Read about this famous Middle Eastern instrument in Instrument of the Month

Oud

music matters Issue #07 Jun/Jul 2013

ST. JOHN’S PREP SCHOOL’S MUSIC MAGAZINE

THE BEATLES The universe’s best-selling

band in history

SUMMER HOLIDAYS

Fill up those long days with this month’s two-page guide

CHOIR TOUR Read about our first ever

choral exchange as we visit the Scottish Highlands

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Editor’s MESSAGE

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the last issue of Music Matters for the

academic year! And what a busy half term it has

been. The choir has just returned from their very first

choral exchange visit from the Scottish Highlands,

where they performed in Gordonstoun School to many

positive reviews. You can read more about this on

pages 6 & 7.

The F3s were also kept busy with their preparation for

the Arts Exhibition, which took place on the 20th of

June. For their final performance as a year group, they

devised a medley of three songs, each containing

lyrics that were pertinent to their school journey at St.

John’s. They also came up with their own prose that

summarised their school experiences over the years,

which they interspersed throughout the medley as

each song was segueing into the next. Overall, a

brilliant showcase.

As usual, next year will feature a wide array of

activities, trips, visits and workshops within the music

department. I am excited to constantly raise the

standards of this publication, and look forward to

bringing exciting and fresh new ideas towards the

creative life of every St. Johnian in the new academic

year to come.

Having said that, I have really enjoyed producing this

magazine for St. John’s Prep School over the past year

and I hope to be continuing this for the next year. I

always value any feedback that you may have, so if

you have any ideas or suggestions as to what you

would like to see in any future issues of Music Matters,

please do not hesitate to get in touch!

MR. JONATHAN ANG

Editor

Music Matters

CONTENTS

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4

5

6

8

10

11

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Instrument of the Month

What’s On

Teacher Feature

The Practice Chart

Featured Artiste of the Month

Featured Article:

The Pre-historic Flute

The Year in Review

Trip to Gordonstoun School:

Prep School Choral Exchange

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PREHISTORIC SOUNDS

by Mrs. P Bowman

All humans love to make music and our ancestors were no different. Archaeologists have discovered some of the oldest musical instruments known to man – flutes made from the wing bone of a vulture and mammoth ivory, dating from as far back as The Stone Age!

The oldest flutes have been dated as being

around 35,000 years old! Flutes made from

ivory are particularly impressive, since they were

made by cutting a thin piece out of a mammoth

tusk, splitting the piece in half, hollowing out

the tube and cutting the finger holes, and then

reattaching the halves with an airtight seal.

Stone Age flute made from a vulture's bone

All of these finds come from an

ancient culture called the

Aurignacian, who lived in what is

now modern Germany. Scientists

believe that music was part of their

everyday life, just as it is in our lives

– perhaps used in celebrations or

religious ceremonies.

Stone Age flute made from a mammoth’s bone

Want to hear what a Stone Age flute might have sounded like?

http://bit.ly/stoneageflute

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Of the month

Featured Instrument

Every month we feature an instrument, which might be a common instrument,

or sometimes a strange and mystic-looking one instead! If you would like to see it in action,

simply visit YouTube and type in the instrument name, and there you have it!

If you would like to learn a new instrument, simply speak to your music teacher

and they will point you in the right direction.

OUD The oud is a pear-shaped instrument com-

monly used in Arabic, Jewish, Greek, Turkish

and Middle Eastern music. It is commonly

considered as the ancestor of the guitar and

shares many similarities with the western

instrument.

While the oud may appear to be a beautiful

instrument, it has a rather grim tale behind it.

Legend has it that the first oud was inspired

by the shape of a skeleton hanging from a

tree, after a grieving father hung the body of

his dead son from a tree. Other cultures,

especially the Turkish, believed that the oud

contained magical powers and was brought

to wars and used in military bands. Indeed,

this instrument has had a long and varied

history, with the oldest record of the oud

dating all the way back to over 5,000 years

ago. It has been praised for its healing pow-

ers, and ancient doctors from Iraq used it

regularly to heal the sick as they believed it

to be able to “calm and revive hearts”.

The playing technique of an oud involves

strumming or plucking the strings with a

plectrum called a risha. Traditionally, risha

were made of eagle feathers and tortoise

shells, but today they are usually made out

of plastic.

INSTRUMENT

#1 You can beat me and I won’t get red in the face.

I come in all sizes from snare down to bass.

All bands like to use me to keep a good beat.

As you march me along on your two little feet.

I’m a _________________.

#7 I’m played with a mallet, that’s easy to see.

And there are bars that are big and small across me.

