This is quite a belated greeting but...  HAPPY 2012 EVERYONE!!!  As I finally get around to saying this, I also want to wish the best of luck to those of you who are preparing for music exams this spring.  As we slowly creep up to the exam period just a reminder not to leave your sightreading and aural training to the last minute!  I must say I have been trying to be diligent in surprising my flute students with sightreading material, often in disguise as fun duets, and lots of aural practice in lessons.  Trust me, it'll get easier and more fun the more you do it!  

Other springy thoughts - some tunes to look forward to spring to!  My new favourite 'You Must Believe in Spring' - Although quite melancholy, Bill Evans' recording with Eddie Gomez and Eliot Zigmund is a favourite as well as the duet recording of Tony Bennett with Bill Evans;  'It Might as Well be Spring' sung by Astrud Gilberto with Joao Gilberto and Stan Getz seems to take me back to cycling around town on my red bike as a kid.  (how romantic!)  And of course Ella and Louis' 'April in Paris.'  If that doesn't make you feel all mushy inside I don't know what will.  I might just surprise my little flute group with 'Spring' from Vivaldi's Four Seasons next week. 

Can you think of any other spring favourites?

Can you play Jingle Bells on 3 notes?  

The Year 3  recorder classes at Clifton Primary in Ealing sure did!  (with some interspersed singing of course......) Only been learning since September, these little guys mastered this tune just in time for the holidays.  The Year 6 flute class at Gifford primary managed to squeeze the note 'C' in and played a 4 note Jingle Bells for the school Christmas concert.  No singing necessary here.  Congratulations for their first public performance!  I am a proud teacher.

Meanwhile at CLSG, the Junior Flute Group successfully sightread a book of Christmas songs, a la carousel (constant rotating of parts, including a percussion part..!)  Nothing says Christmas like a bunch of flutes!

Well there you go, I hope you get a chance to participate in some Christmas music making.  And yes, making a playlist on Spotify counts...   

Happy holidays everyone!