Welcome to a Night of Broadway!

Introduction 

Music is a gateway to another world; a place where everyone can combine regardless of culture, language, or personality. Nearing the end of term 2, Hornby High School put on a performing arts evening that I am grateful to have been a part of. A diverse range of instruments, acts, and talents were showcased on the night based on the glamorous them of musical theatre. Below is my recap of the process leading towards the night, and how the night went as a performer. 

Process

At the start of term 2, I was tasked with finding two piano pieces that would suit the musical theatre theme. I instantly knew that I wanted to perform a classical piece - my favourite genre - and attempt something from the blues/jazz side of music. After a series of researching and listening to various songs, I had two pieces that I was eager to perform for the upcoming arts evening. The first piece was Clair De Lune by a French composer, Claude Debussy. This piece translates in English to 'Moonlight' and beautifully captures the wonder of nature and the subtle yet dazzling light from the moon. For my second piece, I was drawn to Take Five by Dave Brubeck, a popular jazz piece that contains a fun piano solo. 

Weeks 2 through to 8, were full of consistent practise learning the two pieces. With the help of my piano teacher, we worked through the harder parts of the two songs - the middle sections - and slowly but surely improved on the techniques that I used. One thing I realised throughout the whole practise process was that the cliché "practise makes perfect" is a reality, and applies greatly to the world of music. There were admittedly a few parts in the two pieces that posed great challenges. However, great outcomes are built with great persistence. There were moments where changing to a less difficult song would be an easier solution, but I wanted to perform my best and stuck to my decision. 

Nearing the performance, I felt that something was lacking in my pieces' 'musical theatre' aspect. I wanted to bring a visual aspect to the pieces. I then set a few days to create a video that showcased the films Clair De Lune had featured in. I then composed another video for Take Five. Seeing as take five was composed in the 1960s and was in the genre of jazz, I was immediately drawn to a certain video theme - Noir! I was pleased with the outcome of the two videos and was excited to use them as an accompaniment to my performances. 

Feel free to click on the images above to have a look at the two videos I created! (Just watching the first minute or so would give an idea as to what the rest of the video is like)

Week 9 was the week of the performance! This week was full of practising inside of the auditorium to get a feel for the actual performance evening. As a year 13 music class, we went through practise runs of our pieces and received last-minute feedback and alterations from our amazing director, Mrs Beer. On the day of the performance, we went through a big rehearsal run to prepare us for the night. Performers from various year levels showcasing different talents all came together for the day, all full of excitement with a slight twist of butterflies in the stomach. I was pleased with how the rehearsal went, and it was such a great chance to meet other people who were to perform later that night. 

The night of the performance

I paced back and forth behind the curtains, catching slight glimpses of the audience out ahead. And then, it was time. "Cameron Arthur will be performing a piece called Clair de Lune". At that moment, the adrenaline and rehearsals all rushed in my head to prepare me for this performance of a lifetime. I took a few steps out of the darkness and into the light, ready to perform to the audience set out in front. I took my seat, took a deep breath, and then looked up at the video ahead. Once the video started, I let the music flow out of my fingers. Before I knew it, I had performed the piece and was met with joyous applause at the end. As a musician, one of the best feelings when performing is finishing a piece and knowing that it was your best effort, regardless of the bumps that may have occurred along the way. A smile was planted on my face as I walked back behind the mystery of the stage curtains. 

Backstage, we were able to hear the performances of our peers and cheer them on as talent was displayed. We also had the astounding Mr Solomon be our stage director for the night, who helped us getting prepared and directed us when we needed to head to the stage. Quite honestly, the whole evening - both on and behind the stage - felt as if broadway was brought to Hornby High School! After my first performance, I prepared myself for the next piece that I was going to play for the audience. After having conversations with various performers backstage, it was then time for me to perform Take Five. I once again headed to the waiting area by the side of the stage, ready to perform my final piece for the audience. My name was called and I let the music flow out of me for the final song. After the piece, I thought to myself "This is it. This is what being a musician is; to perform not for the applause or for the sake of NCEA credits, but to express my passion to the world". 

Performance Remark

The whole process of participating in a large performance evening such as the one Hornby High hosted has taught me a lot. Performing to an audience is irrefutably scary, but there is also joy amongst the nerves. Sometimes pushing out of our comfort zones is what helps us develop and improve, both as musicians and as people. No performance goes 100% as planned. However, giving our best is what matters at the end of the day. Art is something to be shared with others. The performing arts are no different. I genuinely enjoyed the performance evening and will keep this as one of my treasured memories of Hornby High School. And most importantly, a team is behind every successful outcome. It is easy to attribute the outcome of the night to the performers, but those involved that are not under the limelight are just as important. On that note, a huge thank you to the three teachers who helped us leading up to and throughout the evening - Mrs Beer, Mrs Clark, and Mr Solomon. The performance would not have been the same without your support and encouragement. 

