Noticeboard: 18th March 2020
A new Noticeboard was due to go to press when the government announced their advice on Monday March 16. In the light of that, all Felton Music activities are suspended for the time being. It'll be just wonderful to make music together again after the hiatus, and I hope very much that everyone, and all our friends and relations, wherever they are in the world, gets through this as well as possible.
Many of us will have extra things to do, or normal things will take longer, so it won't feel that there is more free time. But there may be just a little. If so, music may help fill some gaps. I'm certainly planning to put in some serious practice and learn more about early music, which I love.
It's early days, but I've got a few thoughts already about how the website could be a useful resource while we're not being able to make music together. I'd like to get a lot more onto the Learning section of the website. It has been waiting until there was an opportunity.
Four things to start with:
Each week there will be a new learning project designed to be accessible for people with quite a wide range of knowledge and skills. I will send this to you by email if you let me know you would like it. The projects will help you learn how to follow a score while listening to music. It's a useful skill. If you sing or play in a group, often you are using a score. Are you getting as much information as you could from it? If you'd like to be able to read music better, following the music as it plays is really helpful. And being able to see what is going on in the music helps you to hear more and understand how the music works. The projects will be progressive. Each one will be designed to take about an hour, but there'll be optional extras to take you further/deeper if you want.
In the Learning Section on the website, there's a place for people's accounts of how music learning has worked for them – and still does. I've already got one person's contribution waiting to be published there. Many of us could write something that could help and interest others. If you think you might like to contribute, please email me and I'll send you a bit more information.
There's also a Publications section. I'd be very pleased to receive reviews of anything you have found particularly good. That's in a music learning context!
And there's nothing at present under Learning with Other Providers. I've already found several free on line courses that look great. Just a few hours for a few weeks. I'll get information up there, and do email with other suggestions.
Is there anything you are trying to learn or practise that you think I might be able to help you with via email? Just say.
I'm sorry that we don't have balconies to sing from like the Italians. I'm planning to go and play a bit in the front garden when it's a bit warmer and less windy. Maybe we could have a keep-your-distance sharing session on the bridge. Watch this space!
Watch as well the Felton Music Facebook page that Hazel Makepeace maintains. It's a very good place to keep in touch with each other. Do sign up if you haven't already and let's keep it buzzing with what everyone's up to musically. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2301881236700497/permalink/2633714186850532/
And, finally, I promise that I will write guidance for putting up a folding music stand and make a certificate to mark your achievement!
Alison