#music school in bukit batok

[musicalacademy]

Music Theory Lessons Bukit Batok, Music Theory Courses Bukit Timah Singapore

Enroll in comprehensive music courses in Bukit Timah at Rocktone Music. Our diverse offerings include lessons in guitar, piano, drums, and more, catering to all ages and skill levels.

[praisemusicschool]

Music Exams (p.2)

Last month I discussed the criteria for the exam pieces which form the main body of the ABRSM exams. In the next few months I will talk about the other three sections of the practical exams: Scales, Sight Reading and Aural tests because although these tests comprise only 40% of the exam and often an even smaller proportion of the lesson time they are no less important than pieces for getting a good result.

The first, and arguably most important of these tests, is scales. The importance of practising and mastering scales cannot be overstated, in that they provide the backbone of technique for any instrument. One way to think of it is to consider music as a mechanical series of steps and leaps and then recognize that the most efficient way to ensure that all of these actions can be performed accurately and fluently in various combinations is to practise scales. The other, equally important, rationale for scale practise is that they help establish and reinforce the understanding of keys and chord structures.

 

Simply put, practising scales makes everything else you do in music easier and greatly enhances the enjoyment that can be gained by playing a musical instrument. Given this, there is only one truly acceptable mark for the scale section: 100%. And there is only one way to achieve this mark: Practise.  Unfortunately examiners can be extremely harsh in marking scales, and they require that scales be not only mechanically and theoretically perfect (i.e. the right notes played well), but also that the scales have a pleasing musical shape. Scales should therefore be played in exams as if they are pieces in themselves.

 

This way of marking is actually somewhat problematic from a teacher’s technical perspective, because it allows students to “fake” good technique by employing technical shortcuts. A good examiner will pick up such habits and punish them severely, but this is not guaranteed, especially in less common instruments (i.e. instruments other than piano and possibly violin).  Technical shortcuts are always problematic in the long term though and can lead to severe disappointment if a student later decides to carry on their studies to higher grades or even tertiary and/or professional levels only to discover that they need to relearn their technique from scratch.

 

Students, therefore, should practise scales for their own benefit, not merely for the sake of exams. Technical exercises rarely produces immediate tangible results, but typically after a year or so of diligent work it really starts to show in general playing and then becomes enjoyable in their own right.

Resource

piano teacher in orchard | piano teacher in bukit batok

[praisemusicschool-blog1]

Music School Bukit Timah

We are focused on developing practical skills to help you start making the most of your instrument, We are Praise Music School Bukit Timah, we have extensive knowledge of pianos, guitar, keyboard or many more touching the lives of people around the world with Music, Passion, and Life. Our aim is to give confidence in each student’s involvement in a range of musical activities and enhance natural enjoyment and understanding of music.

[rutanforrepublican-blog]

Best Music Courses School in Bukit Timah Singapore

Rocktone Music Academy – The biggest music school in Bukit Timah Plaza Singapore. Contact us today for any kind of music class and courses. To know more details, please visit our website now!

www.rocktonemusic.com

[thejunkboys1]

Through this article, we'll explain the other significant skills associated with the music classes. It appears these days; Music is a significant subject for all children to study and it can actually direct to improve the functions of the brain, advance in human connection, and even provide relief from stress.

[rocktonemusicacademy]

Music school in Bukit Batok- Rocktone Music Academy

We have voted the most preferred Music school in Bukit Batok, and in central west Singapore, with thousands of happy musicians since 2012. We offer you a supranational platform to nurture your budding talent and make you do your level best in whatever you do.  http://www.rocktonemusic.com/

[hlee27-blog1]

Sight Reading

Sight reading is one of the most difficult sections in the exam both to practice and to teach, yet it ultimately forms the basis of the whole of classical music. Learning classical music isn’t about learning to play a couple of songs; it is about learning to read music. Read More

[sarahngxuan-blog]

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY AS TOLD BY FRIENDS.06

Week 5′s class about eLearning was quite inspiring as many of us are familiar with the concept of eLearning having been enrolled in Singapore government schools since the age of 7. As the years went by, I did notice a gradual change in the implementations of eLearning tactics and mediums. From simple online portals, to simulation-based and even complex game-based designs – even when learning driving at Bukit Batok Driving Centre 3 years ago, I was tested on how to use the emergency brake (when necessary) through an simulation/game based method just like a scene from Crazy Taxi. 