I’m made of wood and come in different sizes.

My music makes lots of terrific surprises!

I’m a _________________.

#3 I have four short strings, but you can’t tie a knot. I do have a bow so you can play me a lot!

I’m a _________________.

As you can see from the pictures, the body of the oud

has a bowl-like back, while the neck is bent at a 45-90

degree angle. It usually has three intricately designed

circular-shaped sound holes and consists of eleven

strings. Unlike a modern guitar, it does not contain

frets, making it more similar to a violin.

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Do you play an instrument or sing?

Then you should be able to recognise the importance of practice!

Remember, practice makes perfect. This chart should help!

Help! I’m in ! I ran over something

and now my tire is . Can you come

and help me in a of an hour? Thanks! Do

I need to any of that?

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VISIT TO GORDONSTOUN SCHOOL

T he Prep School choir embarked on their first ever

choir tour in June, heading up to the Scottish High-

lands to visit Gordonstoun School for a choral ex-

change visit.

On the 14th of June, sixteen pupils led by Mr. Ang spent

an entire day at Gordonstoun, performing for both the

Senior and Prep school pupils whilst enjoying the lush sur-

roundings of this faraway boarding school. This school is

known for its several previous notable alumni, including

Prince Philip and Prince Charles.

Aside from putting on stellar performances which they all

worked very hard at, the choir were also treated to a host

of varied activities such as a piping display, workshops on

the bagpipes and African percussion instruments, perfor-

mances by the award-winning Gordonstoun chamber

choir as well as a rounders match. They also got to meet

several of the Prep school pupils, who took them to both

lunch and dinner at the school refectory.

The F.1 singers getting ready for their performance. Enjoying a presentation by the Gorrdonstoun chamber choir.

They concluded their eventful day in Gordonstoun by performing at the Prep School chapel service, which is a weekly

service held every Friday before the weekly boarders are taken home by their parents for the weekend. On top of

showcasing their own repertoire, they also sang a medley of Glee numbers with the Gordonstoun choir, after only re-

hearsing for it twice throughout the day. That certainly went down a treat!

The next day, the choir made a visit to Culloden Battlefield, near Inverness. The Battle of Culloden is known for being the

last pitched battle fought on British soil, where the Hanoverian British government quelled the Jcaobite Rising once and

for all, ushering in the Act of Proscription in 1746 and crushing the Clan system as well as Jacobite traditions.

Michelle Rhys, F.1 Aileen Ajibade, F.2

I really enjoyed playing rounders and meeting the girls from Gordonstoun. I made a friend

called Liberty in Year 5, and she told me more about her boarding experience. The campus was huge, and we had fish and chips for dinner - it was great! Interestingly, I did not hear many Scottish accents. That is because there were many pupils from different parts of the world. I hope the choir goes to Scotland again next year!

The best part of my day at Gordonstoun was actually when we first stepped off the coach!

The bagpipes were waiting for us and they sounded amazing. It was a bit shocking but a very pleasant surprise still! I had a go at playing one as well - it certainly was not easy. It took a lot of breath, and it was tricky trying to do that without laughing at the same time! I also learnt that the boarders share six to a room. That sounds quite cosy to me!

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There is absolutely no sound in space, because there is

no air in space for sound to travel through. Which

means all those explosions in space you see in films are

technically inaccurate!

If you try to say the alphabet without

moving your lips or tongue, every letter will

sound the same.

The proper

term for a

musician who

plays a flute

is a flautist. Trumpeters used to play on battlefields to signal the

troops. This was a dangerous job, as the enemy would usually try to aim at the

trumpeter first so he would not be able to give signals to the

rest of the army.

Modern Times Forever is a Danish film that is currently the longest film

ever made in the world. It was released in 2011 and is 240 hours

long, or 10 days.

More than half the

instruments in an orchestra

belong to the string family:

violins, violas, cellos, double

basses and the harp.

The Gordonstoun Pipe Band and Drum Corp.

St. Johnians enjoying their Scottish welcome.

Mr. Oliphant, the piping teacher, giving a workshop.

Sarina Seth (F.2) having a go.

Mrs. Richardson trying out the Great Highland Pipes.

The St. John’s choir learn the finer points of African percussion instruments. Enjoying an African rhythms workshop.

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IN LONDON EVENTS

As the summer holidays are just round the corner, Music Matters has compiled a list of events taking part in and

around Greater London in July & August. Fun for the whole family!

Petunia’s Pick - Peppa Pig at the Farms 31st Jul. 2013 Stubbins Hall Lane, Waltham Abbey, Essex EN9 2EF

The Lee Valley Park Farms in Waltham Abbey are just the best

kind of fun when it comes to a great value family day out.

