Educational workshops - What We Offer
 |
 |
| |
Plenty of activity for everyone,
including the teacher! |
The trumpet and percussion recitals and workshops
are always individually tailored to specific requirements so the format
for a visit to your school would be arranged in consultation with the
music teacher.
Due to the large amount of equipment that is used the programmes are usually
structured either as a morning or afternoon event (half day), or a full
day if required. The percussion instruments are many and varied and come
in all shapes and sizes! The large instruments include timpani, bass drum,
xylophone, tam tam and tubular bells and the most appropriate performing
space is usually the school hall or gym. There are various different types
of drums and hand-held instruments, which can be utilised by the children
during the recital or workshop, as the players always need a helping hand
for some of the pieces! The trumpet family is much easier to transport
and the instruments include different pitches of trumpet, cornet, flugel
horn, piccolo trumpet and an unusual version of a natural trumpet!
A half-day visit is based around either two recitals
or a recital and workshop. Each event is approximately one hour in length
but can be adjusted to fit the school timetable. The recital is composed
of instrumental demonstrations, anecdotes and musical extracts giving
a brief history of music from its beginnings to present day. The historical
development of both instruments and music run parallel with the choice
of extracts to be performed
The workshops give the children an opportunity to perform as part of a
musical group irrespective of their level of attainment. The Flexiband
Series, a collection of pieces written by Paul, is composed and arranged
to facilitate a range of performance levels and each piece is divided
into the following groups:
Group C: Up to Grade 1
Group B: Grade 1- 3
Group A: Grade 3 - 5
Virtuoso: Grade 6 - 8
Keyboard Grade 5
Melody Line: Grade 5
The players are able to choose any part, with the keyboard providing harmonic
and rhythmic support should Group C be the only group performed. Any school
instruments can be included and a range of hand held percussion instruments
are available.
If there are brass players or percussionists at the school a workshop
can be very beneficial to work at technical issues concerning these instruments.
A range of music for brass ensemble, percussion ensemble and repertoire
combining the two can also be used if required.
A full day gives complete flexibility over the format and can include
recitals, workshops and brass/percussion ensembles. Workshops for students
studying music at GCSE or A Level to cover specific issues such as effective
writing for percussion and brass, where to place instruments on a stave,
ranges of instruments such as the piccolo trumpet and sound effects of
the trumpet mutes can also be devised.
What we need
Approximately one hour to set up and clear
Large space possibly school hall or gym |
