Music Newsletter - Autumn Term 2021

AUTUMN TERM 2021-2022

THE BRITISH SCHOOL AL KHUBAIRAT

MUSIC NEWSLETTER britishschool.sch.ae

Content PAGE 3-4 A Message from the Director of Music

PAGE 25 Guitar

PAGE 5-8 Primary EYFS - Y6 Primary Orchestra Junior Choir PAGE 9-10 Secondary - Y7-9 PAGE 11-12 Studying Music at KS4 & 5

PAGE 13-14 #BSAKGuitar in Pictures PAGE 27 Piano PAGE 28 Singing PAGE 29 Rock & Pop

PAGE 13-14 Galleries PAGE 17-18 End of an Era Hanneke Willson PAGE 19-20 The Collectives PAGE 21 Brass

PAGE 30 #BSAKUnplugged PAGE 31-33 Strings PAGE 34 Woodwind PAGE 37 About our Scholars

PAGE 22-24 #BSAKBrass in Pictures

PAGE 40-44 Concerts

A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC Welcome to this term’s Newsletter - and what a term it has been!

Thankfully we are now emerging from the challenges caused by the Covid pandemic and are certainly beginning to get back to some sense of ‘normality’. This has been particularly evident over the past couple of weeks during which we have recorded a number of virtual concerts as well as taken part in the school’s National Day celebrations by recording the National Anthem with the Secondary Orchestra and the Primary Choir.

We have had an amazing uptake for instrumental lessons this academic year and are now in the enviable position of having waiting lists for a good number of instruments. The programme continues to grow and we are delighted that so many students remain committed to learning an instrument.

It seems that the mental health benefits of music, which have been much talked about, have been felt more than ever through the pandemic and have encouraged more and more to get involved.

However, turning up to lessons each week is just a small part of the story and for most students, it is the camaraderie, friendship and shared sense of achievement through ensemble playing that really inspires them. This term we have gradually introduced some socially-distanced ensembles, mainly focused around the students on the Scholars Programme, and we are very much hoping that we will be able to roll out a wider provision from January.

As mentioned we have, in recent weeks, recorded a good number of virtual concerts featuring a mix of soloists and chamber music; I cannot explain how beautiful it is to hear live music performances once again - it really does remind us of how precious and wonderful the gift of music is. Links are available to all the concerts towards the back of the Newsletter. Of course, recording concerts in front of a camera, often involving multiples takes does not replace the experience of performing in front of a real, live audience and we are hopeful that we will be open our doors once more in the coming months to enable performers and audiences alike to engage again. This has been sorely missed and I am sure that our first concert will be packed with emotion! There are of course some advantages of recording concerts for an online audience and, even when live concerts do get the go-ahead, we may well still retain some online events going forward, perhaps also adding in some live-streaming for our ever growing international audiences. It is such a shame that we were not able to hold the normal Christmas Concert or Carols by Candlelight, but hopefully these will make a welcome return in 2022.

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‘I cannot explain how beautiful it is to hear live music performances once again - it really does remind us of how precious and wonderful the gift of music is.’

As many of you will be aware, our major event for next term will be the hosting of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Young Musician competition which will take place here at BSAK in February. It is a venture that I have been proposing for a few years now, but it took the Covid hiatus and Young Musicians of the Gulf moving online, to really spur me to get the ball rolling. I am delighted to have a fabulous team supporting the competition, both from within the Music Department itself but also from other schools and institutes across the city. We have been totally bowled over by the response, receiving more than 185 entries from over 30 schools throughout the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The hard work really starts now in ensuring that the competition is a fantastic experience for all the competitors; we are absolutely determined to make it a worthwhile and educational opportunity for our students, all of whom will receive some thought-provoking feedback from our esteemed panel of international adjudicators. We are hopeful too that we will be able to welcome audiences, though this will very much depend on the regulations in February. More details about the competition will be sent out early in the new year, but please do keep an eye on the website ADYM We have been delighted to relaunch our Scholars Programme this term, offering further opportunities for our most gifted and talented musicians. Whilst we haven’t been able to return to a full programme of events, those students on the programme have all met with their mentors and have been involved in some of the first reassembled ensembles. We are hopeful that we will be able to offer more talks and workshops for our scholars in the new year.