There you can meet the farm animals and make friends with

cuddly sheep, giant rabbits, rare breed pigs, long-necked lla-

mas and a loveable meerkat family. And for one day only,

Peppa Pig will be making appearances at the farm, so do

come and see her! There are also indoor and outdoor play

areas available to run around in, as well as a tractor and trailer

ride to the dairy farms.

Battersea Park Children’s Zoo Battersea Park, London SW11 4NJ Permanent attraction

This small and charming family-run zoo is a great alternative to the more

crowded zoo in Regents Park. Alongside the familiar rabbits and sheep

are more exotic (and some endangered) species such as meerkats, le-

murs, emus, mynah birds and a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig. In the meer-

kats’ enclosure, you will get a chance to crawl through a tunnel and

pop out at ground level with the furry creatures right in the middle of

their enclosure!

Horrible Histories®: Spies from 29th Jul. Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London SE1 6HZ

Uncover the deadly and mysterious world of spies

at this major new interactive exhibition for the

whole family. Horrible Histories®: Spies brings the

horrible history of WWII spies and their secret

schemes to life. Find out which sneaky spies told

the biggest lies, how exploding rats were used to

sabotage German factories and what secret

agents carried in their suitcases. From exploding

camel poo to irritating itching powder, this exhibi-

tion reveals the terrible tricks, traps and techniques

used by spies to make secret war on the enemy.

Jason’s Canal Boat Trip Jason’s Yard, opp. 60 Blomfield Road, Little Venice, London W9 2PD Permanent attraction

Explore the picturesque and well-hidden Regents Canal onboard Ja-

son, an authentic 100-year-old canal boat which was originally used

as a cargo vessel. The tour runs between Little Venice and Camden

Lock and includes a live historical commentary about the canal’s his-

tory from the 1800s to today. A one-way trip takes around forty-five

minutes. Call ahead to make sure the day’s trips have not been fully

booked. If you look carefully during the tour, you might spot Mr. Ang

going for a run on his regular route along the canal!

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Dinosaur Zoo 9th Aug. - 8th Sep. Regents Park Open Air Theatre, Inner Circle, Regents Park, London NW1 4NR

Direct from Australia, Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo brings these awe-

some prehistoric creatures to the stage as you have never

seen them before! From cute baby dinosaurs to teeth-

gnashing giants, you will also get to meet the most recent

addition to the Dinosaur Zoo, a carnivorous beast known

as the Australovenator, the most complete meat-eating

dinosaur skeleton yet found in Australia. Discover all about

dinosaurs in this entertaining and highly imaginative live

show, and get up close and personal with them on the

picnic lawn before you leave.

All information regarding ticket prices, dates and venues in this listing are correct at the time of printing. They

might be, however, subject to change. Please check all relevant websites for any possible updates.

ST JOHN’S PREP. SCHOOL

Choir 2012/13

Back row (L-R): Melissa Ourris, Aileen Ajibade, Holly White, Georgia Moncaster, Haley Danso, Klara Ismail, Alexandra Chapman -Boon, Olivia George, Lily Harbron, Thusharani Rubendra

Third row (L-R): Stephanie Peretz, Rachel Hill, Anahitha Vijay, Kobika Mohan, Zebulon Lavery, Emily Woodham, Grace Alexander, Sarina Seth, A ndrianna Josif, Shanaaze Mang-Smith

Second row (L-R): Michelle Rhys, Madison Barnardo, Christie Kuch, Katherine McKenzie, Alexandra Spelman, Eleanor Hall -McAteer, Kate Burrett, Andriana Ourris, Theodora Thomas, Haralambia Artemiou

Front row (L-R): James Wisker, Andreas Koureas, Shayan Patel, Tolani Odetoyinbo, Roham Sarabi, Alexander Moriarty

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TEACHER FEATURE This month’s featured teacher is Mr. Owen Huges, our guitar teacher across the

Prep and Senior schools. He speaks to Music Matters and tells us how he got

started on the violin and the guitar.

My first instrument was violin, which I started on when

I was 7, with a little help from my mum who was a

violin teacher. This went on until I was 18, when I left my

home in Wales to enrol on a Music Diploma course in

northwest London. After I completed the course, I returned to

Wales and started teaching, whilst at the same time

performing with a metal band called “The Hollow Earth

Theory”. We were quite successful and even shot two music

videos as a band!