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything." - Plato

The composition process: from an idea to a song.

The composition process: from an idea to a song. 

Over the past few weeks, I have worked alongside my classmate, Alyana, to compose two pieces of music in our music class. We created one song in the Lo-Fi genre (this is somewhat of a new genre), and another in the pop genre. To explain how we created a Lo-Fi song, let me take you back to the lockdown that we all, unfortunately, experienced back in March. With the fact that I was stuck at home, with nothing to do besides schoolwork (and admittedly, Netflix), I was curious in delving into the compositional side of music. I listened to many different genres and styles, and suddenly a genre had captured my attention. This so happened to be Lo-Fi. Lo-Fi is a style of music that is generally classified as a 'study' type beat, where there are no lines that are sung, instead, the emphasis is on the instrumental aspects of the piece. 

I began listening to Lo-Fi songs and decided that I would like to attempt to create my own piece. Over the course of the lockdown, I managed to generate five Lo-Fi-themed pieces. Quite honestly, I never thought I would turn one of these compositions into an assessment once the barriers were lifted. Once we were all settled back into our school-life routines, our music group had a talk about compositions and Alyana and I decided to pick up this standard. It must have come spontaneously in class, but I mentioned the fact that I had created some Lo-Fi pieces over the lockdown. This mention would soon become a completed composition. I chose the best song I felt I had created over lockdown, which had a vinyl-type synthesizer, bassline, and some effects I thought really suited with the overall Lo-Fi feel. Alyana had a listen to it and then added in her own ideas to the piece. She had implemented her own drum beats, instrumental loops, and added in an overlaying vocal commentary (which I felt really improved the song). We tweaked the song bit by bit, and eventually, we came up with the Lo-Fi piece that is below.

Link to the song:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13yNGYCmfhbVRolnM06YANThQVPQYbMxT/view?usp=sharing

The second piece that we decided to work on had a pop style and I implemented some 'jazzy' chords to make this stand out from the common pop song. I started off by finding a key that sounded nice. This ended up being Ebmaj (E flat major). I then built a chord progression based on the chords that are in this key (don't worry, I won't go into music theory here). I then came up with a progression I liked and added a chorus and bridge to the song. I also added string instruments to the piece and tweaked some chords to not make it repetitive and boring. Alyana then created her own melody and added her own lyrics to the piece - which she then recorded with the original music. This song has the story of a lover who is leaving another, and after realisation, the friend that is left behind eventually 'let's go'. This song was inspired by the song Lost in Japan by Shawn Mendes. The jazz-type chords stood out to me, so I decided to try and compose a pop song with jazz chords in its structure. The completed second song is below.

Link to the song: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DwKRCEzNZSFGDGzE3AFp0shvFu_culSv/view?usp=sharing

I am pleased with how both of these compositions came out, and I really enjoyed the process of creating and 'moulding' the pieces into the final songs that can be heard through the two links.  As a bonus, we will hopefully be attaining six credit towards NCEA level 2 music, but I would compose anytime regardless if credits were involved! This process has made me enjoy composing more and I am looking forward to the future pieces that I will be creating in the future. 

Isolation - a call to perseverance

Isolation - a call to perseverance 

The streets teem with an urgent silence; a sign of caution, a sign of uncertainty.

The thumping crowds have dimmed into a peaceful whisper.

The Governments are exerting their best efforts to reassure its people.

The nurses are sweating from their brows under the immense pressure.

The countries are closing their borders to the outer world.

Life is once again surrendering to change.

It is a tough time around the globe during this unforeseen pandemic. New Zealand - among other countries - is in a nation-wide lockdown. The economy has been bruised, sociality has been confined, and people are facing the unknown. Yet even under the most threatening of circumstances, New Zealanders have found a way to 'unite against COVID-19'. As of now, we have flattened the curve. We have put in the effort to eradicate this disease that is lurking around our world. We have taken an action that will proudly be recorded in the books of history. 

It is well and truly normal to be feeling abnormal during this time. But one fact will stay true to its word: humanity is a race of perseverance. Without perseverance, where would we be? We will get out of this together. This fight isn't a fight of guns and weapons, nor is it a fight of power. It is a fight against disease; a fight where we can and will triumph. As a token for all of those at the frontline of this battle, I have written a piece of music called 'Ocean waves'. It is a piece dedicated to the freedom we all currently miss - going to the beach and spending time with others. May this piece instil in your heart and mind that through these moments we are giving up, you are saving lives, and what could be better than that?

