Happy Birthday

Happy being 3 Alfie.

I was 3 for ages because I loved it so much.

See you next weekend.

The cousins xxx

My awesome cello teacher and her new book

Let me tell you a story.

When I was three my toddler music group stopped and mum saw an advert for a lady who played the cello and made music with children.

When Mum rang the lady she said she didn't have any groups at the moment but I could
come and try the cello and sing songs with her anyway.

Mum and I decided to give it a go and I have been playing the cello with Kay ever since.

Kay's way of teaching meant I could read music before I could read words. The strings of my cello all have names beginning with the letter of the note - Alice, George etc. At the beginning the notes are also written as different shapes and then Kay slowly adds the lines.

To learn rhythm Kay teaches that a crotchet is a ta and a quaver is a tet-tay (sorry about the spelling Kay) and it helps you play the music the way it is written. I still use this way of understanding note lengths now when I play and at music theory at school.

I love football, Tottenham, chess and loads of other things but I am never going to stop learning with Kay. She is really nice and funny and has a dog called Barney who is really cute.

She has also made me really love the cello and music and has also made me really confident. I was Joseph in my school play of Joseph and I wasn't even scared to sing all the solos.

Anyway I am telling you my story because Kay has this new book out on teaching cello to children and I think you should all get it. She also has one on teaching violin too and their are more to come.

You can get them at Ackerman music shops or go to her website www.stringbabies.com .

If you go to her website you can also read more about Kay and the work she is doing to get all kids to love music from Hackney (where my mum, dad and sister lived and my aunt and cousins are) to Surrey which is in the country near London.

This is what I think and this is my story. So far.

It is birthday season again ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANNY!!!!!


We love you x

Off to cello day

Heading off for my day of cello playing in Billinghurst.

The rest of the family are going to lunch with Granny and Mum's God Mother Mary Ann. Except George who is going the Greas audition at the Hawth which I did last week.

Mum says the kind of people who do cello days are geeks and too cool for school kids. I think I am going to like them but I don't know which type of person I am. What do you think?

Chess Bros

Won Bob's tournament today. 15/15.

Cosi did really well too getting 10 out of 15. He drew 1, won 2 and lost 2 - his best performance yet.



PS we are kissing our silverware not eating it - in case of any confusion.

Evidence

OMG Michael Rosen Retweeted about our readathon on twitter. Everyone in our house loves him and we are really happy.

Thank you so much for sponsoring us everyone who has already. We will thank you properly.

Mum took these pictures of the books we read.

Me:
Favourite: I am still not a loser
2nd: The night Bus
3rd: You're thinking about tomatoes


Zill:
Favourites: Wonder and Kethup clouds
3rd: The Night Bus



Cos:
Favourite: Cup Final Kid
2nd: Invisible Vinny
3rd: The Sword in the Stone

Thank you for all the books ...

The readathon has finished and we have all read 7 books in 7 days and are very tired!

Thank you very much everyobe who has sponsored us. we are really grateful. And there is still time to donate if you want to but haven't had a chance yet.

https://www.justgiving.com/Zillyan-Rustom/

Here are the books we read:

COSMIC
Invisible Vinny - Jenny Nimmo
The tales of King Arthur - the Sword in the Stone by Karen Wallace and Neil Chapman
Fighting Dragons - Colin West
Old Tom at the Beach - Leigh Hobbs
Dogball - Pippa Goodhart & Sue Mason
Claude on holiday -Alex T Smith
Cup Final Kid - Martin Waddell
ZILLY
Them - Lee Weatherly
Black Bones - E E Richardson
The Night Bus - Anthony Horowitz
Claude on holiday -Alex T Smith
Wonder - R J Palacio
Clockwork - Philip Pullman
Ketchup Clouds - Annabel Pitcher
ZEVON
Claude on holiday - Alex T Smith
The Night Bus - Anthony Horowitz
Black Bones - E E Richardson
I am still not a Loser - Barry Loser (Jim Smith)
The Twits - Roald Dahl
Them - Lee Weatherly
You're thinking about tomatoes - Michael Rosen

Loafing around at the O2

In readathon news...

I have read these 4 books in 4 days so far (well almost - I am on day 4 and am reading 'I am still not a loser' now).

They are all from the library - I think they will be surprised when I return them so quickly and say I have read them all!

Haven't decided on my last 3 books yet. I will keep you posted Blog!

7 books in 7 days

Two years on and Zill and I are doing another readathon.

Still 7 books in 7 days but this time Cosmic is doing it too. We have a different charity too - this time we are raising money for Red Nose Day.

I know no one has much money at the moment BUT if you can spare any then you can sponsor us here. We would really like to raise at least 150 pounds for our charity and if we can get more than 230 then we will have made more than last time!

http://tinyurl.com/dxv3xzm

Thanks all! I will blog the list of books we are reading v soon.