This site is all about music, music that we love and hate as long as it stirs some emotion it is worth listening to and talking about.
|
This site is all about music, music that we love and hate as long as it stirs some emotion it is worth listening to and talking about.
|
|
|
What is this site all about? “The English may not like music, but they absolutely love the noise it makes.” "A musicologist is a man who can read music but can't hear it.” Sir Thomas Beecham A bit of a rant! I am sure that I am not alone in my frustration at the repertoire selection of the examination boards, hence the quotes from Sir Thomas Beecham above. I am a musician who plays commercial music that entertains people. The music I play and write does not stand up to any scrutiny from a scholar of music but it pays my mortgage. The music that I choose to listen to however, is very different, is worthy of study and would open the minds of music students to new ideas. When the examination boards choose "Britpop" or "Club Dance Music" as part of an area of study, you have to ask why they have done this. Teachers generally don't like it, students are deeply suspicious that their music is being taught to them by someone who has probably never been to a rave or the Ministry of Sound and crosses the road to avoid a "hoodie". The music itself does not stand up to analysis as it was never intended to be anything more than sound generated to dance to, entertainment, a means to convey a message or for the artist to become wealthy and famous. When we open the new syllabus for first examination in June 2050, will we be looking at the mid-1990s as a golden age of music. I sincerely doubt it! How to use this site The idea behind this site is to provide resources for teachers and pupils alike, particularly in the more commercial areas. Every couple of years the GCSE, AS & A2 Music an AS & A2 Music Technology syllabuses throw up some new corner of music to study and I hope to keep on top of finding new resources and teaching ideas which will gradually appear on this site. This site is a free resource, all items can be downloaded free of charge. You will not be asked to subscribe or give your contact details. Please feel free to modify any of the content to make it more relevant to your needs and if you have found the site useful please tell others! Most images are from the internet and as such may be subject to copyright. The links to Amazon / iTunes / Music room that you see help me pay for the web hosting, so if you have found use in the resources and wish to help with the upkeep of the site please use the links to purchase CDs, books, DVDs and Sheet Music. If you have anything that you would like to contribute, please contact me. Your resource will go up on the relevant page with a credit to you to let the world know of your generosity. Thanks Chris
Chris Pettitt biography Chris Pettitt has a background of over thirty years experience in the music industry as a performer, composer and arranger. As a saxophonist and clarinettist he has been lucky enough to have performed with some of the “greats” of pop and rock music. As a composer and arranger he has produced music for media and television as well as repertoire for theatre, orchestras and wind bands. Since 2004 he has scaled down his performance commitments to concentrate on his teaching of saxophone, clarinet and composition at Oundle School. He is currently in charge of a successful Music Technology programme at the school in which students of all years are encouraged to write and record music, either for GCSE, AS and A2 Music, AS and A2 Music Technology or just for the sake of self expression. The scheme has helped to double the number of students formally studying music and has resulted in a culture of composing and songwriting in the school. This has led to the formation of the “New Music Society” which encourages the writing of music in all styles and gives a chance for student composers to both record their work and to perform it in front of an audience. He is also in charge of the school radio station (OSCAR Radio), the rock society and the jazz society. Chris also gives lectures for Keynote the MMA and in schools as a guest speaker. In his spare (!) time, Chris has composed, performed and produced an album of music to accompany an exhibition of work by the artist Mike Lees. The exhibition is entitled “Edge of Mon” and portrays a journey around the coastline of Anglesey and runs throughout the summer of 2008 at the Oriel Ynys Mon on the island. If you would like to listen to any of Chris's music or even buy a CD please go to the other site by clicking the logo below:
Contact Information Click on the card below to send me an e-mail
|
|
