Congratulations Talia, Anirud & Olivia!

Congratulations to Talia & Anirud who successfully completed their AMEB Piano Exams with fantastic results: Pass with Honours (A) and Pass with Credit (B+) respectively! And a big congratulations to Olivia, who received an A for her AMEB Flute Exam!

Due to COVID19 restrictions, most AMEB exams are still being conducted as Video Repertoire Exams. However, I was able to use my connections to secure places for Face-to-Face AMEB Exams at nearby private venues. This allowed the students to show their full potential and demonstrate their skills in person.

Examiner feedback included:

Piano:

• Hands were rhythmically integrated & the melodic line was appropriately shaped, with pleasing tonal balance of hands. Enjoyable!

• There was an attractive flow throughout, with a sense of tranquillo.

• A pleasing tempo was chosen & maintained, with conscientious awareness of slurs & staccato.

• Hands were well coordinated & dynamic attention was conveyed through this fluent rendition.

Flute:

• There was a good sense of rhythmic pulse to your playing.

• Good unison playing with your pianist. A sprightly rendition, well done!

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What are AMEB exams?

The Australian Music Examination Board was established in 1918 to provide nationally recognised music exams. They provide a detailed syllabus for music students & teachers, and give students the opportunity to perform for a professional musician (the AMEB examiner) and receive feedback. All students receive a written exam report, which contains feedback on their playing, plus an official AMEB certificate.

Why take AMEB exams?

The benefits of undertaking an AMEB exam are vast - they provide a goal for students to work towards, allow independent feedback plus they are nationally recognised. AMEB exams are looked upon favourably for high school scholarships & applications, with a number of private schools having expected benchmarks for potential music students - for example some high schools require certain entry levels for their band programs.

What do students present in an AMEB exam?

There are various types of AMEB exams - for example comprehensive, recital, leisure etc. Olivia undertook the comprehensive flute performance exam - the most challenging type of flute exam on offer. She had to:

• Play a selection of scales, arpeggios & other technical work from memory

• Perform 3 pieces each; 1 solo & 2 with piano accompaniment. The pieces were all different styles - Classical, Romantic, Modern, Jazz etc.

• Plus she completed a range of ‘unseen’ activities in the exam - sight-reading, general knowledge, aural skills etc.

If you would like more information on AMEB exams feel free to get in touch. Or check out the AMEB NSW page online here.

Term 2 update

A big CONGRATULATIONS to KLM flute student Ruby, who has just been offered a place at Northmead Creative & Performing Arts High School!! This school has a special focus on the creative & performing arts, and Ruby had to go through a lengthy audition to gain her place. What a great achievement! More details about this school are online here.

KLM students are excited about our upcoming student recital on May 30. Students will be performing a LIVE concert for their family & friends in nearby Dural. It should be a great concert, with a varied program ; pieces solo flute, solo piano, flute duets, flute & piano pieces & more! Tickets are still available, if you are interested in attending please email me.

3 KLM students will be taking their AMEB exams this session! Due to COVID19 restrictions, most AMEB face-to-face exams are being conducted as Video Repertoire Exams. However, I’ve been able to secure places for Anirud, Talia & Olivia to undertake Face-to-Face exams at a near by ‘covid safe’ venue! This is great as it allows students to show their full potential, by being examined on Repertoire alongside technical work, sight-reading, aural skills & general knowledge. We wish them the best of luck in their upcoming AMEB exams!

If you’re interested in taking music lessons please join the waiting list online here. I’m currently booked out for term 2 but, if there are enough enquiries, I will open another day of teaching later this year. I teach flute & piano from a professional home studio in Kings Langley, more information about lessons is online here.

Easter holidays

I hope all students and families are having a relaxing Easter holidays! After a busy few months, it’s nice to have a little breather before launching into term 2. Term 1 ended in a flurry for Easter eggs & activity, with many students excited about the Easter Bunny visiting!

KLM students achieved a number of musical milestones in term 1 - Lauren finished her 2nd piano tutor book and commenced book 3, alongside AMEB preliminary exam preparation. Lucas also completed his 1st piano tutor book & graduated onto book 2! And a number of students have put in plenty of hard work, committing to end of year AMEB exams! Plus all students have been busy preparing for our ‘covid safe’ concert in term 2!

