Bernies MusiClub

Welcome to… Edition Number 41 Autumn 2009

Quarterly Newsletter

Our missionOur missionOur missionOur missionOur missionis to bring happiness,

wellness and

celebration to the

community through

active keyboard music.

In This Issue...

* The Latest Dateline

* Team of Pianists’ News

* Brunswick Beethoven

Festival

* Schimmel on Stage

* New Roland Ateliers

* Bernstein News

* Johannus Classic Organ

Scholarships

* Bernies Music Land

Awards for Monash

University Students

* Monash University

Lunchtime Concerts

* Hammond News &

Hammond Player DVDs

* Casio 2009 Models

* NAMM Trade Show

* What’s New -

Education Special

* Photo Page - Xmas

Concerts 2008

* The Bear Page

* Travel Tips (of course!)

and much more...

Contributors:Professor Max Cooke

OAM, Darryl Coote,

Craig Douglass, Bernie C,

Michelle C.

Editor / Compiler:

Michelle Capicchiano

Printing:Minuteman, Heathmont

Bernie Capicchiano.

Family Business Since 1977. Piano - Organ - Keyboard Specialists.381 Canterbury Road, Ringwood Vic 3134 Australia

Phone (03) 9872 5122 Fax (03) 9872 5127 www.musicland.com.au

Hi Musiclubbers,

Before I introduce other details of this edition, I would like to pass on our

deepest sympathy to those who lost family and loved ones in the Victorian

Bushfires. The stories are very sad and to think it was so close to us is

frightening. Please contact us if you know anyone that we may be able to assist

musically. Those of you who come to Tony Fenelon’s masterclass and evening in

May will be able to hear his amazing story of how the fire swept through his

property. Fortunately, he was able to save his house and all the music data and

equipment in it. As we would expect, Tony was incredibly well prepared and had

exceptional equipment and fire preparation in his house design. Neighbours close

by were not so prepared and lost everything. Two doors away, two people lost

their lives. There are a number of fundraiser music events, so please keep a close

watch on the Dateline to see if you can attend.

In this edition, we celebrate MusiClub’s 10th birthday with a special

surround cover. Autumn is a great time of year to review our music equipment

whilst refreshing back out of holiday mode and into learning mode. There are

some exciting new products to tell you about. Plus, this year, we are dramatically

expanding our education programs for adults and music teachers. Already in

February, we introduced individual workshops with the Hammond master, Tim

Neal. They were a hit and sessions were booked out. For people who have

always wanted to play the piano, we have added extra times and teachers to the

Adult Piano Introductory Course so you can come and join us.

Autumn is the start of performance season with the Team of Pianists at

various historic venues; at Barwon Park in March and at Rippon Lea in April.

Please let us know if you need extra copies of the Team of Pianists brochures to

pass on to friends. The Team provides amazing encouragement and support to

young Australian musicians and your support is greatly appreciated. The Teacher

Seminars start with Darryl Coote at Musicland on March 4 and, this year, the

Bernstein Masterclass and Piano Competition series looks to be bigger than ever.

Please come and be involved in these wonderful activities.

The in-store line-up for autumn is also extensive. As well as the Players

Night in March, we look forward to having Robert Barbarossa on Hammond

organ. In April, don’t miss the Classic Organ Workshops with Craig Douglass and

Rhyse Arvidson. Then in May, come and hear Mr. Keyboard Magic himself, Tony

Fenelon, on the new Roland Atelier organs. That’s right! We are not going to let

heat, fires or financial crisis stop us helping you make and enjoy fantastic music!

You might have heard me say, “Save money! Stay home and play music!”

A special thanks to all those who have contributed to this edition; The

Team of Pianists and Craig Douglass. Without our great contributors and

Michelle’s amazing effort, MusiClub would not happen. Please let us know if

there is anything that you would like to see included or not included (oh no, not

the travel tips!) in future newsletters. We welcome articles too. In the meantime,

have a wonderful musical autumn and enjoy the programs and instruments we

have for you. Please grab a cuppa and have fun reading this newsletter.

The Team Of PianistsArtists in Residence for the National Trust at Glenfern Estate

The Team of Pianists is dedicated to the promotion and

preservation of Classic music, not just for the sake of the art of

music, but for its importance to humanity. The European tradi-

tions of music, particularly chamber music and solo piano music,

belong in the kinds of venues that the National Trust preserves

and maintains. It is equally appropriate, for these presentations in

high-class venues, that the Team is able to perform on Schimmel

and Bernstein pianos, provided by Bernies Music Land.

