NEWS | Music House

Music is life

Jan 4, 2021

This is quite a powerful statement and it’s so true!

Music is (probably) the one thing that every person in the world has in common. Music makes the world go round, or is that that love? At Yorkshire College of Music and Drama we strongly believe music is love and music is life and these things make the world a better place.

Music has the power to lift our mood, it invokes memories, feelings, emotions and makes us feel happy. After a challenging year, many things have been taken away, but ‘they can’t take away our music’ (in the words of Eric Burdon) … again so true!

We have a legacy to uphold. Simply put, this is to make music accessible to EVERY PERSON who lives in our community and with online music lessons we can cast our net much further.

Learning to play a musical instrument or learning to sing can be the most rewarding, personal sense of achievement. We want to shout this from the rooftop of St Mark’s House and we don’t want anyone to miss out because they feel it’s not in their reach. It really is.

As a new year begins, time to reflect. Even more so given the year we’ve all experienced. If you’ve set a resolution to try new things, what better way to realise this than to unleash your inner musician?

We have some of our region’s most talented teachers with decades of experience. As educators they pride themselves on tailoring individual learning so that students get the most out lessons. This holistic approach aims to guarantee the best experience and as you learn your confidence and talent will shine through.

Piano, violin, guitar, flute or saxaphone? Whatever instrument you already play or want to learn, we have the right lesson for you! We offer a consultation lesson and you get to choose the teacher you want to learn with. This is a great way to see if you’ve selected the right instrument and importantly gives your the chance to build a rapport with your future mentor.

Accessible pricing with no hidden costs!

As a College with Charitable Trust status, this allows us to offer a very simple, extremely competitive and transparent pricing structure.

Our prices are the same whether you opt for face-to-face lessons at St Mark’s House, online lessons with your tutor via Zoom or a mix of both. Which ever you prefer, we guarantee an extremely high level of teaching.

An initial consultation lesson with the preferred teacher is charged at the normal rate (below) but if 3 more lessons are booked, the cost of the consultation lesson is waived and a free lesson added to your term.

The following prices are based on pupils booking lessons for a full term:

30 minute lesson: £17.45
45 minute lesson: £26.19
60 minute lesson: £34.90

The gift of music
Our gift vouchers are the perfect present for a friend, family member or as a treat to yourself in 2021. Find out more

We’re waiting to hear from you
Learning to play or sing isn’t a destination, it’s a journey. One that is full of fun, self realisation and achievement. Together we can get your there.

Take the first step, call or send an email and we’ll be able to answer all your questions and give you the information you need.

So, just referring back to ‘No Music No Life’ don’t accept this. Get music in your life and let us help you!

12 days of Christmas giveaway

Jan 4, 2021

A musical gift from Santa to you! Fingers crossed you’re on his ‘nice’ list HoHoHo

Thank you for entering our exciting December giveaway. Two lucky people will be chosen at random to receive the wonderful gift of music.

For anyone who has thought about learning to play musical instrument, this is the perfect opportunity to have some taster lessons. So if you want to learn to play the piano, violin, flute, saxophone or guitar – you’re in for a real treat!

To be entered into our prize giveaway – you need to follow these rules:

Twitter
(1) LIKE our tweet
(2) RETWEET our tweet
(3) Tag a friend
(4) Follow us on Twitter @YorksCollege

Facebook
(1) Like our post
(2) Share our post
(3) Tag a friend
(4) like our Facebook page @YorkshireCMD

Good luck from everyone at Yorkshire College of Music and Drama.

If you have any questions about our give-away, please Contact us (link to Contact us) and please make sure to read our T&C’s (below) carefully.

