Monthly Archives: January 2014

Issue 118: Welcome to The Jungle

So, everything is back to “normal” now – term has started, the first week has happened, the schedules are now more-or-less in place? Well, maybe! Here’s the first “normal” issue of The Music Jungle of the Year. Piano Exam Entries, … Continue reading

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Issue 118: Three Weeks to Exam Entry Deadline

So, the deadline for on-line entry to ABRSM music exams is 24th January. That gives me at least two, maybe three, piano lessons to decide whether various students will be ready for their piano and theory exams. An experienced teacher … Continue reading

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Issue 118: Hypnotism? The Aquarium

“The Aquarium” from “Carnival of the Animals” by Saint-Saens is one of the most potent tools in my possession. Last week, I eyed up the 23 children waiting for a Wider Opportunities keyboard lesson, the first after Christmas, with mounting … Continue reading

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Issue 118: First Week Back – back to basics

Well, I’ve just survived the first week of term – ooof! Going from the holidays to full-on teaching was a shock to the system! I suspect it was a shock for the children too, although I was so busy keeping … Continue reading

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New Year Issue 117: Junk Samba and The Three Kings

This is the last of the (almost) daily Christmas and New Year posts over the Christmas holiday. The new term starts tomorrow with a staff training day. Then – wham! – straight into the standard teaching schedule, so I will be … Continue reading

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New Year Issue 117: New Year Resolutions

How are yours going? My non-musical ones are doing just fine; take at least one bag of stuff to the charity shop every month (size of bag and quantity of contents unspecified, could be just one book!) in order to … Continue reading

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New year Issue 117: The Monkey Dance

  I was lucky enough to watch a performance of this dance on one warm, moonlight night on the island of Bali back in about 1975. The men form a circle, three, or more deep, and the dancers perform in the … Continue reading

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New Year Issue 117: Monkey Business

Lying in bed before the alarm went off this morning, I came up with this little body/vocal percussion number Monkey Business 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + Big Ba- boon (stamp) (click) Chimp-  -an zee (click)  (click) tan … Continue reading

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