The Team of Pianists is a partnership that is housed at

Glenfern in East St Kilda, as Artists-in-Residence for the Na-

tional Trust. For sixteen years, the Team has been giving con-

certs during the winter, Twilight Chamber Music at Rippon

Lea, and in the summer in various historic homes in Melbourne

and nearby. This summer series is called Classic Music in Historic Venues. This year, the season

commenced with a concert at Glenfern, which was fully booked-out before the event. Bernies Music Land

has provided quality instruments over the entire sixteen years of our concert collaborations.

There is a concert on March 15, at Barwon Park in Winchelsea. This is one of the wonderfully

preserved National Trust mansion homes. The volunteers provide a delightful afternoon tea after the concert.

Max Cooke, the Director of the Team, will be playing with Darryl Coote. They will play an arrangement for

four hands at one piano of the Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikowsky. A brilliant guest violinist, Miwako Abe, will

also perform.

The third concert will be in the delightful Pioneer Chapel at Poowong in Gippsland. This particular

venue is so small (and thus intimate for the audience) that the concert must be performed three times -

Saturday March 21 at 2.00pm and again at 7.00pm, and then on Sunday March 22 at 2.00pm. Robert

Chamberlain will be presenting this programme with violinist Sonia Baldock.

The next concert in this series is at the South Melbourne Town Hall on Friday July 24, in conjunction

with the Victorian College of the Arts. The final concert of this series is at the Eastbank Centre in Shepparton

on Saturday September 12.

The series Twilight Chamber Music at Rippon Lea will comprise six concerts, one each month,

commencing on Sunday April 19. These are considered as the Team’s prestige concerts and a loyal group of

enthusiasts subscribe and greatly enjoy hearing chamber music in the elegant surroundings of the ballroom.

This is chamber music as it was intended to be heard. The National Trust, the Team of Pianists and Bernies

Music Land work together to enliven our cultural traditions.

Audiences are attracted not only by the venues, but also because some new and challenging music is

introduced alongside the more traditional works which they recognise and love. The Team also selects some

very talented emerging artists to perform alongside the core group of professional musicians.

For concert ticket bookings or more information about the Team of Pianists, please download our

concert brochure with booking form at our website: www.teamofpianists.com.au, or email us

info@teamofpianists.com.au, or telephone us on 9527 2851.

In addition to our concert presentations, the Team takes pleasure in presenting Teachers Seminars at

Bernies Music Land in Ringwood. Darryl Coote will present on Extra-Musical Challenges in the Teaching

Studio on Wednesday March 4, 10.00am to 12noon. Prof. Max Cooke will present on Pedalling Technique

and Teaching Timing on Wednesday June 3, 10.00am to 12noon. To enrol for your attendance, contact

Michelle Capicchiano at Bernies Music Land on telephone 9872 5122.

In the Bernstein Piano Competition, Bernies Music Land, and other Bernstein piano dealers around

Australia, provide valuable performance opportunities for young pianists. The Team partners will present some

of these Masterclasses (with others) to be presented by guest lecturers. Dates are: Wednesday July 8 (during

the school holidays), Saturday July 25, Saturday August 1, Saturday August 29 and Saturday September 5. For

an entry form or more details, contact Michelle Capicchiano at Bernies Music Land on telephone 9872 5122.

Best wishes to you all for spectacular enjoyment in music for 2009, from all of us in the Team of

Pianists! Text provided by Max Cooke and Darryl Coote.

Brunswick Beethoven Festival In October 2008, I attended a meeting to

discuss the Moreland Classic Music Festival,

which had taken place earlier that year. The

Artistic Director, Mr. Sergio De Pieri, said he

would like to introduce Beethoven into the title of a

forthcoming Festival and, in fact, base the whole

Festival on Beethoven’s compositions.

The title, “Brunswick Beethoven Festival”

was proposed and my job was to check with the

people ‘in the know’ if the name could be used.

The answer was, ‘yes’ and the committee happily

started planning the Festival.

All sorts of problems occurred regarding

the publicity, format and general coordination of

the Festival and the two Moreland City Councilors

at the October meeting were not re-elected in November. However, with the hard work of Sergio, Mark

Higginbottom, Judy Armstrong, Valerie Krips, and our Michelle, programs were established.

I am writing this article at the Inaugural Opening Concert at the Brunswick Town Hall. This building’s

décor really lends itself to Beethoven’s music. In his introduction, Michael Kieran-Harvey mentioned a famous

Count of Brunswick who was renowned for his support of the Arts and was alive at the time of Beethoven. Many

places around the world are this Count’s namesake and he was reputed to have known Beethoven and his music.

Michael also mentioned Braunschweig (Brunswick) in Germany as a significant historical manufacturing

town. He did not realise that the wonderful Schimmel 256 grand piano that he performed so admirably on, was

also made in Braunschweig!

