DISTANCE LEARNING EDITION 2019/2020
THE BRITISH SCHOOL AL KHUBAIRAT
MUSIC NEWSLETTER
CONTENT MUSIC NEWSLETTER 2019/2020 P03 P06 P07 P09 P14 P16 P18 P19
Message from the Director of Music Primary Music Secondary Music Distance Learning Photos Brass Guitar Piano Singing
P21 P22 P24 P28 P30 P32 P32
Rock & Pop Strings Woodwind Virtual Concerts Virtual Live Concerts Leavers Concert Music Awards
A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC Welcome to our latest Music Newsletter. It is perhaps ironic, yet also incredibly fitting, that I am writing this introductory passage on the same day that the ADEK Inspection Team are looking at BSAK’s Distance Learning programme. I have every confidence that they will be hugely impressed with the music provision that has taken place over the past 15 weeks!
To say that we have had to adapt, to be creative and imaginative and to face challenges head-on is an understatement, but I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to our incredible team of music teachers, both academic and instrumental, and of course to our Administrator Karen, who has done so much behind the scenes to keep everything ticking over. It is fair to say that when school closed in March, we weren’t sure what the weeks and months ahead would entail, but through mutual support, understanding and a shared passion, we have managed to continue to provide a fantastic range of musical opportunities. The students have embraced these challenges too, showing fantastic resilience and empathy; I have been staggered by their support (as they say, if you have IT problems, ask the younger generation!) and their willingness and desire to embrace the new way of learning. You as parents have also been incredible in your support for the department and I have to thank each and every one of you who has taken the time to send in emails or messages;
they have genuinely meant so much to the Music team. I have written in the past about the mental health benefits of Music but could never have imagined that these would become so evident in such a dramatic way! Parents have continually commented that their son or daughter’s Music lessons (both academic and instrumental) have been the highlight of the week for the entire family! For parents, hearing another voice in the home has been hugely therapeutic and the incredible relationships forged between student and teacher have never been more apparent. Another observation from both parents and teachers has been the amazing progress students have made on their instruments as they have had more time and inclination to practise! Fingers crossed that this can be sustained as we adapt once again in September; we are already busy planning for various scenarios. I would like to thank all the students who sent in video recordings for the series of Virtual Concerts - from Beginners to diploma-level students.
A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC It has been so enjoyable to listen to each and every performance and to also see so many ‘Views’ on YouTube! I am sure friends and families back in the UK and globally have also appreciated the opportunity to see our musicians in action. There are still a number of concerts due to take place before the end of the academic year, so watch this space! I am of course aware that we had a number of events before the shut-down which we haven’t had a chance to celebrate publically. These are included in this newsletter, however it would be remiss of me not to mention the Young Musicians of the Gulf Competition, held every year at St Christopher’s, Bahrain. BSAK musicians once again performed admirably at YMoG 2020 and we are immensely proud of their achievements, both musically and in how they represented the school. Whilst we took a much smaller cohort this year compared to previous years, their preparation and willingness to heed advice was exemplary. The Preparation Day, kindly hosted by Cranleigh, was remarkable not only in the high standards being achieved, or in the camaraderie shown, but in the focused and studious nature of the day. The attention to detail was incredible and this meant that we approached YMoG with real confidence. As ever it was an emotional roller-coaster for everyone concerned, but I was delighted to attend the Grand Final and to see three of our musicians take home trophies: Inayah won Best Brass Player; Dautari, Best Woodwind Player; and
A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC William, Best Guitarist - the trophy he has won now for 3 consecutive years. Congratulations to everyone who took part and my thanks to Ali Bryce and Phil Townley for accompanying the trip. Given the current situation, we are unsure whether or not there will be a YMoG 2021 but we will keep you posted. Once again, I would like to thank everyone for their continued support of the Music Department and wish to pay particular tribute to students who are leaving at the end of the academic year, many of whom have given years of dedicated and loyal ‘service’ to Music at BSAK. I am so sorry that we have not had the chance to say a proper goodbye and to express our sincere thanks to you for everything you have done during your time with us: attending rehearsals at the end of a long day; waking up even earlier to cram in some practice; coming into school at weekends for extra rehearsals; performing in a plethora of concerts, open mornings, year group assemblies and suchlike. We will be very sad to say goodbye but wish you all the very best for your futures. Likewise to returning members of the school, thank you, enjoy your summer holidays and we hope to see you back in school, refreshed and reinvigorated in September.
