NEWS | Music House

Music students’ tuned and ready to go

Nov 3, 2020

Major examination boards are booked throughout November and December to moderate practical assessments of more than 1500 musical students from our region.

In less than two weeks, Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and London College of Music (LCM) are set to takeover our outstanding College facilities as students from surrounding areas prepare for their practical music exams.

Tim Knight, Principal – Yorkshire College of Music and Drama, says:

“With so many people being unable to take their exams in the summer session, we’re working hard – in association with the exam boards – to make sure everything runs smoothly. We understand how important a face-to -face instrumental or singing exam is and in the current climate, keeping students safe is a primary concern. We’re delighted we can fulfil all the requirements and look forward to welcoming the boards and students to Yorkshire College of Music and Drama .”

Collectively, ABRSM, LCM, Trinity and Rock School have chosen to use our flagship building for over 30 years. These longstanding partnerships are of great importance to our College which boasts a number of rooms with the best acoustics, tuned pianos and a rich history of musical talent including none other than Dame Julie Andrews.

Furthermore, Rock School are booked to hold theory exams on 12 December and Yorkshire College of Music and Drama is also the Diploma Centre for Trinity. Because the boards choose to use St Marks House as their venue of choice this helps us to continue delivering our charitable aims and keep the founder legacy alive.

Before restrictions were imposed, students were able to take advantage of the College’s warm-up room to prepare before their practical exam. For this exam period, students have been asked to practice /warm up in their cars to adhere to safe distancing.

The College has put in place covid safe measures in line with government guidelines. This includes a separate entrance and exit, sanitiser stations, clearly marked one way notices with arrows and pre-allocated exam time slots. These steps mean that we are protecting examiners and examinees.

As we enter a second lockdown, exams are going ahead which is great news for our region’s examinees – many were left disappointed after exams were cancelled earlier in the year. We wish everyone the best of luck and we’re crossing fingers and toes.

Music vouchers for the YCMD

Oct 14, 2019

Music vouchers… the ideal gift!

A YCMD music voucher is the perfect gift for a family member or friend (or yourself) who already loves playing and hearing music and singing. Our music vouchers are also ideal for beginners who are interested in learning to play an instrument or sing.

Vouchers are available in 3, 5 or 10 half hour taster sessions. Usually, lessons need to be booked for a full term so this is the perfect way to dip your toe.

Gift vouchers can only be obtained from the College, so please get in touch to find out more.

Prices:

3 x half hour lesson voucher – £60.00
5 x half hour lesson voucher – £93.00
10 x half hour lesson voucher – £180.00

Hire a room for your own use here at the college

Oct 14, 2019

All our rooms are available to hire for your own private musical practise, group meetings or music lessons. We offer discounts for block bookings so please ask to find out more.

Hourly rate:
Small room £8.75
Large room £17.50

Special Offer:
Monday to Friday, 11am – 3pm: pay for 4 hours room hire and get the 5th hour on us.

For room hire enquiries please contact us.

5 Tips To Keep Your Kids Playing Music Over The Summer

Jul 12, 2019

The summer holidays are stretching ahead of us. Weeks and weeks of freedom for our children, but how do we make sure the skills they have developed over the past 10 months don’t suffer too much?

What can you do to keep their interest in music alive and the investment you have made in music lessons not be wasted?

Here are our 5 Top Tips for keeping them learning and improving their skills, whilst still enjoying the freedom of a long, lazy summer

1. Set Them A Challenge

Setting a child a challenge can be a great way to keep them focused. Ask them to learn their favourite song or ask them to master a new skill on their musical instrument and set a deadline or a date for a family performance. Speak to your child’s music tutor and ask for advice on what would best stimulate and challenge your child whilst also being good fun.

Consider offering an incentive or reward that will inspire them and help to keep them going. What this is will depend on your child’s age.

2. Negotiate a Practice Calendar

Before the summer holidays start, sit down together and decide what the main areas or focus for practice will be over the summer and how much time would be good to set aside for practice every week. Don’t forget this is the summer holidays, so keeping it light and fun will help to ensure music is an enjoyable past time and not a chore.

Once you have agreed on the material and number of hours, work out a practice timetable together and pin it somewhere visible so you are both reminded of your commitment.

