 |
|
|
|
|
Stop Press:
NEW Ocarina-teaching CD-Rom
Ocarinas on the BBC: 3 times in 9 months
Have ocarina will travel
Ocarina News in brief
|
|
 |
NEW Ocarina-teaching CD-Rom
Ocarina Workshop's long-awaited ocarina-teaching software is now ready. During the two and a half years of the project, prototypes were tested in primary schools in the UK and around the world, receiving positive 'wow' reviews from children and teachers alike.
The finished version includes an animated Ocarina, music that lights up as the notes play, and a choice of displays suitable for total beginners right through to competent music readers. Additions to the original prototype include three different speeds of music to accompany each of the 22 songs that appear in Book 1. This CD-Rom will make whole-class music-teaching easy for the most generalist of primary school teachers; music specialists will love it. Display it on your whiteboards and teach the whole school!
Order your Play your ocarina Book 1 CD-Rom now. Each CD-Rom can be installed on one computer only. Prices: £60 (ex-vat) for one CD-Rom, £100 ex-vat for two, and £200 ex-vat for five. For further details and to place orders, ring 01536-485963 or email info@ocarina.co.uk.
In addition to our Music Manifesto pledge to develop "new and innovative teaching materials", Ocarina Workshop are offering free teaching resources to schools who would like to equip 12 or more children for the first time. Ask for details.
Another part of our Music Manifesto pledge is to offer specialist training to music services and LEAs. Our keynote presentation and workshops in Kent, July 2007, attracted a larger than usual number of primary teachers; each went away with an ocarina and book and could demonstrate the skills with which to play and teach Music at Keystage 1 and 2. Please get in touch if you are seriously considering new approaches to child-friendly, whole-class music-teaching, or visit our stand at the 2008 National Federation of Music Services Conference (19th and 20th of June in Leeds).
back to top |
|
|
Ocarinas on the BBC: 3 times in 9 months
To appear live on the Radio 4 Today programme was exciting enough… to then chat with Chris Evans on Radio 2 and supply ocarinas to the BBC Symphony Orchestra for a Radio 3 UK premiere performance was quite amazing. How did it all happen?
Researchers have noticed that ocarinas are being played in schools all over the UK and that children are making great music with them. The BBC Radio 4 Today programme decided that this could be a threat to the traditional recorder and set up a debate in June 2007. Instead of 'rubbishing' the work of others, David demonstrated the value of ocarinas, and of other instruments played in primary school classrooms. His interview created an avalanche of teachers' emails to the BBC, saying that the ocarina is by far the best instrument they have ever found for whole-class music. We even received emails from educationalists in Japan and France extolling the virtues of our ocarinas. Thank you for listening and for your positive comments!
In February 2008, The BBC Symphony Orchestra contacted us with a problem. How could they find ocarinas for the UK premiere of Penderecki's 8th Symphony? Within days, we had worked from faxed extracts of Penderecki's newly revised score to supply 50 ocarinas to members of the BBC Symphony Chorus. The powerful performance at the Barbican (28/02/08) was broadcast on Radio 3 (03/03/08). The ocarinas looked stunningly colourful on stage against the singers' black tops!
Whilst this was all happening, and totally independently, the Chris Evans Show decided to feature unusual 'endangered' musical instruments. Within a day of receiving the call, David was down in London, at the Radio 2 Studio, having a laugh with the man himself. Collecting and playing musical instruments can indeed be a great hobby. As you can see, Chris and our ocarinas looked wonderfully colourful on the radio too (20/02/08)!
back to top |
** LISTEN AGAIN **
Radio 4 Today Programme 05/06/07
Click ‘08.30 – 09.00’ to 'Listen again' and scroll to 17.00 / 29.00 minutes on the audio clip |
|
|
Have ocarina will travel
'Have ocarina will travel' is the Liggins motto after two musical trips to scenic destinations. In April 2006, David and Christa were invited to lead school ocarina performances in Switzerland. Since their daughters had already finished school for Easter, the whole family set off with hand-luggage bulging. Airport security were alerted by the 'gun-shaped' ocarina in David's pack; and so began the first performance of the tour, at the security desk, to the amusement of lines of holiday makers.
Yorkshire born Janet Genton teaches whole year groups of French-speaking children to play the ocarina. In Year 2, they master 'Play your Ocarina' Book 1; in Year 3, Book 2; and so on. It was amazing to see 120 Year 5 children playing 'Hava nagila' and 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' from Book 4 with an enthusiasm and skill that astonished. In return, we played our four-part family tunes and the children communicated happily together in a variety of languages. Janet began ocarina-teaching in 1996, so the concerts were a great celebration of 10 years ocarina-playing at the International School of Geneva. Congratulations!
The 'Land of the Midnight Sun' in Norway awaited us in July 2007. An appreciative audience packed the old church in Mo I Rana to hear Malcolm Pentelow, organist extraodinaire, and the Liggins Family Ocarina Quartet. The ocarina performance included traditional folk tunes, extracts from Mozart's 'Magic Flute' and toe-tapping close-harmony Barbershop Quartets. The concert was followed by some intrepid exploring of fjords and glaciers and some ocarina-playing in very remote Arctic places!
The Norwegian newspaper article recording the visit, highlights the fact that Ocarina Workshop Oc® are now being played in schools the length and breadth of this beautiful country.
back to top |
|
|
Ocarina News in brief
Ocarinas featured strongly in the Gibraltar Festival for Young Musicians 2006. Adjudicator Paul Harris enjoyed a myriad of ocarina ensembles in the local school competitive classes, with entries from all over the 'Rock'. Thank you for the DVD and "Rock on" kids!