We were delighted to welcome Ana Kovacevic as our new Head of Singing earlier in the term; she has settled in incredibly well and has already become a superb addition to the team. Initially starting with approximately 25 students, Ana quickly visited a number of Primary classes and, through demonstrations and with her bubbly personality shining through, she now has almost 40 singers each week! She has also been supporting the Primary and Staff Choirs and the newly formed Show Choir. As the saying goes, ‘Singing exercises your heart and lungs, and releases endorphins making you feel good’ - it’s certainly an exciting time to be a singer at BSAK. The end of term marks the end of an era as Mrs Hanneke Willson retires. She has been a fantastic colleague throughout my time at the school and I have certainly appreciated her words of wisdom and her unstinting support. Hanneke will be sorely missed by the BSAK community and we wish her a long and very happy retirement. Miss Sonja Stojiljkovic will be joining the team as Hanneke’s replacement in January and we look forward to welcoming her.

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‘I would like to finish by acknowledging the incredible work that my colleagues undertake each day in the department. It really is a hive of activity and the inspiration, enthusiasm and drive of each and every member of staff in the team really is a joy to witness on a daily basis.’

I would also like to thank the student musicians who have been so amazing throughout the term as we have resumed co-curricular ensembles. Their thirst for more is quite remarkable and we, as a department, will continue to strive to provide those memorable and worthwhile opportunities.

The following pages will hopefully provide a snapshot of some of this term’s highlights for your enjoyment. I wish all the extended BSAK community a very happy festive season.

Rob Hall | Director of Music

PRIMARY CURRICULUM

Mrs Claire Dodds PRIMARY MUSIC COORDINATOR Mrs Sarah Smith PRIMARY MUSIC TEACHER

YEARS 3-6 We have been very busy this half term learning to sing the UAE National Anthem and a special song about the UAE. We’ve also been discovering and exploring notes on the keyboards, learning about steps and leaps in our songs and working out melodies by ear. We have also been adding rhythmic accompaniments, part singing and harmony too!

Primary Orchestra

This is the first time that many of our younger students have experienced playing their instrument as part of an ensemble. Most members of the Orchestra are beginners to ABRSM/Trinity Grade 3 level. We have been learning to play “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven; a familiar tune chosen to get us used to playing together.

YEAR 2

PRIMARY CHOIR

Sadly due the Covid-19 restrictions, Year 2 were unable to perform their Christmas show this year, but that hasn’t stopped us performing.

All Y2 children have been learning the songs to the famous “Penguin Pete” for a short video version of this wonderful Christmas tale.

Our Primary Choir for Years 5 & 6 made a unique contribution to our National Day celebrations 2021 by recording the National Anthem (accompanied by the Secondary Orchestra) and also a special song about the UAE called The Spirit of The Union.

YEAR 1

The Year 1 children have been listening to the Carnival of The Animals by Saint Saens. First they followed a listening map of the piece called ‘The Kangaroo’. Then once familiar with the piece, they composed on pitched instruments their own Kangaroo music following the listening map pictures.

The second piece they listened to was ‘The Elephant’, learning about the big double bass and the string family of instruments.

Then they listened to the music for its structure, how it was written and using movement discovered it is in three parts with the first and the last being the same; ABA form. We also composed our own three part music using 2 different sounding instruments to add contrast.

EYFS This year has seen a change to the National Curriculum Early Learning Goals for EYFS children in schools across the UK. These changes affect our youngest children in the Nursery and Reception year groups.

With these changes in mind, here are the expected Outcomes for Music by the end of the Reception year.

SECONDARY ACADEMIC MUSIC

HEAD OF SECONDARY ACADEMIC MUSIC Mrs Sascha Dallas

YEAR 7 This term our Year 7s have been exploring Rhythm, Pulse and Beat.

Students learnt how to read rhythmic notation, they performed from a score and they wrote their own 4 part rhythm scores. The Chair Drumming was a massive, albeit noisy, highlight of the term!

