"God Only Knows" Tribute Video Now Available on CBBC Website

 

Primary Seven, you can now watch the CBBC Friday Download " God Only Knows" Music Tribute - featuring many of your clips! - on the CBBC Friday Download website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/clips/p02ct9hp

The single is being sold in aid of Children in Need.

Sciennes P7 Tribute to BBC Music

Sciennes Tribute to BBC Music from Sciennes Primary School on Vimeo.

How fantastic to see so many Sciennes Primary School P7 pupils' video clips used in the CBBC Friday Download television programme broadcast on CBBC on Saturday 22nd November 10am!

Lovely BBC Researcher Jenny Garton has been very encouraging about the children's work and was delighted they had so much fun working on it. She also shared with us that the team who worked on the actual BBC Music "God Only Knows" video worked on editing their programme's Music Tribute! The tribute version was created using video clips submitted by children all over the UK and the single is being sold in aid of Children in Need. Thank you, Jenny, for giving us the opportunity to get creative!

Watch the episode on BBC iPlayer here (tribute appears twenty minutes into show):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/cbbc/episode/b04t6fjz/friday-download-series-8-8-professor-green-and-fuse-odg 

Well done, P7! The pupils created so many clips that we have been able to put together our own video - in tribute to BBC Music (above).

P7 Pupils Get Creative with BBC Music's "God Only Knows"

How fantastic to see so many of our P7 pupils' video clips used in the CBBC Friday Download television programme broadcast on CBBC on Saturday 22nd November 10am!

Lovely BBC Researcher Jenny Garton has been very encouraging about the children's work and was delighted they had so much fun working on it. She also shared with us that the team who worked on the actual BBC Music "God Only Knows"  video worked on editing their programme's Music Tribute! The tribute version was created using video clips submitted by children all over the UK and the single is being sold in aid of Children in Need. Thank you, Jenny, for giving us the opportunity to get creative!

Watch the episode on BBC iPlayer here (tribute appears twenty minutes into show):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/cbbc/episode/b04t6fjz/friday-download-series-8-8-professor-green-and-fuse-odg

P4 and P5 Musical Instrument Museum Workshops

Sarah Deters, Edinburgh University Musical Instrument Museum

We cannot thank Sarah Deters from Edinburgh University's Museum of Musical Instruments enough! Sarah, a primary school teacher in America and now head of Outreach for the Museum, had such a lovely manner with the children when she provided an amazing six workshops this week - all three Primary Five classes on Tuesday and all three Primary Four classes on Wednesday - about the history of musical instruments. She gave a fantastic presentation and allowed the children to get involved in playing the many reproduction instruments she brought with her into school. And this followed a superb special visit that she led for our School Orchestra on Monday! Thank you, Sarah!

 More photographs on the P4 Class Page. (Thank you, Mrs Johnson!)

Mrs Maguire's class wrote about the Music Workshops in their Reflection Diaries and it was obvious what a hugely positive impact the workshops, and the presentation from Edinburgh University Music Society on Wednesday, had on the children. May's writing in P5B was particularly moving, about how Music made her drift away in her own world and think about all the best things in life. Thank you to everyone who contributed to a lovely week of Music at Sciennes!

Edinburgh University Music Society Education Project

What a fabulous musical presentation on Wednesday 12th November by Edinburgh University Music Society in the Reid Concert Hall! Grateful thanks to Ben Crabbe and Amanda MacLeod, President of EUMS, and all the talented musicians for such a lively, informative and inspiring presentation. Our children from P4A, P5A, P5B, P5C, P6A, P6C and P7B learned about all the different instruments of the orchestra as each musician gave demonstrations from each section of the orchestra - strings, brass, woodwind and percussion - then played pieces highlighting each section. We even had some interactive body percussion and Singing sessions, where everyone joined in with the Orchestra and Choir, and an opportunity for Rui to take a starring role conducting! Beautiful improvised Jazz singing and piano playing and powerful singing from the Choir. From Mozart to Calvin Harris and ending with Skyfall it was a joy to be a part of and our children absolutely loved it! What fantastic role models, who undoubtedly have encouraged our own musicians and inspired more to get involved in music making. Thank you for making us so welcome and for graciously getting involved with some clips for our BBC Music's "God Only Knows" tribute. A delight!