3. Play Musical Instruments with Family and Friends

If you have ever experienced the utter joy of jamming with friends around a camp fire or singing karaoke together you will know how much fun and how memorable making music with friends can be.

Many of you will spend time with family over the holidays. So, if any of your friends or relatives are musical, consider asking them to bring their portable musical instruments along with them. Acoustic guitars, clarinets, flutes, portable keyboards, percussion instruments. Spending some time jamming with friends and family is a great way to keep your skill levels up whilst creating fabulous memories.

4. Teach Family or Friends How to Play

Non-musicians often see playing music as an insurmountable hurdle. Well, perhaps you can do something to break that illusion? Ask your child to teach a friend or a sibling a few basic melodies on the piano or some chords on a guitar. Perhaps it is you who would benefit from learning a few chords?

Being taught a few basics on a guitar, piano or drums can help someone else get started and give them the confidence to seek out formal tuition.

A win-win for everyone, particularly if the informal lessons are paid for with a few pennies or treats!

5. Put On An Event

Why not put on a small neighbourhood musical event throughout the holidays? Ask a few of your child’s friends and put on a show in the local park, village hall or in your back garden. Put on a BBQ and invite the neighbours and put a set-list together to showcase the local junior talent.

This would be a fantastic way to inspire not only your own child to continue improving, but to also inspire other children in your neighbourhood.

Music should, first and foremost be fun and kids learn so much through play and having fun. So, whatever you decide to do to keep your kids inspired this summer, try and make sure it’s enjoyable.

Good luck!

To find out about our Autumn term group and private lessons, please call 0113 243 1605.

5 Things That Make A Good Teacher ‘Great’

May 23, 2019

Those of us privileged enough to be involved in teaching others, should never underestimate the impact we have on our students.

We recently received a lovely letter from an ex-pupil who was thanking us for helping her to feel “amazing” and for fulfilling a dream of learning to play an instrument.

Every so often we get feedback like this and it is genuinely thrilling to know that we have made a difference to someone’s life.

It got us to thinking about teaching. We all remember our favourite teacher – he or she is perched high upon a pedestal in our memory. But why? What makes a good teacher a great teacher?

We have a number of “great” teachers here at the college, so we think we have the inside scoop on this one. Here are the 5 main attributes we think make an inspirational, memorable and effective teacher.

Great Teachers…

1. Great Teachers Are Masters of Their Subject

Good teachers know their subject matter. Great teachers are masters of their subject. Great teachers are passionate about their subject and they instill a hunger for learning through their own enthusiasm, knowledge and skill.

2. Great Teachers Encourage Deeper Learning

Great teachers encourage students to ask questions, to delve deeper into a subject, to not accept common beliefs but to challenge them and examine new ideas and concepts. Great teachers recognize when a student needs to be challenged and pushed beyond the standard curriculum and support individuals in their exploration of discovery and learning.

3. Great Teachers Will Find a Way to Connect

Not all students learn at the same pace, or in the same way. A great teacher will find a way to connect with each individual student. They will go above and beyond what is required to stimulate imagination, interest and a desire to learn.

4. Great Teachers Instill Confidence

Great teachers believe in their students and are able to teach a student to believe in themselves. They encourage students to go beyond their own self-limitations and reward achievement with encouragement and reassurance.

5. Great Teachers Value Respect

Great teachers respect their students. Every opinion is valid and valued and so students feel safe and confident enough to ask questions, listen to others and gain a wider and more diverse understanding of the world.

If your lifelong dream is to learn to play an instrument, or you’d love to pick up an instrument you haven’t had time to play for years, then please do get in touch. To find out about group or individual music lessons, please contact Dagmar on 0113 243 1605 or email: admin.ycmd@btconnect.com

Asta’s Words

Asta recently returned to her native Lithuania and a snippet of her heart-felt and beautiful letter are detailed below:

Firstly, I will start with the word Thank You.
Thank You for an amazing teacher Rod Tailor who patiently taught me how to hold the violin
Thank You for an amazing atmosphere before the lesson.
Thank You that because of this amazing college my biggest wish come true: To play a musical instrument.
Thank You that your college was the main thing in these years that made me very happy and full fill very big hole in my heart.
Thank You for amazing secretary Dagmar, she all the times was so helpful and because of her my time before lessons became more joyful.
Thank You for principal Tim Knight who all the time was waiting for my coming to the lesson and I felt that I am very welcome and wanted to come back again and again.