The program for this inaugural performance was an excellent selection, demonstrating the great musical

contrasts used by Beethoven to entertain and shock his audiences. Peter Philips from radio 3MBS, was there to

record the concert and hopefully it will be used in future broadcasts.

Pieces included; Six Bagatelles opus 126, Sonata opus 57 “Appassionata” and Sonata for Violin

and Piano opus 30 number 2 in c minor. For the Sonata, Michael was joined by famous violinist, Miwako Abe.

The acoustic reactions of the hall were fantastic and the piano really came alive with character.

I hope many MusiClub members were able to attend the range of featured concerts during the 10-day

Festival. Actually, I just remembered my Mum spent many years of her childhood in Brunswick, close to this

lovely hall. Let’s also hope the Festival will grow more each year! Bernie C.

The popular series of Bernstein Masterclasses will commence in June. This is the eleventh year of the

Bernstein Masterclass and Competition series.

Bernstein Masterclasses are a great performance and

learning experience for young pianists. Students up to 16 years of

age can participate and receive valuable feedback from the

professional teachers, including the Team of Pianists. Dates for

Masterclasses this year are:

Wednesday July 8 (during the School Holidays)

Saturday July 25 Saturday August 1

Saturday August 29 Saturday September 5

Enrolments are now open and audience members are

welcome at all sessions. Please phone (03) 9872 5122 for more

information. Michelle C.

BERNSTEIN MASTERCLASS MASTERCLASS MASTERCLASS MASTERCLASS MASTERCLASS 2009

On StageOn StageOn StageOn StageOn StageWe are so proud to represent Schimmel pianos for Victoria. It is quite an experience to

deal with a company who is in its fourth generation of family management and produces such fine instruments.

This year, Schimmel pianos will be featured in a large range of performances. This began with the Brunswick

Beethoven Festival that took place from February 6 to 15. Bernies Music Land was pleased to be a major sponsor of

this inaugural Festival and to work closely with Musical Director, Mr. Sergio de Pieri and the Festival committee to

promote the events. We supplied the Schimmel K 256 concert grand piano for the Brunswick Town Hall and it was

used for many of the nine concerts. Sergio and the committee were delighted to have the use of such a dynamic

piano for their world-class performers.

The acclaimed Team of Pianists chooses to play on Schimmel pianos wherever possible. Their Classic Music

in Historic Venues and Twilight Chamber Music at Rippon Lea series offer some exceptional performances and I

hope you can attend some of these concerts. Please see the Dateline for details or collect a brochure at Bernies Music

Land today.

Schimmel pianos will also be featured as the instrument of choice of the Australian International Opera Award

(AIOA) – who provides the largest scholarship in Australia for a young opera singer to study at the renowned Cardiff

Academy of Voice in Wales, for 10 months. Young opera singers face a long and hard road to the top and the

generous board and sponsors of AIOA work hard each year to catapult one Australian singer to the world stage.

Bernies Music Land is pleased to be a sponsor of AIOA and to provide magnificent Schimmel pianos for their

fundraising events. For more information, please see the website www.aioa.org.au.

To hear Schimmel pianos regularly (and free at that!), why not tune in to radio 3MBS (FM 103.5). Housed in

the spectacular, high-tech studios in Abbotsford is a Schimmel 189 grand piano, courtesy of Bernies Music Land.

This brilliant piano is used regularly for live-to-air broadcasts and for recordings. The Schimmel sounds quite

exceptional in broadcasts and even more so on CD.

Speaking of CDs… people have been asking when the “Duelling Schimmels” CD with Simon Tedeschi and

Kevin Hunt will be ready. Well, the good news is that permission has been granted by AMSCO and the CD is in print

as we speak! This means that the CDs are due in the store at the end of March. To those patient people who have

waited, it will certainly be worthwhile and your copy will be posted as soon as they are available. The CD was

recorded at the 3MBS studios in July 2008 with two Schimmel Konzert series grand pianos; the 189 and the 169. It is

a world first and will be featured in the Schimmel Artist Collection and distributed worldwide by Schimmel in

Germany.

In Australia, we are proud to have produced two CDs that have been selected for the Schimmel Artist

Collection; Australia’s renowned Team of Pianists presenting the new Schimmel Concert Grand Piano K 256 and

Matthew Kam introduces the new Schimmel K 230. When I spoke to Schimmel’s International Marketing Manager,

Mr. Lothar Kiesche, at the recent trade show in Los Angeles he commented that the Australian CDs have been

received with great enthusiasm. He said particularly in America the CDs have added a prestige and great sense of

ownership to the Schimmel dealers and their customers.

