As you may or may not already know SCMT have picked the fantastic singer-songwriter/multi instrumentalist Stevie Wonder as our Composer/Musician of the Month.
Stevie Wonder was a child prodigy and was signed by Detroit record company Motown in 1961 at the age of 11 and released his first single ‘Fingertips’ at the age of 13. He has recorded music for Motown until 2010… few artists have stayed with the same record company for so long!
During this time Wonder released hits such as ‘Superstition’, ‘Signed Sealed Delivered’, ‘Sir Duke’ and Motown’s biggest international seller ‘I Just Called to Say I loved You’. His Hits have spanned from the 1960s to present day!
It’s less than a week till the start of the SCMT Youth Music Festival and here at SCMT headquarters we are super excited!
Starting with the children’s concert this Sunday and finishing with the adults and advanced students concert on the 8th June, we will be holding concerts, mock exams, competitions, exam preparation sessions and much more. We are very happy to be sponsored by the lovely folks at Ackerman Music(https://www.ackermanmusic.co.uk) and throughout the festival we will be raising money for the fantastic charity ‘amaze’ (https://amazebrighton.org.uk).
By now all students should have received their entry confirmation and time slots, please contact Susanna on 07720 770153 if you have not or would like more information.
This Month at SCMT we have picked the brilliant Stevie Wonder to be our Composer/Musician of the Month. Stevie Wonder is an American multi instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and record producer.
He was a child prodigy. By the age of 11 he had already mastered the piano, voice, harmonic, drums and bass and auditioned for the Motown Record Label. Maybe the greatest part of all is that he was blind from birth.
Can you believe Stevie released his first single ‘Fingertips’ when he was just 13! Watch this space for more on this fantastic musician…
Don’t forget today is the entry deadline to this year’s SCMT Youth Music Festival. The festival includes our summer children’s concerts and adult concert (for SCMT students only), alongside competitions, mock exams, theory workshops, masterclass and the chance to get yourself on film (open to everyone)!
For more information or to book your place on any part of the festival please call Susanna on 01273 504505…
SCMT Youth Music Festival 2014
Here at SCMT we will be adding extensively to our Concerts and Competitions timetable this coming summer term and re-naming the run of events as the SCMT Youth Music Festival!
We will be holding our usual Summer Concerts. We’ll also be repeating the Competitions… AND we’ll be adding some fun (and very useful) workshops and 1 on 1 sessions which will be held just before the Summer music exams season.
Friday 30th May.
2pm – 3.30pm: Intermediate – advanced workshop with Emily Macdonald.
3.30pm – 5.30pm. Music Theory boot-camp.
(For more information, class prices and entry forms please contact Susanna direct on on 07720 770153 or email [email protected]).
Sunday 8th June: Adults and advanced students Concert, entry deadline 25th April.
The events will be raising money for ‘amaze’ a brighton based charity supporting parents with special needs and once again Ackerman Music will be sponsoring us! All class fees will be discounted for pupils of SCMT.
Please do feel free to let us know in advance if there are any classes you’d like to attend, or others that you think might benefit you or your child in particular…and don’t forget the entry deadline for all of the festival events is 25th April!
Did you know there will be cash prizes for the competitions running as part of the SCMT Youth Music Competition….
First prize for category 1 (grades 0-2) is £50 and first prize for category 2 (grades 3-4) is £60!
For more information or to book your place please call Susanna on 01273 504505…
SCMT Youth Music Festival 2014
Here at SCMT we will be adding extensively to our Concerts and Competitions timetable this coming summer term and re-naming the run of events as the SCMT Youth Music Festival!
We will be holding our usual Summer Concerts. We’ll also be repeating the Competitions… AND we’ll be adding some fun (and very useful) workshops and 1 on 1 sessions which will be held just before the Summer music exams season.
Friday 30th May.
2pm – 3.30pm: Intermediate – advanced workshop with Emily Macdonald.
3.30pm – 5.30pm. Music Theory boot-camp.
(For more information, class prices and entry forms please contact Susanna direct on on 07720 770153 or email [email protected]).
Sunday 8th June: Adults and advanced students Concert, entry deadline 25th April.
The events will be raising money for ‘amaze’ a brighton based charity supporting parents with special needs and once again Ackerman Music will be sponsoring us! All class fees will be discounted for pupils of SCMT.
Please do feel free to let us know in advance if there are any classes you’d like to attend, or others that you think might benefit you or your child in particular…and don’t forget the entry deadline for all of the festival events is 25th April!