The benefits of eLearning are endless, and as technology continues to advance, so will the ability to learn via the various portals. 

SAY YAY TO LEARNING!

However, as I listened in class, one thing that really caught my attention about this particular topic was BLOOM’S TAXONOMY by Benjamin Bloom, 1956 (omg that was a long time ago; that really shows how learning is evergreen and ever-so-important even in the 60s and more so now!!!!!!!). 

As much as I enjoyed the teaching of concept of Bloom’s taxonomy in class, I managed to fully understand the concept through the pop culture show of the century, F.R.I.E.N.D.S *cue music*. 

In this video, the 6 categories of cognitive domain is shown through scenes/snippets of episodes from the tv show F.R.I.E.N.D.S. They show good real life examples of each category and present the viewers how each can be applied.

COGNITIVE DOMAIN (6 CATEGORIES) 

Remembering = recalling facts. Joey recalls and recites all the terms he read about from an encyclopedia that only had words containing the letter “V” to his friends at the coffee shop. He does not apply the knowledge he acquired from the encyclopedia, but simply blurts out facts he remembered at face value (without much thought or reason). according to Bloom, this is a level 1 category as it does not require much cognitive process when presented with information. 

Understanding = describe/explain. Ross explains in his own words to Phoebe the meaning of “Unagi” concept, which means “A state of total awareness”. As Phoebe and Rachel are unaware of this term, Ross breaks down the meaning of “Unagi” and explains it using the term’s origins, analogies and examples. According to Bloom, this is a level 2 category as it requires remembering facts and understanding it to explain it using our cognitive process. 

Applying = taking what you learned and using it in a new situation. Phoebe is discouraged as she takes on a new acting role but Joey spurs her on and teaches her (from a lot of acting experience) how to improve and succeed in acting. Joey encourages Phoebe to look at the acting scene as a real life hospital situation and act like what a real nurse would do - thus, she applies this new information to her acting. According to Bloom, this is a level 3 category as it takes what we learned and adapt/use it for different situations, wherever applicable. 

Analysing = drawing conclusion among ideas. Monica, Joey and Phoebe pool in information individually to find out who the father of Rachel’s baby is. This involves remembering a red sweater, describing the situation at Rachel’s place, applying the several facts from each other, and final - drawing a conclusion! According to Bloom, this is a level 4 category as it involves more cognitive processes such as compare and contrast, distinguishing, and identifying a logical deduction through reasoning. 

Evaluating = justifying a stand or position/judging a situation. As Rachel and Ross argues about who took the first step of coming unto the other, they allow the group of friends to decide who the real perpetrator was. They were presented a videotape of the scene in question. Though there were no obvious signals (according to Rachel), everyone else made the judgment that Rachel was the one by interpreting her standard “come on signals”. According to Bloom, this is a level 5 category as it uses all the available information, past knowledge and analytics to come to a conclusion on the value of ideas.

Creating = producing something new. Phoebe forgos typical Christmas songs and composes her original song for the festive season! Though there are many many Christmas songs to sing, she chose to write her own song inspired by Christmas, the people around her and current happenings. According to Bloom, this is the highest category as it does involve one’s own input to create a new meaning or structure. 

[barre2barresg]

Barre 2 Barre SG Interview Series: Jen Wong (Part II)

Snap! Snap! Snap! Ever wonder who takes all those gorgeous shots of your favourite barrerinas? Or puts together those beautifully captioned photos for our instagram posts? Or has the ability to put the team at ease in the most awkward (and sometimes difficult) poses?

This week, we interview Jen Wong - our in-house Barre 2 Barre photographer!

Read on for part 2 of our interview series and see why team Barre 2 Barre Singapore has fallen in love with this recent SMU grad!

What does wellness and being healthy mean to you?     

I believe wellness encompasses both the physical and mental well-being of a person.

For me, it goes beyond just eating healthily and exercising regularly. For me, it is about making the conscious effort daily to choose to be grateful (regardless of the circumstance) and always working towards becoming a better version of myself. 

Being healthy is all about finding that balance rather than sticking to a strict and mundane routine. It's all about moderation.

In other words, go out there and enjoy that delicious bowl of truffle fries, or snuggle up in bed to binge watch your favourite tv series! 

Share a funny story related to barre.

The first time I joined a barre class, I signed up for the bootcamp class by accident.

Needless to say, I almost fainted by the end of the class! Being a little over zealous with trying to keep up with the class, coupled by the fact that I had not been exercising regularly in months before, I think I was lucky to come out of class alive (although my legs were shaking walking down the steps of the studio).

