MARCH 2021 BST Community Music Newsletter Using music to keep us connected.
MESSAGE FROM THE THIS WEEK: MUSIC DEPARTMENT What are you listening to? 2 This month’s Music Newsletter brings us nicely to the Music TED Talk recommendation 3 end of Term Two. Online concert recommendation 3 As the sakura is blossoming we are feeling hopeful and looking forward to both warmer weather and Department notices 4 also the prospect of more music happening at BST Music Interview - Mrs Loran 5 school. Music Ambassadors’ Music 6 We hope you enjoy the many wonderful Competition performances submitted this month and wish you all Musical Artwork 6 a restful Easter holiday. Year 7 Samba 7 Performances of the month 7 Congratulations 9 WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?
Suggestions from Emma M (Year 10)
Gotye ft. Kimbra Somebody That I Used To Know https://youtu.be/Q7DtJJSVPsk
The Greatest A Million Dreams https://youtu.be/pSQk-4fddDI Showman Cast
瑛⼈ ⾹⽔ https://youtu.be/ewpJk50cjTM
Katy Perry Firework https://youtu.be/KSbwHzlcgs8
Sabrina Carpenter Skin https://youtu.be/6RYMCWAb5Wc
Adele Set Fire To The Rain https://youtu.be/qOagQWjKpyM
Suggestions from Ms Pushpanathan
PinkSweat$ At My Worst https://youtu.be/ZyvY3HjLP0c
Kim Sun Jae Radio https://youtu.be/7FlF-oiq22c WEEKLY MUSIC TED TALK
David Byrne, How architecture helped music evolve
LINK
As his career grew, David Byrne went from playing CBGB to Carnegie Hall. He asks: Does the venue make the music? From outdoor drumming to Wagnerian operas to arena rock, he explores how context has pushed musical innovation.
ONLINE CONCERT RECOMMENDATION
An Evening with Sona Jobateh
LINK
This documentary will chart the life and career so far of Sona Jobarteh, educational pioneer, dedicated humanitarian, and the first female member of a Griot family to play the traditional West African kora.
Sona’s rise to the global attention of music-lovers and politicians alike has been inspired by her single- minded approach to achieving her goal – to bring education, self-respect, awareness and understanding of Gambian tradition, music and culture to the young people of her home country. MUSIC DEPARTMENT NOTICE
The following music clubs will be resuming after the Easter holidays:
Secondary String Ensemble from Wednesday 14th April 7:30-8:30 Cello Ensemble from Monday 19th April 13:00 Secondary Orchestra (without woodwind and brass) from Tuesday 20th April 15:45
Music Magic from Wednesday 21st April 15:15-15:45 Shibuya Ukulele Club from Tuesday 20th April 8:00-8:30 Orffchestra from Friday 23rd April 15:30-16:30 Showa Primary String Ensemble from Wednesday 14th April 12:05-12:50 Showa Ukulele from Friday 23rd April 12:15-12:45
EVENTS
Tuesday 13th / Wednesday 14th April Piano masterclasses with Marco Fatichenti 15:00-19:00 Showa music room
Friday 23rd April Steel pan workshop (Music exam classes only) 9:20-15:45 Showa music room
Wednesday 28th April Secondary Advanced Musicians’ Recital Filming 13:00-18:00 Showa music room
Please contact Ms Danmeri for further details ([email protected]) BST MUSIC INTERVIEW MRS LORAN, HEAD OF PRIMARY SCHOOL
This month we find out about three diverse songs Mrs Loran has chosen: ‘Heaven is a Place on Earth’ - Belinda Carlisle ‘Sky full of Stars’ - Coldplay ‘Country Roads’ - John Denver
Hattie: Thank you for letting us interview you today. I’m sure that lots of people are interested today to listen to you since you are the new Head of Primary.
Mrs Loran: Thank you, nice to meet you too.
Hattie: My first question is why did you choose the songs that you have chosen and also can you say which songs you have chosen?