You don’t, however, have to be a professional pianist to have the opportunity to play on a Schimmel piano.

We are very pleased to offer a Schimmel Konzert series grand piano for people to play at the Players Nights and for

our Bernies Music School students to play at their Winter and Christmas Concerts. It is a wonderful experience to

play in front of an audience, especially on such a lovely piano. We also welcome people coming and spending some

time playing the range of Schimmel pianos during the store – they are here to be played! The models now on display

include grand pianos K 256, K 213 and K 169 and upright piano models V 115, C 120, C 124 and K 130. Alternatively,

if you would like a new Schimmel Pianos catalogue, please phone me on (03) 9872 5122. Michelle C.

Schimmel

duets:

(left) Simon

Tedeschi &

Kevin Hunt

(right)

teacher,

Dawn with

student,

Laura

News

What do you do if you’re at home and you feel like playing Hammond along with an awesome band? Or you

just got a Hammond keyboard and want to learn to improvise and play it even better? Get a Hammond Player DVD!

This awesome DVD (RR $89.95) combines an extensive Hammond-playing tutorial with the great experience

of playing along with a band. How it works is, in five different musical styles, you firstly hear the Hammond part

then it is removed so you can play along and improvise. The popular styles include jazz, swing and latin.

Whether you’re starting out on Hammond or maybe looking for new ideas, why not grab a Hammond player

DVD and have hours and hours of fun! Try it at Bernies today or mail-order your copy by phoning (03) 9872 5122.

Hammond Player DVD Now Here!

Finally, the Hammond XK-3c keyboard is now

in plentiful supply! This outstanding keyboard has been

so popular since its worldwide release in 2008, that

stocks were very limited before Christmas. Now, we

are pleased to have great stock of these keyboards, plus

the lower manuals, matching stands, pedals and stools.

Phew!

To celebrate, one of Australia’s hottest Hammond

players, Tim Neal, gave an awesome run-through on

the XK-3c here at Bernies on Thursday February 19.

Along with brilliant drummer, Mike Jordan, Tim

stepped us through the unbelievable sounds of this

Hammond miniature-beast.

The relationship between Tim Neal and Bernies

Music Land goes back almost 20 years to when Bernie

sold Tim his first Hammond digital XB-3 organ. Now,

Tim is the proud owner of a Hammond XK-3c keyboard and is building it into the full XK-System. He just can’t

stop raving about it! The audience was thrilled to hear how easy his life is now that he doesn’t lug around an older

cabinet-style Hammond organ. Tim said upstairs gigs are now a breeze, not an episode that involves four guys to lift

and a host of health-and-safety issues!

After Tim’s Thursday night workshop, he returned on Friday to give one-on-one Hammond lessons here at

the store. The six Hammond players who participated in these lessons ranged from someone who had bought his

first Hammond only the week before, to players who had lived and breathed Hammond for many years. No matter

what level of skill, each of the participants had an absolute ball at their Hammond lesson.

A huge thanks to Tim for his love and enthusiasm for Hammond and for his wonderful support of Bernies

Music Land. We look forward to having him in the store again later this year!

In January, I was ecstatic to travel to the NAMM trade show in Los Angeles with Bernie. One of my first

stops was to say hello to the awesome team from Hammond USA. After many enthusiastic hugs and salutations, the

USA team were excited to tell us how successful the Hammond XK-3c and XK-System have been. Over there,

Hammond has been strongly focusing on the stage market and also on getting younger people and beginners into

Hammond by promoting the smaller XK-1 keyboard. Hammond really is alive and well!

So, what else new in Hammond world? The answer is two-fold. Firstly, the current Hammond line-up is so

darn good that there isn’t a need to bring in something new. Secondly, yes, Hammond has tweaked two models in

their range and, this year, is introducing the B-3 mark2 organ and the Leslie 2101 mark2 rotary speaker.

The Hammond B-3 mark 2 features a new sound engine that now matches the sound curve of the original

B-3. It features Hammond’s most authentic Leslie simulator and an upgraded Chorus/Vibrato to model the electro-

mechanical scanner found on the vintage B-3. The differences are subtle, but the true Hammond enthusiast will be

very pleased.

The Leslie 2101 mark 2 gives you all the features and convenience of its predecessor, along with a newly

designed vacuum tube preamp and overdrive section and an updated, improved, Leslie simulator.

These new updated models will arrive in Australia around the time of AMAC (the Australian Music

Association Convention) in August. We look forward to inviting you to come and experience them! Michelle C.

GRABit Now!