Yesterday we told you about the competitions running as part of the SCMT Youth Music Festival, but did you know there will also be the chance to sit a mock exam? This will be a great experience for all those sitting exams in June. You will then know what to expect on the day and you will know what you need to work on before the day! Please see all the details below and get in touch if you would like to sit a mock exam….
SCMT Youth Music Festival 2014
Here at SCMT we will be adding extensively to our Concerts and Competitions timetable this coming summer term and re-naming the run of events as the SCMT Youth Music Festival!
We will be holding our usual Summer Concerts. We’ll also be repeating the Competitions… AND we’ll be adding some fun (and very useful) workshops and 1 on 1 sessions which will be held just before the Summer music exams season.
Friday 30th May.
2pm – 3.30pm: Intermediate – advanced workshop with Emily Macdonald.
3.30pm – 5.30pm. Music Theory boot-camp.
(For more information, class prices and entry forms please contact Susanna direct on on 07720 770153 or email [email protected]).
Sunday 8th June: Adults and advanced students Concert, entry deadline 25th April.
The events will be raising money for ‘amaze’ a brighton based charity supporting parents with special needs and once again Ackerman Music will be sponsoring us! All class fees will be discounted for pupils of SCMT.
Please do feel free to let us know in advance if there are any classes you’d like to attend, or others that you think might benefit you or your child in particular…and don’t forget the entry deadline for all of the festival events is 25th April!
It’s free choice….Have you booked your place yet?!
SCMT Youth Music Festival 2014
Here at SCMT we will be adding extensively to our Concerts and Competitions timetable this coming summer term and re-naming the run of events as the SCMT Youth Music Festival!
We will be holding our usual Summer Concerts. We’ll also be repeating the Competitions… AND we’ll be adding some fun (and very useful) workshops and 1 on 1 sessions which will be held just before the Summer music exams season.
Friday 30th May.
2pm – 3.30pm: Intermediate – advanced workshop with Emily Macdonald.
3.30pm – 5.30pm. Music Theory boot-camp.
(For more information, class prices and entry forms please contact Susanna direct on on 07720 770153 or email [email protected]).
Sunday 8th June: Adults and advanced students Concert, entry deadline 25th April.
The events will be raising money for ‘amaze’ a brighton based charity supporting parents with special needs and once again Ackerman Music will be sponsoring us! All class fees will be discounted for pupils of SCMT.
Please do feel free to let us know in advance if there are any classes you’d like to attend, or others that you think might benefit you or your child in particular…and don’t forget the entry deadline for all of the festival events is 25th April!
The results to the March exams are in and they are really great… Well done to all our students who took exams, we’re very proud of you here at SCMT!
Not long now till the deadline for the next exams (to take place in June) and the SCMT Youth Music Festival where we will be holding exam prep classes. Watch this space for more info…
Only 2 weeks to go till the deadline for the SCMT Youth Music Festival…. Have you booked your place yet? All info can be found below…
SCMT Youth Music Festival 2014
Here at SCMT we will be adding extensively to our Concerts and Competitions timetable this coming summer term and re-naming the run of events as the SCMT Youth Music Festival!
We will be holding our usual Summer Concerts. We’ll also be repeating the Competitions… AND we’ll be adding some fun (and very useful) workshops and 1 on 1 sessions which will be held just before the Summer music exams season.
Friday 30th May.
2pm – 3.30pm: Intermediate – advanced workshop with Emily Macdonald.
3.30pm – 5.30pm. Music Theory boot-camp.
(For more information, class prices and entry forms please contact Susanna direct on on 07720 770153 or email [email protected]).
Sunday 8th June: Adults and advanced students Concert, entry deadline 25th April.
The events will be raising money for ‘amaze’ a brighton based charity supporting parents with special needs and once again Ackerman Music will be sponsoring us! All class fees will be discounted for pupils of SCMT.
Please do feel free to let us know in advance if there are any classes you’d like to attend, or others that you think might benefit you or your child in particular…and don’t forget the entry deadline for all of the festival events is 25th April!
Here at SCMT we are running a competition across Facebook. We are calling it ‘2 clicks to win’. Simply share our competition post and like our Facebook page (not the post) and you will go into a draw to win £100! The post you need to share can be seen below, simply find this post on our page, share with your friends and like our page and you could win!
