Workshops in Taupo
I was invited down to Taupo to work with the Taupo Concert Band and thought it was a good opportunity to bundle some other activities in too. I went down last week, here's what I got up to:
TUESDAY AFTERNOON
Presented a workshop for the music students and staff at Tauhara College. It was also great to see the staff from Taupo-nui-a-Tia College there as well.
We went back to basics and explored the six things we need to create a great composition (and get a good mark too!). Loads of ideas, plenty of talent, good fun.
TUESDAY NIGHT
I had a four-hour session with the Taupo Concert Band. They are working towards a big concert so were really keen for an intensive evening! They may be a smallish band but make an incredibly good sound and with some versatile musicians - and the new drummer turning up during the dinner break - it made for a really great evening of music-making. We worked on:
- "Oregon" by Jacob de Haan
- "American Overture" by Joseph Willcox Jenkins
- "Symphonic Dances" from Fiddler on the Roof by Jerry Bock (arr. Hearshen)
- "Granada" by Agustin Lara (arr. Longfield)
WEDNESDAY MORNING
I headed up to Reporoa to give two further workshops.
- The first was for their gifted music students - we talked about finding your place in the world of music and it was great to be able to share some stories and listen to some music from various projects that I have been involved with.
- The second was actually part of their science curriculum - we looked at sound. After working out what it actually is and exploring sound waves, we launched into the fun of playing loads of different instruments, discussing how they make their sound and categorising them.
Here are some pics from the session:
It was a great two days, hoping to do a similar trip again next year.
