Well, July was busy! I had the pleasure of MC’ing, adjudicating and also having ensembles perform in various Eisteddfods & Festivals this last month - the standard of string playing in Brisbane is truly excellent, and I must admit to having a compositional flurry one weekend after hearing a selection of early intermediate student concertos & concertinos - thus the Concertiny was born! A miniature work in concertino style for Preliminary - Grade 2 players, these works will be great for older children or adult beginners; more musically mature than most beginner-level pieces, but technically accessible. You can hear a digital recording of the first movement of Concertiny no.1 in C major here - one day I’ll do a live recording!
Featured piece:
“Variations on a Sea Shanty” for String Orchestra, Grade 2
Based on the old Sea Shanty “What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor?”, this piece offers experience and consolidation of selected elementary bowings, mixed with the fun of harmonics both in 1st & 4th positions. The piano plays a supporting role and is not essential to a full performance. Similarly, the piece can be played without double basses if necessary without loss of the bass line. Available in hard copy or as a digital download, “Variations on a Sea Shanty” is a fantastic addition to your music library!
Coming up
Never a dull moment - mid-August sees a Soloist’s Soiree at one school, followed shortly by the peak concert of the year with the other school. The next weekend has three ensembles from the Soiree school performing at their Fete, later that week a concert with a selection of Logan City Symphony Orchestra players premiering some new works by young, emerging composers, and one of my ensembles from the other school is preparing for a String Festival in early September. All this while I’m preparing to go on tour with the Fabulous AUSTA teachers in late September!
But I guess without all these concerts we’d be bored, right…?
Keep on playing…
~ Alison
#learnmusic #noregrets #domusicnotdrugs #musicsaveslives