Remeber remember...

PRACTICE LESSON NOTEBOOKS

If I don't remember to write things down they get forgotten. This is why, many long years ago when I was teaching woodwind to a wonderful bunch of little girls, it seemed like a good idea to make notebooks for them.

The books were small, and fitted into most instrument cases, so didn't get forgotten.

For each lesson they have a space for
Scales
Studies
Pieces
Special points to remember

They acted as a reminder to the teacher to fill them in
and to check the following week that the work had been done.

Some of them are now out of print, but a few are still available.
Younger pupils particularly love them.

E37a Flute Lesson Notebook
E37b Oboe Lesson Notebook
E37d Bassoon Lesson Notebook
E37e Saxophone Lesson Notebook
E37g Piano Lesson Notebook
E37h Violin Lesson Notebook (yes we even did violin ones!)
E37j Recorder Lesson Notebook
£2.50 each

Some Thoughts on Practising

by Helen Paskins

Freelance clarinettist and teacher

Practising can be great fun. I was delighted to hear from the parent of one of my students recently that she happily practises of her own accord. So why is this not such a common occurrence?

In my view, the reasons for not practising are normally far more complex than straightforward laziness. In fact, I am not sure that laziness is ever really the problem and sussing out what is really stopping practice from happening can be really helpful.

Firstly, I think students need to be really clear about what practice is and how to do it. This is where a good teacher can come in. Setting clear, achievable and measurable goals is vital. As I mentioned in my article on scales it is failing that troubles us, what we like best is to succeed. This is why so many people like to practise the things they can do already! The trouble is that in the long run this isn't going to be hugely useful. It is also a good idea to develop a structure for your practice. It can be very beneficial to warm up with technical exercises, long notes, scales and articulation patterns which get the key essentials for good, even sound production in place before you begin working on pieces.

It also enables you to bring your brain from whatever it may have been thinking about previously into musical focus before you start on the main work of your practice.

I feel that all lessons should be a template for good practice techniques. If we can take something we can't do and turn it into something that we can then the practice feels good and will help us to improve therefore, ironically, inspiring us to practise more. The reverse is also true though. Practise something in a rushed, un-rhythmical way or without paying attention to accurate notes, accidentals, articulations or good posture and you will wind up feeling frustrated. Internally you will know that you are being careless. This feels bad. You leave the session not wanting to do anything further. Added to which these mistakes are likely to rear their ugly heads again because the option is now in your fingers. For some reason, bad habits can seem to stick much more stubbornly than good ones which is why it is best, if you can, never to play things without good quality attention. I teach my students to check in with their emotions when practising. They are a really good barometer for how well you are getting on. 

Our feelings are really important drivers in other ways too. Alison Balsom talked a lot about the inspiration for practice in her wonderful Desert Island Discs interview. She described the importance of the friends she has made through music and the excitement of discovering different pieces/performers for herself. The power of the social connections we can make and voyage of intellectual, emotional and even geographical discovery that music can take us on really can help to get us hooked on practising and keep us there. Having friends to chat to who love to explore, enjoy and care about music too can really help to keep you motivated and focused. I have witnessed again and again how a group of students playing music together can create a special chemistry which keeps them all so much more enthused and engaged and how this then feeds into their personal practice.

However, with the best will in the world there is another problem. Children (and adults of course!) these days can be incredibly busy with huge numbers of activities to try and fit into their days. It feels like everyone wants a piece of them. This is where being realistic is important.  I had one student who used to get up early and practise before school. For a lot of teenagers though, their body clocks just can't cope with this. For other people, the problem might be their next door neighbours. Fine. It must be what works for you. However, if you tie practice to some free periods when friends are in lessons or do it every day just after or as a break in the middle of homework or any realistic and regular slot in the week then it is much more likely to be feasible and therefore to happen. Deciding to practise 2 hours a day when you simply do not have that time in your life is only going to make you feel guilty and very likely not achieve much. Ironically, if you commit to a very small slot, for example 10 minutes a day, you will probably do more because having started you will get involved and interested.

This article is in no way meant to be comprehensive. However, I have found that working with these ideas and a compassionate/realistic approach to what can be achieved can be really helpful. At the end of the day, playing an instrument is an incredible experience and fun. It involves solving problems, being honest and patient with ourselves and being creative. If we are open to the idea that gratification might not always be immediate, but that working

slowly,

rhythmically (more vital than many people realise for satisfying practice),

in small chunks,

and with

care, attention, good listening, imagination

and appropriate body use/awareness,

can lead us to solving all sorts of tricky passages,

then it can be an incredibly rich and rewarding experience even, and perhaps especially, for the smart phone/internet generation.

Being alive now is in fact an incredible opportunity. There are so many resources online to help us make practice even more productive than perhaps ever before. There are websites like sightreadingfactory.com to help us with sight-reading so that you can check what you are doing is actually correct. The ABRSM has aural apps to help with aural. You can have a metronome and tuner on your phone so they are always with you. On Youtube or Spotify we have access to an unbelievable quantity and quality of recordings and videos which can inspire us and help us to learn about the harmony, accompaniment or different ways of playing/phrasing the same thing. Using Wikipedia we can inform ourselves in seconds about the background of the pieces and composers. IMSLP will provide you with the orchestra parts or scores for almost anything out of copyright.  Wow.  How lucky we are. Let's get practising!

(I am grateful to David Warwick and Nicola Summerscales for their very pertinent input into these thoughts.)

LINKS

Helen's edition of 'Syrinx' by Debussy for bass clarinet is published 
by Emerson Edition (E700) and available from June Emerson Wind Music here.

