Uncategorized | Hackney Music

Hackney Music Service: Music Tutor Spotlight…..Lawrence Tatnall

February 27, 2020 by Claire Sivier

This month we continue our feature shining a light on our dedicated team of music tutors working across Hackney both in schools and our collaborative projects. This month we spoke to Lawrence Tatnall who began his work in Hackney 13 years ago. He is now the Musical Director of the Hackney Borough Youth Orchestra and works across a range of HMS projects and ensembles.

How did you come to choose your instrument, or did it choose you?

Although my official “instrument” is the trombone I now regard myself mainly as a conductor. I was about 4 when I first started waving my arms to music with my granddad (who also conducted in his spare time!) but it was the piano and the trombone which I studied first. I didn’t really pick up the baton again till I was about 16.

What do you enjoy most about conducting and what is most challenging?

The thing that I most enjoy about conducting is that I get to really influence how a piece of music sounds. I really enjoy the rehearsal process of taking something raw and unrefined and helping to make it into a beautiful piece. By the performance the conductor’s job is basically done so then I get to hear amazing musicians playing from the best seat in the house!

What’s your all-time favourite gig – (either played in or been to) and why?

It’s really hard to choose a favourite concert of all time but I think it was probably the first ever orchestral concert that I went to see aged 8. I knew from that point onwards that I wanted to be involved in an orchestra in some capacity for my career. There have also been some really special concerts with Hackney Music Service. Conducting the Hackney Borough Youth Orchestra at the Barbican with the LSO was a particular highlight.

What do you enjoy most about teaching in Hackney?

The thing that makes Hackney so amazing is the people! I have now been teaching in Hackney for about 13 years and it’s such an incredible place to work in. It has been such a delight teaching in Hackney, and I think I have learnt just as much from the children over the years as they have learnt from me! It’s also such a vibrant place with so many different cultures and people. I am not sure there is anywhere else in the world quite like it!

Tell us a little bit about your musical life outside of Hackney Music Service

Outside of HMS I conduct several different groups such as the Havering Concert Orchestra and the Theydon singers. I also work with professional musicians and have put on several events with local amateur choirs. I also play the trombone freelance and am the accompanist of a local choir.

How does all of the above influence your teaching?

I think that my work as a conductor has really brought home the benefits of playing instruments not just as an individual but in a group with others. It has definitely influenced my teaching in that I always try to get my pupils listening to each other (as an orchestral player would) and I always try to put together ensembles to perform in my schools.

What advice would you give to a student on developing their playing?

My advice for students would be to try to find every opportunity to play their instruments with others! I always hated practicing on my own but absolutely loved playing in groups. If it wasn’t for these, I don’t think I would have ever made it as a musician. Find groups in your schools, in Hackney Music Service or even make a group yourself but get playing!

More about Lawrence:

Lawrence’s first conducting experience was at the age of 4 in his grandparents house with a knitting needle. He then got his first real baton at the age of 16 while directing a performance of Beethoven’s Egmont Overture at the Kent Centre for Young instrumentalists. After being named the BBC Radio Kent Young Musician of the Future in 2002 he went on to graduate with BMus (hons) from the University of Surrey in 2005 (majoring jointly in performance and conducting) studying under Nicholas Conran. He then got a Postgraduate diploma at the Trinity College of Music. Lawrence has gone on to conduct many more works ranging from Mozart chamber music to larger choral works, and also ran the University College London Big Band for 9 years. He is currently the Musical Director of the Havering Concert Orchestra, the Hackney Borough Youth Orchestra, and the Theydon Singers. He recently founded the East London Chamber Orchestra; a collective of professional musicians for performing with choral societies. Lawrence is also a professional trombonist and has played in a diverse selection of groups ranging from principal trombone with Philharmonie de Nationale under Justus Franz to the prize winning brass dectet SE10

Uncategorizedensembles, news, orchestra

PGCert Performance Teaching – 50% discount to all Hackney teachers.

January 29, 2020 by Claire Sivier

This year Guildhall offering a 50% discount to all Hackney teachers. The time commitment is 13 days of face-to-face workshops, plus online learning and self-directed study. The workshops are generally at weekends, mostly coinciding with half terms and holidays.

Who is it for?

The course is designed to support professional musicians, actors, production artists and dancers who teach as part of their practice as performers either as their main employment or as part of a portfolio career. It offers a unique opportunity to develop creative and reflective practice in teaching performing arts.