12MUS - Group Performance

Group Performance

In our music class, we are currently working on group performances. After consideration, I am working with two other year 12's, being Alyana (Singer+Guitarist) and Rapture (Drummer). I will be the pianist for this performance. We played through a few songs of various genres to get an idea of what 'taste' of music we would like to perform together. We decided to go with 'Who you say I am' by Hillsong. This song is in the gospel genre and is a modern Christian song. We liked the style of the song and decided it could be quite interesting to add in some improvised parts for the drums and piano. This would increase the overall difficulty of the song, especially as we all want to aim high. We also have selected a back-up song, which is 'You are so beautiful' by Joe Crocker. We also came up with the idea that we could perform 'You are so beautiful ' at an assembly in the future. This would help us increase our performing range and get more experience as musicians.

We are currently practising our own individual parts and tried a few run-throughs as a group. I think that the biggest challenge would be for us to get the timing right, especially as we need to follow the drummer for his timing. Timing is a crucial part of group performances (and performances in general). The timing makes the song cohesive and structured, as it keeps the song going with a steady flow and rhythm. I am looking forward to hearing how the song will sound at the end, and I am looking forward to working with these two awesome musicians.

11MUS-Composition Evaluation

Composition Evaluation

Imagine having to create a whole piece of music from nothing except for the imagination of your own mind... Well, this was the awesome task that we were assigned to complete in my music class. I worked alongside my friend, Alyana, who is excellent at creating lyrics and putting them into a melody. To start off, we asked each other what kinds of songs we were into and what we were comfortable playing. We came up with a variety of genres, including Pop, Love songs, and worship songs. We decided to go ahead with a theme of love/worship. I am a pianist and Alyana is a singer/drummer. We thought about adding in a drum beat, however, it did not suit the style of song that we made.

To start off with, I played random chords on the piano in the hope that some bass line would form. I must have gone through 100's of chords, but I finally came up with a chord progression that I felt was nice (and harmonic!). Once I found the chord progression, I went on to Garageband and began to record and put together the instrumental part of our song. I felt that leaving the piano on its own was not enough, so I added in a synthesizer and a backing of synth violins. Once I made the main parts of the song, I sent a copy to Alyana. Alyana then added in a melody that she would sing, as well as her own lyrics.

Overall, it is quite a hefty process. However, regardless of our final grade, I am proud of the work that we have put into our song. Making a composition is such a fun task that it isn't even a task but an interesting hobby. I now see and look up to all of the composers out there, seeing the process they go through and the achievement they must feel when publishing their songs.

Here is the final product!: Click Here

11ENG-Unfamilair Texts, Unfamiliar Non fiction

Unfamilair Texts, Unfamiliar Non fiction

Vocabulary Work

a.scooter-a light two-wheeled open motor vehicle on which the driver sits over an enclosed engine with their legs together and their feet resting on a floorboard.
b.intricate-very complicated or detailed
c.fete-a public function, typically held outdoors and organized to raise funds for a charity, including entertainment and the sale of goods and refreshments.
d.incomprehensible-not able to be understood; not intelligible.
e.estimated-(of a value or number) roughly calculated; approximate.
f.recruited-enlist (someone) in the armed forces.
g.invaluable-extremely useful; indispensable.
h.denied-refuse to give (something requested or desired) to (someone).
i.campaign-a series of military operations intended to achieve a goal, confined to a particular area, or involving a specified type of fighting.

I think the piece will be about someone who recruits himself into a campaign because he has an opinion that scooters should not be sold to people that are under 10 years old. This is because of the words that are in the given list, such as campaign, scooter, and denied, as well as the title "At Ten Years Old".

The Title
a. Write down two memories you have for the time you were ten.
I remember that when I was ten, I would play tag on the playgrounds with my friends at primary school. I also remember when I would play the ukulele after school, trying to learn new chords and songs.
b. What ideas do you think this piece might include?
I think this piece will include ideas about campaigning against something, ten-year-olds, and the use of scooters.
c.Write your prediction:
I think that this piece would be aimed at 10-year-olds, and in how they should be denied access to use a scooter for multiple and complex reasons, or due to a complex incident or problem.