BERNSTEIN® NewsAs Bernstein Pianos continue to grow in

popularity each year, it was exciting to hear that the

Bernstein Hailun factory will, again, double in size in the near future.

This was not the only exciting news from the Bernstein

Hailun team at our meeting at the NAMM trade show in January.

The picture (left) shows Bernie seated at the prototype 131cm

model upright piano, which was very impressive. Pictured behind

him is Mark Chan, the International Sales Manager of Bernstein

Hailun and also the nephew of the company’s owner, Mr. Hailun

Chen. Mark is a wonderful member of the team and provides great

service to us and the Australian Bernstein dealers.

As Bernstein Hailun expands their model range, the 131cm

model has to be a very high performing instrument to claim its

ground in the piano market. Hailun manufacturers invest millions of

dollars each year to ensure that their instruments are not only

competitive, but leaders in the field. This model (yet to be named)

features many of the refinements that you would find in an

instrument for $30,000, yet it will be less than a third of that price.

The power and balance that this instrument offers will certainly

satisfy demanding pianists and the highest level students. We are

greatly anticipating its arrival and it will complete the outstanding line of Bernstein upright piano models.

Conquering the concert-size grand piano market is also a goal of the Bernstein Hailun company. Bernie

and I were thrilled to play the new Bernstein 218 grand piano at the trade show and we are pleased to announce

that this model has just landed here in Melbourne. This means that the Bernstein dealers will be able to play it at

their dealer visit in May! The 218 grand piano model is surprisingly good. I only say “surprisingly” because, once

again, it is around half the cost of its fellow manufacturers from well-known names. The complex tonal

characteristics and expressive performance are striking and it is quite special to play.

If you would like to find out more about the Bernstein Hailun range and why they are called “Affordable

Excellence”, please visit the store today or phone me on (03) 9872 5122 for a full catalogue.

Michelle C.

Bernie with Mark Chan from Bernstein Hailun

This week, the sign outside our building said;

Always Wanted to Play Piano?

You can! 6-week Course only $98.

Once or twice a day, new adults have been coming into the store. They are always a little nervous but

mostly excited at the opportunity of doing something they have always dreamed of; playing the piano.

It’s not often that adults learn something new and this February, we had 11 adults play the piano for the

very first time. These adults have proven that, with a bit of enthusiasm and a few minutes a day, even they can

play the piano!

These students are participating in our famous Adult Piano Course. It is a six-week course consisting of a

tailor-made, one-hour lesson per week, held here at Bernies Music Land. The professional teachers that conduct

the course are specially selected to be both encouraging and exciting for the students. Small groups of students

learn while sitting at high-quality instruments to give a wonderful learning experience. The course has many

benefits, such as free practice facilities, an excellent lesson book which you can take home, convenient lesson

times, plus lots of support from the Bernies team!

Adult Piano Course groups start regularly and are a wonderful way to explore the world of playing piano.

If you, or anyone you know, would like to play piano, please enroll in an Adult Piano Course today by phoning the

team at Bernies on 9872 5122. Discover the enjoyment of making music today! Michelle C.

Inspiring New Adults to Play PianoInspiring New Adults to Play PianoInspiring New Adults to Play PianoInspiring New Adults to Play PianoInspiring New Adults to Play Piano

For a number of years, Bernies Music Land is proud to have contributed to

awards for Monash University music students. These encompass awards for

ensemble and piano performance and are presented by the Monash University Music

Department in March as part of the Orientation Week activities. This year, 13

students received awards for their work in 2008 and Bernie attended to present the

prizes and congratulate the students (pictured).

The Monash University School of Music Conservatorium is proud to present a

selection of Lunchtime Concerts. These showcase brilliant musicians and an outstanding

selection of music.

The Lunchtime Concerts are held in the Music Auditorium, building 68, at the

University’s Clayton Campus. Concerts run from 1.10pm to 1.50pm on selected dates

and entry is only $4 or you can purchase a 6-concert pass for $21 or 13-concert pass

for $39. Please phone 9905 3230 for enquiries or visit the Box Office on the day.

Thursday 12 March, 2009: Brigid Burke and David McNicol in Performance

A repertoire ranging from mainstream, European, 20th Century composers to

contemporary Australian music. An exciting new dimension in Australian performance.

Thursday 19 March, 2009: Echoes from the Past: Japanese Chamber Music

A programme consisting of four classic chamber works for the jiuta shamisen with a

classic form of chamber dance. Witness storytelling at its finest.

Thursday 26 March, 2009: Best of Class

Enjoy the outstanding musicianship of the highest-achieving students from 2008.

Thursday 2 April, 2009: Music for Low Flutes

A unique recital programme, featuring commissioned chamber music works for Low

Flutes. Hear the lyrical and colourful tonal qualities of these fascinating instruments.