There are two pathways: PGCert and PGCert (HE). If you already have appropriate experience of teaching at HE level you may have the option of taking the PGCert (HE) pathway which will lead to additional professional recognition – Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. In order to be eligible for the PGCert (HE) pathway, you need to be able to draw on at least 50-60 hours of authentic HE Learning & Teaching practice whilst doing the course.

Deadline

25th March closing date for applications to the Guildhall School’s PGCert in Performance Teaching.

Further Information

Further details are on the website (http://www.gsmd.ac.uk/perfteaching), including a short video from our Open Evening. Additionally, if you’d like to find out more please email carlos.lopez-real@gsmd.ac.uk

UncategorizedCPD, Network Partner, news, Training

Alter Ego Auditions – January 25th, Hackney Empire

January 6, 2020 by Claire Sivier

Back by popular demand! East London’s biggest talent showcase returns and with it comes your chance to be chosen as the winner of Alter Ego 2020!

Whatever your talent, we want to see it!

Previous finalists performed alongside Yxng Bane, Krept and Konan, Lady Leshurr, Rudimental, Big Tobz, Misha B, Paigey Cakey, Ghetts, Sneakbo and many more… But you have to be in it to win it – for your chance to perform in front of over a thousand people, in a lineup with some major headline acts, come down to Hackney Empire and audition for Alter Ego 2020.

Your time is now. Don’t waste it.

Auditions Date: Sat 25 Jan 10am–6pm, Hackney Empire – Empire Two

Applicants must be aged 13-19.

To book your audition contact alterego@hackneyempire.co.uk or 020 8985 2424. (Mon – Sat 10am- 6pm)

Finalists will be mentored by top industry professionals -they then will perform alongside headline acts in front of over a thousand people at the Alter Ego 2019 Final, Fri 21 Feb at Hackney Empire.

Watch this space for more information on the shows line up and on sale date.

Hackney Empire is a Hackney Music Network Partner. All enquires about this opportunity should be directed to the Hackney Empire Directly – visit the Hackney Empire Website Here

Uncategorizedhackney, Network Partner, performance opportunity, young people

New ensemble launching in 2020…Hackney Junior Jazz Ensemble

December 11, 2019 by Claire Sivier

We are pleased to announce that next term we will be launching a NEW and exciting ensemble – the Hackney Junior Jazz Ensemble (HJJE) for young musicians of Grade 2 and above standard looking for the experience of playing in a jazz group!

HJJE will be a cross-phase ensemble, open to Primary Yr5+ pupils as well as secondary players. We anticipate a wide range of opportunities for musicians in the ensemble, as well as progression to the Hackney Creative Jazz Ensemble.

The group accommodates any instrument – we welcome drummers/percussionists, guitars/basses, keys as well as strings/wind and brass, tuned percussion are also warmly welcomed!

This new ensemble follows the success of our long-established Hackney Creative Jazz Ensemble (HCJE). HCJE regularly perform at venues such as the Vortex and the Hackney Empire and is aimed at minimum Grade 5 standard (Yr7+) players. We are delighted that we are now able to additionally set up a feeder ensemble to nurture musicians from a younger age interested in exploring jazz.

HCJE Manager Oliver Crooke says:

‘We are excited to be launching this new ensemble in January 2020 which expands the range of opportunities we are able to offer young musicians across Hackney”

HJJE will rehearse at City Academy on Wednesdays 4.30 – 6pm, directly before the Senior Ensemble. Like HCJE, the ensemble will be coached by a team of professional musicians including a rotation of different instrumentalists in order that all the different sections of the group are supported well.

To find out more about HJJE, as well as our other ensemble opportunities, please visit HMS ensemble page, here

Uncategorizedensembles, hackney, jazz, orchestra, workshops

Sing Every Day

December 9, 2019 by Claire Sivier

Photo credit – Andrew Wilkinson Photography

In 2019 Hackney Music Service Network Partner the VOCES8 Foundation led a special project with year 1 children and their teachers at Shoreditch Park Primary and Thomas Fairchild Community School. Called Sing Every Day, the project involved teacher training for the classroom teachers and singing workshops for the children led by members of the a cappella group Apollo5. Below, Ann Wright, Director of Education, VOCES8 Foundation reflects upon the project.

The children and teachers learned a variety of warm-ups for their bodies, brains and voices that included creating a magic potion, Peanut the cat on a trampoline and singing I’m alive, alert, awake enthusiastic. They also learned rhythms and melodies from the VOCES8 Method and explored body and vocal percussion through this Method.