More information about Helen Paskins can be found here

How I Stay in Shape

by Bob Ashworth

Principal Horn, Opera North

Whether it’s getting ready for Ein Heldenleben after a six week break, playing such varied repertoire in the same week (Cole Porter’s ‘Kiss Me Kate’, Rossini’s ‘Barber of Seville’, Janacek’s ‘Jenufa’ and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.4) or looking further ahead to SIX – yes, six - Ring cycles(!), it’s important to stay in shape.

What exactly does this mean for horn players (or any musicians)? There can be no doubt that horn playing (as with any musical instrument) is a very physical activity – I still regard myself as an athlete although it’s a while since I’ve done any serious running. After lots of athletics at school I went through the usual fad in my thirties (and I’m not knocking it) of doing 10K runs and marathons and it was certainly physically draining. But looking back now I think I got more from the mental strength behind it and I find more and more that the determination and staying power is so applicable to horn playing. Staying in shape for horn playing doesn’t necessarily mean doing a 5-10K run every weekend or going to the gym – it’s more than that because it’s both mental and physical. For the past few years my physical stuff is what Alfred Brain used to do – a lot of digging – not exactly aerobic fitness but looking after three  allotments is a great escape from the pressures of playing principal horn. But that’s still not the whole answer either. You have to do the 5-10K runs and marathons, but in horn playing terms. It’s the preparation and perseverance that I found from running that are the key elements.

My preparation for each of the Ring operas was to play them from beginning to end, obviously without most of the rests, in a single practice session. For Das Rheingold this probably took slightly over an hour – not too long – but at the end I knew that MENTALLY I could get through it. The same with the others – although possibly slightly longer for each opera. Not sure yet about my preparation for the whole cycle in a week....

My preparation for Ein Heldenleben, throughout my summer holidays, was the same, play it through so it feels familiar and do-able.

For the varied repertoire, as with all of the above, it’s a case of keeping everything on the boil – especially the basics – which comes from a ‘warm up’ (moving into ‘extended practice’) which is constantly being refreshed by tapping into varied material – my own Warm Ups (obviously but constantly re-vamped) plus re-worked elements of Farkas, Schlossberg, Ree Wekre, Kling, Caruso (Carmine not Enrico! – and therefore Julie Landsman too), Yancich, Schantl etc. – all of which, even though seemingly diverse, are coming from the point of using air efficiently, like a singer.

So, for a training regime (both mental and physical):

• repetitive work – but you must keep the repetition interesting
• stamina work – push the boundaries BUT don’t overdo it (hard but pragmatic decisions to be made here)
• gentle work – to relax, ease off and enjoy yourself
• rest – SO important to all athletes

Have fun!

LINKS

Horn Warm-Ups & Beyond the Warm-Up

by Bob Ashworth

 

Opera North Horn Club

Preparing for Music College Auditions

First Impressions:

Audition Tips

by Kevin Price

(Head of Brass and Percussion,

Royal Welsh College of Music Drama)

Travel Well

Avoid travelling on the day of the audition. A night in cheap hotel or B&B is a good investment and easily outweighs the embarrassment and cost of a missed audition due to transport problems. Be careful to pack copies of your music to give to the panel and to read all audition requirements with great care, packing a copy for last-minute reference during your journey. Aim to arrive at least one hour before your allocated time in order to acclimatise and feel relaxed. Avoid excessive caffeine and sugar in the days leading up to the audition and take plenty of long walks or light exercise before the big day.

Dress well

Make sure that you dress in a way which reflects your professionalism and dedication. Wear smart clothes that you have worn before (new clothes or shoes can often feel uncomfortable and make you a little uncertain). Suits and ties for men always look good and long smart casual for ladies works well too. Low or medium heels are also recommended, as it is common to see high heels undermine efficient posture and breathing strategies on the day of a performance or audition.

Perform well

Remember that the panel wants to discover what you know, rather than what you don’t know. They will ask you questions which are always intended to relax you and to discover what you are like as a person and as a musician. Try to be open, to smile and to take time to answer questions thoughtfully. Prepare your own questions too, as the panel want to see your enthusiasm and to gain an understanding of your aims and long-term goals.

Audition requirements vary greatly between colleges, with some asking for “set works” and others offering a “free choice” of repertoire. Choose from the “set works”, selecting pieces that you are comfortable with. It is important to offer two pieces which contrast in style and that are of at least Grade 8 standard. You do not necessarily need to choose pieces which are technically demanding. It is best to select repertoire which you can play comfortably and which shows off your musicality.

Remember that the 10-15 minutes of your audition potentially represents the first stage of your College course, therefore the panel generally views the audition as part of the “learning process” and as an opportunity to provide you with constructive feedback and advice. We are looking for “learning people” who respond to advice and constructive criticism, as opposed to a “perfect” performance on the day.

The 'S' words

Scales are the “alphabet” of music. They build brain patterns and physical reflexes that enable us to respond instinctively to the written suggestions of composers. Not all colleges ask for scales in auditions, but a working knowledge of the Grade 8 scale requirements will do you no harm. The confidence that scale preparation gives you will also help to develop a better ability to deal with the other “S” word: sight-reading. When looking at sight-reading, take your time and pay attention to details of tempo (candidates usually play too fast when under pressure) and musical moods. Details of articulation and note-lengths are commonly overlooked, along with dynamics. Try not to focus solely upon “the notes”, but always aim to convey the emotion and moods of the music. My peripatetic teacher at school always said “You are allowed to make mistakes, but you are not allowed to be boring!”

(Grant Jameson, winner of the BBC Young Brass Award 2015)

Although brief, I sincerely hope that this advice will help you to feel more relaxed 

on the big day. Remember - we want you to do well and we are here to help,

rather than to judge you.

If you are organised and work hard, you can achieve anything.

Good luck!

LINKS

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

&

RWCMD Brass Department