The Background/Context of the extract
a. What things would you expect to be of concern to a sixteen-year-old student?
I think that a sixteen-year-old would be concerned about relationships and their future's. This is because at 16, a lot of pressure is put onto a student to decide what their future occupation will be, and even if they will be able to be what they want (results, exams etc.). Also, while a student is 16, emotions will feel stronger and fluctuate often, which can affect relationships and mental health. Also, many classmates may be getting into relationships and a student may begin to feel left out.

b. Thinking about the title and your predictions above, what do you think might be the main purpose of the speech?
I think that the speech could possibly be a warning from a 16-year-old student who has an opinion that scooters are not safe for children below 10 years old. This student could have had or known an incident that could have happened that supports their statement. Also, this student might have started up a campaign against the use of scooters for children below 10.

First Impressions
The speaker wants us to donate whatever we can spare to the Child Soldiers International campaign. We can make a difference with just a small amount. We can end people from taking away the lives of innocent children who have no choice.  Caitlin has given a story from a child soldier that we can all have empathy for. She wants us to stop this, and to make a change.

Find the Pattern
Paragraph  Summary
1           Memories of things the narrator did as a child, a list of what Juliet lost when she was 10.
2           Comparing what the narrator and Juliet remember being painted on their faces.
3           Comparing what the narrator and Juliet remember listening to and what beats were popular.
4           Comparing what the narrator and Juliet remember building and 'play-fighting' or 'real fighting'.
5           Juliet was a child that was denied her childhood, numbers of child soldiers are given.
6           Awareness is valuable, the narrator wants us to become more aware, understand not all                           children are lucky
7           The narrator leaves us a challenge, to take the time to donate to Child Soldiers International to                 end this problem where children don't have choices in their lives.

Summarise
In no more than three sentences, write what this piece is about.
This piece was given truly from the heart of the narrator, who feels empathetic to the child soldiers that have their lives taken from them at such a young age. The narrator shows us that what we take for granted (e.g normal life, face painting, playing) is a luxury, if not a dream, to those who are less fortunate. We are left with a challenge, a challenge to put the effort in to kindly donate whatever we can to help end this problem.

The writer/speaker wanted to teach us about child soldiers and the problem around it because we take a lot of things for granted, and we are not fully aware of what these child soldiers experience. She wants us to increase awareness and actually care to donate to end the plight of child soldiers.

Identifying how the idea is communicated
1.
Personal Pronoun-I
Facts/Structures-
Parallel Structure- At ten years old my days were
Jargon-
Imperative/Command-
Contrast-
Repetition-
Listing-
Adjective-
Anecdote-

Putting it all together

1. Select one language feature the author uses to set the tone of this piece.
-Parallel Structure

2. Give an example from the text.
I remember building mud forts... Juliet remembers building mud forts.

3. Explain how this and/or other language feature(s) help you understand the speaker's attitude towards child soldiers.

The speaker's overall purpose in this speech is to make people be aware of the plight of child soldiers. The speaker inputs her own idea, that we should kindly put in the effort to donate whatever we can to help end this problem. Their attitude towards this topic is definitely against this problem and the speaker wants us to be informed as to what child soldiers actually go through. We see this attitude when the speaker uses the technique of parallel structure. The speaker repeatedly uses comparison through parallel structures to show what we take for granted, in comparison to what they experience. This is seen in sentences such as 'I remember building mud forts... Juliet remembers building mud forts'. The effect of this is to emphasize how horrible life is for child soldiers. In fact, they have their lives completely taken away from them, some without even having a memory of a normal childhood. This also emphasizes that we take so many things for granted, such as building mud forts for fun, where child soldiers build mud forts for survival. The reason for this is so that we can see what some people actually experience in their lives, which can seem like (and is) a nightmare for a huge majority of children (approximately 800,000 children) because the speaker wants us to actually put these stories in reality, and not just something that passes by on the news. Another way this attitude is shown is through the technique of personal pronouns. We see this in almost every sentence in this speech. Such as where the speaker says 'I remember... She remembers...'. From this, we learn that these things happen to real people and that we personally take things for granted that specific people could only imagine having. It makes us think about what the less fortunate go through in an empathetic and personal way as if this speech is directed straight towards the reader. These circumstances can be pointed at our own lives, where we think that playing and being able to walk freely is just normal, whereas it is near-impossible for people, such as the unfortunate child soldiers. Finally, the author wants us to act in a kind manner, and donate whatever we can to help end the crisis of child soldiers and the poor children who have their lives stripped away from them. The author wants us to donate because we all have the power to change the world, which is hard to do alone. For example, if 10 million people were to donate 50c, that could become 5 million. Imagine the effect 5 million could make! A possible change is seen just like in the text when the speaker says that we can end this, and stop the recruitment of child soldiers.