In July 2006, Sarah Marlor took a break from her Cheshire Primary School and headed for the Indian Ocean islands of the Maldives, to spend two years teaching on VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas). From the photos she sent us, Maldivian children are just as keen to play ocarinas as those back home. Thanks for the photos Sarah, and for taking up the challenge!
Marcia Contador gave twelve ocarina concerts from March to June 2007. Writing to us from her home in Campinas, near Sao Paolo in Brazil, Marcia said that "the acoustic inside the church was heavenly. My Bass Ocarina filled the whole church and echoed beautifully, especially when played on the rear balcony". Thank you for the newspaper articles!
Ocarina classes were well attended in the 2008 Kettering Music Eisteddfod and ocarinas were played for the first time at the prestigious Saturday night Gala concert. Well done! Are there any ocarina classes in your part of the world? We'd love to hear about them.
A UK government press release from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (21/11/07) heralding new Wider Opportunities funding for Primary School Music, included Ocarina Workshop ocarinas in their figures:
"… £40 million to buy brand new musical instruments. This comes on top of last year’s £1 million funding which paid for 11,000 new instruments, ranging from violins, flutes and clarinets to ocarinas, African drumming sets and bassoons"
Congratulations to all Education Authorities who are taking the ocarina seriously.
back to top |
|
|
| Ocarinas on the BIG stage - Outstanding!
Masquerade Ocarinas from Kettering achieved high recognition and praise
in July 2005 as they played to perfection at the National
Festival of Music for Youth, winning for themselves the Outstanding
Performance Award at the Birmingham Conservatoire. Selected from over
45,000 performers who participated in regional festivals, Masquerade
Ocarinas were chosen to be one of 38 Junior Groups in the National
Festival.
As the sound of fifteen ocarinas soared the heights in the vast
auditorium, both adjudicators and audience alike were stunned and
inspired by the pure and exquisite sound. Playing 5 different sizes of
concert Ocarina from Mini to Bass, the 9 to 13 year olds also sang in
Latin and Spanish, mixing medieval chants with haunting folk melodies.
South American percussion, including Chilean rain-sticks and llama's
hoof clippings, along with the plucked and bowed violin and viola added
to the "rare and precious sight and sound" that sent a tingle around
the audience and impressed the three adjudicators.
It was a performance never to be forgotten! The 6 boys and 9 girls who
form Masquerade Ocarinas, revealed to an unknowing world just how
incredible the ocarina is. Whilst a plastic 4-hole ocarina is the best
musical instrument for any young child to begin with because of its
simplicity, this level of performance shows the skill and musical
brilliance that can be achieved by all with just a little practice.
A dvd sampler of the groups performances is available.
Ring 01536-485963 or email us for details.
Top of the Ocs!
back to top
|
|
|
Our brilliant NEW OC is here!
Received with delight by teachers at the 2005 Education Show, our
new-improved Oc is already enjoying a dazzling response amongst pupils.
It really is easier to hold, handle and play!
Still UK Made to the highest standards of quality and safety, Ocarina
Workshop have added several new features: raised rims around the finger
holes and an extended mouthpiece with lipguard, an irresitible array of
6 rainbow colours and a new, warm finish. Think lemons and
strawberries, plums and tangerines as you choose from our fruity
selection of yellow, orange, green, purple, blue and red!
The new Rainbow Starter Box now includes two each of these six
sumptuous coloured Oc along with 12 copies of ‘Play your Ocarina' Book
1 ‘Starting Off' – all you need to get 12 kids making music within a
few short sessions and just £108 for the boxed set!
Whilst the purple ocarina is just as good as the yellow one, amazingly
your child will think it sounds better if they love the colour! Choose
the colours to compliment your school uniform or have a delicious mix!
The 'Oc' are in stock now and available all year round for immediate
delivery. Go to the online OcShop for colour images and further
details. Order today – play tomorrow!
back to top |
|
|
International flute players wowed by ocarinas
Ocarinas sounded everywhere at the 2004 British Flute Society International Convention in York. The sweet and subtle tones of the ceramic ocarina sang out bird-like in the midst of their more powerful gold and silver relatives; the Duet ocarina particularly attracted international attention.
After his virtuoso flute concerts, James Galway was spotted mysteriously practising the ocarina. All was soon revealed in the Chuckerbutty Ocarina Quartet Concert as the quartet became a quintet for Beethoven's first symphony and 'Sir James' made his ocarina-playing debut. As Michael Copley pointed out to an amused audience, "his (James Galway's) talents are wasted just playing the flute".
The 'Chuckerbuttys' served up a wonderful menu, including Schubert's 'Trout' played on original instruments: fish-shaped ocarinas complete with floppy tails and a wonderfully clear and 'watery' sound. The brilliance of the playing was matched by the humour of the presentation to make this years International Flute Convention a memorable ocarina experience.
back to top |
|
|
Year 4 ocarina winners play to Dalai Lama
Year 4 ocarina players at Blessed Sacrament Junior School Liverpool won the Primary Music Band class at the Liverpool Festival of Music and Drama. After this second successive win in the class, they were invited by Liverpool City Council to play and sing to the Dalai Lama on his visit to the city in July 2004. Their music teacher, Lynette Bennett, was impressed that the Dalai Lama took time out of his rushed itinerary to listen to and talk with the children, congratulating them on their performances.
Lynette herself is an advanced skills music teacher who has integrated ocarina-playing into her music curriculum with great success. She was recently voted Classic FM primary music teacher of the year.
back to top
|
|
|
|
|