Thursday 9 April, 2009: Jazz in the MA

Renowned musicians will be performing original compositions as well as some standard

jazz repertoire, featured on their 2009 CD release in 2009.

Thursday 23 April, 2009: Poetic Thoughts

Emily Dickinson songs combined with engaging readings of poetry and the world

premiere of Australian Composer, Peter Campbell’s song cycle.

Thursday 30 April, 2009: Pãyvar Ensemble

Music from ancient Persia, led by Qmars Piraglu.

Thursday 7 May, 2009: Transendence

Monash String Sinfonia Director, Elizabeth Sellars leads an unconducted string

ensemble.

Thursday 14 May, 2009: Choral Ensembles

Director, Faye Dumont presents a concert of choral music including Handel, Bach,

Vivaldi, Victoria and Australian Composers.

Thursday 21 May: Jazz Surprise

Presenting international jazz artist who will be an “Artist in Residence”.

Thursday 28 May, 2009: Monash World Music Orchestra

Director, Sam Evans presents music with influences and languages from various

cultures in the true spirit of contemporary Australian society.

Monash Stage Band

Director Ian Whitehurst and his band of eighteen musicians play a repertoire that gives

the students a strong historical understanding of large jazz ensembles plus new works.

Thursday 4 June, 2009: Monash Wind Symphony

Director David Griffiths presents a colourful concert of music from around the world.

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Awards

Many people start their musical life on a fun keyboard. Our choice is the Casio range – providing great

value and excellent musical enjoyment.

Choosing a keyboard can be confusing, especially for first timers. So, here’s a preview of the range.

Please come and explore them or phone me on 9872 5122 for a full brochure. Michelle C.

CTK-2000 RR $229

Ideal to give the gift of music to

youngsters! It has 61 notes, with fun

features to play along with, including a

song lesson function, 400 sounds and

150 rhythms. CTK-3000 adds touch-

responsive keys and pitch bend wheel.

CTK-4000 RR $389

The ideal learning keyboard! Good

sound and quality features, including

back-lit screen, Rhythm Editor, Split &

Layer, Song Memory, Presets and more.

CTK-5000 RR $589

Popular for adult beginners! It adds to

the CTK-4000 with more power and

stage-like features, including Line Out,

SD card slot, memory and more. This

keyboard is ideal for connecting to

amplifier or for more creative fun.

Standard Keyboards

76-note keyboards

WK-200 RR $589

This keyboard has identical features

and power as the CTK-4000 in a longer

keyboard (76 notes) for more

versatility. There is also the addition of

microphone input to sing along!

WK-500 RR $659

Identical features as the CTK-

500 with good power and a

microphone input.

WK-3800 RR $899

Our favourite! This 76-note

keyboard combines excellent sound

and power, with simple and well-

arranged rhythms and features. It is

ideal for home or carrying around to

church, holidays… anytime!

CDP-100 RR $999

A simple, 88-note keyboard with weighted

keys and good piano-style features,

including 5 sounds, Layer, Transpose and

Tuning Control.

CDP-200 RR $1199

A fun, dynamic 88-note keyboard with weighted keys. Features

include; large backlit screen, 670 sounds, 200 rhythms, Layer and

Split, Lesson Function, Rhythm Editor and much more.

PX-120 RR $1399

This compact

instrument is stylish

and comfortable to play

– ideal for home

practice! It features

good simple features for

piano-style enjoyment.

PX-320 RR $1699

This stage piano is

exceptional value for money!

It features awesome piano

sound and useful features

like Stereo Line Out, 96

Registration Memory,

Operation Lock, USB, 202

sounds and 70 rhythms. It’s

lightweight and sounds great

through an amplifier.

PX-410 RR $1899

A popular model for all the family to enjoy! Compact enough for

any lounge room, it features good piano sound, enhanced power,

large screen and a multitude of creative features to play along with.

88-note keyboards

Privia Series

AP Digital Pianos

AP-200 RR $1399

Casio has always been a winner in

this range, offering excellent value

for money. This entry-model offers

similar simple features to the PX-

120, along with three pedals and

timber cabinet with roll-top lid. An

ideal step towards a real piano!

AP-400 RR $1999

This model also offers elegant

timber cabinet, with more power for

a fuller sound. This, and the smaller

AP-200, offer twin-piano mode,

which splits the instrument in two

areas and each can be transposed.

Good for students!

AP-500 RR $2499

This top-of-the-range model offers a

large range of features and enhanced

power. This includes 164 sounds, 5

Song Memory, 60 songs to play

along, USB, Line Out and more.

