just another morning here » music http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog a miracle that comes around every day of the year Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:13:12 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 The weekend before Christmas – past and present! http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/12/19/the-weekend-before-christmas/ http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/12/19/the-weekend-before-christmas/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:57:44 +0000 Sarah http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/?p=3976 Thankfully schools here had all finished on Friday, so this weekend we only (ha!) had all the Christmas performances by the extra groups. It’s always a manic weekend but lots of fun.

All credit to Josiah, who had the busiest day of all of us. He was out of the house around 8.40am for a choir rehearsal 9-10.30. He then had a service to sing from 11am-12.15pm. Then came a brief break while we collected the girls from Orchestra, dropped Abbie to a friend’s, and made it into town with half an hour to grab MacDonalds before he played violin with the Suzuki Group for the best part of three hours. I walked him back to the Cathedral at 4.45pm where he had a rehearsal from 5-6pm before tea in the boarding house and then the Cathedral Choir’s Christmas concert from 7.30-9.30pm. The choristers were given £5 each for having sung the extra service in the morning so he dashed off to buy sweets in each break from the violin playing and enjoyed sharing them during the busking. We’ve been doing this busking each Christmas for five years now, and it’s quite interesting to see how much Josiah has grown up since we started! And Anna too … we had to drag her away from her friends at the end, as they’d started improvising around various pop songs and would happily have carried on for hours I think, but the Harlequins Centre had had enough of them by then ;)

Christmas busking Exeter Suzuki Group

The first pic is from 2007 and the second one from this year. I did have photos of 2008, 2009, and 2010 too, but thought you’d probably get bored by all of those ;)

The Choir’s concert was excellent too, we really enjoyed it. Josiah is definitely more confident now and it’s lovely to watch. He’s signed up for an extra choir jaunt to support a choir in North Devon this week, so that shows how much he enjoys the choir aspect of his life – it’s VERY hard work but it is fun too.

Yesterday we had the ECO Christmas concert – very enjoyable as usual and we particularly enjoyed having the Ockment Valley Handbells performing both separately and with the orchestra – I wish I had video-ed some of it but I only have photos I’m afraid. Again fun to see the pictures from Christmas concerts in years gone by and compare them to this year’s!

ECO Christmas Concert Cello section in rehearsals

Again the first pic is Anna’s first year at ECO in 2007, and the cello section this year, with Anna as the new section principal. 2008 was Abbie’s year since the concert was actually on her birthday, 2009 is best forgotten because of the junk band we shared with (ow), and 2010 is memorable for having NO photos probably because I was more worried about getting there safely in the snow than remembering the camera!

We now have a week off school, where I’m trying to be as productive as possible so that we can have a proper break from Christmas Eve onwards. Time to stop blogging, have lunch, and get on with some school-work …

]]> http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/12/19/the-weekend-before-christmas/feed/ 1 Choristers at Darts Farm http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/12/03/choristers-at-darts-farm/ http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/12/03/choristers-at-darts-farm/#comments Sat, 03 Dec 2011 18:55:54 +0000 Sarah http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/?p=3973 Today some of the Cathedral Choir were shipped out to Darts Farm for some busking. They sang well even if they were a bit squashed! Hope they will do it again next year, it was a good place to go :)
Chorister busking at Darts Farm Chorister busking at Darts Farm

]]> http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/12/03/choristers-at-darts-farm/feed/ 0 The Straight Bow Song http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/08/31/the-straight-bow-song/ http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/08/31/the-straight-bow-song/#comments Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:47:35 +0000 Sarah http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/?p=3926 It’s not every day that someone brings you a gift when you sell them a car ;)

Over the summer, however, we sold a car to Josiah’s violin teacher, Mr Featherstone – who we have known and loved for 6 years now. On the day that he collected the car, he handed Steve a piece of music that he’d written for the children to play – it was an exercise that he’d given Joe beforehand to practise having a straight bow, but he’d extended it and written a piano and flute part for the girls to join in with. What a lovely man!

The Straight Bow Song (mp3)

I absolutely love hearing them play together, although getting them to practise together and let me record it is like getting blood out of a stone – but the less said about that, the better ;)

]]> http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/08/31/the-straight-bow-song/feed/ 5 Not really crying over Spilt Milk http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/07/29/not-reallycrying-over-spilt-milk/ http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/07/29/not-reallycrying-over-spilt-milk/#comments Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:57:56 +0000 Sarah http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/?p=3884 Thanks to Emma, who came and stayed over with Abbie and Joe, Steve and I were able to get to Dorset Youth Orchestra’s formal concert last night in Bournemouth. We weren’t going to bother going, we were simply going to attend the informal concert today, but we figured that since Anna had had a bit of a funny start to the week, we’d make the effort. I think she appreciated it – she spent all of the interval sitting on Steve’s lap (don’t tell her I said that ;) ) Funny though, we are so used to her playing the cello that Steve went and chose seats with a great view of the cello section, sat down, then remembered that she was on bassoon. Couldn’t see her at all! But I don’t think we’d have been able to wherever we had positioned ourselves. Ho hum.