Mrs Loran: I chose three songs. I chose Belinda Carlisle ‘Heaven is a Place on Earth’, Coldplay ‘Sky full of Stars’ and my third one was John Denver ‘Country Roads’. I think music, for everybody, evokes a lot of emotions. When you asked me about a week ago, I was actually going through a lot of old photographs of me as a young girl and it was for my dad who was celebrating his eightieth. I was putting together a video of all of the moments of his life. I was reminiscing quite a lot and thinking about my childhood. The Belinda Carlisle song was the first pop song at the time that I remember being in Year 5 or 6 in Primary that I really enjoyed. I wanted to get her album and bought it ‘Runaway Horses’ and I used to play it on a cassette. That was the first song that got me into Belinda Carlisle at that young age and the song really reminds me of my childhood.
The second song, again, is very significant in that it takes me back but not to that long ago. Before coming here we lived in Hong Kong for fourteen years and I worked at a school there for fourteen years. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and absolutely loved teaching and leading at that school. I had my three children in Hong Kong and got married whilst I was in Hong Kong as well. So, lots of special memories. The importance of the song was that when we were leaving Hong Kong and that school, it was a surprise really, I was sitting in an office having a meeting and over the tannoy I could hear the song “Sky full of Stars’. I thought that was a bit odd that they were playing it over the tannoy. Coldplay was one of my favourite bands…..
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW! MUSIC AMBASSADORS’ MUSIC COMPETITION
Please see for details for the competition that will be run and judged by our Music Ambassadors. Entries to be made by Friday 30th April.
The first theme (for March and April) is CHEERFUL! Please send in performances which link to cheerfulness, happiness, and joy- which we especially all need during the pandemic.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CLICK HERE!
MUSICAL ARTWORK
We would like to share a beautiful piece of artwork created by Lily Sumi (Year 8) for the Music department. Inspired by a quote by Henry David Thoreau, Lily transformed a broken violin into a moving tribute to his words.
‘If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.
Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.’
Henry David Thoreau PIANO MASTERCLASSES MARCO FATICHENTI
We are excited to announce that the professional pianist, Marco Fatichenti, will be working with some of our pianists in the primary and secondary school in online masterclasses on April 13th and 14th.
We look forward to sharing some highlights of those masterclasses with you in next month’s newsletter.
Here is a performance by Marco Fatichenti https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfS93D0_CJU
HTTPS://WWW.MARCOFATICHENTI.COM/ YEAR 7 SAMBA
Year 7 recently completed their performance assessments on Samba. It is great to see 7B enjoying their lesson with Ms Casey and getting into the spirit of the Samba!
CLICK HERE TO WATCH YEAR 7'S SAMBA PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCES OF THE MONTH
Yutaka Takaku (Year 10) performed at the ‘Dream Concert’ at Philia Hall on February 27th alongside professional musicians. Here is a wonderful performance of Dvorak’s ‘American Quartet’ - First movement with Yutaka playing first violin. Click here to watch!
Dan Makiyama (Year 6) has been practising hard on the drums this term. Here is a great video of his progress. ‘Snow Jam’ by Rin⾳ (Rin-Ne) Click here to watch! Yukino Kyo (Year 3) was inspired to take up the recorder last year. Here is her playing Bach’s ‘Menuette’. We think she has made wonderful progress. Click here to watch!
Mina Uchida (Year 2) has been playing the flute for only a month and can perform the traditional song ‘London’s Burning’. Click here to watch!
Artemy Poliakov (Year 2) plays an exciting rendition of Rubenstein’s ‘Perpetuum Mobile’ Click here to watch!
An expressive performance of Bach’s Violin Partita no 2 ‘Allemande’ by Lisa Udagawa (Year 6). Click here to watch!
Kei leung (Year 3) beautifully plays Für Elise by Ludwig van Beethoven. Click here to watch!
We love the rich tones of the viola that Lucas McLeod (Year 10) demonstrates in Glazunov’s Elegy. Click here to watch! CONGRATULATIONS!
Kent Rogers (Reception) progressed to the Tokyo finals of the All Japan Junior Classic Music Competition this month and performed Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto in A Minor, Op. 3, No. 6, 1st Movement. Click here to watch!
Runa Ueda (Year 5) reached the final round of the Chopin International Competition in Asia and won the silver prize. Waltz in Ab major.
Click here to watch!
Do you have any musical news to share?
Please send information to Ms Danmeri ([email protected]).
Please also forward on any musical performances of any level to share with the BST community.