Robert Hall Director of Music
PRIMARY CURRICULUM CLAIRE DODDS All things considered, this has been a remarkably successful term. The students in the Primary School have enjoyed engaging with singing, dancing and instrumental activities via the learning platform Seesaw.
The EYFS children have sung nursery rhymes and action songs, and have listened to the Radetzky March by Strauss, while playing wooden kitchen spoons! They have sent countless videos of their families, from babies to nannies, joining in and enjoying the learning. The Key Stage 1 & 2 students have had the opportunity to engage with some digital music-making through the website Chrome Music Lab while also enjoying singing, instrumental and composer research projects. Many of the Primary pupils are also learning an instrument and have performed in one of the many virtual concerts produced this term. We have ended with a House Singing Competition which has seen students from the Nursery up to Y6 sing some Disney favourites. It has been a very positive experience considering the circumstances, however Mrs Smith and I can’t wait to get back into school and resume making Music together. Claire Dodds Primary Music Coordinator View our Primary Distance Learning Video
HEAD OF SECONDARY ACADEMIC MUSIC SASCHA DALLAS It’s probably quite hard to imagine what a KS3 academic Music lesson might look like when it’s being taught remotely, but I am happy to report that we have thoroughly enjoyed being able to share several exciting projects with our secondary students over the past few months.
Year 7 have been busy creating beatboxing backing tracks online and they went on to write their own raps to accompany their beats. The final recordings are absolutely fabulous, proving we have a lot of rapping talent in this year group. Year 8 completed a 12 Bar Blues project called ‘Jackass Blues’. They practised and performed a blues bassline, the 12-bar blues chord progression, the Jackass Blues melody and they learnt how to improvise using the pentatonic scale. We received lots of videos of the students’ work, which were a pleasure to watch. Thank you to those particularly resourceful students who didn’t have access to a piano at home but managed to play on a virtual piano instead! Year 9 spent time discovering a new online music technology resource called Soundtrap. Layer by layer, students recreated the pop song Havana, by Camila Cabello. There were some amazing projects shared with us, and several students went above and beyond what was expected, going on to create their own fantastic composition projects using the software. Our GCSE and A Level students continued to work towards their courses, despite such uncertain times. Y10 recently sat their mock exams and are now busy completing their coursework in preparation for next year. We bid farewell to our current Y11 cohort and wish them well in their future endeavours; well done for getting through these past few weeks with smiles on your faces. We have been very impressed by the number of students participating in their Music lessons during this period of online learning. Thank you for keeping us entertained with your performances and various video recordings. We hope that your lessons were enjoyable and brought some fun into your homes during these challenging times.
HEAD OF SECONDARY ACADEMIC MUSIC SASCHA DALLAS For us teachers this has been a time to discover new approaches to teaching Music, in particular using music technology. Software like Soundtrap, Musescore, Bandlab and Sibelius are proving to be extremely useful resources when working from home, so if you are a keen musician or composer then we strongly suggest that you take a look at these programmes. Music is such a powerful tool and we shouldn’t underestimate its importance in our lives, especially during challenging times such as these. We have all seen in the media in recent weeks how Music has brought people together, with videos of people singing together on their balconies in Italy and communities gathering on rooftops to share a musical moment. Music is able to bring great joy in times of need, let’s all be grateful for that! THE SECONDARY EPIC HOUSE SONG COMPETITION 2020 We are so excited that we were able to bring this year’s Epic House Song Competition to you virtually. Over the past 3 weeks students and staff have been sharing video clips of themselves dancing around their homes, wearing their house colours. Our wonderfully creative student heads of house have spent countless hours editing together all the clips and have created 6 fantastic house song videos. This year’s theme was ‘Top ten songs from the past decade’. A whopping 600 house points were up for grabs, in what was potentially a game changer. Points were awarded for ingenuity, entertainment and downright fun! The judges had a tough job deciding on the winner but it was PHOENIX that stole the top spot with their incredible rendition of ‘Hall of Fame’, by The Script. Congratulations to everyone who took part. You can see all 6 video entries below WARNING: they will make you laugh, they will make you cry and they will make you feel immensely proud! THIS is what BSAK is all about. FINAL VIDEO ENTRIES VIRTUAL HOUSE SONG COMP 2020
Sascha Dallas Head of Secondary Academic Music
DISTANCE LEARNING | TERM 3
MRS ALISON BRYCE HEAD OF BRASS Wow, what a year it has been for our BSAK Brass players! Looking back over the entire year, we have taken part in some amazing events including the Community Wind Band Day, Remembrance Assemblies, Remembrance Day at St Andrew’s, Carols in the Science Garden and at The Club, Carols by Candlelight, Cranleigh Wind Band Festival, YMoG 2020, Masterclasses with Mark Glover and Paul Archibald (at Dubai Opera) as well as Brass Department Concerts, Music Festival Week, various assemblies and community events.