Anyway, it was a good concert, then we stayed in a cheap but perfectly nice hotel for the night, ate sandwiches and drank wine bought from the shop on the corner, oh yes, we know how to live it up! We had had lunch out in Exmouth with my parents during the day beforehand though so weren’t hungry enough to eat out again!

Today we were meant to be going to see the car in the recovery depot, but we missed it by 10 minutes. Steve was very disappointed (I wasn’t!). Picked up all our CDs which they’d extracted, bar the one which was in the CD player – Spilt Milk by Jellyfish, luckily looks like it won’t be too expensive to replace!

After that we had some time to spare before going back to Bryanston, so we found a little geocache circle to follow. It was a brilliant set of caches; each container individually made into a different animal/bug, and one of them was really tricky to find – really enjoyed them, they’ll get some favourite points from me. My favourite was the one in the first photo, which was made from a tape measure. Very creative. And then we had lunch :)


The informal concert was due to be held at Bryanston’s ‘Greek Theatre’, but it was raining, so they moved back into the lobby area of the main school. Some parents sat around in the corridors while others went upstairs and hung over the gallery to watch. I just kept gazing around at the building, I must admit – it is such an awesome place! I wonder in how many schools can you fit an orchestra into the hallway?!! Music was good too, all different sorts today, some solos and small ensembles; Anna played with the Wind Orchestra as well as doing a Samba piece that they’d obviously done as a fun workshop to end the week with. Oh yes, and she did it all in her pyjamas :roll: They are musical ones I suppose, but honestly!

Everyone else had had photographs taken in formal concert clothes on Monday morning; Anna was standing on a grass verge taking photos of our wrecked car in hers – the police did wonder what she was doing in a long black dress at 9am on a Monday morning! So, since we didn’t have a posh photo we persuaded her to get her friends together for a photo instead :)

Anna managed to make a good impression on the Dorset Music Service people despite the dodgy start to the week (which was my fault not hers, of course!), so hopefully she’ll get invited back again another time, she had a whale of a time after that first wobbly evening which was totally understandable after the accident.

We asked her how she felt about cello vs bassoon having just done a week there with on the bassoon and she really struggles to decide … best news of all on the way home though – the bassoon that was in the accident will be mended by tomorrow – for less than the excess on our insurance. Really impressed with Griff who took the job on and sorted it so quickly. Other good news during the week were Anna’s music exam results – two distinctions and a merit – excellent!

Abbie and Joe have done an excellent job of being home alone all day, with the occasional phonecall of support. I’d totally forgotten to book Abbie in for a week at Haven Banks that I’d said she could do (bad mummy), but luckily she phoned up today and there are still places and we can hand forms and payment in on Monday morning! Suzie has kept them busy – she’s currently asleep in a drawer, which is very cute :)

]]> http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/07/29/not-reallycrying-over-spilt-milk/feed/ 0 Out of the ordinary http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/07/04/out-of-the-ordinary/ http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/07/04/out-of-the-ordinary/#comments Mon, 04 Jul 2011 21:05:11 +0000 Sarah http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/?p=3865
Slightly out of focus but a lovely smile

It is exceedingly rare that Josiah will allow me to take a photo of him, but he was obviously very pleased with the trophy he received at ECS Speech Day this evening – awarded for the most promising young musician. There are a string of names we recognise already on the trophy, children who have gone on to be inspiring people with their music – and, apart from that, it was the THIRD BIGGEST trophy of the night! (Obviously the most important thing ;) )
I was hoping to escape having to attend the event, I confess, but actually it was worth it – we are very proud of him and also really grateful that he is part of such a wonderful school. I’m a sucker for being over-emotional at events like that but that is honestly how I feel!

Came home supposedly to plan lessons for tomorrow and have ended up falling asleep in front of the computer. Early morning instead I think …

]]> http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/07/04/out-of-the-ordinary/feed/ 1 Recording for the Light Fantastic http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/06/12/recording-for-the-light-fantastic/ http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/06/12/recording-for-the-light-fantastic/#comments Sun, 12 Jun 2011 06:31:59 +0000 Sarah http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/?p=3852 While we were at Josiah’s birthday party last week, the girls were involved with Exeter Children’s Orchestra, who had a date with the BBC! A while back we put in an application to record a piece of music for Radio 3, for their Light Fantastic festival which is airing at the end of the month. I, pessimistically, didn’t think we’d get picked (hence I booked Joe’s party for the same day!), but we did!

It was very exciting – not only for the children to be involved with the professionals for a morning, but also because we were recording a piece that Richard Bowyer, our musical director, wrote himself. It’s called the ‘Exeter City March’, and was written for Exeter City Football Club – the piece features football rattles and whistles in the percussion section. Richard likes to call them hooligans; we call them supporters ;)

Anyway, I was gutted that I couldn’t be there in the end, but one of the other parents kindly took some photos for me :)

Recording session at Kay House

Outside Broadcast Van!

