Lesson Update

16.06.20 – Darrell Priestley

Hi everyone. We have all had some tough challenges, but it will pay us all long term to keep our heads and think things through carefully. This is exactly what we do here at the Northern Music Academy, and you should not be expecting any rash moves from us.

Some of our students have been asking when they can return to lessons in person. We are delighted, and we feel just the same way. However, caution is the byword, and although we believe that we are moving in that direction, we judge it still to be a little early.

However, because so much has changed, and as part of our ongoing risk management, we believe it will be necessary to rework the timetable when we reopen. We all want the lessons, it’s a way of life. So, while there may well be changes, we will find a way to make it work.

I will be the first to say that teaching online has many challenges compared with teaching live, and it can be much harder from the teacher’s point of view. However, even while the sound can so often be less than perfect, one thing it has done is to make us all use our ears very much more than usual, and I’ve noticed quite a few students have really benefited from this.

Really looking forward to seeing you again, but we will of course let you know when that is possible. Remember too, just visit this blog to stay up to date with any developments. In the meantime, take care out there!

Pontefract’s Grand Re-opening – The When and the How

09.06.20 – Darrell Priestley

Understandably, everyone is eager for a time when we can all do the little things we once took for granted; shopping without having to plan in queuing time, popping into a cafe for coffee with friends, not constantly having to watch your personal space. And not panicking if you find you’ve left your disposable gloves or hand sanitiser at home.

At Northern Music Academy HQ we are as keen to return as anyone else, but we believe hopes of a full return to normal are still a little premature. The sensible starting point would seem to be to follow government advice, as the government in turn ‘follow the science’, but since to date the government’s success in doing this has arguably been less than stellar, with quarantine finally arriving around 90 days after it would have been most useful, we will not be relying on this advice alone, however well intended.

Our local High Street has been an odd place of late, and maybe not one where you would want to spend time, but gradually that will change. The queuing we have seen has worked to a point, when a limited number of shops were open, but as an increasing number of shops and businesses open their doors again the queuing system will need to change, if individual queues are not to criss-cross and confuse.

Within our building in Ropergate, we are considering a range of changes to make this perhaps the safest place you can spend time in outside of your own home. That said, for reasons of social distancing, we will not be encouraging anyone to spend any unnecessary time here. Every aspect of behaviour has to be considered, from hygiene, to flow, to use of space. We know you will work with us to keep your visits safe, while feeling as natural and enjoyable as possible. Our aim is a reassuringly safe feel, but with a light touch.

Everything is up for consideration, from lesson times to restricted access, and from waiting times to payment methods. This is in addition to the more obvious hygiene measures you would expect. When we do judge that the time is right, we will welcome all our students back, but we will not rush that judgement. We first want to satisfy ourselves that the outbreak is properly under control, and that any risk to you is low. We believe also that it is not enough that you be safe; the stress levels we have all had to endure for months now mean that, for you to properly enjoy your visit, you also need to feel safe.

While Pontefract, Castleford and the surrounding towns are understandably itching to reopen, in practice that is likely to be a piecemeal process. The Northern Music Academy may not be the first to do so, but rest assured, when we do we will be ready for your return, and very glad indeed to see you.

Introducing Charlie the Scarecrow

05.06.20 – Jessica Laughton

I don’t know about you, but during lock down we have been finding all sorts of projects to keep us busy in our household. We’ve given old furniture a new lease of life by painting and up-cycling it and rearranged our garden to accommodate space for growing vegetables (we are now starting to enjoy the fruits of our labour). But perhaps the most fun of all projects we have had together was making a scarecrow called Charlie.

The idea came to me not long after lock down began.  We’ve been exceptionally lucky with the weather during the past weeks as we’ve been able to spend much of this time outside in the garden and I’ve found myself reminiscing on past summers including family holidays to France.

I remember whilst holidaying in France one particular Summer, we stayed in a beautiful old town and decided to venture off and explore the near by surroundings to the accommodation with an afternoon walk. It was so beautiful and peaceful. Surrounding the little town was mostly farmland and open fields and I remember walking down an old country road passing the odd house. Each house was unique with a beautiful garden of it’s own. One house must have belonged to an artist as they had decided to paint the most amazing life sized picture of an old car parked in the garage on the side of their outdoor building. Another house had a huge pond (a lake almost, as it had its own rowing boat) and sat at the lake was a scarecrow fishing. I don’t know why, but this memory of the holiday in particular has always stayed with me even though it happened so many years ago. Perhaps, it was because it was the first time I had ever seen something like this, or I found the story of the scarecrow falling asleep whilst fishing a little amusing. Or maybe, it was because I could imagine the fun the homeowners must have had thinking up the idea and making the scarecrow.

Now, my mum (Eileen) happens to be one of the most creative people I know and very often I look to her for inspiration. I was thrilled when she suggested making our own scarecrow once we got back home.  I knew with Mum’s help the scarecrow would be amazing and we’d have fun but I had no idea just how much fun we would have and that the fun would continue long afterwards.

We decided to boldly sit Charlie (our scarecrow) on a bench in the front garden.  The next day people passed the house, one or two had a quizzical look, but most people laughed and stopped to look more closely.  Enthused by their response we would occasionally wait until the evenings and change Charlie’s pose.  Some day’s he laid on the bench asleep and other days he read the paper.  Word must of travelled because before long people were bringing their families to see Charlie.   It wasn’t long after this that the village decided to hold their first scarecrow festival.  

It was whilst reminiscing about these times in lock down I decided I wanted us to have fun and laugh together as a family. We decided to make Charlie again. The children and my husband all got involved, we made everything from scratch (including the hat) and ran round frantically using whatever we had to hand to make the scarecrow. Once Charlie was finished we sat him at the front of the house and awaited the response. It became infectious and the neighbours loved it, getting on board and making their own scarecrows the next day. It has been wonderful seeing people laughing and enjoying making their own scarecrows.

Occasionally, Charlie changes position, he sleeps, plays the guitar and proudly holds a flag supporting the NHS on Thursdays. Today though, Charlie is climbing some ladders painting the front of our house. I’m not sure what he will be doing next, but I know we will have fun thinking it up.

Blackout Tuesday

02.06.20

In a move that echoes much of the music industry, today we acknowledge #blackouttuesday. In our lives, each of us can make a difference, by our attitudes and behaviour, and together that difference can be profound.

It’s the simplest thing, to acknowledge that everyone, across race and gender, is created equal, and should enjoy equal rights, equal opportunities and equal responsibilities.

We live in turbulent times, at a pivotal moment in history, and for the world. The choices we make today may have a lasting effect on our lives, and the lives of those to come.

It is not naive to say ‘we can make a better world’. Let’s begin today.

The ideal song to accompany this moment is ‘Shed a Little Light’ by James Taylor.