YEAR 8 Year 8 have enjoyed working at the keyboards this term and composing their own pop songs. They looked closely at the structure of a pop song and worked in groups to compose both a verse and a chorus. Their final performances included a bassline, chords, a melody and an optional drumbeat. There were some very impressive performances - well done Year 8.

Click this link to hear a recording of one of the group performances: Y8 Pop Songs 2021

YEAR 9 Our Year 9 students are currently in the middle of selecting their GCSE options. Choosing the right subjects is so important; you want a mix of subjects that you will not only excel in, but that you will also enjoy. GCSE Music is a fun and exciting course which develops performing, composing, listening and appraising skills. Universities hold musicians in high regard as they offer a wider ranging skillset to university life, no matter which subject you are studying. Music engenders maturity, selfdiscipline, analytical thinking and sensitivity – all sought after in many walks of life. It is also great fun! Find out more over the page.

KS3 MUSIC

STUDYING MUSIC AT KS4 & 5 WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS? GCSE MUSIC The Edexcel GCSE Music course is divided into the following three components: Performance (30%) Students must record a solo performance and an ensemble performance, lasting at least four minutes combined.

Composition (30%) Students must submit two compositions, one is composed from a given brief and the second is a ‘free composition’ in any style.

Listening exam (40%) The exam consists of six listening questions based on the set works studied throughout the course and one question based on an unfamiliar piece of music. There is one, short essay question which compares one of the set works to another unfamiliar piece. The set works are from a range of musical styles including Instrumental and Vocal Music, Music for Stage and Screen, and Fusions - music which combines different styles into one piece Skills Required Students should have some proficiency on a musical instrument. A standard of around Grade 4+ is expected at the end of the course. Students should be able to read basic staff notation and follow a musical score for analysis purposes.

A LEVEL MUSIC Performance (35% of the A Level marks) Students must submit a solo and/or ensemble performance (at Grade 7 standard or above) lasting a minimum of ten minutes.

COMPONENT 3

Appraising Music (40% of the A Level marks) Students learn to appraise and analyse music across a range of selected styles in preparation for a listening exam, during which they complete written questions using excerpts of music relating to the chosen Areas of Study.

Musical styles studied include: Musical Theatre, Music for Media, Romantic Piano and Baroque Solo Concertos.

COMPONENT 2

COMPONENT 1

Similar to the year 9 students, our year 11s are also busy contemplating the next stage of their education.

The AQA A Level Music course is a two year linear course consisting of three components: Composition (25% of the A Level marks) Students must submit 2 compositions, a minimum of four and a half minutes in total: 1 composed to a given brief 1 free composition

SKILLS REQUIRED Students should have a genuine interest in listening to a wide range of musical styles. In order to fulfill the listening and appraising aspect of the course you will need to be able to read music notation and to follow a musical score. You will also require some basic keyboard skills for the composition component. For the performance component you should have a standard instrumental performance equivalent of around Grade 5 or above at the start of the course and you will be expected to have regular lessons in your main instrument/voice. The best grades are always achieved by those who maintain enthusiasm for, and commitment towards, both the practical and academic areas of the course.

SECONDARY RECORDING

FAREWELL TO HANNEKE WILLSON

End of an Era

WHEN DID YOU COME TO THE UAE? I arrived in Dubai in August 1999 with my husband, a 20 month toddler and a 1 month old baby.

IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR REASON THAT YOU DECIDED TO TAKE MUSIC AS A CAREER? When I was 14 I was doing very well in regional Music Festivals held around Johannesburg. The adjudicators encouraged me and told me I had a future in music.

I was passionate about it and spent many hours practising. I wanted to become a concert pianist, but only in my second year at University did I realise that I really didn't have the temperament or technique to become one. I did my Post Graduate Education Diploma to become a music teacher in schools teaching subject music (equivalent to GCSE and A Level music)

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR TIME IN UAE? In Dubai, I joined all the moms and tots groups in the mornings and taught privately at home in the afternoons. I was also the rehearsal pianist for the Dubai Singers and was involved in many musical events, either as a violinist in orchestras or pianist, and did a lot of accompanying of students for their ABRSM and Trinity exams.