Terms and conditions

To be entered into our prize giveaway, please make sure you follow the rules (above) to be eligible for entry.
One winner will be picked at random from Facebook entries and one winner will be picked at random from our Twitter entries. The judges decision is final.
The two winners will each receive a Gift Voucher enabling them to 3 x half hour music lessons worth £60. No cash alternative will be offered.
The closing date is Saturday 12 December 2020. This giveaway will run for 12 days from 00:00h on Tuesday 1 December until 23:59h on Saturday 12 December.
Winners will be announced on Tuesday 15 December 2020 in a post on Twitter for our Twitter winner and a post on Facebook for our Facebook winner.
We will require the winners to contact us by 31 December so that we can confirm your prize and collect the information ie postal address, contact number.
Once winners have contacted us, we will send out a ‘Congratulations’ letter with further details.
Gift vouchers will not be sent in the post. We will ask you to arrange a convenient time when you can come to our College (St Mark’s House, 1 St Mark’s Avenue, Leeds LS2 9BN) to collect. College is closed until Monday 4 January so we will arrange a convenient time after this date.
When you come to collect your Gift voucher, we will take a photo and get a quote from you which we will use on our social media channels. Please note we will only publish your first name along with your image in our social media.
We will publish your first name and quote in a press release which will go to our media contacts in early January. Press contacts may want to get in touch with you for more details. We will let you know if this is the case. Please be aware, you can refuse this.
When you come to take your music lessons, we will want to follow your journey with video clips and we will post these on our social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) to showcase your musical adventure.

Music students’ tuned and ready to go

Nov 3, 2020

Major examination boards are booked throughout November and December to moderate practical assessments of more than 1500 musical students from our region.

In less than two weeks, Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and London College of Music (LCM) are set to takeover our outstanding College facilities as students from surrounding areas prepare for their practical music exams.

Tim Knight, Principal – Yorkshire College of Music and Drama, says:

“With so many people being unable to take their exams in the summer session, we’re working hard – in association with the exam boards – to make sure everything runs smoothly. We understand how important a face-to -face instrumental or singing exam is and in the current climate, keeping students safe is a primary concern. We’re delighted we can fulfil all the requirements and look forward to welcoming the boards and students to Yorkshire College of Music and Drama .”

Collectively, ABRSM, LCM, Trinity and Rock School have chosen to use our flagship building for over 30 years. These longstanding partnerships are of great importance to our College which boasts a number of rooms with the best acoustics, tuned pianos and a rich history of musical talent including none other than Dame Julie Andrews.

Furthermore, Rock School are booked to hold theory exams on 12 December and Yorkshire College of Music and Drama is also the Diploma Centre for Trinity. Because the boards choose to use St Marks House as their venue of choice this helps us to continue delivering our charitable aims and keep the founder legacy alive.

Before restrictions were imposed, students were able to take advantage of the College’s warm-up room to prepare before their practical exam. For this exam period, students have been asked to practice /warm up in their cars to adhere to safe distancing.

The College has put in place covid safe measures in line with government guidelines. This includes a separate entrance and exit, sanitiser stations, clearly marked one way notices with arrows and pre-allocated exam time slots. These steps mean that we are protecting examiners and examinees.

As we enter a second lockdown, exams are going ahead which is great news for our region’s examinees – many were left disappointed after exams were cancelled earlier in the year. We wish everyone the best of luck and we’re crossing fingers and toes.

Music vouchers for the YCMD

Oct 14, 2019

Music vouchers… the ideal gift!

A YCMD music voucher is the perfect gift for a family member or friend (or yourself) who already loves playing and hearing music and singing. Our music vouchers are also ideal for beginners who are interested in learning to play an instrument or sing.

Vouchers are available in 3, 5 or 10 half hour taster sessions. Usually, lessons need to be booked for a full term so this is the perfect way to dip your toe.

Gift vouchers can only be obtained from the College, so please get in touch to find out more.

Prices:

3 x half hour lesson voucher – £60.00
5 x half hour lesson voucher – £93.00
10 x half hour lesson voucher – £180.00

Hire a room for your own use here at the college

Oct 14, 2019

All our rooms are available to hire for your own private musical practise, group meetings or music lessons. We offer discounts for block bookings so please ask to find out more.

Hourly rate:
Small room £8.75
Large room £17.50

Special Offer:
Monday to Friday, 11am – 3pm: pay for 4 hours room hire and get the 5th hour on us.

For room hire enquiries please contact us.

5 Tips To Keep Your Kids Playing Music Over The Summer

Jul 12, 2019

The summer holidays are stretching ahead of us. Weeks and weeks of freedom for our children, but how do we make sure the skills they have developed over the past 10 months don’t suffer too much?

What can you do to keep their interest in music alive and the investment you have made in music lessons not be wasted?

