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Date: 1st November 2023

How are your skills developing?

I know how to gauge a person's musical skill from a short performance.

Is anything going particularly well?

The three students in an ensemble with me (including my self) are all roughly similar ability.

Is there anything you find challenging?

Finding free, suitable sheet music, especially for our unique combination of instruments (alto saxophone, piano and drums).

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Which art forms are you interested in? (Eg drama/visual arts/music/street dance)

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Which art forms are you interested in? (Eg drama/visual arts/music/street dance)

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Music, mainly swing jazz.

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Date: 1st January 2024

How are your skills developing?

I have learned to listen to individual players while I am playing during a rehearsal and offer constructive feedback at the end of the session.

Is anything going particularly well?

Everyone has learned their parts well and have started to embellish the melody/beat.

Is there anything you find challenging?

It was difficult finding rehearsal times that suited everyone's schedules.

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Yes.

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What art form are you interested in/do you like?

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What art form are you interested in/do you like?

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Music, especially jazz. I find the blend of creativity and formula (in chords progressions etc.) particularly appealing.

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Describe the kind of people or careers involved in these art forms. (Eg actor, director, musician, producer, choreographer, writer)

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Describe the kind of people or careers involved in these art forms. (Eg actor, director, musician, producer, choreographer, writer)

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Instrument teachers, theory teachers, professional musicians, conducters/band leaders, music technicians.

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Did you have to change your action plan or your challenge in any way? If so, what changed and why? (Eg timeframes, resources, help you needed)

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Did you have to change your action plan or your challenge in any way? If so, what changed and why? (Eg timeframes, resources, help you needed)

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No need for a special arrangement, or to purchase sheet music.

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What event did you attend?/ What did you see/do? /When did it take place?

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What event did you attend?/ What did you see/do? /When did it take place?

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Winter showcase - A Night At The West End

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What arts/creative skills you would like to develop or try out?

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What arts/creative skills you would like to develop or try out?

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Collaboration -communication, compassion and democracy.

Composition - arrangement, transposition and chord identification.

Managing a group - leadership, patience, inspiration, as well as the collaborative skills listed above.

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What kind of places might they work/perform

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What kind of places might they work/perform

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Concert halls for the performances. Rehearsals/lessons can take place anywhere.

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What did you do to get involved with arts practitioners and arts organisations?

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What did you do to get involved with arts practitioners and arts organisations?

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I am a part of High Wycombe music service, where there are a number of professionals in the music industry, including performers, technicians and teachers.

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Date: 1st February 2024

How are your skills developing?

I gained a lot of experience in recording music and learnt hoe to manage the factors that can impact a recording.

Is anything going particularly well?

We have decided suitable dynamics and tempo that matched those used in the original recordings of the piece we are playing.

Is there anything you find challenging?

Recording - especially determining what sort of recording device to use and where to place it in the small room where we are rehearsing.

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Performance was good in all aspects.

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Describe what happened at the arts event:

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Describe what happened at the arts event:

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Music and dance performances of pieces for musicals.

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What arts/creative skills do you already have or feel confident in?

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What arts/creative skills do you already have or feel confident in?

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Performing solo - I am grade 5 at alto saxophone, and most of the repertoire I play is solo.

Performing in a group led by someone else - I am involved in various youth ensembles organised by High Wycombe and Slough music services, as well as choir in my school.

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How did you find out about future education and career pathways in the arts?

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How did you find out about future education and career pathways in the arts?

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I held a short interview with one of the instrument teachers at HWMC. She studied at Manchester Conservatoire, where all students study specific modules on teaching. Additionally, instrument teachers can join wider music services (either city wide, like HWMS, or a county wide service, such as Buckinghamshire Music Service), which offer further CPD (Continuing Professional Development) days to teach staff on how teach most effectively.

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Organising the group to bring instruments and attend rehearsals.

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Do you have any ideas for possible challenges you could set yourself? You could discuss this with your adviser and record notes here.

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Do you have any ideas for possible challenges you could set yourself? You could discuss this with your adviser and record notes here.

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Co-lead an ensemble and take part in organising group rehearsals. This would help me develop my general collaboration and leadership skills, which would benefit me in later life.

Arranging existing music to meet the specific needs of a group, including simplifying and transposing music. As a practical application of my music theory knowledge, I would gain valuable experience in these disciplines lines.

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What evidence do you have to show what you did?

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What evidence do you have to show what you did?

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What have you learnt from doing your arts challenge?

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What have you learnt from doing your arts challenge?

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How to give feedback on other people's performance.

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Musical and dance.

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What did you learn about practitioners career development and work?

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What did you learn about practitioners career development and work?

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There are many different opportunities for instrument teachers to access pupils, including the above mentioned music services/centres. Students can go to a teachers house, and vice versa, for lessons. Teachers and students typically find each other through word of mouth.

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How have your art form skills developed?

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How have your art form skills developed?

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Gained knowledge of other instruments, namely drums and piano.

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Was there anything about the arts event you didn’t like? Why?

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Was there anything about the arts event you didn’t like? Why?

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There was little variety in the performances, with most performances being vocal.

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What steps will you have to take to achieve your challenge?

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What steps will you have to take to achieve your challenge?

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1. Find a (free) piece of music, with 2-4 parts, from Musescore. I could also ask my instrument teachers for any suitable music they may have.