Secondly, because just of this wonderful college and all the knowledge they gave to me I feel amazing and my life becomes even better.
Love all that music I played.
Love all these 30 minutes I spend learning new things.
Love all the moments I spend an amazing environment.

Want To Know More About Choir Singing?

Apr 26, 2019

There is something truly magical about the sound of several voices coming together in harmony. But the composition of a choir is more technical and more intricate than simply asking a group to sing a song.

A beautiful-sounding choir is like a well-oiled machine. Each of its parts works and sings independently, but they come together to form something far greater than the sum of its parts.

The most common voices or parts used in mixed choir ensembles are:

Soprano: typically a female singing voice with the highest vocal range.

Alto: the second highest vocal range and typically the lowest range sung by a female member.

Tenor: a male singing voice with the highest vocal range.

Bass: the lowest vocal range of all voice types and typically the lowest range sung by a male member.

The different vocal ranges will generally stand together and the conductor will ultimately decide how to arrange his or her choir. However, for symphonic choirs, it is common for conductors to arrange their choir from left to right, beginning with the highest vocals to the lowest. For a cappella singing, the men are often placed at the back, with the women in front. The smallest details can make a big difference to the sound an audience hears – from the room or space the choir are performing in and things like the height of the ceiling to the space left between the singers.

Types of Choir
There are various types of choirs though a mixed choir is generally the most common – these include both male and female voices and the four ranges above, so Sopranos, Altos, Tenor and Bass voices. Male voice choirs are also a common choir type as are all female voice choirs and youth choirs.

The importance of the conductor
So what is the person doing at the front, waving their arms around?

A conductor is holding everything together. He or she is responsible for the tempo and for instructing members of the different vocal groups when to start singing and when to stop. He or she uses hand gestures to indicate volume and tempo and uses gestures with his or her head, face and eyes to communicate with the choir and with individuals throughout their performances.

A conductor is like a chef managing different elements of his dish as they are being cooked – turning, stirring, beating, cooling, boiling……juggling all the different elements and keeping them timed to perfection in order to create the perfect dish: The perfect musical performance.

To find out more about our choirs at the Yorkshire College of Music and Drama, give us a call on 0113 243 1605.

Why Retirement is an Excellent Time To Learn to Play an Instrument

Mar 25, 2019

Many of us believe that learning something new is only for the young. We’ve been conditioned to think that the older we get the less able we are to adapt, learn and grow. It’s drilled into us from being very young.

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks!”

Well, we think that’s rubbish. Balderdash. Nonsense.

Retirement can be the best time to learn new things. And, which activities are the best for us, as we age?

– Music, of course.

Here are 5 reasons why retirement is the perfect time for learning to play a musical instrument:

1. It’s the equivalent of taking your brain to the gym

For those of us who have tried it, we know that learning to play an instrument is hard work. It takes coordination, effort and dedication to make just small improvements. It is a complex task and studies have shown that the brain interprets learning to play music as a form of physical exercise. So, it’s like sending your brain for a workout at the gym.

2. It helps fight memory loss

Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia are on the rise. Every week it seems there is new advice on what steps to take to minimise the risk of developing dementia as we age. There have been numerous studies done to look at music and dementia. In Illinois, elderly care home residents, ranging from their late 70’s to early 90’s, were asked to learn a new musical instrument for 16 weeks. Their memory was tested before and after the 16 week trial and the results were astounding! Those who took part in the study saw a 50% – 70% increase in memory.

It is believed that learning to play an instrument provides the cognitive exercise the brain needs to protect itself against memory loss.

3. It fights wrinkles!

That’s right! Who needs botox and fillers when you can play music instead?

A study tracked eighty seniors over the course of five years. The results showed that the blood tests of those who were learning to play music had a 90% increase in hGH – a hormone which decreases as we age. Higher hGH levels increase energy while also causing fewer wrinkles.