Inside the van

Now all we have to do is listen to Radio 3 on the 24-26 June, and hope that we actually hear it. We’ve already played the piece as far away as Russia, as well as in our more local concerts, but it will be pretty cool to hear a proper recording of it on the radio. Hopefully the producers will tell us if and when we’re likely to hear it.

]]> http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/06/12/recording-for-the-light-fantastic/feed/ 2 Serenade http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/03/27/serenade/ http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/03/27/serenade/#comments Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:41:57 +0000 Sarah http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/?p=3732 She thought it went ‘quite well’. I think it could have improved in places. Still jolly proud of her :)

]]> http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/03/27/serenade/feed/ 3 Set list from THE concert http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/03/03/set-list-from-the-concert/ http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/03/03/set-list-from-the-concert/#comments Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:19:27 +0000 Sarah http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011-03-03/set-list-from-the-concert/ This is just for Jo – set list as I scrawled it on my phone. Can’t be bothered to link it all up as I’m enjoying a post-Ofsted bath!

(together)
Stay for a while
Everywhere I go

(amy)
Love will find a way
Sing your praise to the lord
Saved by love
Baby baby
Every heartbeat
Better than a hallelujah
Arms of love
Something’s wrong in heaven tonight
El shaddai
Jesus loves me/everybody needs a helping hand

(together)
Lead me on
Emmanuel
Put a little love

(mws)
Go west medley
Place in this world
Track from ‘Freedom’

(together)
Thy word
Angels
Faithless heart
Give it away
Tell me how to say goodbye
Somewhere, somehow

(mws)
Open the eyes of my heart
Forever you are faithful
Secret ambition
Not far away
Rocketown
Hold you closer
Welcome home
Crucify – above all
Majesty
Heavens rain? Healing rain
Alleluia

(together)
Love of another kind
(encore – no prizes for guessing this one)
Friends

]]> http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/03/03/set-list-from-the-concert/feed/ 2 For once it’s all about the taking part http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/02/15/for-once-its-all-about-the-taking-part/ http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/02/15/for-once-its-all-about-the-taking-part/#comments Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:24:08 +0000 Sarah http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/?p=3703 Readers who know me well know that usually I am more concerned about winning than taking part – but today proves to be an exception to the rule ;)

Josiah took part in his House Music Festival today and although his house didn’t win, he played his solo piece very nicely, as well as taking part in a House Ensemble. I couldn’t go because it was in school time (boo) but Steve went along and recorded it for me! I wish I could have heard the whole thing. Anyway apparently he got some nice comments from the adjudicator there so well done to him :) Unfortunately he’s come home fairly exhausted and therefore grumpy, but hopefully an early night will sort him out.

Meanwhile at my school I had a team of students from across the upper school in my class today taking part in an Enterprise Day – we had to produce something from a beetroot. My group decided to go for juice, but other groups produced everything from playdoh to crisps, and cakes to relish! It was a really fun day and I loved looking around the room to see all the kids busy and productive – from designing posters and labels, to making our presentation on the computer, chopping veg, and using a switch adapted juicer so that everyone could join in the juicing. We even had some sensory play with the bits of beetroot that were left over after juicing! It was fab, even though we got fired at the end :)

]]> http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/02/15/for-once-its-all-about-the-taking-part/feed/ 3 Stringathon and other things http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/02/14/stringathon-and-other-things/ http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/2011/02/14/stringathon-and-other-things/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 20:47:05 +0000 Sarah http://tworedboots.co.uk/blog/?p=3698 Last week … some more fairly rubbish days at work, but apart from that:

Anna went off to London on Saturday for the Open Day at the JRAM. She went with friends who we know through Suzuki violin and who have been attending since September. Anna was fairly impressed by the whole thing and is filling in her application form this week – time will tell what happens …

The rest of us were at orchestra as usual – I got some work done at the same time, then in the afternoon I took Josiah out to Crealy for a short play before a Stringathon World Record Attempt for the most players in a string orchestra playing one piece at the same time.

DSC_4740 DSC_4733 DSC_4732 DSC_4727 DSC_4723

It was a lot of fun and sounded quite awesome, however I don’t think they managed to break the record of 362 players – so it may have to be repeated!

On Sunday I went out caching – while Abbie went into town with her boyfriend :shock: They took some other friends with them too. Not quite sure what they did! Anyway, she’s not the only person in this household to have had some sort of Valentine’s Day celebration, Anna got a card too though she doesn’t know who it is from!

Anyway into this week, we’re just trying to survive another really busy week in the run up to half term (and yes, half term means I am half way through the year!).

Tomorrow I have an Enterprise Day at my school (where we are muddling all the upper school classes up for an Apprentice-style day tasked with using beetroot in a creative way!), while Josiah has his House Music Festival in which he’s playing a solo. Anna has a GCSE options evening as well … though if she had her way she wouldn’t choose any of them – they’re all too much like hard work! Can’t think where she gets that attitude from :roll:

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