Edinburgh University Music Society (EUMS) Education Project

Sections of the Orchestra

Strings

Polly on the Harp

Brass

Woodwind

Percussion

Percussion (Brad!)

Choir

Conductor

Orchestra at Edinburgh University Musical Instrument Museum

 Many thanks to Sarah Deters and Jenny at the Edinburgh Museum of Musical Instruments who gave Sciennes School Orchestra a fascinating historical tour of instruments through the ages on Monday 10th November in the Reid Concert Hall. Sarah and Jenny explained how instruments and their use in orchestras have developed over time. Thank you to Mrs Samanda Campbell, who leads the School Orchestra, for providing the children with this lovely opportunity to value their commitment, and to Mrs Katherine Peace and all the parents and grandparents who escorted. Orchestra pupils will review a slideshow of all the instruments they learned about on the trip on Monday 17th November, so should go to the Hall at the earlier time of 11.05am, straight after morning break.

Sarah Deters

Jenny

Mrs Campbell

Harpsichord

Nicola Benedetti Music Lessons

A few of our classes tuned in to try to watch Nicola Benedetti's lesson live on the BBC Ten Pieces website but unfortunately live streaming on iPlayer is blocked on our network. However, the BBC have very usefully provided some embed codes on the clips so they can now also be viewed here:

Royal Scottish National Orchestra Under 16s Free with Adult

If you are under 16 you can go and see amazing RSNO classical concerts for free!

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra believes that classical music is as exciting and inspiring today as it was the day it was written. The sight and sound of ninety musicians performing live on one stage, working together to create wonderful music is a truly awesome experience – they're so sure that children will love it that you can bring them along with you for free*. (*Under 16s must be accompanied by a paying adult. Maximum 2 free Under 16s tickets per adult ticket. Additional Children £6 each.)

Pick your concerts Concerts in Edinburgh

Free tickets for under 16s are available for all RSNO Season concerts, Naked Classics concerts and Chamber Series concerts. You can also get 50% off tickets for our Festive concerts. Simply ask for Under 16 tickets at the Box Office.

Remember to pick up your free programme!

On the night of your chosen concerts, children can also get a free programme containing lots of interesting information on the musicians and the music being played at that performance. Children can claim their free programme by showing their Under 16 ticket to the programme sellers in the venue.

How Music Sets off Fireworks in Your Brain

Change of Venue for Orchestra! Reid Hall

The Orchestra will now meet Sarah Deters in the Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square, on Monday 10th November and will view pieces from Edinburgh University's Museum's collection of stringed and wind instruments. Some Primary Seven pupils have been asked to bring their instruments, if they can, for filming.

Reid Concert Hall

A state-of-the-art teaching facility when it was built by Professor John Donaldson back in 1859 with Reid Bequest funds, the Reid Concert Hall's auditorium (the ‘Music Classroom’) is still in use for public classical concerts and as a lecture theatre. The organ is considered one of the finest of its kind in Britain.

The Reid Museum, the earliest surviving purpose-built musical museum in the world, comprises of an extensive collection of antique wing, bowed, stringed and percussion instruments.

 

Sciennes Orchestra Trip to St Cecilia's Hall

Looking forward to our visit on Monday 10 November.

Children do not need to bring instruments (but some Primary Seven pupils have been asked to bring their instruments, if they can, for filming).

As we are such a large group, almost 50, we will be divided into 2 groups to enjoy a look around the gallery which boasts instruments more than 400 hundred years old and a performance by a harpsichord player.

Many thanks in advance to all the parent helpers who have offered their time. 

Samanda Campbell 

Sciennes Music Policy

A draft policy is being circulated and amended and an updated version will appear here. Meanwhile, please refer to Sciennes Policies. A Music Improvement Group has been set up which will meet throughout 2014-2015, tasked with raising awareness of our existing Music provision and also exploring ways to expand upon it. This new blog will be a vehicle for communicating aspects of our Music provision.