4. It’s social

Loneliness is a pandemic spreading across our elderly communities. Playing music, learning an instrument or joining a choir or singing group not only means you meet new people and make new friends, but it can give you a renewed sense of purpose in your retirement.

5. It makes you happy!

Now, this one has to beat all the other hands down, doesn’t it? Life is a journey of highs, lows and lots of in-betweens. To have an activity that is scientifically proven to increase levels of happiness is possibly the best reason to do something.

So, what next?

So, music is very good for us. It stimulates hormones that keep our wrinkles at bay, it helps us meet people and makes friends and it is proven to make us happy. Surely we all need to be going more of it?

We have set time aside in our college throughout the afternoons specifically for those in our retired communities around Leeds. So, whether you have always fancied learning the guitar, trying your hand at the clarinet, or fancy setting up a singing or music group with a few friends, we have the tutors, the space and the expertise to help.

To initially have a chat about your ideas and what music tuition is currently available, please get in touch either by phone 0113 243 1605 or email: admin.ycmd@btconnect.com

Get in touch to chat through what groups or music tuition might be perfect for you.

Call 0113 243 1605 NOW

5 Reasons You Should Learn The Guitar

Mar 2, 2019

The guitar is a magical instrument – play it well and even the geekiest of us can come across as verifiable Rock Gods.

The guitar can make us cool, like possibly no other instrument can. Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Jimmy Page – all ultra cool guys. Legends in fact. All made great by their skills on the guitar.

Becoming magnetic to the opposite sex or a rock God are just two major benefits of learning the guitar. Here are 5 more reasons you should consider learning to play the guitar…

1. It will Improve Your Memory and Concentration

Of course old dogs can learn new tricks. You need to focus on what your fingers are doing – on both hands – and read the music all at the same time. It will take practice and concentration, both things that stimulate your brain and have a positive impact on your cognitive and muscle memory. Keep you brain active and there are many studies to show that you keep it young.

2. It will Improve Your Multitasking Skills

Instruments like the piano and guitar are proven to improve multitasking abilities. Playing the guitar is a bit like that old trick of rubbing your tummy whilst patting your head. It seems impossible at first, but given a bit of practice, you find yourself able to do it without thinking too hard about it. To play the guitar you have to coordinate different physical actions all at the same time. Pretty soon, you will be able to do all this at the same time:

Read guitar TABS and scores
Create chord shapes with your hands
Recognize what strings play what notes
Read ahead for upcoming notes
Listen and analyze the sounds that are made in real time
Keep time

It’s like riding a bike. Once you’ve mastered the basics, they never leave you. You just need to clean off the rust to shine again.

3. It Will Relieve Stress and Boost Your Creativity

Music has been proven in many studies to have a positive impact on mental health and stress. You might find that playing a guitar just helps you with your work/life balance, or thrashing out some heavy metal riffs may well help to release the built up tension after a hard day. Playing guitar not only relieves stress but stimulates the creative side of your brain – a double whammy of benefits!

4. It Can Improve Your Health

Did you know that playing guitar helps to build arm, wrist and forearm strength? Muscle-tone is vital to keep us strong and healthy as we get older.

Did you also know that playing the guitar helps to lower blood pressure and anxiety?

It’s true! Harvard Health conducted a study that showed that power ballads and love songs can help to reduce anxiety and nerves. So, dig out the guitar TABS to Foreigner and Marillion and feel your blood pressure start to come down.

5. It’s Fun!

There may be all these studies that talk about music being good for us. About how it helps our mental health, how it helps tackle loneliness, how it helps our intelligence and resilience. But, the biggest and most important factor is that it’s fun! And, if it’s something that you’ve always wanted to do, what are you waiting for?

Get in touch to enquire about guitar lessons now. Professional tutors available for total beginners through to advanced guitarists just wanting to dust off their old 6-strings and brush up a few old skills.

What are you waiting for?

Call us on 0113 243 1605 to find out more.

