Entries are in and we’re waiting to hear when you’ll all be sitting your March exams…  so why not have a look at the ABRSM website for advice and to ensure you’re fully prepared!  It’s all there… what to expect on the day, how to prepare well, how the examiners mark each element and how to overcome those last minute nerves.  www.abrsm.org

Please keep them coming, we LOVE hearing how you’re getting on…

‘Our daughter has just started having piano lessons and we are so pleased with how well she has taken to them, and Jonathan her teacher.  Daisy is very shy but has been put completely at ease, during her lessons and is always looking forward to the next one.  A lot of this is thanks to how Jonathan teaches, and by adding some fun using games during the lessons, means Daisy really enjoys her weekly lessons.  Daisy has been telling all of her friends that if they want to learn piano they should ask for Jonathan to be their teacher!’ From Tammy, Daisies mum.

PLEASE CALL 07720 771053.  We have moved premises… new address to follow.  Business as usual of course, but our landline number has somehow been cut off on it’s way to our new home.  In the meantime, please contact us on the mobile number (07720 771053) or by email, [email protected].  THANK YOU and apologies for any inconvenience.

Massive thanks and congratulations to all SCMT pupils and tutors that performed at our 10 Year Anniversary Christmas Concerts.  We’re so proud of you all, what an amazing achievement.  It gives us so much joy to see you play your instruments, you’re all so brave, determined and inspired.  We’re ready to say goodbye to 2015, it’s been such a lovely celebration of our ever expanding community of musicians.  Spread the word… music lives to be let out!  HAPPY CHRISTMAS from everyone at SCMT (and thanks again to Ackerman Music for all their support).

It’s that time again… dates and time now published, countdown to the big day!  Please have a look at this link from the ABRSM website, it will give you a much clearer idea of how your performances will be assessed:

http://us.abrsm.org/en/our-exams/information-and-regulations/graded-music-exam-marking-criteria/

We raised lots of money during our 10th Anniversary Concerts for the Brighton Dome Umbrella Club.  Thank you so much to everyone that came along, participated and donated with such generosity.  Here is a recent article about them from the Argus, a wonderful cause that makes an enormous difference to so many poorly children.  Huge thanks also to Ackerman Music, without whom none of it would have been possible.

Theatre trips helping to raise spirits of poorly children…

A THEATRE programme aimed to give ill children the chance to attend performances has kicked off its new season.

The Umbrella Club – Brighton Dome’s membership club for children and young people with life-shortening conditions and their siblings and carers – launched its new season this weekend with a puppetry production of Michael Rosen’s We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.

The scheme aims to offer access to the arts through the provision of free tickets to live performances and workshops, as well as special meet the cast sessions after selected shows.

Saturday’s performance was followed by a special Playmakes workshop which offered the opportunity for kids to get crafty and make a keepsake to take home.

Now in its second year, the Umbrella Club has enabled around 400 poorly children, siblings and families to attend over 30 performances since the club’s inception.

Andrew Comben, chief executive officer of Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival said: “The Umbrella Club is an invaluable way to ensure these children, their siblings and their carers are able to access the arts and hopefully share some memorable experiences.

It’s almost that time again… and doesn’t time fly!  Our 10 year Anniversary Christmas Concerts are fast approaching, yet another reason to celebrate.  Phew!  Here are the details:

All instruments, solos, duets and ensembles are very welcome.  The concerts are for adults and children, are free choice… and welcome all ages and abilities.

Date and times:  Sunday 22^nd November, 2pm til 9pm.   5 Concerts (4 for the children… followed by 1 for the adults, advanced pupils and small groups).

Venue:  St Nicholas Chruch, Dyke Road, Brighton.  BN1 3LJ

Guest price:   £5 for adults (payable on the door, cash only, free to all children and performers).

Entry deadline:   Friday 30^th October

1 or 2 pieces per performer.  Maximum total performance time of 3 minutes (children’s concerts) and 6 minutes (adults/advanced/groups concert).

Performance lists, inclusive of your particular concert time, will be emailed to you once the deadline has passed and performances have been collated.  Full programmes will also be supplied on the door, free of charge.   Drinks and nibbles will be served throughout as usual.

You can either submit your entry to Susanna in person at this email address, or simply let your tutor know. We can’t wait to see you there!  You can even play if you DON’T have lessons with SCMT (as a one off )… because we know that once you have you’ll be hooked! 🙂

At SCMT, music lives to be let out…

For all parents of young musicians

Check out Susanna’s new advice regarding the age a child should start to learn a musical instrument… to be found at the bottom of the home page on our website.  A brilliant guide for all parents with children aged 3 and up.  Definitely worth a read over the holidays!  Enjoy the sun, everybody…

We’re off-loading hundreds of new and nearly-new music books!  Please contact us direct for more details, local Brighton pick-up.  All instruments, all genres, all grades.  Here is a picture of some of them… see anything you fancy (magnifying glass at the ready, ha ha)?  Roll up, roll up!

TOTAL RAISED FOR THE BRIGHTON DOME UMBRELLA CLUB DURING OUR ANNIVERSARY CONCERTS (thank you as ever to Ackerman Music for sponsoring us and making such a difference):

£810.  Amazing!  Thank you EVERYBODY for making this possible, it’ll make a huge difference to so many local children with life shortening illnesses.

A huge thank you to everyone who sent in entries to our photo and video competition. We had some really great entries, you can see the winners below:

Photo competition:

1^st                     Elena Weir, Trumpets.

2^nd                    Athina Tameresi, Jazz piano

3^rd                    Marns Amurao, Mariane.

Video competition (All entries can be found on our YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/user/cassammusic ):

1^st                     Andrew Macintosh, Caitlin.

2^nd                   Marns Amurao, Matt.

3rd                   Wendy Armstrong, Juliette.

Good luck to all our pupils taking exams today!  We’ll be keeping our fingers tightly crossed for you.  Results often take a little longer in the Summer, but we’ll let you know as soon as we hear anything…  Susanna.

The dust is slowly settling after 4 wonderful concerts to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. But there’s still time to enter our photo and video competition.  If you did take photos or videos of your/your child’s performance and would like to enter the competition, simply send your entries to [email protected]. Winners will be announced on Monday, so please get your entries to us before then. Prizes in both instances will be as follows, first prize is £20, second prize is £10 and third prize is £5. (Please be aware that upon sending photos in reply, we will assume your permission to use them on our website and social media marketing.)

From all here at SCMT we would like to say a massive congratulations to everybody who performed in the finale of our 10 Year Anniversary Concerts. We had a brilliant time and loved every performance.  A special well done must go to Ronny (pictured), aged 88, still having lessons and performing for us. We had some amazing duets, incredible solo performances with a wonderful range in instruments and genres, so much variety. what an amazing night to round off our series of concerts, well done to everybody who took part!

A HUGE thank you to our friends at Ackerman music for sponsoring our concerts, we really couldn’t have done it without you.  

We will be announcing the total raised for our chosen charity (Brighton Dome Umbrella Club) next monday along with winners to our photo and video the competition (still open for entries so please keep them coming).

Here at SCMT we are still celebrating our 10 year anniversary. We have the final of our celebration concerts next Saturday (13^th June). This concert is for adult and advanced students. It is set to be a great concert, so even if you are not performing please do come and join us, 7pm at the Brighton Unitarian Church. Tickets are £5 on the door and all performers and children of for free. We hope to see you all there!