A First For Everything

(This entry was started two weeks ago, so some information may already be known in previous entries)

It’s been a while, again, since I last updated my blog. Since Western band camp things have been quite busy in the world of music for myself, and for other people I am currently working with. With the free moment that I do have, I decided I would recap what has occurred and also reveal what plans I have in mind.
I decided to call this entry “A First For Everything” because there have been several things happening that have been a first in different areas of music. This period of time has been quite exciting, and I am looking forward to see how things do pan out.

AMEB Examinations

The AMEB examinations commenced late last month for the North Coast series. While my Coffs Harbour and Bellingen candidates are still putting on the finalisations for their preparations, my candidates from the Clarence Valley Con in Grafton were the first students to complete their exams. There were four candidates all sitting clarinet exams ranging from first through to third grade. Before my candidates took their exams, the examiner had not awarded any As to students the whole day. With all the students completing 12 month preparations, I was confident all of them would walk out with at least a B. The end results were two As and two Bs from my candidates. It was the first time I had a student awarded an A for an AMEB exam, despite it being only my second year of entering candidates. All of the students were thoroughly pleased with their results, and the confidence in all of their playing has skyrocketed as questions were immediately asked for their next collection of works for 2010. While new repertoire is being sorted out, all of the students continue to take part in the Clarence Valley Con Clarinet Choir.

Composition Corner

For the first time since November 2005, I have finally finished composing a work. Surprisingly it is not one of my works I have been writing for the last few years, but one that was part of a request by a fellow regional band camp tutor and conservatorium student. The work is “Poco Fantasie – for Flutes and Marimba”, a piece that goes for about three minutes demonstrating the ability of the marimba performer and how the instrument sounds along with the tone and range of the flute family as a flautist performs on C flute, but then changes to alto flute towards the end. Originally the request was for a 3-4 minute work using marimba and flute, but after completing this short work I am planning on revisiting it at some point to turn it into a small suite.

UPDATE: Commenced working on a second movement, shifting up from the E tonal centre to F. A lot more jazz harmonies are being encountered in this at the moment. Feature section will be when the flute is in the 3/4 and the marimba in 12/16. Yes, I do realise they are virtually the same key signature but rhythmically the parts are going to be very different.

A second composition is currently in the works and nearing completion as well. “Conglomerate” is the title of the work, a piece for clarinet, bass clarinet and piano. I’ve already started showing the piece to a couple of clarinettists from Newcastle Con, and the feedback has been very positive. I am hoping this piece will be performed before the end of the year at some point (in some location).

UPDATE: The work is essentially complete now. There have been a couple of suggestions from some comrades in terms of modifying sections, and those suggestions have worked very nicely. Articulation and dynamic markings need to be addressed, as well as some proofreading to make sure fingerings and technique are feasible, but this piece is pretty much finished.

Music Performance in Shakespeare

We’ve had a local production of the Shakespeare work “Hamlet”, thanks to the CHATS team. I was rather fortunate to see the show on opening night, and the local team did not disappoint. The services of Beckley Vincent in the lead role were tremendous, delivering a performance of poise and with intensity exhibiting the strong restlessness and hunger of his character.

Why would I mention a drama production in my blog? One of my students, that I normally teach clarinet, was asked if she could play recorder in the production. This was about three months before the first show. The first month or so we did a quick crash course on the recorder, then I brought out the piece of music that I deemed to be periodically suitable. To my student’s disappointment, it was not the theme from the TV series “Spiderman”. Instead it was an old traditional called “It’s A Rosebud in June”, condensed to 24 bars. It was until there was about a month before the first show my student really bit the bullet and learnt the whole piece. After showing she could play it from memory, the director asked if she could play just the first eight bars. I was informed that at every performance she never missed a note or beat. Well done!

-----

BIG UPDATE!!!

To complete this entry, even though this isn’t a first, I would like to pass on my congratulations to Adam Herd who won the Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition at the QPAC in Brisbane. This would actually be a first in winning this particular competition for himself, so I guess we can throw it into this category :-P.

Adam is a pianist, who was also a saxophonist, from Coffs Harbour but moved to Queensland for further studies some years ago (sorry, Adam, I can’t remember when you commenced your studies! :-( ). There were very few times where we competed against each other. The last time we did was in 2001 as part of a concerto competition on the coast, and even then it wasn’t a competition but more-or-less an audition (that everyone present passed).

Recently Adam gave a performance in Coffs Harbour, which I unfortunately could not make due to work commitments in Grafton, and it left people raving about the tremendous talent and how far he has come. I do sincerely hope Adam does grace the stage of Coffs Harbour some time again in the future.

If Adam reads this, I found something quite interesting at the piano workshop this week (of course, being Reuben’s). Back in 1993, Reuben Fox composed a piece of music for you. He left a copy lying around on a piano at the workshop. Do you remember this piece, and the title of it? (HINT: It was quite “colourful”).

Until next time, happy musicking!