How Yorkshire Choirs Are Coming Together To Create a Thriving Choral Scene

Feb 15, 2019

“Those of us in choirs are just the present trustees. When the time comes and we pass our choirs on to the next generation, we must ensure they are in excellent shape.” – Tim Knight

The brand new and exciting choral festival, Voices Yorkshire has been created for a number of reasons. The idea was the brainchild of our esteemed Principal, Tim Knight and it has developed into a festival that will help Yorkshire choirs grow, develop, reach new audiences, create new collaborations and attract new members. Music and singing together is incredibly powerful. As a team, we believe strongly in the power of music and how it has the ability to heal, to share joy, to inspire, to build bridges, to build community and friendships. That is why Voices Yorkshire was created. That is why it will always be more than just a choral festival.

We are delighted to confirm that the first event under the Voices Yorkshire banner, Sing Day Leeds, was a huge success. The team here at the college worked hard behind the scenes registering the interested choirs and securing the right venues and ultimately all the hard work paid off. It was a day when choirs came together to support each other; when the people of Leeds were treated to choral performances right across the city and when friendships were made, new collaborations were created and new audiences were delighted.

A big thank you to the wonderful, iconic and prestigious venues in Leeds who supported Sing Day Leeds and hosted a range of fabulous Yorkshire choirs. The Corn Exchange, The Victoria Centre, Temple Newsam, Marks and Spencer, Owlcotes, The Leeds City Museum, The Tiled Hall Cafe in the Art Gallery and The Old Fire Station at Gipton. All these amazing venues were enthusiastic supporters of our first event and helped set the bar high for future Sing Days across Yorkshire.

Leeds Male Voice Choir in The Corn Exchange

Sing Day Huddersfield Is Next!

On Saturday 30th March, venues across Huddersfield will be hosting a range of Yorkshire choirs and filling the air with the beautiful and joyous sound of people singing together.

Currently we have three venues confirmed: The Art Gallery, The Packhorse Shopping Centre and The Piazza Centre. We are in talks with several other venues and hope to make further announcements soon.

“Choirs need a constant supply of new audiences and new singers. We cannot expect them to magically appear, we must get out there and take our music to the people. We must share our love for choral music, we must respect other choirs and their choices of music and work with other choirs to support each other. If we come together, we will create an even bigger and brighter thriving choral scene across our region.” – Tim Knight

At Sing Day Leeds, we were delighted to see Tim’s vision come alive. Choirs were supporting one another and indeed, new collaborations and performances have been planned where several choirs are coming together to do joined-up events.

We’re looking forward to making Sing Day Huddersfield another rip-roaring success!

If you have yet to register your choir, then do so NOW. Email info@voicesyorkshire.co.uk or visit www.voicesyorkshire.co.uk for more information

Paul’s Signing Choir – Getting the audience involved

What You Might Not Know About “Jingle Bells”

Dec 14, 2018

Christmas is around the corner. Children in schools up and down the country are performing their Christmas nativities and singing their Christmas carols to proud parents and grandparents. Undoubtedly, amongst the songs belted out by enthusiastic kids will be Jingle Bells. A firm favourite for all, with the added bonus that even the smallest children can join in by shaking something that jingles.

Jingle Bells was apparently first written as a Thanksgiving song and didn’t become a song associated with Christmas until several decades later. It was published in 1857 and was originally written by James Lord Pierpont, who would very probably not have believed where his little tune would be performed just over 100 years later…..

Because, the thing you might not know is that Jingle Bells was the first piece of music to be played and broadcast from Space.

It was December, 1965 and Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 had just completed the first manned rendez-vous between spacecraft. Astronaut, Wally Schirrah, who was travelling in Gemini 6 informed Houston and Gemini 7 that he had spotted an object. Something, he stated that looked like a satellite that was travelling from North to South, “probably in a Polar orbit.”

He went on, “He’s in a very low trajectory, travelling from North to South and has a very high climbing ratio……. stand by…”

Schirrah then started to play “Jingle Bells” on an 8-note “Little Lady” harmonica while his colleagues in Gemini 7 and back on Earth in Houston chuckled away.

Wally Schirrah went on to become the pilot of the first successful Apollo mission, Apollo 7. He was the first astronaut to go into Space three times and the only astronaut to have flown in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programmes for NASA. He was also the first person to have played and broadcast a piece of music from Space.

And, that piece of music was Jingle Bells.

“Ho Ho Ho!”

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