Rupert's Blog (9)

After all the waiting the Orpheus website has now got several string works on its list. I'm beginning to feel like a real composer! Continue

Having tinkered around with phrasing and stuff here, if you click on the link, are the improved midi files for Sian's Violin Concerto, written for a very talented young violinist in my junior orchestra. They're still a very poor substitute for real instruments. I hope we get to record it at some point. There should be cadenzas in first and last movements. Not sure whether to write them or leave them to Sian herself. They go w… Continue

Off to London. Leaving the house at 4.30am! The train from Tiverton stopped at several stations on its way to Bristol Temple Meads where I took another train from platform 13 to London Paddington. Leaving the house itself was a bit of a palaver, umming and aahing about whether or not to bring the laptop. Shall I? Shan’t I? I set off without it and went to get some cash out. Meanwhile I’d left the mobile at home. Then doubled back to get the mobile, which I'd left behind. Went on up the hill and… Continue

First Performance went quite well! 4 sketch.MID4 sketch slow.MID… Continue

After 20 years in the classroom I have just 25 days left, maybe a couple less as I'll be attending the odd conference/training day, before I take up a new job as Assistant Director - Access and Participation for Somerset Music. This is quite a scary moment. The school day is timetabled literally down to the last minute, how will I cope with a more flexible framework? Will I be able to meet the requirements, understand what on earth I'm supposed to be doing!! Everyone tells me I'll be great for… Continue

Busy at the moment creating a miniture symphony for the Junior Orchestra, but in the tradition of Ralph Vaughan Williams and his English Folk Song Suite I'm arranging a patchwork of sea shanties, so no original melodies in this one! When it's done I'll put part of it up. Went out for a drive yesterday to take a few photos, just for a short breather break, and saw Wales very clearly from the Trentishoe Down, Started the car to move on and the engine fell out!!! (well not completely, but the bolt… Continue

Please forward the link to anyone you know who might be interested in a recorder music publisher! (New publication by yours truly, my first officially published music, included in the catalogue!!!) http://www.orpheusmusic.com.au and their latest newsletter http://www.orpheusmusic.com.au/gecko_0802.pdf Continue

Lots of these pieces of music get one or two plays and then sit in a box somewhere. I can send pdf's of most of it to anyone on request! Music for Solo Instruments

Elegy	A Piano piece using lots of pedal! In memory of Dad
Olga's Song	Olga was training as a music therapist in Montpelier, France when I met her. This is for Piano accompanied by violin.
For Imogen	For Cello and piano, written for a young friend.

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As a teacher with nearly twenty years of experience from reception up to GCSE level, I have had a strong vantage point from which to observe the social changes which appear to be becoming more and more prevalent, making each passing year a more difficult experience for people in my profession. Each year it seems I find myself saying ‘I’ve never felt so tired’ and each year it seems it is true. I think there is perhaps something fundamentally wrong in our approach to mass education that is und

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