2. Find 2-3 other musicians in my school, who can play instruments that match those in the arrangement we will be playing. To encourage equal participation of all members, we should all be at roughly the same musical level.

3. I will make suitable adjustments to the arrangement depending on the instruments being played, and the skill of their players. For example, giving the violin part to the pianist, or transposing it so that a trumpet player can play it.

4. We will play the new arrangement, and make any further necessary harmonic adjustments to it. As we will be rehearsing for two months after this, it by not means should be played perfectly yet - the purpose of this session is to find mistakes in the sheet music.

5. Hold weekly rehearsals, as well as encouraging the ensemble members to practise their individual parts in their own time, to perfect the performance. The structure of rehearsals would depend on the skill of the performers. For example, for some playthroughs, I may need to conduct the group instead of playing to ensure the synchronisation and tempo of the playing remains constant. We may need to rehearse parts without all performers to reinforce certain difficult passages.

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Did you find other opportunities within your art form?

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Did you find other opportunities within your art form?

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Of course, one can become a professional musician. The types of music that the musician would be playing, and what groups, if any, they would perform in, would be dependant on the instrument(s) they play. For example, an oboist would easily get into a professional orchestra, but wouldn't likely find work in a rock band. When I asked the arts practitioner why she doesn't, despite her education and practical skill, work as a performer, she raised the concern of working hours - the musicians should be prepared to spend their Friday nights and New Year's Eves working. Most performers will need to work in the evenings.

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What would you do differently another time?

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What would you do differently another time?

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Start earlier with rehearsals.

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What was the context of the event? (eg was it part of large tour/ a temporary exhibition/ part of a film festival/an online event etc.)

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What was the context of the event? (eg was it part of large tour/ a temporary exhibition/ part of a film festival/an online event etc.)

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The showcases are termly, each with a different theme.

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A small number of competent musicians to create an ensemble, preferably with prior experience of being in a musical ensemble. Of course, it would be beneficial that we would be friends, or know each other previously, so that our amicability would be guaranteed.

A suitable practice room where rehearsals could be held. The space should be accessible to all performers, and contain any non-portable instruments, such as piano and drums, that the ensemble may require. Naturally, the rehearsal space should be of sufficient size and not have too much background noise.

An external, musically educated person to provide feedback on our rehearsals.

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How has what you found out had an influence on you? 

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How has what you found out had an influence on you? 

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I understand the variety of career options available for musicians, and the multiple methods of achieving these jobs, whether it be through conservatoire education or experience.

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What did you think about the feedback you received from others? Include their reviews here.

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What did you think about the feedback you received from others? Include their reviews here.

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Rehearsals weren't efficient.

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Was there anything unexpected about what you saw/experienced?

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Was there anything unexpected about what you saw/experienced?

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A teacher was singing and dancing

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Ensemble members : Ask around my school and GCSE music classes. My school is very musical and there is a great breadth of instruments played. There will also be people willing to comment on the ensembles rehearsals and the final performance.

Rehearsal space: My school also owns numerous instruments which students can use. As part of this provision, there are three practice rooms with drums and piano(s) available.

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How will you share your review with other people, and how will you evidence this? (Eg photos, video, feedback from others)

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How will you share your review with other people, and how will you evidence this? (Eg photos, video, feedback from others)

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Good quality of performances form a range of musicals.

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What targets will you set to achieve throughout your challenge, and how will you show you are working towards them?

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What targets will you set to achieve throughout your challenge, and how will you show you are working towards them?

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Find 2-4 other like-minded ensemble members, who play instruments complementary to the saxophone and each other instruments.

Find a piece of music, recorded in a way everyone can understand (standard notation, tab etc) and wants to play.

Make any necessary adjustments to the above piece of music, and hear the new arrangement performed to ensure the changes are suitable and no mistakes were made.

Establish a rehearsal routine, most likely weekly sessions, that was agreed by all members of the ensemble.

Have an external person oversee one of out rehearsals and act upon their feedback.

Rehearse until the piece is perfect!

Perform our piece to the external person mentioned above, and obtain their response to our performance.

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What was the creative impact of the event?

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What was the creative impact of the event?

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How will you collect feedback about your arts challenge?

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How will you collect feedback about your arts challenge?

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Perform our piece to an audience, seeking their critical opinions.

Have an outsider observe rehearsals and comment on our quality of rehearsals, paying specific attention to our collaborative and communicative skills, and to my leadership.

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Did the event develop your knowledge and understanding of the art form(s) ?!

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Did the event develop your knowledge and understanding of the art form(s) ?!

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I witnessed how drama and music can be fused.

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Will you be extending an arts skill you already have? Or are you going to try something new?

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Will you be extending an arts skill you already have? Or are you going to try something new?

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As I am a part of a number of ensembles, I have some experience in collaborating with other musicians. I understand the need to listen to what others are playing, pay attention the the leader/conductor, and keep a steady tempo. However, I have never been involved in leading an ensemble, and will need to research effective rehearsal techniques, among other skills needed for an effective ensemble leader.

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To form an ensemble with other musicians, adapting a piece of music to suit the needs of the ensemble.

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Why have you chosen this as your arts challenge?

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Why have you chosen this as your arts challenge?

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I want to improve my collaboration skills (in a musical environment).

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What will the outcome of your challenge be? 

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What will the outcome of your challenge be? 

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My mastery in multiple musical skills will increase, including music theory, listening to other musicians and a sense of beat.