Phew! I am incredibly thankful for the commitment and passion each of you show and for all of the rehearsals you turn up to, to make these fabulous concerts happen. I am very grateful to you all and you are the reason I love my job so much! This term has been so different to normal but inspiring in so many ways. I was initially very daunted by the idea of Zoom teaching but it has been a fantastic tool! Firstly, I get to see and hear you every week, and secondly, the amount of effort and practice you have put in has been inspirational. Without exception, everyone who has taken Zoom lessons has improved and I am so proud of you all. Obviously one of the things I have missed the most is seeing my students in the flesh, but also a big part of what we do in the BSAK Brass Department is lots of ensembles! I have REALLY missed all of those, but rest assured I have been thinking about fun (and challenging) repertoire for us all to play when we are back in school together! I’d like to mention our leavers this year; to thank them for their commitment and to wish them all well for the future! Inayah (horn) is a music Scholar and has been our principal horn since she arrived at BSAK in Year 12. She won the Best Brass Player trophy at YMoG 2020 and has been a great role model for our younger horn players. I will really miss her quiet enthusiasm and loyalty! She is going to the UK to study Art at university. Talented in so many ways!
Darya (trumpet) is also a Music Scholar who has headed back to the US where I know she will continue with her trumpet playing journey. Darya is extremely hardworking and she has been a member of so many ensembles during her time at BSAK. She brings a calmness to proceedings and her new school is very lucky to have her! Xavier (trumpet) in Year 5 is heading back to Australia. He has taken part in a lot of Junior Ensembles during his time in the Brass Department and is always jovial and makes a great sound! He has a lovely enthusiasm and talent, and I know he will also continue with the trumpet at his new school. Lolleigh (trombone) in Year 6 has been the backbone of the brass department since she started. She has also just taken up the tuba! It has been fabulous having Lolleigh in the team; she is loyal and organised and attends everything with a quiet enthusiasm. Thank you! Jacob (trumpet) in Year 4 is a bundle of energy and enthusiasm! He bounces into lessons and ensembles, always has questions and has made a brilliant start to his trumpet playing. I know that both Lolleigh and Jacob will continue their musical journeys in their new school in the UK and I am so happy about that! Freddy (horn) and Miraan (cornet) are heading to the UK and Dubai respectively. They are both in Year 3 and have made a fantastic start to their musical stories at BSAK. It has been fabulous seeing their enthusiasm every week and hearing them explore different sounds as they learn about their instruments. I really hope you both continue to play in your new schools. Goodbye and good luck to all of our leavers. Thank you for all of your infectious enthusiasm and commitment. I am going to miss you all! Please keep in touch, please keep playing and let me know how you are doing. All that remains for me to do now is wish you all a happy, safe and healthy summer. Thank you for all of your support this year, keep those lips “in” by practising as regularly as you can, and I can’t wait to see you all when we are allowed to be back at school! Ali Bryce Head of Brass
KALANA DE SILVA HEAD OF GUITAR It has been another fantastic, albeit challenging year for the Guitar Department! We are delighted with the progress that the guitarists have made during the distance learning period. Overall around 70% of the students signed up for online guitar lessons and we have really enjoyed seeing them weekly. It was also wonderful to see them taking part in online virtual concerts!
Congratulations to William for winning the Young Musician of the Gulf Guitar Award for the 3rd consecutive year! This is a remarkable achievement from a student who has been absolutely brilliant, also gaining his diploma in guitar this year. Here are links to two concerts from William before and during the distance learning period. This is a perfect example of determination and effort, showing his passion for music regardless of the situation.
