sinfonia Academy 

6:30pm George St Normal School

FREE!

Strings and wind students Grade 3-6

Music by Bartok, Mozart, Manookian, Ed Sheeran and Howard Shore

Thursday 25 September

Dunedin Youth Orchestra

7:30pm Knox Church

Entry is by cash door sale only; $15 adults / $10 students and seniors / $5 high school students / children FREE 

Music by Verdi, Beethoven, Stevenson, Sam van Betuw and more

Friday, October 3

Karla Norton Masters Recital

7:00pm Marama Hall - University of Otago

Karla is the recipient of the Southern Sinfonia Scholarship 2014

Music by - Stravinsky, Psathas and Beethoven

Hope to see you there!

Spring has Sprung and there's a buzz in the air...

The sun shines, the birds and bees are busy and spirits are starting to lift again.  There's that sense in the air that there are things to do.

This week I am helping Columba College with their production of Wizard of Oz.  Back in the orchestra pit and back playing violin.  I have discovered that I'm completely fine within the staff, however ledger lines are challenging as I prefer to read the notes in the alto clef.  Hmmm...I think this means I am a fully-fledged viola player.

Next week, 20 September is the Southern Sinfonia's final subscription concert of the year.  Brahms violin concerto with soloist Martin Risely and under the baton of Hamish McKeich.  Final piece in the programme is Rachmaninov Symphony #2.  It's a huge programme...but what a finish!

On top of that pupils are preparing to play in the Saturday Morning Music Classes Demonstration Concert in the Town Hall 21 September, and I have a string quartet that day - phew!!

Southern Sinfonia Academy's final concert of the year is Thursday 25 September at George St Normal School...and then I think the collapse in a heap for the first weekend of the school holidays may be on the cards!

It's been a busy term (hence the lack of posts) but lots happening, and lots more to look forward to.

Watch this space for Term 4 goodies :)

Take a breath...

My apologies for taking so long to write again.  It's been a busy couple of months with performances and I'm just starting to catch my breath again.

School holidays are about to end, which means that we now look forward to a brighter, lighter term.  Lighter as the days get longer, but maybe not so much lighter on the playing and practising side.

The Sinfonia had a wonderful concert with Karin Schaupp playing the beautiful Rodrigo Guitar Concerto.  If I wasn't full of a head cold, it would have been even better!  Sometimes it's wonderful to be a string player, where blocked sinuses and a hacking cough don't get in the way from playing in concerts.  With a box of tissues (duct taped on three sides to blend in to the stage thanks to our Production Manager, Wether's Originals in the box so as to not make a noise with wrappers (and be a little more discreet) and a water bottle - we got through.  By the time it came to the performances, the worst was over - but there is always that horrible feeling that you will spoil the moment with a splutter or sniff.

The Sinfonia Academy also pulled off a successful concert at the end of the school term.  I really enjoy these evenings as the students demonstrate their ensemble skills to invited guests.  This term was shorter, with only 7 weeks (two of which I had Sinfonia) and in that time they managed to present a range of pieces from Celtic Roots - a jig and reel, to some von Weber, Haydn and to finish a little Pomp & Circumstance.  This forthcoming term we have a few weeks longer, so am looking forward to what can be pulled together with a greater time frame.

Other events this term includes the Columba College production of Wizard of Oz.  For this I am playing violin again as a pupil will play viola.  Smaller orchestra required.  Should be great fun!  I enjoy playing in musicals.  The music is just as demanding as a full orchestra concert.  I think my favourite is still Les Miserables.

Just to end the term emotionally exhausted, but musically fulfilled, the Southern Sinfonia's third International concert features Brahms violin concerto and the mighty Rachmaninov Symphony No 2.  Definitely a concert not to miss!

Well, more bowing to put in a violin part, some orchestra arrangements to complete and a few preparations for the forthcoming term.

Happy practising!

Performance season

As the leaves turn and the nights get cooler, every musician starts to realise their performance diary is rather full!

In the summer, aside from a few weddings, there is little happening.  However as Autumn is upon us, daylight savings has been and gone, the clocks have been moved back, we start to make ourselves more and more familiar with the practice room.

Thankfully, it's not all about solitude.  In the winter months we have many opportunities to collaborate with other players, be it chamber music, orchestra or playing for ballets and shows.

This school term is a glut of performances from Rockquest and Big Sing, through to Chamber Music Contest and later on, the secondary school music festival.

I have had a look through to the end of the month, and there is a performance every week!

This week the Royal New Zealand Ballet is in town for Coppelia.  This is the first ballet I remember.  I seem to recall most of my time looking in the orchestra pit, rather than the stage.  I think my mother knew then, that music would take precedence over dancing (however I can still skip with pointed toes...graceful!).

Church Fair on Saturday 10 May at Opoho Church will be fun!  A few of my pupils and I will do some busking, and hopefully pick up something yummy too!

Cellists of Otago have their concert in the Sargood Centre on Sunday 18 May.  I'm helping with a tango (on viola...not up to scratch with my cello playing).