Since coming back to London I have been working with a

string quartet recording numerous different soundtracks for

films and advertisements, as well as performing with the

London electronic band “Mt. Wolf”. As a guitarist, I perform with a function band that keeps busy at numerous

events such as corporate functions and weddings. In my spare time, I volunteer with the east London scheme,

“Every Child a Musician”, where I provide free instrumental tuition to children and direct end-of-term

concerts for the pupils to perform in.

What I do at St. John’s.

What I am currently listening to.

I enjoy anything from jazz to rock music, but

I find Daft Punk’s new album Random Access

Memories particularly superb, especially

with the blending of electronic instruments

and live instruments such as strings and a

funk band. The track Giorgio By Moroder is a

great example of this. I am also listening to

Biffy Clyro’s album Opposites a lot. What his student has to say...

Joel Matthews, 1 Blue

I am the guitar teacher in both the Senior and Prep

schools at St. John’s. I was lucky enough to start last

September and also run the weekly guitar club at the Prep

school.

What I am currently

I have been learning the guitar with Mr. Hughes for about six months now. I was inspired by

my uncle, Randolph Matthews, who is an amazing Blues and Soul musician. When I first started

lessons I was rather nervous, but Mr. Hughes put a lot of trust in me, which helped to build my

confidence. At the start of every lesson we go through some familiar chords, before we learn

new tracks that can be found in the current charts, such as songs by P!nk and Black Eyed Peas. I

enjoy his confident style of teaching, and I am looking forward to sitting for my Grade 1 guitar

exam soon.

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`Despite having broken

up, each member of the

band continued to enjoy

successful individual mu-

sical careers. Sadly, John

Lennon was shot and

killed in December 1960

and George Harrison

died of lung cancer in

November 2001. The

Beatles have had more

The Beatles were a world-famous rock band that was formed in Liverpool, England in 1960. They are considered to be

one of the most successful and critically-acclaimed bands in the history of music. The band consisted of John Lennon,

Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Their Rock and Roll music became so popular in the 1960s that the

term “Beatlemania” was

coined to describe the

behaviour of their fans.

With their music, the

Beatles led the “British

Invasion”, when rock and

pop music from the

United Kingdom became

extremely popular in the

United States. After re-

leasing thirteen albums,

they broke up in 1970.

OF THE MONTH

FEATURED ARTISTE

Every month this newsletter features a musician, artiste, composer or singer for you to discover.

Remember, if you want to know more about the featured artiste of the month,

you can always find more on the internet, especially on YouTube!

THE BEATLES

number one albums on the British charts and sold more singles in the UK than any other act, even till this day. In the

United States, they have sold 177 million albums, putting them in first place, and have even won an Academy Award for

Best Original Song. This makes the Beatles the best-selling band in history, with a total sales of around one billion units!

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M U S I C M A T T E R S

Published by St. John’s Prep. School © 2013 Jonathan Ang

The 2012/13 academic year has been a very active year for the music department at both the Prep

and Senior schools! Here is a look back at what we accomplished over the past academic year.

September The chamber choir is set up in the Senior School. Led by Mr. Ang, it has since become a popular performance feature in school events.

October The different ensembles from both the Prep and Senior schools make their yearly performance debut on Speech Day at the Wyllyotts Thea-tre. The senior chamber choir makes their debut with a soulful rendi-tion of Sting’s Fields of Gold.

October

F3s watch The Lion King in the West End as part of a national

competition prize.

November The Prep School choir embark on a recording project to submit their entries for two national level competitions: the BBC Songs of Praise School Choir of the Year and the Barnardo’s National Annual Choir Competition.,

December The different ensembles in the Prep School embark on their most ambitious Christmas pro-duction yet, involving the orchestra, choir and soloists. All year groups participated in a Christmas musical revue, with spoken word directed by Ms. Field. Mr. Colman also devised a drama piece featuring the F3s, while the different peripatetic instrumental teachers banded together for a Christmas carol sing-along finale.

December

First form girl band New Ice are crowned winners at the Senior

School Battle of the Bands competition.

December The prep school choir continues their annual carolling tradition at Spring View Residential Home by performing a delightful programme for its residents.

March

The Prep School choir perform as finalists for the first time at the Barnardo’s Annual National Choir Competition, held at the Barbican Centre.

March The Senior School puts on their annual musical production, Into The Woods by Stephen Sondheim, at the Wyllyots Theatre.

June

The Prep School choir embark on their first ever choir exchange trip to Gordonstoun School in the Scottish Highlands. They performed to ex-

tremely positive reviews and have paved the way for an annual choir tour.

June Prep and Senior School ensembles perform at the annual Arts Exhibition, with the F3s presenting a devised medley of songs reflecting their school journey at St. John’s.