Concert - before Distance Learning BSAK Will Hargreaves Music Live Concert
Every year we say farewell to the students who are leaving. It has been a long journey since they started group guitar lessons in primary! Most of them have now completed their grade 8 and are working towards their diplomas. We are super proud of them and we would take this opportunity to wish them the best of luck with their future endeavours: Ali, Alex, Calum, Christian, Joshua & Marcus we will miss you all!! We also would like to say farewell to Darya, Isabelle, Matthew, Saif and Taanish. A special thanks Mr Lopez for his fantastic teaching during the distance learning perod! Finally we would like to wish you all a restful holiday and we look forward to seeing everyone next term. Kalana De Silva Head of Guitar
ALEX TCHOBANOV HEAD OF PIANO Despite the challenges of a global pandemic, our piano students have adapted incredibly well to the online music lessons. Moreover, they have shown remarkable passion and desire to make progress, regardless of certain limitations. As a result, there have been a number of wonderful projects including virtual concerts and chamber music collaborations (please find the link below).
Other high points throughout the year have included our two piano concerts, Dr. Salonga’s Masterclass, YMoG, the inter-house competitions, and various informal concerts. We would also like to wish best of luck to our students Cassady, Dan, and Millie who are sadly leaving the country. They will surely be missed. Many thanks to my colleagues Mrs. Willson, Mr. Hakim and Mrs Bryce for their hard work and dedication throughout the year. Watch: Beethoven’s 5th Symphony
We also would like to congratulate Jonathan for getting accepted to the University of Tulsa (USA) on a music scholarship. Jonathan has been an important asset to the Piano Department, as he has won twice the Inter House Music Competition, and has shared his talents with us on so many occasions. We sincerely thank him and wish him the best of luck in all of his future endeavours. Alex Tchobanov Head of Piano
PHILIP TOWNLEY HEAD OF SINGING This has certainly been a year of two halves! After two terms of various performances throughout Abu Dhabi, for example The International Choir of Tolerance, Carols by Candlelight and Unplugged, we then had to all adapt to Distance Learning. It just goes to show how varied singing at BSAK is! It has been incredible to see how the students have adapted to lessons via Zoom and to see how much progress they have made.
Sadly, our Singing Concert in April had to be cancelled due to Covid-19. It will be wonderful to experience this next year in all its glory. It has been great to see many singing performances make up the virtual concerts from Year 3 to Year 12.
It was wonderful that the Al Khubairat Singers and the Concert String Orchestra could come together on two occasions to make music together. The repertoire for these events was Schubert’s Mass in G and Vivaldi’s Magnificat. It was very rewarding to see the children being able to rise to the challenge. Additionally, it was very important that we performed the Mass in G by Schubert in a church service. This therefore demonstrated to the children (and congregation) where this music originates from.
The Al Khubairat Singers were also invited to be part of the Act of Remembrance in St Andrew’s Church; this was a very moving occasion and it was an honour to be part of it. One of the highlights for three of our singers; Daniella, Maya and Rose, was the YMoG competition. It was a real pleasure to be part of this journey and they represented BSAK superbly well.
We will be sorry to see a number of our singers leave this year for pastures new. We wish Arabella, Caitlyn, Dan, Daniella, Julia, Ruby and Sienna all the best for their future endeavours. Thank you ever so much to Briana Corrigan for all your hard work and also to all of our students who impress us constantly. Additionally, my thanks must go to everyone in the Music Department who has made me feel so welcome in my first year. I look forward to what next year holds! Philip Townley Head of Singing
BRIANA CORRIGAN ROCK & POP As the beating heat wilts us all and this odd term staggers to a close it feels a very long way from the fairy lights that lit up Unplugged last October. Little did we know that would be the last Rock & Pop concert for a year. Over the last few months many of the students have kept singing, transferring to the Zoom lesson experience with lots of them continuing to create video performances as a way of goal setting and finding a sense of achievement in the absence of concert performances or exams. Zoom lessons have been much more successful than we ever imagined with some students excelling from within the comfort of their own homes, improving technically and creatively in huge leaps and bounds, growing in confidence, taking ideas and running with them because they had time and focus and not too many places to be. It has been a learning journey for both student and teacher, with the students asked to take a much more active role in lessons, setting up backing tracks for example, as the short delay makes it difficult for the student to hear accurately unless the music is their side of the camera. The sense of being in it together has been really quite lovely, working out how a lesson works best for each individual and enjoying the cooperative dynamic created. In terms of highlights this year, it was wonderful to see Natasha bringing Arabic Pop to Unplugged and to hear Katie and Cora performing ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ with Mr Jankovic’s sparse cello accompaniment at Carols by Candlelight. They worked very hard to create that performance and hit gold with the stark beauty of the hymn and how perfectly matched their voices sounded. Extremely moving and beautifully delivered. One of the best and most fulfilling aspects of this time of year, usually, is watching the student performances as they showcase the achievements of months of creative exploration and effort and it’s a loss not to witness that excitement and energy, the heady buzz at this time of year. It’s doubly sad that we won’t get to enjoy some of our most talented performers as they leave us for University. But. What to do. We must wait. Quietly perfecting the phrasing, securing the pitching, battling to reach and deliver the emotional punch of the song and all the time dreaming once more of a chance to shine.