In 2003 my husband was transferred to Abu Dhabi and we moved in April. As my son was still at school in Dubai, I travelled from Abu Dhabi to Dubai for 6 weeks to take him to school!With my children now going to school in the mornings, I needed something to keep myself busy and after doing a course with Kindermusik, I became a Kindermusik Educator and started giving Kindermusik Moms and Tots classes first at my home and later at St. Andrew’s Church.

In fact, many of our outstanding musicians at BSAK started their musical career with me at the age of 1-3 years old. They might not remember this time, but it has been fun for me to see them grow into fine musicians. As my Kindermusik classes expanded, I trained and employed a few more Kindermusik Educators to offer classes all over Abu Dhabi and I also started giving classes in numerous nursery schools as well.

In my spare time I enjoy camping and sailing. We have spent many a weekend in the Desert and have done numerous camping trips to Oman.

‘My main instrument is piano but I also studied violin quite intensely. I have the equivalent of grade 8 for recorder as well.’

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY BACKGROUND? I come from a very musical family. My grandmother played the violin (I have her violin which was made in 1796!) My mom played violin as a hobby and my dad, a school teacher, was also an excellent pianist. I was interested in the piano at a very early age, but only started formal lessons when I was seven.

My mom tried to teach me the violin, but that was not a good situation! I started playing the violin at the age of fourteen when I joined the Johannesburg High School for Art, Ballet and Music as I needed a second instrument. My brother also played the piano but sadly gave it up and my sister played both the piano and bassoon. We had many evenings making music. My mom, sister and myself played in the same orchestra. My dad was also the person who trained me to become a church organist at the age of thirteen.

WHAT OTHER THINGS WERE YOU INVOLVED WITH AWAY FROM BSAK? Music in Abu Dhabi has been a great part of my life. I was rehearsal pianist and band co-ordinator for the Abu Dhabi Choral Group for a few years, and was rehearsal pianist for the Chamber Choir which later developed into the Al Khubairat Community Choir. I was part of the development of the National Symphony Orchestra and played second violin for many concerts.

St. Andrew’s Anglican Church has been a part of my life too and I have been organist and worship leader since 2003. I have played for many important services with the Remembrance Service for Sheikh Zayed and playing for the service which was taken by the Archbishop of Canterbury being the highlights.

My husband and I started Carols in the Desert in 2006 and what started as a small event, developed into an annual Abu Dhabi community event with over 3000 people attending in 2018.

‘In the beginning, it was an alternative to becoming a concert pianist, but I really enjoyed it and was lucky to have had a very varied job at the first school that I started where I taught individual lessons, subject music, class music and started the school orchestra.

Initially I was in a high school and was not as comfortable teaching small children, but it was only when I became a mother and taught Kindermusik that I now love teaching the little ones. It is so nice to take them through from a little beginner to an advanced teenager and gives wonderful job satisfaction.

I enjoy the spontaneity of children.’

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR NEXT CHAPTER AND EXCITING THINGS PLANNED? So where to next? My husband and I are retiring. We are in the process of converting a delivery van into a campervan and are planning on driving from the UAE to Ireland and back in 2022. (You can follow us on our YouTube channel ‘Paradise Plodders’) We also received our Canadian Permanent Residence this year, so after our road trip to Europe, we will be moving permanently to British Columbia in Canada.

I would just like to thank Mark Leppard, Elaine Rawlings, Rob Hall, all my colleagues and all my students for the wonderful time I had at BSAK. BSAK will always have a special place in my heart.

Lastly I would like to thank the leaders and people of the UAE who have made it possible for my family to make the UAE our home for the last 22 years. It has been a wonderful experience and I will miss living here.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR TIME AT BSAK AND JOURNEY? I started at BSAK in 2008 as a part-time piano teacher, my room was above the Auditorium. Although only part time, I already felt so much part of the school life and even then was very involved in the school activities playing for the musicals, orchestral concerts and doing some extra accompanying. In 2017 I was then offered a full time teaching position teaching both piano and violin.

