Services for Musicians

FOR ATTENTION: Music Staff
DUVAL 23 Keys Piano Course

A brand new beginners' piano course, specially geared towards developing fluent and accurate sight-reading, which was released after four years of development and successful trials at Bishops Preparatory School in Cape Town, has now proved itself.

In the past year, 16 of our pupils using this course, against those who had not used it, successfully passed the Sight-reading and Aural requirements for the 2009 ABRSM Grade 1 Piano Examinations. In 95% of these cases, the results for these requirements far exceeded expectations. All of these pupils passed the overall examination well.

The USA Edition, using American music terminology, was released on Amazon in February 2009 and the International version has also just been released.

The UK Edition, using British music terminology, is now available in South Africa as a direct download on www.23keys.com.

DUVAL 23 Keys: Read and Play Piano Music Right From the Start is a completely new concept in piano pedagogy that combines learning to sight-read music with learning to play the piano, through an integrated approach that covers ear-training, theory, ensemble playing and much more.

Every piano teacher is acutely aware of the common problem of having pupils who have difficulty sight-reading. This is reflected in the slow pace at which pupils learn new pieces, and is clearly apparent in the poor results in this area of piano examinations throughout the world. Why are these pupils just not "getting it"?

Dulcie Brandon-Kirby and Valda Führ, two Cape Town graduate musicians with many years of combined piano teaching experience, studied beginner piano methods, sight-reading tutors, cognitive development theories and academic research material, as well as the valuable opinions of colleagues, to find out why sight-reading has remained such a problem for so long.

Teaming up as DUVAL, their findings showed that the majority of pupils failed on a fundamental level to develop adequate skills in note-learning, accurate rhythmical counting and pattern recognition - all critical to the development of sight-reading proficiency.

Such drastic deficiencies clearly called for a new approach, one that would create a platform for developing the sight-reading skills of all piano pupils, regardless of natural talent.

The challenge was tackled head-on by exploring the note-learning process in depth. Through experimenting with creative and effective ways of introducing and reinforcing the basic concepts needed to build secure sight-reading skills, an integrated approach was devised and developed by DUVAL.

This innovative approach is a radical departure from existing methods and requires a very different method of presentation. Step-by-step instructions and clear explanations enable teachers to guide beginner piano pupils logically through the progressive course material. Piano teachers open to, and seeking, a new approach, will appreciate the immediacy and accessibility of this original and effective format.

23 Keys consists of four carefully graded course books incorporating 23 Levels, through which pupils are able to move at their own pace.

Each book, accompanied by the unique Let's Practise! audio tutor and practising companion, covers all aspects of learning to read, play and write piano music, while simultaneously promoting aural and ensemble skills. In addition to pupils developing effective practising habits and music literacy, a solid foundation is laid for initial piano and theory examinations.

No one area is neglected at the expense of an all-round music education. At each of the 23 Levels, sight-reading, theory and ear training are fully integrated with a variety of revolutionary note-learning devices, technical exercises and pieces to be memorised for performance.

This new integrated approach is a dream come true for piano teachers. Pupils no longer need separate books for sight-reading, theory, note-learning, technical exercises, pieces and aural in order to learn the basics of piano playing.

Throughout the four books, each note on the page is seen and experienced as a sight-reading opportunity, and each new concept is introduced in Ear Training as "the sound before the sign".

23 Keys is extremely flexible in its approach in that it provides ample accommodation for the individual piano tutoring styles of teachers. Not only does it serve as a comprehensive stand-alone method, but it may also be used as a supplement to existing methods, or as a "back-to-basics" sight-reading and ear training tutor for more advanced pupils of any instrument.

Visit www.23keys.com to find out more about this exciting new course, and to download your copy of 23 Keys Book 1: Beginnings (UK Edition) together with the complementary Let's Practise! audio files, at the special price of R125.00.

Contact Dulcie and Valda at duval@23keys.com for further enquiries.

Posted 19th January 2010

GET ME TO THE CHURCH ON TIME - Music for Wedding Receptions

Classical, Light Classical, Jazz or Popular instrumental music on Solo Piano or Piano with violin, cello, flute or vocals, whatever your requirements.

CONTACT: RIA on 082 785 9587 / riapretorius@gmail.com

Contact: Gavin Taitz
082 740 7388

RockSchool Grade 1 in electric guitar (book and CD), new syllabus. R30.

I'm based in Cape Town, contact me on 072 538 8844.

I compose & write my own music and am looking for musicians(singers/vocalists) who would like to use them (for new songs on a CD etc.)

Hope there are some interested people out there??

Mostly English (pop music, ballads & rock). But also Afrikaans songs (pop & rock).

Please contact Ina Smith 084 607 5392

Can prepare students for external Aural examinations.

Please contact Shelley on 082 5664569 or shell@wdsl.co.za

Preferably in the Southern areas of Cape Town.
If interested please contact Adele at 0824504982

I am currently head of piano at St John’s College, Johannesburg and have been an accompanist since 1986. I passed my accompaniment licentiate cum laude under the guidance of Prof Joseph Stanford and have excellent sight reading ability. I am also currently busy with my masters in ensemble playing under the guidance of Ms. Pauline Nossel and Mr. Malcolm Nay.

Trinity / Guildhall (look under “accompanist and page turners”) syllabuses may include the use of pre-recorded accompaniments up to Grade 3. I can offer services in recording the accompaniments according to the students’ needs (tempo, articulation, interpretation etc).

I am also in a position to record the accompaniments of higher level repertoire for practising purposes.

Contact detail: 0823461482 Ilse Myburgh or iburgh@yahoo.com