ROGER NORKIE HEAD OF STRINGS Well, what a year it has been! Looking back from where we started, to where we are now, who would have thought the last term would be spent teaching over the computer. Although initially we did have some reservations about teaching over Zoom, I can honestly say every single student and teacher has risen to the challenge and it has been fantastic to watch the amount of practice and improvement that has been made in such a short period of time.
But our highlights of this distance learning week-by-week have been watching the independence of the students increase, watching them take ownership of being prepared and ready for their lessons; independently trying to tune their instruments (with the parents' help – thank you ) and ensuring their instrument is working effectively by applying rosin to their bows. I know this will continue and this period of time will be a benefit in the years to come.
Looking back at the year the highlights are the Concert Strings Orchestra collaboration with the Al Khubairat Singers in the first and second term. The masterclass with the Tchalik Quartet in the first term and the various beginner and informal concerts. Please see links below showing clips from various concerts, I hope you will enjoy looking back on them over the summer.
Jonathan S. has been the leader of the Senior Orchestra and Concert Strings Orchestra, a position he has held for the last few years. He will be leaving BSAK for America to study Music at Tulsa University next year. He is very talented and made a remarkable impact with his performances over the years. We will all miss him as a person and as an advanced musician and I would like to say a huge thank you for all his contributions.
The following cello students are leaving BSAK at the end of this academic year. They are, Daniella Stewart, Eliza Peacock, and Taraz Lincoln. As their teacher and mentor for the past year, I have enjoyed working with them, improve their knowledge and overall technique on the cello. I wish them all the best for the future. Mr Jankowic. Evie Larence and Eliza Lovell have both been lovely students. I enjoyed teaching them. They were involved in the Music Department Ensembles playing in some String Ensembles and also the Primary School Orchestra. It's been a pleasure to teach them and I wish them all the best in their new schools and hope that they will continue playing the violin. Mrs. Willson Next year, we can look forward to more music-making in our different ensembles and another collaboration between the Concert String Orchestra and the Al Khubairat Singers. Thank you for all your support. We wish you a happy and safe summer. Roger Norkie Head Of Strings
CLAIRE DAY HEAD OF WOODWIND At the beginning of Term 2 we welcomed our new Woodwind Specialist, Mr. Stephen Kerr to the department and it seemed that just as he got started, the world had other ideas! He has shown his true worth guiding his students through the interesting experience of learning online and I can’t wait to work with him back at school next year.
Goodbyes Always a difficult time for goodbyes, this year it feels like it is doubly hard, as some of our flute and woodwind students said goodbye to us way back in the beginning of March, when we didn’t even know it would be our last lesson together. As students leave for university, 6th Form or for pastures new, we reflect on the many years of music we have experienced together - remembering the beginners who came to us, bright-eyed and raring to go who are now striding away with grades under their belts and hopefully a love for music that touches their soul.
And we say Thank you for the Music‌.. Tanya Yr 13, working towards Diploma Flute Paige Yr 13, working towards Diploma Flute Cassady 6C, working towards Grade 6 Flute Sadie 7GR, working happily through Abracadabra for Flute Darcey 6S, working towards Grade 2 Clarinet Lewis 8CH, working towards Grade 4 Saxophone Monty 11HY, working post-Grade 8 Bassoon Aaron 6O, working towards Grade 3 Clarinet Amara 4R, working towards Grade 1 Clarinet George 4C, beginner level Clarinet William 4C, working towards Grade 1 Saxophone Aaminah Yr 7, working towards Grade 2 Flute Please click on the link and listen to Cassady play a duet for the last time with me before she sets off to the UK with her family. WATCH: Cass and Mrs Day Racing Demons WATCH: Monty Montage
YMoG A big highlight for the Woodwind Department this year was our trio of woodwinders who set off for YMoG in January - Dautari, Kirstie and Ryan represented us with style and each player enjoyed getting into the semi-ďŹ nals ensemble section of the competition. We were all delighted when Dautari won the Best Woodwind Player Award and shall ride high on his success for many years to come! Well done to all three - you should always remember this experience with a massive smile on your face!