The KLM studio is shut until Monday 19th April, with optional holiday lessons available on 12th April & 15th April.

Prospective students are welcome to JOIN MY WAITING LIST! I should know which term 2 timeslots are available by the end of week 1, term 2. Then I’ll be contacting prospective students regarding their FREE TRIAL LESSON.

Enjoy the break!

Term 1 update

Term 1 has been busy at the KLM studio, with a few new students joining us! It’s been lovely getting to know the new students and their enthusiasm has been contagious!

Existing students have been busying preparing for AMEB flute and piano exams, with three students taking F2F exams in the first session. We wish Anirud, Talia & Olivia best of luck for their upcoming exams! Also, best of luck to KLM flute student Ruby, who is auditioning for Northmead Creative & Performing Arts High School later this month.

Earlier this month I attended another committee meeting for the Blacktown Arts Advisory Council. I'm using my role on the committee to advocate for more performing spaces/opportunities for KLM students and more opportunities for students to participate in music activities within our local area. The committee has an interesting mix of members - local film makers, photographers, musicians & local residents who work in the arts sector.

And finally, a big THANK YOU to everyone who has recommended me to their family & friends! Thanks to your support, I'm now fully booked for term 1! Anyone wanting to start music lessons in term 2 is welcome to join the waiting list online here. If there are enough enquiries, I will open another day of teaching later this year.

Open for 2021 & FREE trial lessons

Some enthusiastic students returned for optional holiday lessons this week, with most students starting back on 27th January.

During the break the piano has been tuned, the studio has been thoroughly cleaned & I’ve been making enquiries for our 2021 Student Recital. The concert will be held on a Sunday afternoon, late in Term 1. To be ‘COVID Safe’, the concert will be held outdoors; this way we can socially distance and comply with health advise. More information will be provided to students later in the term.

FREE trial lessons are available to new students on Thursday 21st January, between 3pm - 7pm. Prospective students can visit the studio for a FREE 30 minute lesson, we can meet in person and see if music lessons might be suitable.

I teach on Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays during NSW school terms.

• More details about piano lessons

• More details about flute lessons

• More details about music theory / composition

All lessons are taught by me (see my bio online here), from a professional home studio in Stainsby Ave, Kings Langley NSW.

To book a FREE trial lesson please email me or text me 0419 152 221. Times are available on a first come, first served basis.

Christmas is coming!

KLM students are busy perfecting Christmas Carols in time for Santa! Piano students have been working on Jingle Bells & Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, while flute students are powering through the carols in their workbooks. Students have also been taking advantage of our new Sproutbeat subscription, by completing Christmas themed music theory worksheets.

The studio is closing 19th December - 11th January, with optional holiday lessons available on the following days:

• 13th January

• 14th January

• 20th January

I’ll also be offering FREE TRIAL lessons on 21st January for new students. If you are considering taking up flute, piano or music theory lessons in 2021 please get in touch to book your free trial lesson ASAP. We can meet in person and you can visit the studio for a special ‘one-off’ lesson.

Congratulations Veronica & Grace!

Congratulations to Veronica & Grace who successfully completed their Grade 3 Comprehensive AMEB Flute Exams with fantastic results: Pass with High Distinction (A+) and Pass with Credit (B+) respectively!

Due to COVID19 restrictions, most AMEB face-to-face exams were cancelled this year or changed to Video Repertoire Exams. Luckily, I was able to secure places for Grace & Veronica to undertake Face-to-Face Comprehensive Exams at a private venue in Castle Hill. This allowed the students to show their full potential, by being examined on Flute Repertoire alongside technical work, sight-reading, aural skills & general knowledge - which isn’t examined in the Video Repertoire exams!

Exam feedback included:

• A fluent performance with good communication of dance style. The articulations were well studied.

• The swing style was clearly grasped with secure entries.

• Lovely crisp tonguing brought out the classical style of this work. Excellent express detail resulted in a contrasting & delicate performance. Well done.

