Dear Reader –
Our Ransboro daffodils (courtesy of our neighbour Patrick Downes) bring hope and the promise of brighter days when they arrive each year. They took a battering recently with all the wind, but are still looking great. So today’s letter is brought to you by….the letter R.
All hyperlinks in bold.
The Big Thing
Repetition.
I had a breakthrough as a teacher this week. As students get older and more accomplished, I think it’s important that they get to pick a good proportion of the songs they want to learn. This means firstly that they are more likely to want to work at it, but also that I get exposed to lots of new songs that I might otherwise have never heard.
Some are difficult, and require a degree of real learning on my part. Here is the story of how one such choice made me realise that real learning on the piano (and elsewhere) is about more than just repetition.
Where else but Sligo?
Returning.
We’re trying something new at this weekend’s Teenage Theme Night #25.
I love to see past Teenage Theme Nighters continuing to include music as a central aspect in their lives. So many are still playing, writing, studying and even releasing music. Opportunities to perform can be tricky to come by, so at this weekend’s shows, for the first time, we have decided to feature one Teenage Theme Night graduate each night.
So come along and give them a big welcome. First up…each singing one song related to the theme (Questions) and one of their own choice, are Jack Courtenay (2020, Friday), and Gillian Brennan (2017, Saturday).
What’s New?
RUMOUR: Please note, in response to a question I have been asked regularly in the last week, Theme Night #29 tickets are NOT sold out. There are plenty left for everyone! Look here if you don’t believe me.
RASTAFARIAN: Eoin Troy and Gráinne McCarthy were good enough to interrupt their social outing in Connolly’s last night, and joined us to sing this great Bob Marley song.
REFUND: Congratulations to Ciara Herity, who won last week’s competition and got her Theme Night #29 ticket money refunded.
Finally…
Jimmy Ruffin was the original singer of this great Motown song. The title is a question of course, and so it will feature this weekend along with many other great songs on Friday and Saturday in The Model.
Till next time - Kieran.