Distance Learning Music During our distance learning, despite the isolation we have managed to create some ensemble moments...so please come and join us - click on the link and take a listen to music created with the help of applications, loads of talent and the ability to be forward thinking. Watch: Virtual Flute Ensemble Instead of an Interview with a Scholar we asked all our distance learners to describe in one word their experience of learning online, or how having online music lessons made them feel‌
Happy, Fun, Progress, Enjoyed, Optimistic, Joyful, Calm, Awesome, Special time, Cool, New, Exciting, Enjoyable, Best-30-minutes, Loved it, Enthusiastic, Entertained, Connected, Eager, Fantabulous, Stimulating, Smooth, Easy, Relaxed, Great, Efficient, H elpful, Inspiring, Love-to-see-my-teacher, Unique, Magical
From Mr Kerr and myself, we wish you a safe and happy holiday - let your music bring you peace and we really look forward to seeing you all in September. Thank you for keeping your music going and for focusing so well despite the circumstances‌ you made Term 3 much easier than any of us believed was possible. Claire Day Head of Woodwind
VIRTUAL WEEKLY CONCERTS Throughout the period of Distance Learning, our students have willingly sent in videos of themselves playing along to backing tracks which have been incorporated into our weekly Virtual Concerts. Ranging from beginners to Diploma level, the short concerts have shown the breadth of our instrumental music provision over the past 15 weeks. Here are links to the concerts which are currently on YouTube. There will be at least two more before the end of term, so keep checking! We would like to thank each and every students who has sent in videos - you are all superstars!
MUSIC AWARDS 2019/2020 Unfortunately we were unable to hold our Annual Music Awards Evening this year, however we are delighted to announce the Primary and Secondary Musician of the Year Awards as voted for by the Instrumental Teachers. As ever it was fantastic to see so many students receive nominations.
PRIMARY MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR Girls
CASSADY Year 6 Cambridge
The Nominees Emma C. Marissa K. Cassady L. Sophie M. Isabel M.
ABOUT CASSADY Cassady has shown great commitment to the many ensembles that she has taken part in over the past few years. Her growing maturity as a musician has been enhanced through her work with the older ute scholars - a highlight being the ensemble performance of 'Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)' for the Scholars Concert earlier this year. Cassady lends a beautiful joy to her music and is never afraid to demonstrate or help out younger students who require guidance in Junior Flutes. Her energy, dedication and enthusiasm are simply infectious and she has been a superb role-model for younger musicians. Congratulations to Cassady and all the students nominated for the Primary awards. Robert Hall Director of Music
PRIMARY MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR Boys
MUNACHI Year 6 Royal
The Nominees Kenodh D. S. Clement H. Samuel M. Munachi O. Viraj S.
ABOUT MUNACHI Munachi is an amazing musician for one so young. He is currently working towards Grade 7 Flute and Grade 6 on Cello. His ability to express his music goes from strength to strength and his musicianship is really blossoming. Munachi has a gentle, unassuming approach to others and always tries to help out where he can. He has found a super balance between his sport activities and the many instruments that he plays. He is already involved in numerous senior ensembles, all of which he undertakes with enthusiasm and commitment. Congratulations to Munachi and all the students nominated for the Primary awards. Robert Hall Director of Music
SECONDARY MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
WILLIAM Year 12
The Nominees Caitlyn A. Heidi C. William H. Emma H. Inayah H. Zoya K.
Kirstie M. Dautari O. Jonathan S. Sharadhi S. Monty W.
ABOUT WILLIAM William has had an outstanding year; his contribution to lessons, ensembles and all the tasks that we have given has been remarkable. He is ever-present in the Music Department, normally with a booming smile, a desire and passion to learn, and ultimately to be the best he can possibly be. He is a great encourager of other students and has been a superb role model, giving younger students something to aspire towards. He represented BSAK incredibly well at YMoG, winning the Best Guitarist Award for the third consecutive year and achieved a Distinction in his ARSM Guitar diploma. He is a first class performer not only on guitar, but also piano, violin, oud, and most recently he has learnt the Grade 8 electric guitar syllabus! Since the Distance Learning programme began, William has participated in a number of our Virtual Concerts and has also recorded his own ‘Live Concert’ as well as recording various songs with other students, all of which are available to view on YouTube. Many congratulations William, and to all those students nominated for the awards. Robert Hall Director of Music