• The gentle nature of this aria was beautifully conveyed. Crisp staccato and contrasting warmth in melodic passages resulted in a successful performance.

Congratulations to Grace & Veronica on successfully completing Grade 3 AMEB exams while still in primary school - what an outstanding achievement!

---

What are AMEB exams?

The Australian Music Examination Board was established in 1918 to provide nationally recognised music exams. They provide a detailed syllabus for music students & teachers, and give students the opportunity to perform for a professional musician (the AMEB examiner) and receive feedback. All students receive a written exam report, which contains feedback on their playing, plus an official AMEB certificate.

Why take AMEB exams?

The benefits of undertaking an AMEB exam are vast - they provide a goal for students to work towards, allow independent feedback plus they are nationally recognised. AMEB exams are looked upon favourably for high school scholarships & applications, with a number of private schools having expected benchmarks for potential music students - for example some high schools require certain entry levels for their band programs.

What do students present in an AMEB exam?

There are various types of AMEB exams - for example comprehensive, recital, leisure etc. Grace & Veronica undertook the comprehensive flute performance exams - the most challenging flute exams on offer.

For grade 3 they had to:

• Play a selection of scales, arpeggios & other technical work from memory

• Perform 5 pieces each; 2 solos & 3 with piano accompaniment. The pieces were all different styles - Classical, Romantic, Modern, Jazz etc.

• Plus they completed a range of ‘unseen’ activities in the exam - sight-reading, general knowledge, aural skills etc.

If you would like more information on AMEB exams feel free to get in touch. Or check out the AMEB NSW page online here.

Term 4 update

Term 4 is well & truly underway! KLM students are currently working on the Spooky Tune & our talented AMEB exam students are preparing for their AMEB exams this coming Monday!

After Halloween students will have to option to learn some Christmas carols! Learning to play Christmas carols is a fun experience for students. Since most of us can already hum or sing the tune to Jingle Bells, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer etc, students can often learn to play ‘harder’ sheet music than usual. And since most of their families and friends can usually recognise the tunes, it makes students feel proud & confident in their abilities.

I’m also pleased to announce that I’ve been nominated to join the Blacktown Arts advisory committee! I attended a meeting earlier this week where I meet the other nominees & the Mayor of Blacktown Council. While I was visiting, I also viewed their current exhibit Terra inFirma: Sovereignty and Memory which runs until early November.

I hope that by joining this committee I can create more performance opportunities for KLM students (obviously when COVID19 restrictions ease) and advocate for more Australian music within our local community.

I’m almost teaching to capacity, with only 1 spot left on Wednesday afternoon or 2 spots on Thursdays. So if your thinking of starting music lessons please contact me ASAP to arrange your FREE trial lesson! Don’t forget that this is the LAST TERM you can claim a 2020 Creative Kids Voucher.

School holidays & Term 4 dates

Term 3 lessons end soon, the last day for lessons is Saturday 26th September.

Term 4 lessons resume on Monday 12th October & will run until Saturday 19th December.
In Term 4 students will compose/perform some spooky tunes for Halloween & then we'll start work on Christmas Carols! Plus I'll be launching the KLM online student portals in term 4.

Existing students - I will be offering optional holiday lessons on the following dates only:

• Monday 28th September between 3pm - 7pm

• Wednesday 30th September between 3pm - 7pm

• Wednesday 7th October between 3pm - 7pm

Holiday lessons are offered on a first come, first served basis. If you would like to book some extra lessons please email me to book a time

New students - please get in touch ASAP to book your FREE trial lesson. We can meet in person and you can visit the studio for a special ‘one-off’ lesson. I’m almost teaching to capacity, but I still have a few time slots left for term 4. I teach on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays.

Term 3 update

And just like that, Week 4 of term 3 is already coming to an end!

Most students are still zooming and attending a virtual lesson, however some students have resumed F2F lessons and some students are alternating between F2F & online lessons. We will continue to follow the advise from NSW Health and respond to their instructions as necessary. Thankfully, Kings Langley Music Lessons has just received a substantial grant from the NSW Government through Create NSW - you can read all the details online here! This will be of great benefit to KLM students, especially if NSW enters another lock down and all lessons revert to online lessons.