Here are our 5 Top Tips for keeping them learning and improving their skills, whilst still enjoying the freedom of a long, lazy summer

1. Set Them A Challenge

Setting a child a challenge can be a great way to keep them focused. Ask them to learn their favourite song or ask them to master a new skill on their musical instrument and set a deadline or a date for a family performance. Speak to your child’s music tutor and ask for advice on what would best stimulate and challenge your child whilst also being good fun.

Consider offering an incentive or reward that will inspire them and help to keep them going. What this is will depend on your child’s age.

2. Negotiate a Practice Calendar

Before the summer holidays start, sit down together and decide what the main areas or focus for practice will be over the summer and how much time would be good to set aside for practice every week. Don’t forget this is the summer holidays, so keeping it light and fun will help to ensure music is an enjoyable past time and not a chore.

Once you have agreed on the material and number of hours, work out a practice timetable together and pin it somewhere visible so you are both reminded of your commitment.

3. Play Musical Instruments with Family and Friends

If you have ever experienced the utter joy of jamming with friends around a camp fire or singing karaoke together you will know how much fun and how memorable making music with friends can be.

Many of you will spend time with family over the holidays. So, if any of your friends or relatives are musical, consider asking them to bring their portable musical instruments along with them. Acoustic guitars, clarinets, flutes, portable keyboards, percussion instruments. Spending some time jamming with friends and family is a great way to keep your skill levels up whilst creating fabulous memories.

4. Teach Family or Friends How to Play

Non-musicians often see playing music as an insurmountable hurdle. Well, perhaps you can do something to break that illusion? Ask your child to teach a friend or a sibling a few basic melodies on the piano or some chords on a guitar. Perhaps it is you who would benefit from learning a few chords?

Being taught a few basics on a guitar, piano or drums can help someone else get started and give them the confidence to seek out formal tuition.

A win-win for everyone, particularly if the informal lessons are paid for with a few pennies or treats!

5. Put On An Event

Why not put on a small neighbourhood musical event throughout the holidays? Ask a few of your child’s friends and put on a show in the local park, village hall or in your back garden. Put on a BBQ and invite the neighbours and put a set-list together to showcase the local junior talent.

This would be a fantastic way to inspire not only your own child to continue improving, but to also inspire other children in your neighbourhood.

Music should, first and foremost be fun and kids learn so much through play and having fun. So, whatever you decide to do to keep your kids inspired this summer, try and make sure it’s enjoyable.

Good luck!

To find out about our Autumn term group and private lessons, please call 0113 243 1605.

5 Things That Make A Good Teacher ‘Great’

May 23, 2019

Those of us privileged enough to be involved in teaching others, should never underestimate the impact we have on our students.

We recently received a lovely letter from an ex-pupil who was thanking us for helping her to feel “amazing” and for fulfilling a dream of learning to play an instrument.

Every so often we get feedback like this and it is genuinely thrilling to know that we have made a difference to someone’s life.

It got us to thinking about teaching. We all remember our favourite teacher – he or she is perched high upon a pedestal in our memory. But why? What makes a good teacher a great teacher?

We have a number of “great” teachers here at the college, so we think we have the inside scoop on this one. Here are the 5 main attributes we think make an inspirational, memorable and effective teacher.

Great Teachers…

1. Great Teachers Are Masters of Their Subject

Good teachers know their subject matter. Great teachers are masters of their subject. Great teachers are passionate about their subject and they instill a hunger for learning through their own enthusiasm, knowledge and skill.

2. Great Teachers Encourage Deeper Learning

Great teachers encourage students to ask questions, to delve deeper into a subject, to not accept common beliefs but to challenge them and examine new ideas and concepts. Great teachers recognize when a student needs to be challenged and pushed beyond the standard curriculum and support individuals in their exploration of discovery and learning.

3. Great Teachers Will Find a Way to Connect

Not all students learn at the same pace, or in the same way. A great teacher will find a way to connect with each individual student. They will go above and beyond what is required to stimulate imagination, interest and a desire to learn.

4. Great Teachers Instill Confidence

Great teachers believe in their students and are able to teach a student to believe in themselves. They encourage students to go beyond their own self-limitations and reward achievement with encouragement and reassurance.

5. Great Teachers Value Respect

Great teachers respect their students. Every opinion is valid and valued and so students feel safe and confident enough to ask questions, listen to others and gain a wider and more diverse understanding of the world.