We greatly appreciate the support we have already received from Instrument Tuition Specialists Dr Robert Fraser and Rob Ironside, as well as assistance from City of Edinburgh's Principal Officer Instrumental Music, Mike McGeary, and Deirdre O'Brien, Head of Faculty for Expressive Arts at James Gillespie's High School. We also benefit from ongoing parental feedback via our Parent Council, particularly in ensuring our procedures for the provision of Instrument Tuition can be clearly understood by all our families.

Sciennes School Orchestra

Mrs Samanda Campbell, P4 Class Teacher, leads the Sciennes School Orchestra which meets in the Hall each Monday in the Hall between 11.30am and 12.30pm.

Requirements for orchestra are to play an orchestral instrument, including percussion, though not piano, at Grade 2 or above. At the beginning of each academic session auditions are held so that children can be placed in the appropriate section e.g. 1st or 2nd violin.

The children are expected to attend weekly rehearsals in school and to practise any music given to them during the week. Many children take their music along to their lessons for extra practice.

We aim to have at least three concerts per year at Christmas, Easter and at the end of the summer term. We have also taken part in the Edinburgh Music Festival and have played for the community at St. Catherine's Argyle Church.

It would be useful if all orchestral players own their own school tie as they are required to wear full school uniform during performances.

Mrs Campbell

School Orchestra at St Cecilia's Hall

Mrs Campbell will accompany the School Orchestra to St Cecilia's Hall on Monday 10th November. Pupils will have a chance to view the Musical Instrument Museum's fantastic collection, dating back to the 16th Century.

Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments ranks among the world's most important collections of musical heritage. All the main types or musical sound-making device are represented, and are presented to the public in two museums. The c. 5000 objects in the permanent collection constitute a rich research resource of both breadth and depth, and include many historically typical models of musical instrument spanning over 500 years together with prized rare and unique items. 

Many thanks to Sarah Deters for this wonderful opportunity. Sarah is also providing free music workshops in school for Primary Four and and Primary Five. The Primary Five workshops on 'Old Edinburgh Music' will feature some of the collection's historical instruments, dating back to the time period the classes are studying.

Further information can be found at Musical Instruments at Your Fingertips:
http://www.miayf.org/

P7 BBC Music Tribute for CBBC

Who were you today, P7?

1 Dave Grohl; 2 Alison Balsom; 3 Lorde; 4 Pharrell Williams; 5 Zane Lowe; 6 Sam Smith; 7 Paloma Faith; 8 Eliza Carthy; 9 Nicola Benedetti; 10 Chris Martin; 11 Jaz Dhami; 12 Martin James Bartlett; 13 Danielle de Niese; 14 Stevie Wonder; 15 Florence Welch; 16 Lauren Laverne; 17 Brian Wilson; 18 Jake Bugg; 19 Katie Derham; 20 Gareth Malone; 21 Kylie Minogue; 22 Chrissie Hyde; 23 One Direction; 24 Emeli Sande; 25 Elton John; 26 Baaba Maal; 27 Ethan Johns; 28 Jools Holland; 29 Jamie Cullum; 30 Brian May; 31 Tees Valley Youth Choir; 32 BBC Concert Orchestra
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/07/bbc-god-only-knows-pharrell-stevie-wonder-chris-martin-lorde

What a hive of creative activity on the Top Floor today! Balloons, butterflies, cellos, trumpets, clarinets, harmonicas, Hawaiian shirts, shades and tigers were just some of the props used by all three P7 classes to try to recreate clips from BBC Music's "God Only Knows" Children in Need single. Laurence even brought in his own spotlight! Ruaridh had a great wig and many thanks to Weston in P4 for dressing up as a tiger. Clips were studied, storyboarded and timed as P7s got to work with their iPads throughout the morning. And they did this very quietly and calmly, so as not to disturb the fabulous Primary 3 Dance Show for parents which was taking place in the Hall. A joyful - if busy! - morning, and a great credit to their very game teachers. We have also discovered that Mrs Nowell is the Beach Boys' Number One fan!