11ENG-Unfamiliar Texts, Poetry Booklet

Unfamiliar Texts, Poetry Booklet

1.Link to the poem:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByBim7vQfjGbRm1zRmtGM0JwaW9sOWhVUllFQmpGNXFCek9Z/view

2. Record your first impressions below:
The poem's title is "tooth". I think that this poem is going to be about the journey of a singular tooth as it falls out and leaves the person. I think that this poem makes the reader think between the lines, as it never directly says "a tooth fell out", but it uses other sentences and words to describe what it is like. This is seen in sentences such as "In the morning, I'll show you how it can rest safely upon its starboard". This works well, as it makes the poem a story, adding in interest for the reader.

3.Vocabulary Work
a. Circle or highlight any words in the poem you are unfamiliar with:
    moored, alveolus, matai
b. Use a dictionary or your device to find the definition for your words (from task a) that makes sense for this poem. Write that definition in the space provided:

   Moored-make fast (a boat) by attaching it by cable or rope to the shore or to an anchor.
   Alveolus-the bony socket for the root of a tooth.
   Matai-a coniferous New Zealand tree which yields pale timber.

4. What is my interpretation of stanza 7?
Now that I know that this stanza is referring to Lazarus in the 'Doctor Who' series, I can see that since the person loses a tooth, this acts as a moment of 'becoming younger', which is what happened to Lazarus when he went in a machine and came out younger. This connection is where the narrator measures age in teeth, and suddenly the subject now is "eleven teeth old" in comparison to before,      being "12 teeth old".

Identifying the point of change
1. Identify the line where the first point of change occurs.
I think that the point of change occurs in the stanza: 'As I stroke you, your eyes collect water; your gums are an ocean of blood.'

2. Identify the line where the second point of change occurs.
I think that the second point of change occurs in the stanza: 'Suddenly, you're eleven teeth old and have grown, like Lazarus, younger beneath moonlight.'

3. Describe the atmosphere in the first three stanzas of the poem.
In the first three stanzas, there is a certain atmosphere that hints at the person losing something.

4.Words such as 'fossick' and 'goodbye' show this, as they hint at something or someone getting lost or something leaving.

5. Describe the atmosphere in stanzas 4-6 in this poem.
In stanzas 4 to 6 there is an atmosphere that the event (of a tooth falling out) is sudden and unexpected.

6.The Phrase 'only when you're sleeping' points at something sudden and unexpected. This poem indicates that the event only occurred when the person was sleeping, putting it as an unknown and untimed event.

7. Describe the atmosphere in the last three stanzas in this poem.
In this poem, the last three stanzas give an atmosphere of patience and prosperity. This is because the poem talks about the person getting younger and that this can all be solved the following day, which makes the person wait.

Identifying how the poem is communicated

Examples of (blank) in the poem

Alliteration-twelve teeth
Metaphor-tooth's a boat
Adjective-polished
Personal Pronoun-you
Listing-shells, starfish, pipi, and paua
Simile-and have grown, like Lazarus
Direct address-like Lazarus
Extended metaphor-White and hull-shaped, tooth's a boat, isolated by low tide.
Personification-

Feature                      Example                            Effect
personal pronoun      you're                                Direct address to the subject of the poem/feels personal
listing                        cake, chips, and drinks      To add information for a long list of things to inform                                                                                  the reader
Simile                        he eats like a pig                To compare something to another by saying they are                                                                                 like it, but not exactly the same.
Alliteration                 the silly seal sat slowly      To add interest in the text, appealing to the reader.

3. Underlined extended metaphor:
ocean of blood. anchored to blue woollen blanket. white and hull-shaped, tooth's a boat, isolated by low tide. safely upon its starboard.

4. What are these references to sea and boating being compared to?
I think that boating is referring to the act of losing a tooth, as it says "tooth's a boar". I think that the sea is referring to the points in time throughout the process of losing a tooth. Being apart from the mouth by being isolated by "low tide".

5. What is the effect of this extended metaphor?
It helps the reader understand that losing a tooth is not easy and direct, it is rocky just like being on a boat. This is done so we might think about the whole poem as one story that has a continuous flow to it.

Putting it all together

1. Select one language feature the author uses to describe the setting.
-Metaphor

2. Give an example from the text.
your gums are an ocean of blood.

3. Explain how this and/or other feature(s) help you to understand the poet's feelings on the loss of her child's tooth.

The poet is saying that she feels the pain (empathy) of her child, through the use of the metaphor "your gums are an ocean of blood". This is an exaggeration of what it is actually like to lose a tooth. The poet also uses an extended metaphor of the sea and boat to notify us that it is a rocky experience, and nothing can be known in the process for sure. This can even be linked to when we lost a tooth, as we know it is an unstable experience.