If your lifelong dream is to learn to play an instrument, or you’d love to pick up an instrument you haven’t had time to play for years, then please do get in touch. To find out about group or individual music lessons, please contact Dagmar on 0113 243 1605 or email: admin.ycmd@btconnect.com

Asta’s Words

Asta recently returned to her native Lithuania and a snippet of her heart-felt and beautiful letter are detailed below:

Firstly, I will start with the word Thank You.
Thank You for an amazing teacher Rod Tailor who patiently taught me how to hold the violin
Thank You for an amazing atmosphere before the lesson.
Thank You that because of this amazing college my biggest wish come true: To play a musical instrument.
Thank You that your college was the main thing in these years that made me very happy and full fill very big hole in my heart.
Thank You for amazing secretary Dagmar, she all the times was so helpful and because of her my time before lessons became more joyful.
Thank You for principal Tim Knight who all the time was waiting for my coming to the lesson and I felt that I am very welcome and wanted to come back again and again.

Secondly, because just of this wonderful college and all the knowledge they gave to me I feel amazing and my life becomes even better.
Love all that music I played.
Love all these 30 minutes I spend learning new things.
Love all the moments I spend an amazing environment.

Want To Know More About Choir Singing?

Apr 26, 2019

There is something truly magical about the sound of several voices coming together in harmony. But the composition of a choir is more technical and more intricate than simply asking a group to sing a song.

A beautiful-sounding choir is like a well-oiled machine. Each of its parts works and sings independently, but they come together to form something far greater than the sum of its parts.

The most common voices or parts used in mixed choir ensembles are:

Soprano: typically a female singing voice with the highest vocal range.

Alto: the second highest vocal range and typically the lowest range sung by a female member.

Tenor: a male singing voice with the highest vocal range.

Bass: the lowest vocal range of all voice types and typically the lowest range sung by a male member.

The different vocal ranges will generally stand together and the conductor will ultimately decide how to arrange his or her choir. However, for symphonic choirs, it is common for conductors to arrange their choir from left to right, beginning with the highest vocals to the lowest. For a cappella singing, the men are often placed at the back, with the women in front. The smallest details can make a big difference to the sound an audience hears – from the room or space the choir are performing in and things like the height of the ceiling to the space left between the singers.

Types of Choir
There are various types of choirs though a mixed choir is generally the most common – these include both male and female voices and the four ranges above, so Sopranos, Altos, Tenor and Bass voices. Male voice choirs are also a common choir type as are all female voice choirs and youth choirs.

The importance of the conductor
So what is the person doing at the front, waving their arms around?

A conductor is holding everything together. He or she is responsible for the tempo and for instructing members of the different vocal groups when to start singing and when to stop. He or she uses hand gestures to indicate volume and tempo and uses gestures with his or her head, face and eyes to communicate with the choir and with individuals throughout their performances.

A conductor is like a chef managing different elements of his dish as they are being cooked – turning, stirring, beating, cooling, boiling……juggling all the different elements and keeping them timed to perfection in order to create the perfect dish: The perfect musical performance.

To find out more about our choirs at the Yorkshire College of Music and Drama, give us a call on 0113 243 1605.

Why Retirement is an Excellent Time To Learn to Play an Instrument

Mar 25, 2019

Many of us believe that learning something new is only for the young. We’ve been conditioned to think that the older we get the less able we are to adapt, learn and grow. It’s drilled into us from being very young.

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks!”

Well, we think that’s rubbish. Balderdash. Nonsense.

Retirement can be the best time to learn new things. And, which activities are the best for us, as we age?

– Music, of course.

Here are 5 reasons why retirement is the perfect time for learning to play a musical instrument:

1. It’s the equivalent of taking your brain to the gym

For those of us who have tried it, we know that learning to play an instrument is hard work. It takes coordination, effort and dedication to make just small improvements. It is a complex task and studies have shown that the brain interprets learning to play music as a form of physical exercise. So, it’s like sending your brain for a workout at the gym.

2. It helps fight memory loss

Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia are on the rise. Every week it seems there is new advice on what steps to take to minimise the risk of developing dementia as we age. There have been numerous studies done to look at music and dementia. In Illinois, elderly care home residents, ranging from their late 70’s to early 90’s, were asked to learn a new musical instrument for 16 weeks. Their memory was tested before and after the 16 week trial and the results were astounding! Those who took part in the study saw a 50% – 70% increase in memory.

