“Alman” Worksheet

 Date for Entry: (Sunday 14 June 2018)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Saturday 13th August 2022)

Dear Diary,

    After lunch, I was expecting a visitor at home number two in Curepe. His name was Joshua and he had passed for Hillview in this SEA period that just went. He was accompanied by his mom and aunty Zida brought them for the evening. These were our first acquaintances.

    The visit today was for me to assist/tutor Joshua with a recorder piece called “Alman”. He showed me the piece that Ms. Saunders gave the class. I remembered having to prepare and learn this for marks in my Form One time at Hillview.

    Before our lesson and practice began, I took a blank sheet of paper and rewrote the same piece from his notebook into the image above. I only had a green and a black marker at the time. I showed Joshua the page and told him that the letters will mimic crotchets, minims, and whichever note symbols were needed for the rhythms.

    I was comfortable enough to watch the same sheet on the table and read it upside down. I played the piece from my own recorder that I walked with for the session. I gave him two trials on his own but asked him to pause after the first playing before trying again. I had to see if there was difficulty with the music or to see where I could give suggestions on breathing. In the image, you will see where the use of commas (or ‘breath pause’ like makings) to indicate how and where to inhale.

    We tried the same piece twice again and that was the end of the lesson. I also gave Joshua photocopies of some notes with music theory and from the Recorder Book 1 that I had in case he might need it later. That was the orange book. We had a good chat about his first experiences with Hillview and some of the teachers over some good ice cream. One last play of “Alman” was requested by everyone before leaving. We did play the piece on our recorders together.

[UPDATE]

    Some weeks had gone by until I was given the news that Joshua’s mom passed down from Zida that Joshua did the “Alman” piece in class. He said that the class clapped for him but he only made a mistake and stopped to breathe. I was very happy for him.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

Animal Farm's Anthem

 Date for Entry: (Wednesday 6th June 2018)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Wednesday 26th January 2022)

Dear Diary,

    During my vacation time, I got the idea to visit the “Animal Farm” novel from Form Two. I did not read most of it at all but what I do remember the strongest apart from the animals was the anthem that the character sang. I recall Mrs. Mahase asking for some of us to create a melody just to see what we might come up with. Since I had finished the Fundamentals of Pan Arranging course, I decided to get the words from the internet and come up with a melody first.

    It was easy coming up with chords to use for the other background instruments. Only when it was finished did I have a confident feeling about it. It sounded as if it was workable to the task that Miss asked us to do long ago. Since I created this version, I did not get to share it with the literature teachers at school. I know they may not be able to guide me in the music aspect but I wonder what comments may come from the literature part.

Link(s):

1. Description document. ** [Document Lost.]
2. Score for Anthem. ** [Document Lost.]
3. Recording.

Daryl Zion M. Ali

Renelle-Lee Portrait

Date for Entry: (Friday 1st June 2018)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Saturday 13th August 2022)

Dear Diary,

    It’s amazing how after one person asks me to do their portrait and another sees the finished outcome, they immediately ask me to draw them. This time an acquaintance and possible friend named Renelle-Lee from my Intermediate Ensemble class from DCFA saw the portrait of Josiah and asked me to draw her portrait.

    I accepted the challenge when she asked me but had a great fear of the type of ‘curse’ that my portraits possess with me losing friends. This time around, I got to ask the person what their favorite shape and she said hearts.

    This is the reason for the background. Just like Josiah’s portrait, I did not paint the face. Everything around was placed in colour. The clothing again was my own creativity. She seemed to enjoy the painting. I hope we are still friends.

 

Link(s):

• Black & White Version – Picture.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali