How wonderful to have returned to a more normal academic year with significantly less disruption than we experienced in 2020 and 2021.
HIGHLIGHTS
The highlight of this academic year was, without a doubt, our 100th Student Recital. To celebrate this milestone we hosted a marathon concert at Balham Baptist Church. After a sequence of Zoom concerts it was wonderful to see and hear our young performers - and their teachers - performing live once again.
We were thrilled by the breadth and diversity of the repertoire and experience on show. Louise and Matthew have been part of Encore Music for over 12 years and their performances were especially moving. Some performers were just beginning their musical journeys, whilst others are preparing to embark on exciting new chapters in their lives.
We know this was a very long concert and are grateful to all those who stayed to the end. We plan to return to a shorter, more intimate concert programme in 2022/23.
ACHIEVEMENTS
As always, I must congratulate all our students, their parents and their tutors for their ongoing commitment to music. This year, I am particularly proud of Rachel-Ann and Alex who have submitted their own compositions to the national "Compose Yourself" competition this month and we eagerly await the adjudicators' comments.
Fantasie, composed and performed by Rachel-Ann
Intuition, composed and performed by Alex
EXAM SUCCESS
All our students have grown musically this year and it's important to recognise that not all achievements can be measured by exam results. That said, the students who have completed exams do deserve a special mention:
Prep Test: Artie R, Freddie O, Mason Initial Grade: Catherine (Merit), Eleanor (Merit) Grade 1: Liam Grade 2: Eva Rose (Merit), Hamish, Max (Merit), Noah (Merit), Noemie Grade 3: Melis Grade 4: Jasmyn (Merit), Nicole, Sebastian H (Merit), William (Merit)
Grade 5: Ferdinand, Sebastian A (Distinction), Wilf (Merit) Grade 6: Adele (Merit), Quentin (Merit), Sammy Grade 8: Rachel-Ann (Merit) Theory G5: Angus (Merit), James, Jasper, Quentin (Merit), Sammy (Distinction), Sandy
We wish the very best of luck to our students taking exams this week:
Deniz (Initial), Freddie B (Grade 1), Filippa (Grade 2), Manon (Grade 2),
Amelie (Grade 3) and Milla (Grade 5)
Encore Music students have now completed more than 450 exams with ABRSM and we are immensely proud of our exam success rate which is a testament to their hard work, coupled with expert tuition.
OUR TEAM
Despite two cancelled Christmas dinners, we very much enjoyed our slightly unusual festive celebration in March 2022! Our team has been unchanged since 2019 and this year, Rob and Liesbeth celebrated 7 years with Encore Music.
However, post-pandemic life has offered many opportunities for reflection and re-evaluation and it was not unexpected that we might see some changes this year. Krystal is enjoying her new role as a full time teacher and accompanist in a secondary school and Tania has taken on new students closer to her home.
Gabriel joined the team in January which enabled us to provide continuity of learning for Krystal's and Tania's students. Gabriel has been an enthusiastic and insightful addition to the team and is proving popular with students and tutors alike.
Further changes are afoot; at the end of this term we will be sad to say goodbye to Raymond who has also secured a full time teaching position in a prestigious secondary school.
His students will be moving to lessons with Gabriel or Liz.
And as live music makes a return we wish Katie every success as she embarks on a year long tour of the UK, playing her vast array of instruments in the pit orchestra for the production of Bugsy Malone. We are thrilled that Katie will continue working with Encore Music, albeit on a slightly reduced timetable.
This week is the last of our academic year with our final lessons on Monday 18 July. Lessons resume on 5 September and our timetables for September have been updated here.
I'm sure that you will all want to join me in thanking the team of tutors at Encore Music and wishing everyone a peaceful and healthy summer.
Liz and the Encore Music team