Enjoyable to play and has a range of

features to explore.

Ask about special packages for MusiClub Members at Bernies Music Land today!

2009 Line Up

Travel Tips:Travel Tips:Travel Tips:Travel Tips:Travel Tips: GOLD COAST

Above: Great view! Below: Where’s the dolphins??

Love it or hate it the Gold Coast still offers exceptional

value for a fun holiday. Each time I visit for business, I get that

“I wish I could stay” feeling. So this time, I decided to take

my wonderful wife and stay for five days, arriving on Saturday

morning and returning on Wednesday night. Tip: Once you

have the timetable for a trip, do a clothes and activity plan. The

goal is to work out clothes coordinates, money, carry bags

etc., to take the minimum. This time we planned together and

naturally thought we had everything covered!

Before Christmas, Qantas had some great get away

packages. I booked and paid for a king room at the Sofitel

Hotel at Broadbeach. When we stayed there some time ago, we

were in a king room with surround views. It was fantastic.

This time we discovered that the queen rooms became king by

putting in a bigger bed… ha! Of course, on the Saturday when

we arrived the hotel was full. Therefore, asking nicely to

change rooms did not make much difference. So I had to pay

extra to get the “corner” king room. It was worth it for the

space and the magnificent views from the 17th floor. Again, my

Tip is always to inspect the room first. If you are not 100%

happy with it, then change. If the attendants give you a

difficult time, ask them if you can complete a feedback survey

for the management.

Our activity plan consisted of an outing each night

and, of course, I am always very lucky when I travel. The first

I tried to book to find that my cousin would be not home until

Thursday and we’d be back in Melbourne. The second was

booking for the Casino floorshow. I asked the Hotel Concierge

and he was very helpful. “Good news,” he said “There is a

brand new musical dance and percussion show” Oh! “The not-so-good-news is that it starts next Thursday!” Next was the Australian Outback Adventure that we wanted to see on

Monday. You guessed it, no performances Mondays or Tuesdays. I almost gave up. However, one piece of advice he

gave us was worth a try. The idea was to go down to the Oasis shopping centre where they had cheap tickets for

three of the theme parks, being Sea World, Movie World and Wet ‘nd Wild.

So, we wandered down to the shopping centre and found a counter with tourist-type signs around it. The

lady was quite helpful and amazingly was able to book us in to the Outback Spectacular for Tuesday night! Yeah, its

turning! I must admit I had thoughts of turning up and nobody being there. Fortunately, that did not happen. She also

had the three pack tickets for the theme parks, making the total bill $488. Wow, I thought. It must be expensive to by

tickets individually.

Two days later I found out what the Concierge meant by cheap. Whilst walking again through the shopping

centre, a young lady said to us “Would you like to visit three theme parks for free?” She said “Its normally $159

down to $59 but today it is free.” After some questions I found out that there was a catch. To qualify for the tickets

you needed to attend a 90-minute presentation on how to join a timeshare holiday club. Tip: be wary of these offers,

as there are many packages like this that are presented to get you along. The night before we were offered two nights

at the hotel for $99. If you do go to the presentation, always ask for time to consider. They will do their best to get

you to sign during the presentation. I am not saying what they offer is or is not good. Your thinking process can be

clouded when you are on holiday and out of your environment.

Armed with the three park passes that we paid dearly for, we were determined to have a good time. The first

we went to was Sea World, a world-class venue. We loved watching the dolphins in their rest pools entertaining the

visitors. Of course, they did surprise back flips just after I had turned off the camera! Tip: there is a great spot to

view the dolphins upstairs at the Dockside Tavern, number 25 on the park map.

At Movie World there were two key things I wanted to see. The new Batman ride, as well as the 4-D Shrek

movie. We arrived at midday and went straight to the Batman ride…to find the sign said “Next rides 3pm”. So, off to

Shrek…to find that it was closed for renovations! The 1pm stunt show was great, but hot and crowded. So, by

2.15pm, we were ready to relocate. The idea of relaxing by the hotel pool had some major appeal.

Hopefully we were not showing our age by passing on “Wet ‘nd Wild”. Happy Travelling. Bernie C.

It is really true that tough times bring out the best – or worst – in companies. This was evident at the NAMM trade

show in Los Angeles in January. The number of exhibitors was significantly less than the year before. However, the quality

and dedication of those who were ‘holding on with both hands’ was outstanding. Companies like Schimmel, Hammond and

Roland, recognise that they must continue to offer many benefits and great value to their customers so that, when tables turn

and markets recover, customers will turn to these brands with confidence.

