Piano for a Song

Both girls have often expressed how it would be cool to play the piano so recently I saw a rather old piano being sold locally for the grand price of $10.00   So of course I thought 'why not' if they don't take it to it, it's only $10 that it's cost us.  

Bonus is the Papa just loves it when I tell him things like, oh hun can you put the trailer on the car, I've just bought a piano. Well I think that's what it means when he rolls his eyes and takes a big drawn in breath. 

So we are now the proud owners of an old piano, it even came with a stool. It has a couple of sticky keys but other than that it's perfect to start learning on. Agent Smelly particularly has taken a liking to it is so we are looking for piano lessons for her. 

It's been placed in my study ... so I can close the door to save my ears ... I mean so they can practice in peace. 

Concerts for Kids

We were blessed today with the opportunity to attend a free concert for school aged children, put on by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO), which is NZ's national orchestra owned and funded by the NZ government.
 

Apologies, this was the best photo I could get with the kids camera.


The concert was specifically tailored towards children. The theme was nature and seasons and there was an announcer, Nigel, who explained things to the group as we went along. He introduced the sections of the orchestra, had the members stand up to show everyone each instrument to the children when he mentioned them and in turn each section played a piece of music. It was very well done. He was dressed as some kind of green garden nymph and made a lot of bad jokes which the kids (and OK me) really enjoyed and at times had the kids yelling back in response, as though they were at a footy game rather than a concert.
 
I personally loved watching the conductor, Australian born, Jessica Cottis. She's a tiny slip of a girl who just bounced on her feet the whole time she conducted.
 
We heard works from Vivaldi, Beethoven, Strauss amongst others but one of my favourite parts of the concert was listening to Nigel read the wonderful novel by Margaret Mahy, The Lion in the Meadow, with the orchestra playing a composition by Christchurch composer, Phillip Norman, which he had written specifically to accompany the book.
 
This concert tied in perfectly with the work we have being doing with the book, The Story of the Orchestra by Robert Levine.

This is a great book for anyone who would like to educate their children on what makes an orchestra, some composers and musical instruments.

 

The first half of the book begins with types of music through the ages and has some famous composers in each section. You play the accompanying track on the CD (it says when to in the book) and you hear some of that composers music. The music alone is worth the purchase of the book. The second half of the books talks about the different types of instruments and once again has music to accompany that instrument. It's a very easy to read and an engaging book with appealing pictures.

 

 

I think working on this book helped my children enjoy their first orchestra experience so much more than they would have, as they recognised composers names, some of the music and all the instruments etc. They enjoyed it so much they have expressed an interest to go back and see one again, so a very successful introduction to classical orchestral music.

 

 

 

Life in Early Crete

Chapter 18 - Life in Early Crete, Story of The World

Today we read chapter 18 which was about the Minoans and included the story "King Minos and the Minotaur". The Fashionista commented that she was pretty glad that she didn't live back then as she is pretty flexible and "bouncy" so fears she would have been one of those children that were made to be trained as bull jumpers. The one's that didn't live past 20 years old.

The girls put together a paper maze for their history journal and then we listened to this song on You Tube by History Teachers, as Agent Smelly responds particularly well to music. It was a great little song, words set to the Radiohead song Creep. I suggest, unless you don't mind that sort of thing, that if your children ask to hear the original song, you say you can't find it as I had forgotten it has a rather strong expletive in it ... more than once. I confess I did find it rather amusing to see both of their little mouths drop open as they looked enquiringly at me, when they heard it. The Fashionista said "did he just say a bad word?" and I had to say "er yes". Needless to say we only listened to it once and headed back to the history version. Last thing I needed was for those original lyrics to stick in their heads! The Papa had a chuckle when I told him later and apparently if the girls turn out with foul mouths then I am now to blame. Details for his funeral service will be posted later!

We also watched some you tube documentaries which were a little dry and basically similar to what we had read in our history book.

The girls made some Lego mazes (as I was a tad unprepared today) like the mazes in the Minotaur fable and that was about it.

The Old and The New

In our music class we have been studying the composer George Handel. Now between you and I, I don't find baroque music all that exciting and the girls were starting to look a little stale. So I thought I would spice things up ... pardon the pun which you will get in a minute. 
 
So I snuck into my study and secretly printed out the lyrics to STOP sung by The Spice Girls. I told them that we were going to sing a wee song to celebrate finally finishing Handel. By the looks on their faces I think they thought I was going to pop one of his operas on. I then popped the lyrics onto their music stand and turned on the CD player. Oh dear did I just admit to owning a CD with The Spice Girls on it? In  my defence it is a best of compilation and it's the only song of theirs on it ... no really!

Anyway they had a ball and really got into it, playing it over and over and over and over and did I mention over again.  They took turns singing different parts and after a few times almost had the entire song memorised. By the end Agent Smelly was even dancing in time and doing a few dance moves which had the Papa and I in giggles watching from the kitchen.

Although you know the Papa didn't really appreciate it, the fifth or sixth time and ran for his garage ... how rude!

Now if you promise not to tell anyone else I will admit that I actually quite like some of The Spice Girls music and I did pop over to sing along with them once the Papa head for the hills ... ssshhh don't tell anyone else though.  Now come on admit it, you like them too.
 

Dueling Guitars

Last year for terms 2, 3 and 4 the girls learnt the recorder with another homeschooled girl that lives nearby to us. I have to say that despite being 12 and a great little flutist (or flautist) she was a super little teacher and that both girls not only loved attending her classes but made sure they practiced and practiced. She even gave them homework sheets to go home and fill in and they would drop their regular schoolwork just to ensure Miss Music's work was completed. It used to make me laugh as they had never showed half as much enthusiasm when learning from a professional music teacher during term 1!

I had thought that Miss Music was going to be going off to High school this year so had the girls both chose a different instrument to learn to play. Sorry people but, I am not a fan of the recorder and really couldn't have handled another year of it! The Fashionista chose the guitar and Agent Smelly chose percussion. Thankfully they both had instruments that they could use.

Rather than pay for more music lessons only to find that they didn't want to keep up, I picked up some books from The Book Depository (my most favourite online shop in the world!) and off they went.

I highly recommend Alfred's Kid's Guitar Course. It comes with a CD and the kids practice right long with it. Even I have had a go and have been able to pick up a few chords again quite easily.

After a couple of weeks, they decided they preferred each others instrument (or course ... sigh) and so they swapped over. Then they both decided the guitar was the favoured instrument but because they were sharing one it all got a bit too hard and they lost some motivation. 

Well recently we were in Kmart and Agent Smelly saw a child's guitar for $25 so used her own pocket money to purchase one.

Both girls have since set up a little music corner in the lounge and here they are at practice. They seem to be more keen (there's less whining for a start) and not rushing through their practice as quickly when they play together. I try and have them practice the guitar three or four days a week for around 10 - 20 minutes but I still have them practice the recorder at least once a week. Long may it last!

There is a second book in the series and if they finish that and prove to me that they are still interested in learning the guitar then I will send them off for some "proper" lessons with a music teacher but until then Alfred's books will serve us well.