My 12 years at BSAK have been the most memorable time of my life. The camaraderie in the Music Department and the passion for music by all the music staff and students is amazing. It has been wonderful to teach such wonderful children and see them grow into fine musicians. The feeling of community in the school has been great and both my children, Liam and Kelcey loved it here too. I have so many memories of teaching here - teaching in the rooms above the Auditorium, watching the Phase 4 building being built, all the musicals, carol services at St. Andrew’s Church, concerts, the 50th Anniversary of the school, National Day celebrations, the list goes on…

The Collective Driving Home for Christmas is available of Spotify, iTunes, Amazon and all good music platforms from Friday 10 December.

The Collective got together Autumn 2020 to make music and some sense of the craziness of the pandemic we were living through. We are colleagues within the Music Department and felt a common loss as live music and creativity shifted from the centre of our lives to the periphery during Lockdowns and restrictions. The Greeks talk about music being the study of relationships between invisible, internal, hidden objects and suggest that music has a way of helping us decipher and negotiate the events of our lives.

In many cases the first shared communal response to a disaster is music or song. In a similar manner for us, playing and recording music together helped reignite life and a sense of possibility. We also discovered that we had a lot of fun making music together and what could be more fun than singing Christmas songs?! As a result, we recorded a Christmas album - a veritable festive bonanza stuffed with our own Collective take on a series of cracking Christmas tunes. More new music to come in the New Year.

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‘We are colleagues within the Music Department and felt a common loss as live music and creativity shifted from the centre of our lives to the periphery during Lockdowns and restrictions.’

HEAD OF BRASS Ms Alison Bryce

BRASS

As ever it has been a fun and exciting term in the Brass Department!

In September I had an amazing time giving Brass demos to the whole of Year 3. They were so enthusiastic and asked excellent questions, and as a result we have welcomed 10 new players to the Brass Department. It has been wonderful to start them off on their Brass journey, so a warm welcome to Albowardi, Thomas, Ava, Zenia, Lilli, Connor, Zac, Josh, Poppy and Layla!

I’d also like to welcome new piano students Kye, Wadeema, Fatima, Harrison, Kaila, Joseph and Imogen and look forward to sharing your piano journey with you!

On 11th November Caleb and Emma played The Last Post and Rouse beautifully at our Act of Remembrance and afterwards, Caleb and Ms Bryce dashed off to the British Embassy to play for their Remembrance Service. It was a great honour and privilege to be invited to play in the Embassy Garden for the British Ambassador, assembled Dignitaries and British Armed forces personnel.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. Have a

great holiday!

Our Year 8 Trumpet Trio and BSAK Brass Quartet have been hard at work this term and you will hear the fruits of their labours in the Scholars Ensemble Concert and the Christmas Concert. Huge thanks and congratulations to Fergus, Laila, Rishan, Guy, Millie, Harry, Kesu, Caleb and Emma who played brilliantly in the Brass Concert recording and to Kaila, Ryan and Mia who were also fantastic in the Piano Concert.

And a special thank you to Katie for her video expertise.

Have a wonderful, relaxing holiday and I will see you next term.

As ever, it is a joy and delight to teach your children and I have loved working with them all this term. If possible, please keep lips “In” during the Winter Break so we don’t have to start all over again in January, and if you are taking part in the ADYM competition, then have those instruments clamped to your faces/fingers as much as possible!

Mr Kalana De Silva HEAD OF GUITAR Mr Dennis Lopez GUITAR TEACHER

GUITAR

It has been another brilliant term for our guitarists and we are delighted with the progress our students have made throughout this term.

A significant number of our students have entered for the ADYM music competition and we have every confidence that they will do their very best during the competition. We would like to welcome all the students who have started their guitar lessons this term and hope they have enjoyed their first steps in learning the instrument.

Mr Lopez and I are constantly seeking to offer the best opportunities to our pupils, and this term we have introduced an after-school bands programme which is already making a significant impact on the school Rock and Pop culture. Our Year 13 (Josh and the scholars) and Year 7 (Rock 60) Bands are an absolute delight to watch! ●

We are delighted to hear that Keera was voted the Primary Musician of the Year (Girl) and Will Hargreaves the Secondary Musician of the Year for the academic year 2020/21

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Best of luck to all the students who are appearing for their music exams, especially Ben and Liya who will be appearing for their grade 7 Rock and Pop and Classical grade 8 exams respectively.