Looking back, I am still in awe that I decided to continue coming back for classes even after that near-blackout experience. 

How did you get into BarreAmped and what are your future plans for barre?

I was first introduced to BarreAmped when I joined Barre 2 Barre Singapore as their marketing Intern. New to the whole idea of barre, Mylene and Jessica were the ones who encouraged me to join the classes to gain a better understanding of what the company does.

Fast forward a few months, I have come to love barre and can definitely see the effects of consistency in coming for classes. Barre has become a part of my weekly routine and I come for classes either before or after work to destress and stretch out my body.

I’m super thankful to still be a part of this barre family (that I have grown to love) as the resident photographer for the team. As for the future, who knows? Maybe getting a BarreAmped certification in a few years time? :)

What is your favorite way (aside from barre) to keep fit and find some downtime?

I love going on hikes both alone and with friends. It is such a rejuvenating feeling to be surrounded by nature and fresh air! One of the perks of staying in Bukit Timah is that there are so many nature parks around me! (Bukit Batok Nature Reserve and Botanic Gardens are my top fav spots)

On a very different note, brunching is another activity I love doing especially during weekends. It is a great way to explore new places in Singapore, catch up with friends, and of course get some Instagram-worthy shots!

I have also recently picked up calligraphy after watching YouTube videos and drawing inspiration from Pinterest. Given the intense focus needed to write, I find it allows me to momentarily forget about what may be stressing me out.

List your 3 dinner party dream guests. What would you talk about and what dish would you prepare for them?

Albert Einstein - Fun fact, we both share the same birthday only several hundred years apart. I would love to catch a glimpse of his genius way of thinking and maybe get some life advice from the man himself! I would probably make pie since our birthday falls on pi day (14 March). 

Matthew Gray Gubler - He plays my favourite TV character (Dr Spencer Reid) from the TV series, Criminal Minds. He is known to be just as quirky in real life as his character on the show so I guess you can never predict where the conversation will go. As for food, maybe sushi? He looks like he would like sushi! :)

Viktor Frankl - He is the author of my favourite book, Man’s Search for Meaning. I would love to understand how he eventually overcame his traumatic experience in the concentration camps and maybe learn how to see life from his perspective. I would prepare one of my comfort food - eggs with avocado on toast.

List your 3 favorite travel destinations and list 3 more that you want to travel to and why.

Japan - The deliciously fresh seafood, the insanely cute packaging they come up with for everything, and the general politeness of the people there… what’s not to love about Japan? The thing I love most about Japan, however,  is how it's architecture, food, and culture are a blend of traditional and modern.

Bali - The go-to place for detoxing while exploring the waterfalls, rice terraces, and beaches that are so different from the hustle and bustle of Singapore. The cheap (yet delicious) Indo-mee and acai bowls are worth travelling there for too!

Perth - Lovely place to visit during the winter where the cool breeze makes walking everywhere so much more enjoyable. One of my favourite memories of Perth is visiting the Fremantle Prison and exploring its underground tunnels!

Three places I hope to eventually visit:

Korea - After watching so many Korean dramas and variety shows, Korea is definitely one of the top places I would love to visit. I Would love to try their street food, visit their Jimjilbang (bath houses), and take a tour of Jeju island.

India - I visited Chennai in 2009 on a school trip but unfortunately did not manage to see and do much. After my dad told me the story behind the Taj Mahal, it has been my dream to travel to New Delhi to see it for myself. 

New York City - I have heard so much about NYC from my friends; the musicals, the food and just the overall atmosphere of the city! There are so many iconic places in NYC (Central Park, Times Square, etc.) that appear in movies I have grown up watching that it would be a shame to give this place a miss.

[musicalacademy]

Courses: Drum, Guitar, Vocal Training, Piano, Ukelele & Music Theory Lessons

Join our engaging Music Classes in Bukit Timah at Rocktone Music Academy. We offer a nurturing environment for students to explore and grow their musical talents.

[praisemusicschool]

On Community

I will be updating the blog every month with some thoughts about the school and music education in general, please feel free to leave suggestions and ideas for future topics in the comments section.

To start the ball rolling I will write a short series of articles focussing on teachers, students and prospective students respectively. This week, it being the first week, I will focus on the teacher.

For the teacher the question is: “How can the school help me to achieve the best possible teaching environment and what can I do to help other teachers?”