Post to look for and share:
“Here at SCMT we are very exited to announce the launch of our ‘2 clicks to win’ competition on Facebook! Simply ‘share’ this post and ‘like’ our page (click on the link below). You will then go straight into our prize draw…the prize being a whopping £100! The competition will run throughout April and the winner will be announced Thursday 1st May. We are dedicated to building up an interactive, online musical community. Come join us!”
Duke Ellington is this month’s featured composer/musician so we thought we’d give you a few facts about this brilliant musician..
Name: Edward Kennedy Ellington
Stage name: Duke Ellington
Born: April 29, 1899
Died: May 24, 1974
Occupation: Jazz musician, composer and bandleader
Early career: Ellington started his career in the 1920s when he became pianist and often composer and then later band leader of a band at the famous Cotton Club in New york. The band then became known as the Cotton Club Orchestra and toured extensively with Ellington at the helm. They played Jazz but a slightly raw sounding jazz compared to what the other jazz orchestras at the time were playing. It became known as Jungle music, a raw, rasping type of Jazz music.
Throughout April SCMT will be featuring composer, pianist and bandleader Duke Ellington as our Composer/Musician of the Month.
Born in April 1899 his career started in the 1920s and carried on through until he died in the 1970s. This month we will be looking at what made this man such an influential figure in american music, studying his music and his band. So watch this space….
We are delighted by the brilliant performance of 2 of our students Berniya (who won Junior Championship!) and Riya in the latest Springboard music competitions. Well done girls… Not forgetting their teacher, the lovely Emily, well done to you too! Below are all their classes and awards:
Berniya
Piano Section:
Winner of the Junior Championship!
1st place in the Junior Recital class (10-14 years) – Outstanding
1st place in J S Bach class (10-12 years) – Distinction
1st place in Sonatina class (10-12 years) – Distinction
2nd place in Romantic period to 1975 class (10-12 years) – Outstanding
She also won the following 3 cups :
EDWARD PAXTON WHITE MEMORIAL CUP – Winner of Junior Championship 10-14 years
THE JUNIOR CHRISTINE PEMBRIDGE CUP – Joint Winner of Junior Recital 10-14 years
SEVENTH ART SONATA CUP – to highest overall mark in Sonatina (10-12 years) and Sonata classes (13-14 years)
Strings section:
2nd place in Sonata class (Grade 6 and under)
Riya
Piano Section:
-1st place in J S Bach (9 year and under) – Outstanding (mark)
-1st place in Jazz (9 year and under) – Outstanding
She also won (joint winner):
the BRIGHTON HAMMOND ORGAN SOCIETY CHALLENGE CUP – awarded to the performer selected by the adjudicator from Jazz classes (9 year and under, 10-12 years and 13-14 years)
Here at SCMT we are pleased to announce Ackerman Music http://www.ackermanmusic.co.uk will be sponsoring our Youth Music Festival this summer!
We are also very happy to announce that this year we will be supporting ‘amaze’ a fantastic, Brighton based, charity working with parents of children with special needs, http://amazebrighton.org.uk.
Please see below for all information with regards to ourfestival, don’t forget the entry deadline is the 25th April…. we are very excited here at SCMT and look forward to seeing you all there!
SCMT Youth Music Festival
Here at SCMT we will be adding extensively to our Concerts and Competitions timetable this coming summer term and re-naming the run of events as the SCMT Youth Music Festival!
We will be holding our usual Summer Concerts. We’ll also be repeating the Competitions… AND we’ll be adding some fun (and very useful) workshops and 1 on 1 sessions which will be held just before the Summer music exams season.
Friday 30th May.
2pm – 3.30pm: Intermediate – advanced workshop with Emily Macdonald.
3.30pm – 5.30pm. Music Theory boot-camp.
(For more information, class prices and entry forms please contact Susanna direct on on 07720 770153 or email [email protected]).
Sunday 8th June: Adults and advanced students Concert, entry deadline 25th April.
The events will be raising money for ‘amaze’ a brighton based charity supporting parents with special needs and once again Ackerman Music will be sponsoring us! All class fees will be discounted for pupils of SCMT.
Please do feel free to let us know in advance if there are any classes you’d like to attend, or others that you think might benefit you or your child in particular…and don’t forget the entry deadline for all of the festival events is 25th April!
In our last Bach blog we discussed his life between age 23 and 38. It was during this time he wrote 2 of his most famous works. The 6 Brandenburg Concertos and The Well-Tempered Clavier. So what was it that made these 2 such iconic works….