Many thanks to all the parents for their continued support throughout this term.

We would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Mr Alex Tchobanov HEAD OF PIANO Mr Ramzi Hakim PIANO TEACHER Ms Ali Bryce PIANO TEACHER

PIANO

Mrs Hanneke Willson PIANO TEACHER

It has been an exciting term in the Piano Department as we have welcomed a large number of new students of all ages and levels.

I would like to congratulate all pianists who took part in our recent Virtual Piano Concert. In addition, I would like to recognize our newly formed Piano Trio - Heidi, Jiaming, and Munachi - who feature in the Scholars Ensemble Concert. Compliments also go to Nuoze and Hugo for their impressive results in the ABRSM remote piano exams.

Last but not least, I would like to thank all my colleagues for doing such a superb job this term and wish all the best to our long-term piano teacher Hanneke Willson as she starts a new chapter of her life. Thank you Hanneke, you will be missed by many here at BSAK.

HEAD OF SINGING Ms Ana Kovacevic

SINGING

Thank you, dear colleagues, staff members, students and parents, for accepting me so warmly to BSAK. It is a great honour to be part of this talented and dedicated team in one of the best schools in the UAE. I hope I can contribute to this wonderful community!

Over the past six weeks I have had an opportunity to meet a lot of new faces and hear a lot of talented young singers. Some of them are just starting and some are already having a significant singing and performing experience. In both cases, I am happy that we are starting this journey together and sincerely looking forward to all the practice, fun, concerts, projects and exams in front of us.

Congratulations to all who have managed to prepare a piece of music to present in the Singing Concert. It was hard work to create in a short period of time, but also great fun!

Happy holidays to everyone! Take care and I am looking forward to see you all in January!

Mrs Briana Corrigan SINGING TEACHER

ROCK & POP

It’s been another busy term for Rock and Pop this autumn.

We have lots of new talent coming through and fantastic progress is being shown by our long-term gang of students. The new cohort of Rock and Pop scholars have launched into bands, duets, new grades, Arabic pop projects and more with gusto.

Following on from our commitment to include more of the phenomenally popular Arabic pop in our output, we have performed and recorded our first song, Yo Habibi by Kendji Girac. We were delighted to have an excellent amount of interest from our senior primary students and look forward to where this project will take us next term.

Rock and Pop’s inclusion in the 2022 ADYM is a source of great excitement for the rock and pop cohort and we look forward to playing our part in such a forward-thinking competition.

Unplugged Autumn 2021 features our bands and stripped back performances, one singer-one instrument in most cases. It’s great for the performers to have a variety of experiences and the ability to communicate a song well with just voice and a single instrument is a skill worth learning.

The nature of our school is that we consistently have new talent arriving through our doors, and how exciting is that! But the downside of this is that we also often must say goodbye to homegrown talented musicians before we would like to. One such sad goodbye is to Nadal, our brilliant Rock 60 drummer. Thank you for your talent and commitment, you’ll be missed in the music department and by your band.

In terms of new talent arriving, it is wonderful to work alongside our brilliant new classical wonder, Ms. Kovacevic. We have some exciting joint singing projects lined up for the new year so watch this space!

Happy Holidays.

Mr Roger Norkie HEAD OF STRINGS Mr Milan Jankovic CELLO TEACHER Mrs Hanneke Willson STRINGS TEACHER

STRINGS

Yet another busy term has flown by.

Some of our ensembles started up again and to date we have 3 different string quartet groups that rehearse weekly, honing our students’ musical skills as chamber musicians. The Orchestra in the Primary School resumed their rehearsals again and we hope to soon present our hard work, in a concert setting. The Symphony Orchestra in the Secondary School will hopefully resume their rehearsals at the start of the second term and they will have lots of exciting new repertoire to learn.

This term also saw our Music Theory clubs return and all three groups meet weekly to work towards our students taking their grade 5 music theory examination.