For me, the answer is in the question. A community of teachers is built on just that: A community. As a teacher myself, I recognize how defensive teachers are about their methods. The last thing any teacher wants is for an “administrator type” to interfere with techniques and methods honed over many hours of focussed attention.

Yet, we each bring our own talents and skills to the lesson environment and we can all stand to benefit from sharing ideas, even if that only involves sharing a wish-list. Even if your ideas are pie-in-the sky, you never know if there are other people with similar ideas or who know of ways to implement them. After all, some crazy schemes only require a critical mass of people to work and without a sharing of ideas that critical mass can never occur.

The idea is not so much to have a suggestion box as it is to open up some lines for discussion.

One thing that the school is planning for this year is to institute regular concerts as well as a combined year-end concert event. The regular concert series has in fact already kicked off and is being held in the large room of the Bukit Timah branch on some Sunday evenings at six, they have so far been a great success. So far, these have been limited to my own and Jaclyn’s students, but the idea is to open them up to other teachers as well to provide a regular performance platform for their students.

Given the size of the venue the concert is limited to five students (and their families) each performing two pieces. So it is a short, intimate programme on the order of 30mins. I would like to encourage and invite any teacher who wants to have their students benefit from this platform to let us know, so we can include them on the list for future concerts.

On a related note I can offer my own services for typesetting/transcription/transposition of any music you may need in your lessons. I use the LilyPond engraving programme and can assist you with most reasonable, timely requests in this regard.

Finally I would like to encourage anyone who would like to share some their ideas in the newsletter to let me know so I can include it in future editions.

Resource

music school in Bukit Batok | piano teacher in bukit timah

[praisemusicschool-blog1]

ABRSM Results

Whether you have an upcoming ABRSM examination our team of skilled teachers prepares students for each exam. We are Praise Music School; we help students to develop their confidence in themselves and their aptitude through practicing walking into a room and setting up to perform, as these are often the most nerve-wracking moments before the exam. Our students always get good ABRSM results.

[sha4phillip-blog]

On Community

I will be updating the blog every month with some thoughts about the school and music education in general, please feel free to leave suggestions and ideas for future topics in the comments section.

To start the ball rolling I will write a short series of articles focussing on teachers, students and prospective students respectively. This week, it being the first week, I will focus on the teacher.

For the teacher the question is: “How can the school help me to achieve the best possible teaching environment and what can I do to help other teachers?”

For me, the answer is in the question. A community of teachers is built on just that: A community. As a teacher myself, I recognize how defensive teachers are about their methods. The last thing any teacher wants is for an “administrator type” to interfere with techniques and methods honed over many hours of focussed attention.

Yet, we each bring our own talents and skills to the lesson environment and we can all stand to benefit from sharing ideas, even if that only involves sharing a wish-list. Even if your ideas are pie-in-the sky, you never know if there are other people with similar ideas or who know of ways to implement them. After all, some crazy schemes only require a critical mass of people to work and without a sharing of ideas that critical mass can never occur.

The idea is not so much to have a suggestion box as it is to open up some lines for discussion.

One thing that the school is planning for this year is to institute regular concerts as well as a combined year-end concert event. The regular concert series has in fact already kicked off and is being held in the large room of the Bukit Timah branch on some Sunday evenings at six, they have so far been a great success. So far, these have been limited to my own and Jaclyn’s students, but the idea is to open them up to other teachers as well to provide a regular performance platform for their students.

Given the size of the venue the concert is limited to five students (and their families) each performing two pieces. So it is a short, intimate programme on the order of 30mins. I would like to encourage and invite any teacher who wants to have their students benefit from this platform to let us know, so we can include them on the list for future concerts.

On a related note I can offer my own services for typesetting/transcription/transposition of any music you may need in your lessons. I use the LilyPond engraving programme and can assist you with most reasonable, timely requests in this regard.

Finally I would like to encourage anyone who would like to share some their ideas in the newsletter to let me know so I can include it in future editions.

Resource

music school in Bukit Batok | piano teacher in bukit timah

[ph04th-blog]

On Community

I will be updating the blog every month with some thoughts about the school and music education in general, please feel free to leave suggestions and ideas for future topics in the comments section.

 To start the ball rolling I will write a short series of articles focussing on teachers, students and prospective students respectively. This week, it being the first week, I will focus on the teacher.

For the teacher the question is: “How can the school help me to achieve the best possible teaching environment and what can I do to help other teachers?”