KLM AMEB exam students have been busy preparing for their ‘mock exams’ in week 7! Students who achieve a score of 75% or more will be invited to take their AMEB exam in term 4. There are a number of students preparing for their first AMEB exam, plus a few experienced students who are stepping up to the next level. This year things are a little different - the piano students will be lodging a video exam. Students will perform their exam repertoire at the KLM studios and we will lodge the video to the AMEB for feedback. The flute students will be performing a F2F exam at a COVID safe exam venue in Castle Hill - assuming NSW continues to record a low number of COVID19 cases.

I’ve been busy preparing the KLM Student Portal! Due to launch later this term, the KLM portal will allow students to login to a secure section of this website so they can access worksheets, recordings and additional resources. Similar to KLM students online lesson notes & their recurring zoom meetings this is designed to streamline & simplify virtual music lessons. Once the portal is ready, I’ll provide a password that students & parents can use to access the material - stay tuned!

Feel free to get in touch with any questions or comments! And if you are thinking of starting music lessons give me a call - only limited vacancies exist. I teach flute performance, piano performance plus all levels of music theory. Prospective students are welcome to book a FREE trial lesson.

P.S don’t forget to Save the Date for the 2020 Art Music Awards presented by Australian Music Centre & APRA AMCOS. It’s a FREE event that’s going digital this year due to COVID19 - usually the AMA’s is an ‘invitation only’ event held in Sydney or Melbourne. You can watch the event via the on the APRA AMCOS YouTube channel on Tuesday 8 September at 7:00pm AEST. Read more about the 2020 finalists online here.

Creative Kids Digital Small Business Grant

King Langley Music Lessons is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

I’m pleased to announce that Kings Langley Music Lessons has received a substantial grant from Create NSW!

We have received funding under the Creative Kids Digital Small Business Grant, for music equipment and music software to assist with online learning during the COVID19 pandemic.

This will be fantastic for KLM students! The music software subscriptions will allow students to access a large database of existing digital resources, and I’ll be able to create my own digital resources via specialised music software. Similarly, the new music equipment will provide an enhanced audio experience for students undertaking interactive online music lessons. And the large screen computer will help me observe & correct students posture, fingerings, hand position etc. when playing their instrument in online music lessons.

Unfortunately it looks like COVID19 will be with us for some time, so I think it’s important that students continue with their music studies, despite our physical distance. Not only do students learn to read music notation and play an instrument in their music lessons, they develop confidence by performing music. Students also learn about Australian culture by playing Australian music, listening to Australian music & learning about the context of Australian music. Plus they learn to play music from other countries & cultures. This diversity of music encourages an inclusive community, by allowing students to learn about other countries & cultures, which needs to continue despite COVID19.

I’m grateful to Create NSW for supporting our local community and assisting students to engage with high quality music education right here in Western Sydney - students shouldn’t have to travel to the CBD or inner city to receive their music tuition! And even though we are currently learning online, it’s important that students can create, play and enjoy music in their own community.

Winter Break

The end of Term 3 was busy, with many students taking advantage of the free online music theory courses offered by the AMEB. Most students are still ‘zooming’ and attending a virtual lesson, but it was lovely to see a few friendly faces return in person. And a big WELCOME to the new students who joined us in weeks 9 & 10!

The studio is currently closed for the winter break, reopening on Monday 20th July. If you want to use your $100 Creative Kids Voucher for Term 3 lessons don’t forget to email the voucher & your child’s DOB - I need it when processing the voucher.

Only limited vacancies exist for Term 3, so if your thinking of starting music lessons in term 3 please get in touch ASAP.

Enjoy the holidays!

Term 2 update

KLM students have been learning to play music via Zoom during Term 2! It’s been a great experience, allowing us to focus on many other aspects of music making - like learning to read scores & music notation, improving our aural skills, correcting on our posture and hand position etc. It’s also great that we now have this set up and we are used to learning remotely - now if you get caught up in traffic or your feeling a little unwell we have everything set up for online lessons, so you could still have your lesson from home!

