As exams loom it’s inevitable that we will feel nervous. We might look about us for a magical cure to deal with these nerves and help us to do our best. Although I have a bottle of Fairy Dust and a very special bottle of Mozart Mojo it’s unlikely that such things will be of any real value. The surest way to success is through consistent, regular application. Whether it’s your ABRSM music theory exam or your your practical (piano) exam I’ve lots of tips to help you and a wealth of resource to guide you every step of the way.

Mendelssohn’s “Elijah’ in a day! Nantwich Choral Society’s ‘Come and Sing’ event brought some interesting revelations and the fun began before we’d even sung a note, including stories of choristers being paid in sprouts and choirs singing in their wedding dresses! It was a tiring day (it’s a long Oratorio, with 42 movements) but it was so great to meet choristers from far and wide and I learned so many interesting tidbits about the work and the composer. What better way to spend a Saturday than meeting lots of lovely people and singing marvellous Mendelssohn?

For He shall give His angels charge over thee

Blessed are the men who fear Him

Cast thy burden upon the Lord

Thanks be to God

Lift thine eyes

He watching over Israel

And then shall your light break forth

Good posture is important in general, but is vital when spending time practising an instrument whether it’s singing, playing piano or playing a wind instrument. Whatever you play, bad posture can be detrimental to both your health and your musical performance. It can also play an important psychological role to your mental attitude when you practice. However, a few simple steps can set everything straight and give us a solid foundation for when we spend time at our instrument.

Very few of us have unlimited time to spend practicing. We need to be mindful of how we spend our time at our instrument and time management is vital in making sure we make the best progress we can in what time we have available. Deciding what we want to achieve when we play is so important. Whether it’s playing for pleasure or getting down to hard work, we need to be aware of our goals before we play - that way we won’t be disappointed with the end result.