For me, the answer is in the question. A community of teachers is built on just that: A community. As a teacher myself, I recognize how defensive teachers are about their methods. The last thing any teacher wants is for an “administrator type” to interfere with techniques and methods honed over many hours of focussed attention.

Yet, we each bring our own talents and skills to the lesson environment and we can all stand to benefit from sharing ideas, even if that only involves sharing a wish-list. Even if your ideas are pie-in-the sky, you never know if there are other people with similar ideas or who know of ways to implement them. After all, some crazy schemes only require a critical mass of people to work and without a sharing of ideas that critical mass can never occur.

The idea is not so much to have a suggestion box as it is to open up some lines for discussion.

One thing that the school is planning for this year is to institute regular concerts as well as a combined year-end concert event. The regular concert series has in fact already kicked off and is being held in the large room of the Bukit Timah branch on some Sunday evenings at six, they have so far been a great success. So far, these have been limited to my own and Jaclyn’s students, but the idea is to open them up to other teachers as well to provide a regular performance platform for their students.

Given the size of the venue the concert is limited to five students (and their families) each performing two pieces. So it is a short, intimate programme on the order of 30mins. I would like to encourage and invite any teacher who wants to have their students benefit from this platform to let us know, so we can include them on the list for future concerts.

On a related note I can offer my own services for typesetting/transcription/transposition of any music you may need in your lessons. I use the LilyPond engraving programme and can assist you with most reasonable, timely requests in this regard.

Finally I would like to encourage anyone who would like to share some their ideas in the newsletter to let me know so I can include it in future editions.

 Resource

music school in Bukit Batok | piano teacher in bukit timah

[shaphillips04th-blog]

Music exams (p.3)

https://youtu.be/dHTpAPX3ysw   Aural tests are often afforded the least attention in the preparation for exams. There are two reasons for this, which I will call the good news and the bad news.   First, the good news:   Aural tests are fairly straightforward in comparison to the rest of the exam. There is typically only one correct answer for each question, so there is little or no need to “editorialise”.  What’s more, the answers can often literally be guessed on the basis of existing knowledge. Even better, aural ability is something that very readily responds to even a very small amount of training.   Overall, then, aural tests are hard to fail, but hard to get a really good mark in too. It is important to spend at least some time on them in the lesson closer to exam time, as the extra marks from even a little practice can be invaluable.   The bad news is that aural tests are a throwback to the now widely disregarded (if not disparaged) phenomenalist school of music philosophy. The basic idea behind this school of thought is that music is comprised of certain sound parameters (such as pitch, loudness, attack, interval and rhythm) and that, in order to be a competent musician, one has to be able to clearly perceive each of these elements.   From a philosophical standpoint this is problematic because music is not actually comprised of these sound parameters, but rather of the musical effect which they create. It is far from clear how the perception and naming of sound parameters has a direct and measurable impact on the perception of music as such. It isn’t exactly clear, for example, how being able to correctly name a perfect fifth (for example) outside of a musical context has any bearing on the ability to actually correctly perceive and contextualise the effect that a perfect fifth has in a piece of music.   Much like I.Q. tests, these tests typically test for something that only has a real significance on music perception if there is a significantly deficiency, something certainly which is not the case for the overwhelming majority of students.   They do form a part of the knowledge that every well educated musician should have though, but the payoff is so distant and so abstract that most teachers are understandably loathe to devote too much time on something that has so little direct bearing on the musical product here and now.   Having said all that...   ABRSM methodology does focus more on the musical side of training as well as having a marked penchant for singing at sight. Sight singing is a very useful skill for musicians, but for those without a natural ability to do it easily it can be a fairly difficult skill to pick up. Because of the amount of training required to get really good at it in return for a paltry few marks in the grand scheme of things it is unfortunately this section which teachers often decide to forego, opting instead to focus on more obviously valuable marks available elsewhere.   This is certainly not an ideal state of affairs, but the solution awaits a more systematic philosophical treatment, the solution to which is not immediately obvious. Yet aural tests will remain in exams because being able to distinguish musical elements clearly is something that musicians should be able to do to some extent, even if testing for it leaves a whole lot to be desired in practice.   Resource music school in Bukit Batok | piano teacher in bukit timah

[hlee27-blog1]

Music and Motivation

There is a wonderful study, conducted at St Andrews University, which highlights the sometimes counterintuitive nature of human motivation. Read More