CBBC Friday Upload!

It's not every day that we get an invitation from CBBC's Friday Download team to have a go at creating our tribute to a music video and uploading our film clips to the show! Primary Seven pupils began planning their response today to this fantastic creativity challenge and it was wonderful to hear so many great ideas and see such motivation, co-operation and team work. We begin filming tomorrow! There is a chance that some of our clips might be used in the TV programme and even if they do not get selected, Primary Seven are having great fun, and learning loads about using their iPads.

We will try to recreate sections from the Children in Need video "God Only Knows", produced by BBC Music, and will film members of the Sciennes Orchestra on Monday. Parental permission requests specific to this event, for those pupils who have not completed the Media section of our EE2s, will be sent out on Friday.

Grateful thanks to Researcher Jenny Garton for this lovely opportunity for the children. 

P7/S1 Christmas Concert Information

Tickets are now on sale, available directly from the Usher Hall box office or website.

These are priced from £6 - £10.

 Pupils who are performing do not need to pay for their tickets.

The concert will start at 7.00pm, and finish by 9.30pm.

P7/S1 choir will perform in the second half of the concert, and will be seated throughout the first half in the upper circle. We therefore do not expect any pupils to be picked up at interval!

Pupils must arrive at 6.30pm on the evening of the concert at the backstage doors. (They will know where this is from the rehearsals that day).

A member of JGHS staff will be allocated to each primary, and will take them to the upper circle where they will be seated throughout the first half. They will not be allocated a dressing room, and therefore can leave coats etc in the upper circle when they come down during interval to be seated. Pupils should not to bring any valuables. Although staff will be seated with the choir during the first half, coats may be unattended during the second half.

Pupils can be picked up at the backstage doors after the concert – JGHS staff will supervise the exit of all performers and ensure that all children are safely picked up.

Deirdre O'Brien, Performing Arts Faculty Leader, James Gillespie's High School

JGHS Christmas Concert P7 Choir

Christmas Concert        Thursday 18^th December 2014   7.00 – 9.30pm                

Usher Hall                                         Tickets on sale from Monday 20^th October 2014

On Wednesday 8th October we were grateful to Miss Rachel Millar and Mr Richard Dearsley from James Gillespie's High School who came to Sciennes to rehearse Primary Seven pupils from Sciennes, Preston Street and Royal Mile for the annual JGHS Christmas Concert. Tickets have now gone on sale priced £6, £8 and £10 and it is always a particular highlight in the festive calendar.

 

Music Opportunities at James Gillespie's High School

Today Miss Millar, a music teacher from James Gillespies High School, came to our P4-7 Assembly to tell us about all the exciting musical opportunities that are offered at the High School.  Cameron, an S3 pupil who is a member of the pipe band, told us all about what is involved in playing with the band.  The pipe band won fourth place in a competition last year and have played at lots of venues and events including at Murrayfield. Cameron piped everyone into the Hall and played us a tune.

Miss Millar was impressed by the number of Sciennes pupils who already play an instrument and she explained how children who play instruments in our school will be able to join bands at Gillespie's in the future.  She told us that if you don't yet play an instrument in S1, you can audition for a range of instruments.  She shared exciting news that Sciennes children can go to a free lesson with the pipe band at 3.45pm on Thursday 30th October at the High School (details will be emailed next week) to find out if they might like to take up a block of lessons.

 

Everyone was very impressed by the huge range of music opportunities available at James Gillespie's.

P7/S1 and S2/S3 Choirs

Miss Millar's enthusiasm was infectious and lots of pupils showed interest in the free taster chanter, pipes and drumming workshops on offer next week for P5-7 pupils. Those pupils who take up the taster session will be able to continue taking lessons for £10 for four weeks. Information to follow.

Here is a clip of Harry Potter Marimba percussion Miss Millar wants to share: