Announcements

News and events for junior harmonica players

Announcements 

Calling all Junior and Youth Harmonica Players

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Your chance to shine!

The UK’s International Harmonica Festival 2017 takes place 28th-29th October, in Bristol (UK). There are workshops and trade stands to enjoy, and on Saturday 28th October the annual music competition takes place, with dedicated sections for Junior players (7-11 yrs) and Youth players (12-15 yrs).

Some young players have already chosen their pieces and entered the competition online, but there is plenty of time for you to do the same, and you have all summer to practise! Simply choose a song you’ve enjoyed learning (one you could perform for two to three minutes), or something completely new, and the National Harmonica League (NHL) team will help you bring it all together. There are separate categories for chromatic and diatonic harmonicas, and sections for the different styles of music chosen.

The cost involved is one Under 18 day ticket and one Under 18 competition entry, which comes to £18.00 (GBP). Mum’s, Dad’s and immediate family can accompany competition entrants free of charge as chaperones and supporters. Full details and tickets are online at the National Harmonica League website here. Once you’ve bought your ticket, you can submit the details of your competition piece here.

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Little Leap Forward

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Little Leap ForwardA children’s harmonica classic

Here’s a wonderful, true story that features a boy called Little Leap Forward. He plays a special Chinese musical instrument called the Bawu. It looks just like a bamboo flute (sometimes it’s called a folk clarinet) but there’s a secret hidden in the mouthpiece. It has a single metal reed, which means the Bawu is actually related to the harmonica. With finger holes along the shaft, it plays like a harmonica and a flute all in one.

There are levels of interest in this story for all ages and you can watch the introductory video below; a Bawu is played on the soundtrack. For this and more books featuring the harmonica, visit our Reading Library pages. You’ll find them in our harmonica stories menu. Join us in the rest of this post, where you’ll find a video about Little Leap Forward and a traditional Chinese children’s tune for your harmonica, Zhao Peng You. (more…)

Announcements 

Meet Me On The Corner

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Hey Mr Dream Seller

If you’re a regular visitor to Toot Suite, you will probably remember our feature on Josh Cooper, the UK’s Player Of The Year in 2012. If you’re new to Toot Suite and missed it, you can catch up here.

Well Josh has been busy again this year. He took part in the UK National Harmonica League’s annual festival in Bristol once again, this time competing in two separate categories. And that’s not all… (more…)

Announcements 

UK Junior National Harmonica Champion 2011

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Josh Cooper from Sussex, UK

Congratulations to Josh Cooper (9 years) for participating in the UK’s annual National Harmonica League (NHL) Championships 2011, where he was awarded 1st Prize in the Junior Section!

Josh attends regular HarpsCool group sessions at his Primary School in Sussex and was coached by HarpsCool Sussex Director, Richard Taylor. Here’s video footage of his performance.. 

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Welcome to The Toot Suite

Richard

Where junior harmonica players make music

Toot Suite is the home of music, news and trivia for all children who enjoy learning the harmonica.

Toot Suite’s menus will guide you to loads of fun tunes, amazing facts and great ideas for building harmonica skills.

And as your playing develops, you’ll soon be ready to visit our specialist harmonica pages at the Harp Surgery. Let’s toot!