The Brandenburg Concertos
This is a collection of 6 concertos, all for a different line up of instruments. A concerto is an instrumental work for one or more solo instruments accompanied by an orchestra. Throughout the 6 concertos Bach featured many solo instruments, including, trumpet, violin, recorder, harpsichord. All with difficult passages that required great technique. These concertos are so highly regarded due to the virtuoso style that is required, the different array of instruments, the use of solo and group texture and the emotion that can be felt in each movement….. they really were far ahead of their time!
The Well-Tempered Clavier
This is a book of 24 preludes and fugues, for keyboard instruments, in all the major and minor keys. Bach created this as an educational work, containing different styles and techniques to aid a students development. It is believed Mozart may even have studied from this book! It was a hugely influential work that is still used in piano lessons today…
We have a lot of students taking their ABRSM exams today and we just wanted to wish them the best of luck! We have our fingers crossed for you and look forward to hearing all about it. It won’t be long till we get the results in….
So in our last Bach history blog we had left Bach at 23, so what happened next….
Bach’s next post was a organist and chamber musician for Duke Wilhelm Erns, back in Weimar. He stayed here until 1716. He wrote a great many cantatas and he also began writing music for the harpsichord here. This is where most of his major organ works were created, including many preludes and fugues. Bach had become fascinated with the organ and over the years made lots of improvements to the organ that can still be seen today.
By this point Bach was a well payed musician, he had several promotions and was even referred to as “the famous organist from Weimar”. He was married (to Maria Barbara) and now had children too!
After many years at Weimar Bach was given the prestigious post as Capellmeister in Kothen. He stayed here from the age of 33 to 38. It was here he composed some of his most famous works. Including the 6 Brandenburg Concertos and the collection of harpsichord music known as the Well-Tempered Clavier, these will be the subject of our next Bach blog!
He really was a prolific composer…. how many Bach pieces have you played?
Well our Jonathan certainly does get around! He is now playing bass for Kian from Westlife… you can catch him on today’s Blue Peter. He has also been on ITV’s This Morning and next week he will be on Loose Women. Way to go Jonathan, we are a proud bunch here at SCMT!
Jonathan currently has spaces for new students on a Friday so please contact Susanna direct on 07720 770153 or email [email protected] if you would like to have bass guitar or piano lessons with him!
In our last blog regarding this month’s featured composer we talked about Bach’s early life. It was the start of his composing career and most of the works he produced then were church cantatas and the early structure of the toccata and fugue. In this we will explore the those to forms of music…. don’t worry, there won’t be a quiz at the end!
Church Cantata:
First developed in Italy the cantata was in broad terms a composition for voice or voice and instruments. Originally a single movement (section of music) by the time Bach started to compose it usually contained several movements of different feel and tempo (speed). Bach wrote many different styles of Church Cantata, hymns for the congregation using text from the bible and more advanced chorale music for the musicians of the church.
Bach is often hailed as the greatest cantata composer of his time. He used more complex harmony and structure than many of the composers of the same period.
Toccata and fugue:
This was in fact 2 works of music put together. The toccata being a very virtuoso (for a player of high standard) piece with difficult technical passages rather than the development of a musical theme. Followed by the fugue, a work with many parts often played by one instrument such organ, harpsichord and piano. One or more musical themes played by two or more different parts moving independently from each other. If you think back to when you would sing the nursery rhyme London’s Burning in a round this is similar to how a fugue works.
Bach wrote many of these for organ, his most famous probably being Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.
As you may know SCMT have picked JS Bach as March’s Composer/Musician of the month. So we thought we would give you a little history on this great composer.
Bach was born in Germany, 1685 into a very musical family. It was thought his father taught him to play violin and harpsichord and his older brother introduced him to the organ. At 15 he managed to get a place at a music school where he studied for 2 years.
Bach’s first job was straight after school as a violinist for the Duke of Weimar’s private chapel. But it was not long before he got his first job as an organist in Arnstadt. This is where he really started to flourish and where his earliest compositions were written. Most or his works at this point were church cantatas and the start of his work on the fugue. This was developed further in his next position as church organist in the town of Muhlhausen.
This takes us up to 1708 and Bach was only 23. In our next blog we will discover what church cantatas and fugues are all about…
As you may or may not already know SCMT have picked the fantastic singer-songwriter/multi instrumentalist Stevie Wonder as our Composer/Musician of the Month.
