Thursday, January 28, 2010

DS Music, Monmouth

DS Music in Monmouth is a very lively music store that also provides music lessons, has a thriving mail order business and a very enthusiastic and youthful staff. Here’s a picture of the shop, right in the middle of Monmouth’s delightful town centre:
DS Music

The store owner, Jon Petrie, hit on the rather inspired idea of having the workshop in the upstairs room of an excellent Indian restaurant, literally across the road from DS Music. The teachers who came to be entertained and enlightened by me were also fed some high-quality Indian food at the end of proceedings! Here’s a picture of Jon, a musician himself:
Jon Petrie

I did the American Popular Piano and Microjazz demonstrations in one uninterrupted presentation – the promise (and smell) of the food meant that there was a certain pressure not to go over time! A number of teachers came up to play duets with me and also to have a go at improvising and I felt there was a very good understanding from the people there of what I was trying to do. DS Music had a comprehensive selection of music on display and there was lots of interest in the books in evidence at the end, despite the lure of the chicken korma.

I hope to get back to Monmouth again before too long, to perhaps work in some other local schools as well as with local teachers.

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