The following week is a little reprieve, except a sectional for the Southen Sinfonia's International 2 concert with Bella Hristova in the Town Hall playing Bach/Stokowski Toccata and Fugue, Anthony Ritchie's violin concerto written for Bella and finishing with Sibelius Symphony No 1.  Should be a great concert.

So, with that in mind, I should take myself back to the practice room for an hour or two, before a string quartet engagement tonight.

Life of a musician - busy, but so much fun!

Pupil connections

I had a lovely afternoon today catching up with a former pupil.

Even though I last taught Haylee in 2006, we have maintained contact.  In 2007 I moved from Timaru to Auckland for further study.  That year I had the pleasure of a visit from Haylee, her mother and brother while staying in my 36 square metre apartment, several letters and drawings, and caught up with the family when I returned to visit family in September.

During that year of study, I got a job working for the Education Department of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra,  My first project was to run the Lion Foundation Orchestral Summer School.  In 2011 Haylee and Louisa (another former pupil) came up to Auckland to be participants.

In 2011 I moved the Blenheim, and my fledgling pupils in a Christmas concert needed a spark of inspiration and a boost of enthusiasm.  Haylee arrived by bus just after her last exam to help us out.  Not only did she help out the beginners, but the teenagers who formed a band for the Tempo concerts, also had Haylee's assistance to play with them, which naturally resulted in pizza and movies later that week.

Late last year (2013) I received a text saying that Haylee was coming to Dunedin for an interview to go to the College of Education.  Could we catch up for lunch?  Absolutely!  Lunch turned in to shopping, and a very tempting offer to cancel teaching for the afternoon to keep shopping.

Today it was a hot chocolate at Nectar Cafe in the pouring rain.  I picked Haylee up from her hostel accommodation and after driving around several blocks, we found a parking space.

Nectar in Dunedin make a hot chocolate with a Whittaker's Sante bar (bar of chocolate) to stir in to it...and marshmallows!! We only had an hour...not enough time, so a trip to the party/$2 shop which led to a trip to The Warehouse and then off to my favourite marshmallow store, before back to my place to show her the new setup.

What I thought would possible be an hour or so, very easily turned in to three.  We talked about playing, gigs, fiddling, how University is going, flatmates, family, food and I even got to hear some One Direction.  Even though I am twice Haylee's age, and we don't see each other very often, there is never a problem or hesitancy with communication.  I find this with a number of my pupils over the years.

I remember in teacher training being told that after parents and possibly Grandparents, the music teacher has the most number of contact hours with a child - even before a school teacher.  We see them for half an hour for 40 weeks a year, and sometimes more if there is concert preparation, performances, camps and workshops, social gatherings like pizza and games nights, and if you as a teacher become friends with the family like I did with Haylee and others.

The Suzuki parent-teacher-student triangle keeps strengthening and developing as the years progress.  Now it is not so much as developing the violin technique, but developing the person through friendship as Dr Suzuki was so keen to do.

“Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.” Dr Shinichi Suzuki

Back to School

Just as the sun makes a regular appearance, it;s back to school we go!

Gone are the days of sleeping in, eating when we like, staying up late, playing with friends, holidays with family, and cruising through the day.  Now we have deadlines, routines, structure to navigate our way through the numerous activities and events that make up our lives.

This takes some getting used to!

I always look forward to the new year.  The anticipation of possibility in the year, that feeling of newness with new stationary, new classes with new people.



At the same time, it is unsettling and takes some adjustment.  There will be grumpy faces, additional naps required, some jollying along, and that's just the parents!  While everyone is hoping to settle in to the routine as quickly as possible, aim for week 3 rather than week 1.

If you haven't touched the violin for the holidays, son't expect everything to come flooding back easily.  This is the perfect time to put on the CD before you head in to the practice room.  Make sure you keep them short to begin with, and be as positive as possible.

Suzuki is a big advocate of the one point lesson.  We definitely need to start with one point practice!  Lots to choose from including:

• bent thumb
• bent pinky 
• bow hold
• mouse hole
• feet in play position
• violin on shoulder
• strong tone
• Kreisler Highway

Incentives/rewards may be required.  Practice charts are good (find some on my links page), 5 practices in a week and they get to choose dinner on Friday night (with limited options provided) or hire a DVD for the following weekend, have a friend over or go to the park.  These are all positive rewards that can quickly establish the practice routine.

If you do have questions about establishing the routine, please talk to your teacher or other parents.  While some things work for you, they may not work for someone else, so be patient.  Enjoy the process!!

Happy New Year!

What will 2014 bring?

Each new year starts with high hopes and optimism.  A chance to think ahead, to set some goals and begin fresh.

For us here in the southern hemisphere, the new year is also our summer break.  Currently there are pupils away at Summer Camp developing their skills and creating valuable social networks of like-minded friends.

Me, I'm looking at relocating the teaching studio.  For the past two years I have been travelling to pupils' houses to teach them.  This has been fun!  I have seen a lot of the city and got to know the families of my pupils too.

With a new year comes new pupils and it's now getting to the point where I am spending too much time on the road.  Time that could be better spent in one place.

So the hunt is on!  Watch this space....