Both schools learned a wide variety of songs to use as part of lessons (Mr Double Trouble for Maths was a favourite at Shoreditch Park); to perform in assemblies including One in a million by Emily Barden which celebrates the power of working together to achieve our dreams; and to mark the 50^th anniversary of the moon landing including Apollo5’s arrangement of When you Wish Upon a Star which the children performed at the VOCES8 Centre in concert with Apollo5.

The project was evaluated by Professor Graham Welch and a team of researchers from UCL. Their findings point to the wonderful way in which the classroom teachers embraced the project learning to lead singing confidently and use it every day. The children’s singing improved significantly and at the end of the project scored well above a national database of singing evaluations conducted in UK schools. Additional wider benefits of the project include a positive correlation between the children’s singing development and aspects of executive function, particularly their phonological working memory.

You can see and hear the children and their teachers in this short film about the project:

For more information, about VOCES8 Foundation please visit their website here.

Network Partners, Uncategorized, Young peopleNetwork Partner, schools, singing, workshops, young people

Hackney Music Service: Music Tutor Spotlight….Uchenna Ngwe

October 1, 2019 by Claire Sivier

This month we are kicking off a new feature shining a light on our dedicated team of music tutors working across Hackney both in schools and our collaborative projects. This month we begin with Uchenna Ngwe who began her work in Hackney 12 years ago as a classroom music teacher, and now works across a range of HMS projects and ensembles.

How did you come to choose the instrument(s) you play or did it/they choose you?

I was on the waiting list for piano lessons at school; I choose something else to play while I waited. I’d played the violin for a bit but didn’t get on with it, so I ended up choosing the oboe from a book, after reading it was the one that played the theme tune to Emmerdale Farm!

What do you enjoy most about playing your instrument(s)?

Lots of opportunities for solos! It’s great not having to play the same part as everyone else. As well as working together in a section, you also get a lot more autonomy within the solo sections in the music you play. The oboe has a wider range of music than most people expect from the instrument, which is important to demonstrate.

What do you find most challenging about playing your instrument?

One of the most challenging things is having to know so much about reeds and how to make them! Even if you don’t play on your own reeds, you still need to know how to make them so they’re playable for you personally. They also break really easily! It’s part of knowing the instrument. Also, it surprised me how quickly your muscles feel tired after having a day off, taking a break, or holiday – it always takes a while to build the strength back up.

What do you enjoy most about teaching in Hackney?

I first came to hackney and HMS as a classroom music teacher about 12 years ago and it’s still a great place to work! Everyone is so friendly – students, teachers and everyone in the Music Service office. Outside of the classroom, I work across a range of HMS projects – I work regularly with our Classical Meets Jazz ensemble, and Hackney Borough Youth Orchestra and sometimes with the Hackney Training Orchestra. It’s fantastic to work with such a diverse and talented range of young people from across Hackney.

What’s your all-time favourite gig? (either played in or been to)

My favourite gig that I’ve been to was seeing Stevie Wonder at British Summer Time in Hyde Park a few years ago. It was a great place to see one of my favourite artists. As the gig was in a park rather than a gig venue, everyone had space to dance and enjoy his music.

What kind of music do you listen to most?

No idea how to answer this question! I listen to loads of different styles of music for work and for fun. I’m at home doing admin and practising today so my Spotify list has included Todrick Hall, James Blake, Stevie Wonder, Julia Holter, Anderson.Paak and the whole of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. I often listen to different things according to what I’m doing at the time. If I’m working or studying at home, I can’t listen to anything with words. But if I’m doing my accounts anything this fine!

What advice would you give to a student on developing their playing?

Practice! I know every teacher will probably say this but it’s important to know how to practice as well. Playing through your pieces loads of times the night before your lesson doesn’t count. It’s really important to focus on the most challenging bits and work on them slowly.

More about Uchenna:

Outside of HMS, Uchenna has been working on an incredibly varied range of projects, both as a performer and educator. As part of her current PhD research, Uchenna has established plainsightSOUND, a research project exploring the participation and contributions of people of Black British, African and Caribbean heritage in British classical music before the mid-20th century. In addition, she also runs the Decus Ensemble, a flexible and diverse group of professional classical musicians who work together to promote the works of less well-known composers throughout classical music history, for a range of instruments. You can also watch Uchenna’s 2016 TedX talk, Labels and pigeonholes: how to avoid peoples limiting expectations here.

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