All the instrumental teachers were involved in the Music Festival earlier in the term and there were many exciting performances around both primary and secondary schools during that week.

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One of the highlights of this term was the surprise visit of two members of the Vienna Concert Verein Orchestra in late October.

The two violinists started by playing famous pieces from Mozart Operas, especially arranged for two violins. They played with flair and precision, producing a beautiful sound on their Italian-made violins. To have these professional violinists play for our students was a real treat, watching them perform from up close. Our advanced players then performed for our visitors in the form of a masterclass. The professionals were highly impressed by the ability and standard of our students as they spent 30 minutes coaching and advising each student on how to improve their performance.

The afternoon ended with one of our String Quartets playing a movement from Glazunov’s String Quartet. It was a fantastic end to a great musical day and we look forward to welcoming many more musicians to school to inspire our players.

Feedback from students regarding masterclasses:

‘It was a treat working with professionals, especially ones from the home of music. Their performance was excellent, and it felt like they were way above my level. They taught with patience and were casual guys overall. Huge thanks to the Music Department for giving me such an opportunity.’ James - Yr 9

‘I felt rather nervous working with orchestral musicians, but their professionalism helped me feel more relaxed and also excited to develop as a player. Not only did they give me advice on my technique, but also the interpretation of my piece to make it sound much more musical and improve my phrasing. They helped me to realise the difference between just playing the notes on the page and performing a piece’. Sharadhi - Yr 12

‘I thought it was a really cool experience to work with the professional musicians during the masterclass and I was really excited but nervous at the same time because I didn't know that they would come to school! Overall, I think it was an amazing opportunity to get feedback on our ensemble playing as a string quartet and now, we can take all the feedback and use it to make us even better’ Heidi - Yr 9

As the term comes to an end, an Advanced String Concert was held in preparation for the Abu Dhabi Young Musician Competition in February 2022. This was the first concert of its type since the Covid pandemic - playing live music has been sorely missed. Thank you to everyone who prepared pieces and we hope you enjoy listening.

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‘Finally and with great sadness, we say goodbye to one of the String teachers at the end of this term. Mrs Willson has been a member of the BSAK string team for 12 years but she is leaving to start a new life, ultimately in Canada.

I know many students and families will miss Mrs Willson and we thank her for all her contributions and efforts over the years. We wish her all the best for her new life abroad and we hope she keeps in touch.’

We wish you all a safe and happy holiday and we look forward to seeing you in the new year.

Mrs Claire Day HEAD OF WOODWIND

WOODWIND

Mr Steve Kerr WOODWIND SPECIALIST

Lots of lovely new students launched their ‘woodwinding’ careers this term.

Congratulations to those who have had stunning exam results, experienced our first Diploma student competition and to those who have taken part in our various concerts - it’s wonderful that ensembles and concerts are creeping back into music life here at BSAK. A WARM WELCOME TO OUR BEGINNER WOODWINDERS Clarinet: Jack, Leah, Jack, Cora, Sarah, Cleo Saxophone: Lauren, Ishaan, Sam, Maryam, Yasmin, Saif Dood: Alice, Georgina, Eva, Leo, Adam Oboe: Nicholas Flute: Osha, Abra, Dione, Thomas, Maariyah, Maya Recorder: Saeed, Afra and Mouza

The term started with an exciting competition set up for three of our Diploma flute students. Scarlett, Mia and Kirstie were given the task of learning a new piece over the summer holiday with absolutely no direction from me! Their job was to research and decide how they were going to express Sunstreams by Ian Clarke.

Once the judges were in place, Miss Woulfe (Head of Secondary) Mr Hall (Director of Music) and Mrs Smith (Flute Expert), the competition went ahead. It was a very proud moment for me as each student had really worked hard on the technical side of the piece but also on how they personally connected to and wished to communicate it.

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‘Our winner (and it was a very close run thing) was Kirstie who will be taking her Diploma in February.

Congratulations to all three students - such lovely playing to the standard needed at this level bravo!’

Congratulations on the following exam results achieved this term… your hard work and talent really did pay off for you!