It is believed that learning to play an instrument provides the cognitive exercise the brain needs to protect itself against memory loss.

3. It fights wrinkles!

That’s right! Who needs botox and fillers when you can play music instead?

A study tracked eighty seniors over the course of five years. The results showed that the blood tests of those who were learning to play music had a 90% increase in hGH – a hormone which decreases as we age. Higher hGH levels increase energy while also causing fewer wrinkles.

4. It’s social

Loneliness is a pandemic spreading across our elderly communities. Playing music, learning an instrument or joining a choir or singing group not only means you meet new people and make new friends, but it can give you a renewed sense of purpose in your retirement.

5. It makes you happy!

Now, this one has to beat all the other hands down, doesn’t it? Life is a journey of highs, lows and lots of in-betweens. To have an activity that is scientifically proven to increase levels of happiness is possibly the best reason to do something.

So, what next?

So, music is very good for us. It stimulates hormones that keep our wrinkles at bay, it helps us meet people and makes friends and it is proven to make us happy. Surely we all need to be going more of it?

We have set time aside in our college throughout the afternoons specifically for those in our retired communities around Leeds. So, whether you have always fancied learning the guitar, trying your hand at the clarinet, or fancy setting up a singing or music group with a few friends, we have the tutors, the space and the expertise to help.

To initially have a chat about your ideas and what music tuition is currently available, please get in touch either by phone 0113 243 1605 or email: admin.ycmd@btconnect.com

Get in touch to chat through what groups or music tuition might be perfect for you.

Call 0113 243 1605 NOW

5 Reasons You Should Learn The Guitar

Mar 2, 2019

The guitar is a magical instrument – play it well and even the geekiest of us can come across as verifiable Rock Gods.

The guitar can make us cool, like possibly no other instrument can. Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Jimmy Page – all ultra cool guys. Legends in fact. All made great by their skills on the guitar.

Becoming magnetic to the opposite sex or a rock God are just two major benefits of learning the guitar. Here are 5 more reasons you should consider learning to play the guitar…

1. It will Improve Your Memory and Concentration

Of course old dogs can learn new tricks. You need to focus on what your fingers are doing – on both hands – and read the music all at the same time. It will take practice and concentration, both things that stimulate your brain and have a positive impact on your cognitive and muscle memory. Keep you brain active and there are many studies to show that you keep it young.

2. It will Improve Your Multitasking Skills

Instruments like the piano and guitar are proven to improve multitasking abilities. Playing the guitar is a bit like that old trick of rubbing your tummy whilst patting your head. It seems impossible at first, but given a bit of practice, you find yourself able to do it without thinking too hard about it. To play the guitar you have to coordinate different physical actions all at the same time. Pretty soon, you will be able to do all this at the same time:

Read guitar TABS and scores
Create chord shapes with your hands
Recognize what strings play what notes
Read ahead for upcoming notes
Listen and analyze the sounds that are made in real time
Keep time

It’s like riding a bike. Once you’ve mastered the basics, they never leave you. You just need to clean off the rust to shine again.

3. It Will Relieve Stress and Boost Your Creativity

Music has been proven in many studies to have a positive impact on mental health and stress. You might find that playing a guitar just helps you with your work/life balance, or thrashing out some heavy metal riffs may well help to release the built up tension after a hard day. Playing guitar not only relieves stress but stimulates the creative side of your brain – a double whammy of benefits!

4. It Can Improve Your Health

Did you know that playing guitar helps to build arm, wrist and forearm strength? Muscle-tone is vital to keep us strong and healthy as we get older.

Did you also know that playing the guitar helps to lower blood pressure and anxiety?

It’s true! Harvard Health conducted a study that showed that power ballads and love songs can help to reduce anxiety and nerves. So, dig out the guitar TABS to Foreigner and Marillion and feel your blood pressure start to come down.

5. It’s Fun!

There may be all these studies that talk about music being good for us. About how it helps our mental health, how it helps tackle loneliness, how it helps our intelligence and resilience. But, the biggest and most important factor is that it’s fun! And, if it’s something that you’ve always wanted to do, what are you waiting for?

Get in touch to enquire about guitar lessons now. Professional tutors available for total beginners through to advanced guitarists just wanting to dust off their old 6-strings and brush up a few old skills.

What are you waiting for?

Call us on 0113 243 1605 to find out more.

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