With restrictions beginning to ease some students are gradually resuming F2F lessons. Online lessons are still available and I encourage any families with concerns re. COVID19 to remain with online lessons for the time being. Everyone is in a different situation, so I will leave it to each family to decide what is most suitable.

NEW students are welcome to book a FREE trial lesson. We can meet in person (or via Zoom!) and discuss whether music lessons might suitable! I offer lessons in flute performance and piano performance (parents of new piano students might find this article helpful!) & I can also help with music theory exams or high music tutoring. I teach on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays during NSW school terms and I am a registered provider for the Creative Kids Vouchers. More information re. the music lessons on offer is online here.

Update on AMEB exams:

During COVID19 AMEB will be offering exams via video so you can keep working towards your musical goals. We will be recording the video exams at the Kings Langley Music Studio. There will still be a set exam date, and students will need to prepare their music and present on the day as if it’s a face-to-face music exam. Requirements are a little different this year and more information will be provided to each exam student later this term.

Attend a virtual concert

Plenty of Orchestras, ensembles & musicians are performing virtual concerts! This is a great way to still engage with live music & support Australian musicians. Piano students might interested in this virtual event and flute students might enjoy this event.

EOFY Donations

Lots of musicians & not-for-profits are doing it tough this year because of COVID19. If your in a position to help, you might like to make a tax deductible donation to a music related organization.

Support Act is a charity helping Australian artists and music workers in crisis. This may be due to illness, injury, a mental health problem or some other crisis that impacts on their ability to work in music. Support Act receives no money from any government agency and rely on fundraising & donations. All donations over $2 are tax deductible and will be issued with an instant tax receipt. See more online here.

The Australian Music Centre is the national service organisation dedicated to the promotion and support of art music in Australia. The AMC represents over 650 Australian Composers and holds the most substantial collection of Australian art music in the world. In the spirit of transparency, it’s important to mention I’ve been part of the AMC team since 2010. More information re. our EOFY donations campaign is online here.

Easter holidays & farewell HSM

I hope all students and families are having a relaxing Easter holidays! After an uncertain and ominous end to term 1 it’s nice to have a little breather before launching into term 2.

It was sad & teary end to term 1 as I resigned from my teaching position at the Hills Shire Music School. I was one of the first HSM teachers, starting in February 2012. I’ve watched students grow into beautiful young musicians & it has been a very supportive workplace. It was hard to say goodbye after all this time but I’m excited for the 2020’s & everything that may come….I am feeling a little nostalgic though, so have dug out a few ‘golden oldies’ for your viewing pleasure!

Photos from L to R: HSM Director Greg Peters & myself at the 2014 Hills Business awards, HSM flute & clarinet students after performing at the Castle Hill Sky Show in Dec 2015, HSM Flute students after performing at the Castle Hill RSL in Oct 2014 & finally me conducting the HSM Flute students at the Kenthurst Carols by Candlelight concert in Dec 2012. So many great memories!

The KLM studio is shut until Monday 27th April, with optional holiday lessons available on 20th April & 23rd April. Prospective students are welcome to book a FREE trial lesson on either of these dates. Obviously all lessons are online lessons until the current lockdown restrictions are relaxed.

Enjoy the break!

P.s thanks to our newest piano player Lucas for our cover art!

COVID-19 update

Online Lessons

Online lessons are well and truly underway, with students embracing the digital age. Online lessons are being taught via Zoom - students/parents just need to set up a free account & download the app. Then they ‘zoom in’ at their scheduled lesson time. All students are receiving detailed instructions via email.

A few tips for online lessons:

• Have your device set up & ready to go before your lesson. You can ‘zoom in’ a few minutes early & wait in the digital waiting room. Flute students can use this waiting time to set up their flute.

• Position your webcam/laptop/device so that I can clearly see you playing your instrument

• Have a pencil handy so you can mark things on the music.

• Treat your online lessons the same as your face-to-face lesson - the only difference is our physical location!

Watch also this quick YouTube tutorial on using Zoom for the first time or watch this YouTube tutorial for more detailed information.

