Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Irish-tuned!
We did Irish tunes for the second week today. The objective was to get everyone to play the tune on his or her major instrument together. This was rather hard especially for those on transposing instruments - they had to attempt to transpose real-time as they played. My major instrument is the electone organ, but I couldn't possibly lug the 79 kg instrument to school - so I made do with the keyboard.
The emphasis now for Performance is improvisation. We got into groups to improvise a melody above a 12-bar blues scale in G Major, which we have to perform the next lesson. Problem is, we were going to be randomly grouped so we just had to go along with the flow and improvise.
I went through Hanon exercises 1-10 and natural minor scales in all minor keys this week, though it was not fully effective as it was done on an electone organ instead. I have also covered the "Only Hope" piano score halfway through. What was more effective was my playing-through of easier grade electone organ scores in my bid to get accustomed back to the techniques of playing my major instrument, improving my sight-reading along the way as well. Regarding theory, I have been working on revision on ABRSM Grades 1 to 4 through the holidays and am currently nearing the end of Grade 4. I plan to move on to Grade 5 soon and hopefully take the Grade 5 theory exam next March, as well as resume my electone organ lessons once I feel I am "ready" for it.
7:01 am *
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Irish-tuned!
We did Irish tunes for the second week today. The objective was to get everyone to play the tune on his or her major instrument together. This was rather hard especially for those on transposing instruments - they had to attempt to transpose real-time as they played. My major instrument is the electone organ, but I couldn't possibly lug the 79 kg instrument to school - so I made do with the keyboard.
The emphasis now for Performance is improvisation. We got into groups to improvise a melody above a 12-bar blues scale in G Major, which we have to perform the next lesson. Problem is, we were going to be randomly grouped so we just had to go along with the flow and improvise.
I went through Hanon exercises 1-10 and natural minor scales in all minor keys this week, though it was not fully effective as it was done on an electone organ instead. I have also covered the "Only Hope" piano score halfway through. What was more effective was my playing-through of easier grade electone organ scores in my bid to get accustomed back to the techniques of playing my major instrument, improving my sight-reading along the way as well. Regarding theory, I have been working on revision on ABRSM Grades 1 to 4 through the holidays and am currently nearing the end of Grade 4. I plan to move on to Grade 5 soon and hopefully take the Grade 5 theory exam next March, as well as resume my electone organ lessons once I feel I am "ready" for it.
7:01 am *
- Name: niwdehot
- Location: Singapore
Music has always been an integral part of Edwin’s life since the tender age of 4. The top graduate from the pioneer batch of the Diploma in Music & Audio Technology (Singapore Polytechnic), Edwin achieved the Media Development Authority Gold Medal (Course Medal) & DBS Bank Award.
An avid performer, Edwin plays at corporate and private functions, cafes, weddings, musicals, and community and charity events throughout the year. In Singapore Polytechnic’s “Superstar: The Pop Musical” (2006), he took on multiple roles of Cast Member (Chorus), Rehearsal Pianist and Baritone Section Leader. Edwin was also the second keyboardist in the incidental music band of Young NTUC’s May Day 2007 musical, “A Labour of Love”. He has appeared regularly at music festivals (Singapore Street Festival 2009, MoonFest @ Esplanade 2009) and charity events (Charity Fiesta 2006 @ South West, Music For Hope 2008, Blackout @ Emily 2009).
His artistic passion continues to grow, as does his hope to inspire others through his expressive music.
View my complete profile
My Goals:
-Long Term: To become well-trained in all aspects of music
-Medium Term: To improve my sight-reading and keyboard skills to another level
-Short Term: To brush up on my basic music theory after stopping for 5 years+
Special Skill Set:
Improvisation, Playing-by-ear
Repertoire includes (to be updated):
*Pending (practice in progress)
Electone Organ pieces:
Piano pieces:
Piano/choral arrangements:
(They Long To Be) Close To You - Burt Bacharach
Walk On A Rainbow Trail - Berta & Sonja Poorman
Laudate Dominum - Sherri Porterfield
When You Believe - Stephen Schwartz
*Joyful, Joyful - Beethoven (arr. Mervyn Warren)
*Because He Lives - Sally DeFord
Original compositions:
Vivid Dreams (theme: hope)
And any other tune/piece that I know well (play-by-ear)...
This performance journal was created as part of an ongoing assignment of the DMAT module "Performance".