Yasmin - Flute Grade 4 Dautari - Sax Grade 8 Advay - Clarinet Grade 4 Louise - Clarinet Grade 1 Good luck to Clodagh (Flute Grade 8),Raphael (Sax Grade 5) and Becca (Flute Grade 5) who are awaiting their results!

Concert season has been upon us recently, commencing with our wonderful Woodwind Primary Beginners’ Concert. A flurry of nervous excitement for students ranging from Year 2 to Year 6 hit the department at the beginning of November as we started to plan which pieces would be played, including an ensemble piece ‘Skat Cat Swing’. Bravo to all our beginners...performing in a concert is such an important part of your musical journey and you made Mr Kerr and myself very proud.

Following on from the great success of this concert we enjoyed the Scholars Ensemble Concert swiftly followed by the Ensemble Christmas Concert. Gorgeous playing by the various woodwind ensembles and a big thank you to Kirstie and Mia for stepping in, with little time, when Viraj managed to break his wrist the week before performance! We hope you heal quickly Viraj and thank you for your commitment to Scholar Flutes 2 and The Woodwind Trio.

An Introduction to our Scholars Let’s take a look at who our woodwind scholars are and how they feel about their music…

My name is Munachi, I play the flute and the cello. Playing music calms me down as music is my focus; being a Scholar is a great experience which I really appreciate

I am Clodagh I’ve taken my Grade 8. I play the flute and have been playing for 7 years.

I am so lucky to have been brought up around music my whole life with lots of family encouragement.

I am Maisie - I am an oboe music scholar at BSAK. I chose the oboe for several reasons, firstly because my mum plays the oboe which was my inspiration to begin. I have been playing since Year 3 and am now working towards Grade 8. I love that the oboe is such a unique instrument.

My name is Avishi I am a clarinettist. I started learning in Year 5 and I am working towards my Grade 6 now - I absolutely love music. Becoming a Music Scholar is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

Hi I’m Ryan and music is my passion because it helps me relax and unwind. Being a Music Scholar gives me opportunities to grow as a player as well as to learn from accomplished and experienced teachers.

Hello my name is Dautari and I play the Alto Sax. I have just achieved my Grade 8 with a Distinction and I particularly love performing. My highlight has got to be winning the Young Musicians of the Gulf Woodwind Award and I am really learning lots from being a Scholar at BSAK. I am Raphael and I play both the Piano and Saxophone - I really enjoy playing and although I don’t plan on a career in music, I know it will always be an important part of my life as life without music is dull.

I am Mia and I started playing the flute in Year 3. I am now in Year 10 and am working towards my Diploma. I play the piano as well and have always been very encouraged and supported by my family especially my dad as we always enjoy playing music together - he is a guitarist.

I am Viraj and I play the Flute and Clarinet both at Grade 8 standard. I love to express myself through my music and also enjoy helping the audience feel those emotions. I am excited to be a Scholar because it enables me to develop my communication skills and my social skills.

Hello - I am Scarlett; I started learning the flute in Year 4 and I am currently studying for my Diploma. Music enables me to express myself in a creative way and being a Scholar exposes my passion for performance.

Hi my name is Kirstie and I’ve been playing the flute since Year 4 - I am currently in Year 11 and will be taking my Diploma in February. None of my family has ever played a musical instruments before me so I really appreciate it as an opportunity and love the support I have received.

A highlight for me would be being part of the YMoG Competition and I’m really looking forward to competing in the ADYM competition in February.

My name is Zoya - I have played the piano and the flute since I was very young; music is really my ‘normal’ place to be and I apply my music to real life situations. Being a Music Scholar has been a joy - I get to do so many fun things and it has really stretched me as a musician.

My name is Sehansa I started learning the flute in Year 2 and I LOVE it! I am so excited to be a Scholar at BSAK because I want to improve and soak up all the opportunities. My dad is a fantastic musician and I want to be as good as he is when I’m older.

exam students please keep on playing during the break. We look forward to playing music again with you all in the new term!

HAPPY HOLIDAY

H ere’s wishing you a wonderful winter holiday -

CONCERTS AUTUMN TERM 2021