AMEB exams are cancelled

Earlier this week AMEB NSW announced that the April/May exams will be cancelled with refunds:

AMEB (NSW) continues to act in accordance with official advice from health authorities NSW Health and the Australian Government Department of Health in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19). Our number one priority is the health and wellbeing of AMEB candidates, accompanists, examiners and administrative personnel.Due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns and social distancing requirements the First Metro Session (27 April to 13 June) has been cancelled. All enrolment fees for this session will be fully refunded.

More details online here.

In our next lesson we will discuss whether it’s appropiate to postpone this exam until Oct/Nov or ‘skip’ the grade.

Term 2 student concert is cancelled

Given the current situation I have cancelled the term 2 concert. I know students will be disappointed but we’ll keep playing our instruments and (hopefully) present a concert later this year.

FREE online resources for students

There are plenty of FREE online resources to keep music students busy at home:

• Younger students might enjoy these FREE music theory worksheets:

  • Piano finger numbers

  • Music Alphabet

  • Easter themed worksheets -Key signatures or Easter egg hunt

  • Spot the Note

  • Bubble Notes

  • Time Signature Cookies

• There are plenty of songs on YouTube designed to help kids learn about all sorts of things - numbers, the weather, alphabet, Australian themed songs , hello in different languages etc. Just search ‘songs for children +’ whatever topic your interested in!

• AMEB are offering FREE AMEB online music theory courses !

  Online courses allow students to prepare for AMEB Theory of Music examinations in an online setting. Once a student has successfully completed the online course they will be ready to do an AMEB Theory of Music exam. AMEB Online Theory courses are made up of a series of video lessons with accompanying practice tests for each lesson and also feature a downloadable PDF containing an outline of the lesson content. The lessons and tests may be reviewed as many times as necessary. The courses allow students to learn independently and at their own pace and are suitable for both child and adult learners.

  The self-guided courses are made up of 12-15 pre-recorded video lessons accompanied by interactive online practice tests. These tests are graded and timed and can be used to measure the student’s progress as well as assist a student who may be preparing for an AMEB Theory exam. Students may progress through the material in any way they choose and may return to the lessons or tests at any time through the life of the course.

  I’m more than happy to assist any students interested in starting these online courses, feel free to get in touch for more information or visit the AMEB website.

Give Help

If you love music and care about the people who make it, you might like to donate to Support Act.

Support Act is a charity helping Australian artists and music workers in crisis. This may be due to illness, injury, a mental health problem or some other crisis that impacts on their ability to work in music. Support Act receives no money from any government agency and rely on fundraising & donations. All donations over $2 are tax deductible and will be issued with an instant tax receipt. See more online here.

Term 1 update - online lessons & good hand hygiene

Term 1 has been busy at the KLM studio, with a large number of new students joining us this term. It’s been lovely getting to know our new students and their enthusiasm has been contagious. Existing students have been busying preparing for AMEB flute and piano exams later this year, while parents have been enjoying the new lounge. However, no-one expected COVID-19 to have such an impact on our daily lives… What a crazy time we are living in!

Our studio has implemented a new hand washing regime and we have been trying our best to maintain good hand hygiene! Face-to-face lessons are continuing for now, but all students have the option of online lessons. Most private piano teachers are transitioning to this method of teaching and some commercial music schools have already made the change. So we will take their lead and see how things progress in the coming weeks.

The studio has been rearranged and we have tested everything out - it works a treat! The computer desk has been moved right next to the piano and the webcam is all set up. See a couple of screen grabs below!

The last day for Term 1 lessons is 8th of April, with Term 2 lessons starting on Monday 27th April. There will optional school holiday lessons available on 16th April, 20th April & 23rd April. And any new students, interested in starting music lessons in term 2, are invited to attend a FREE trial lesson on Thursday 23rd April.

I’m also pleased to announce that I will be accepting the NSW Creative Kids vouchers in Term 2! As a registered provider for the Creative Kids program, you can redeem your voucher with us and receive $100 off your lesson fees. To claim your voucher, or for more information, please visit https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-creative-kids-voucher

Sending good thoughts to you & your families!

Open for 2020

Flute, piano & music theory lessons resume this week! I hope everyone has had a relaxing summer break & a warm welcome to new students!

