While I’ve been working on this edition I’ve been thinking about my musical experiences. I’ve always loved watching orchestras playing
and when I was a child, I thought that I would like to play the triangle or the piccolo!
I started learning the piano when I was six years old. One of the first pieces I learnt to play was Good King Wenceslas. My first piano teacher would organise termly concerts at her house where I played the keyboard alongside other children that she taught. This was a really good experience because although it felt scary at first, it was fun to play music as a group! While I was a Brownie, our pack all worked for our Entertainer badge. For the main event we put on a special evening of music and drama for our families and I had to play the piano. I remember feeling quite frustrated as the piano in the school hall was much stiffer to play than ours at home and I was a bit disappointed in how my piece went. However nobody else seemed to notice and I got a big clap and was awarded my badge!
From the age of 9 I started having my weekly lesson at school with quite a strict teacher who used to make me play lots of complicated
scales and made sure I practised every day – and she could always tell if I hadn’t! I think it did help me though as I got better at the piano and I was able to play properly with both hands. I liked playing Disney songs, especially the Bare Necessities and Can You Feel the Love Tonight. My best achievement was learning how to play Walking in the Air from The Snowman when I was 11!
When I moved to secondary school I started having my piano lessons on Saturdays with my sister’s teacher. We would go alternate weeks and I didn’t have to do so much practice which was good as my homework was taking up more of my time. As I got older I found it much harder to move my fingers on my left hand as it started to get stiffer, so the teacher invented a pad attached to a pencil so I could press the notes while still playing normally with my right hand. When it became too difficult for me to sit in my wheelchair without my tray, I took along my mini keyboard and played that instead.
Music was a big part of life at my junior and senior schools with all girls either playing an instrument or singing. We did lots of concerts
and plays and at the end of Year 6 we did a musical show called The Evacuees. I played one of the newsreaders (narrators) but had to learn all the songs too. It was really exciting to be in a show and everybody had a wonderful time working and rehearsing together.
I always enjoyed singing but I didn’t get into the junior school choir. In year 8, any girls not in the orchestra automatically had to do choir so I was very happy about that!
When my family moved to Sidlesham I was nearly 15 so I started to be much busier with studying and working hard for exams and
then my degree, so I slightly lost touch with my music (although Boyzone, Westlife and S Club 7 helped with my revision!). I was
very pleased when I saw a notice in the staff room at the school I work in, announcing a community choir for staff, parents and friends!
I’ve now been going every week for 3 years and it is a really fun part of my week.
I would encourage all children to take part in music, whatever your ability. This edition has shown me the incredible things that can be
achieved by even those who can’t move very much. At a recent respiratory clinic I had my best results for a few years and the consultant said that singing is a great way to keep healthy! I would still like to play the triangle one day!
Lizzie Baily 2014
and when I was a child, I thought that I would like to play the triangle or the piccolo!
I started learning the piano when I was six years old. One of the first pieces I learnt to play was Good King Wenceslas. My first piano teacher would organise termly concerts at her house where I played the keyboard alongside other children that she taught. This was a really good experience because although it felt scary at first, it was fun to play music as a group! While I was a Brownie, our pack all worked for our Entertainer badge. For the main event we put on a special evening of music and drama for our families and I had to play the piano. I remember feeling quite frustrated as the piano in the school hall was much stiffer to play than ours at home and I was a bit disappointed in how my piece went. However nobody else seemed to notice and I got a big clap and was awarded my badge!
From the age of 9 I started having my weekly lesson at school with quite a strict teacher who used to make me play lots of complicated
scales and made sure I practised every day – and she could always tell if I hadn’t! I think it did help me though as I got better at the piano and I was able to play properly with both hands. I liked playing Disney songs, especially the Bare Necessities and Can You Feel the Love Tonight. My best achievement was learning how to play Walking in the Air from The Snowman when I was 11!
When I moved to secondary school I started having my piano lessons on Saturdays with my sister’s teacher. We would go alternate weeks and I didn’t have to do so much practice which was good as my homework was taking up more of my time. As I got older I found it much harder to move my fingers on my left hand as it started to get stiffer, so the teacher invented a pad attached to a pencil so I could press the notes while still playing normally with my right hand. When it became too difficult for me to sit in my wheelchair without my tray, I took along my mini keyboard and played that instead.
Music was a big part of life at my junior and senior schools with all girls either playing an instrument or singing. We did lots of concerts
and plays and at the end of Year 6 we did a musical show called The Evacuees. I played one of the newsreaders (narrators) but had to learn all the songs too. It was really exciting to be in a show and everybody had a wonderful time working and rehearsing together.
I always enjoyed singing but I didn’t get into the junior school choir. In year 8, any girls not in the orchestra automatically had to do choir so I was very happy about that!
When my family moved to Sidlesham I was nearly 15 so I started to be much busier with studying and working hard for exams and
then my degree, so I slightly lost touch with my music (although Boyzone, Westlife and S Club 7 helped with my revision!). I was
very pleased when I saw a notice in the staff room at the school I work in, announcing a community choir for staff, parents and friends!
I’ve now been going every week for 3 years and it is a really fun part of my week.
I would encourage all children to take part in music, whatever your ability. This edition has shown me the incredible things that can be
achieved by even those who can’t move very much. At a recent respiratory clinic I had my best results for a few years and the consultant said that singing is a great way to keep healthy! I would still like to play the triangle one day!
Lizzie Baily 2014