Term 1 runs until Thursday 9th April and then we’ll close for the Easter holidays. For anyone wishing to swap lesson times there are a couple of spots left on Mondays & Wednesdays. Saturdays & Thursdays are currently booked out but let me know if you want to join the waiting list.

Also, stay tuned for information re. the 2020 Student Recital. Based on current feedback, the concert will be held on a Sunday afternoon, early in Term 2. More information will be provided to students later in the term.

For any new students, if you are considering taking up flute, piano or music theory lessons please get in touch! We can meet in person and you can visit the studio for a special ‘one-off’ lesson.

Closed for Christmas & FREE TRIAL Lessons

It’s been a busy last couple of weeks, with all students working hard to perfect Christmas carols in time for Santa. Piano students have been working on Jingle Bells & Good King Wenceslas, while flute students have been playing countless Christmas carol duets. Plus we’ve been snacking on some Christmas treats!

The studio is now closed until 15th January. Existing students are welcome to book an optional holiday lesson on Saturday 18th January. I’ll also be offering FREE TRIAL lessons on 20th January for new students. If you are considering taking up flute, piano or music theory lessons in 2020 please get in touch to book your free trial lesson. We can meet in person and you can visit the studio for a special ‘one-off’ lesson.

Thank you to all my students and their parents for your support in 2019! I wish you a very Merry Christmas and look forward to playing music with you in 2020!

Congratulations flute students!

I'm pleased to report that 7 of my flute students have successfully completed their AMEB exams!!! Students undertook exams across a range of levels (grade 1 comprehensive - grade 4 comprehensive), with 4 students receiving an A!

Exam feedback included:

• Your tone is bright & sparkling Grade 1

• The jovial nature of the writing was captured with good ensemble work Grade 2

• This was a careful performance, with even semiquavers Grade 4

• There was good vitality in the performance Grade 3

• This was an enjoyable & varied program Grade 2

Congratulations to all the flute students on this fantastic result!

What are AMEB exams?

The Australian Music Examination Board was established in 1918 to provide nationally recognised music exams. They provide a detailed syllabus for music students & teachers, and give students the opportunity to perform for a professional musician (the AMEB examiner) and receive feedback. All students receive a written exam report, which contains feedback on their playing, plus an official AMEB certificate.

Why take AMEB exams?

The benefits of undertaking an AMEB exam are vast - they provide a goal for students to work towards, allow independent feedback plus they are nationally recognised. AMEB exams are looked upon favourably for high school scholarships & applications, with a number of private schools having expected benchmarks for potential music students - for example some high schools require certain entry levels for their band programs.

What do students present in an AMEB exam?

There are various types of AMEB exams - for example comprehensive, recital, leisure etc. All the flutes in this round undertook the comprehensive flute performance exams - the most challenging flute exams on offer. They had to:

• Play a selection of scales, arpeggios & other technical work from memory

• Perform between 3 - 5 pieces, at least 2 with piano accompaniment. The difficulty of the pieces depend on the grade, and all students play various styles - for example music from the Romantic period, Jazz music etc.

• Plus students complete a range of ‘unseen’ activities in the exam - sight-reading, general knowledge, aural etc.

If you would like more information on AMEB exams feel free to get in touch. Or check out the AMEB NSW page online here.

Is your child ready for piano lessons?

Parents often ask if their child is ready to start piano lessons. It can be a tricky question to answer, and the best way to assess a new student is to meet in person. However, I’ve put together my top 5 for new students:

1. Does your child show an interest in music? Do they hum or sing along to music? Do they clap along or dance? Do they request particular songs? Have they asked for music lessons?

2. Can they count to 10?

3. Does your child know the alphabet? Can they recite A B C D E F G? Can they recite these letters in reverse G F E D C B A?

4. Do they know the difference between right & left?

5. Do you have a piano or keyboard in your home? Is there a quiet place where they can practice 4 or 5 times a week?

If your child can meet this criteria definitely book in a trial lesson! If there is one or two elements that they are struggling with (for example knowing the difference between right & left) then focus on this skill for a few weeks. For example, ask your child to pass you 3 apples with their left hand or print off some free flashcards from the web. Or feel free to email me with any questions