As we flew over to Los Angeles on January 13, Bernie and I discussed our aims for the trip. One question resounded;

do we have the best brands? Now, personally I don’t like the use of the word “best” unless it’s defined - the best what? Best

presented, best to use, best value, best design… the word ‘best’ is thrown around in advertising too often. Knowing that we

have selected our brands for many reasons, we decided that we needed to answer a number of questions at the trade show;

- Do our brands offer performance that surpasses that of their competitors?

- Do they offer excellent value for money and, if they were to go up in price, would we still be proud to sell them at the

new price?

- Are the manufacturers pro-active - aim for the highest quality and to be at the cutting edge of technology?

To answer these questions (and many more that we came up with), I spent significant time talking with our suppliers

and also exploring the other instruments on the market. After long days (and don’t even start me on the ‘sore feet’ tangent!), I

felt that I was starting to get a feel for the ranges of instruments in the music industry.

I noticed a trend in the music industry: A small handful of manufacturers come up with truly outstanding instruments.

These guys really have the edge – they seem to come up with the best gear time and time again. They spend serious money

(yes, millions of dollars) on research and development, even when times are tough. Then, all the other manufacturers come up

with models – whether it’s a version of the same concept, or the opposite (to try and attract other customers) – it all stems

from what the leading manufacturers have introduced. Probably the best example of this is the Hammond B-3. Countless

replicas have emerged and none have come close to the real thing. Even at the January NAMM show, some competitors were

introducing B-3-style organs that were so far from the real thing. Schimmel, who unveiled the world’s first plexiglass piano in

the 1950’s, also quickly had many immitations.

There will always be customers who will buy the cheaper knock-offs – and they may not be able to tell the difference –

but it remains that a handful of manufacturers are leading the pack. When I explored this concept, I discovered that the

brands we represent truly do lead the pack. Hammond still has the reigning jazz organ. Schimmel pianos are imitated more

each year. Johannus classic organs are possibly the highest-regarded digital classic organ manufacturer in the world - and

that’s just three of our brands.

So, when I visited the stands and spoke to the manufacturers from Schimmel, Hammond, Bernstein, Johannus and

Suzuki, I was greeted with a great sense of optimism and enthusiasm – even in this so-called “recession”. I laughed when one

said “recession doesn’t worry us… musicians don’t have money in good times or bad times!”

All in all, this year’s NAMM experience was reflective and rewarding. And, rest assured, I upheld our renowned

standard of partying whilst there too… ha ha! Enjoy the pictures on the right hand page! Michelle C.

This little bear was very excited to see his family photograph in the last edition of the musical

newsletter! There was such a handsome picture of the bears receiving their grooming in preparation for sitting on the shiny

pianos. Their tags are lovingly attached and their bows are straightened. It did concern me, however, that the little girl had a

Bernie Bear on her head in the picture! My, my, I’m glad I wasn’t around to see that.

Where was I, you ask? In the smartest place possible – perched right on top of the air conditioner! You see, when

the man on the wireless explained that the weather was looking to be un-bearably hot, I quickly climbed up in front of the

cooling vent. I sat my bottom there and didn’t move…well, I’m still there to be honest.

Mr. Bernie came and told me that I might have to move soon because of all the wonderful musical things happening

here at the giant store. I’ve been woken up by noise in the mornings. Mr. Bernie says that we have been running education

workshops and that I should sit in for once! Doesn’t he know that 10am is a little early?

So, I’ve conceded to Mr. Bernie’s request and I will find a nice cozy spot near the stage. I’ll have to be quick,

because viewing spots are sought-after when people like Mr. Tony Fenelon or Mr. Ivan Richardson come and play.

I also have somewhat of a complaint. Now, you do realise that I find out if all the Bernie Bears at home are happy or

not. And, over summer time, it came to my attention that some Bernie Bears had been neglected in favor of being outdoors!

What cheek! I do hope that as the autumn arrives, you can make sure your Bernie Bear is very happy once again. I will be

watching!

I do hope you can visit the big music store next to the even bigger road and come and play me a tune.

Yours Earnestly, Bernie Bear.

The Bear Page

At the National Association of Music Merchants Convention, January 15 - 18, 2009.

Observations of the Music Industry...

What’s New?The New Year has brought some significant changes in print music – particularly

with the introduction of the AMEB piano series 16. This has been greeted with mixed

response by teachers coming in the store; some very excited and some almost in tears.

However, the good news is that, if you enjoy using the series 15 books, you can stick to

them! You can also combine series 14 and series 15, or series 15 and the new series 16

(but not 14 and 16). There has been no mention of series 14 being discontinued, yet, so

you can certainly use it all year. I hope this helps to clarify a bit.

Series 16 piano books and the 2009 Syllabus are now in stock here at Bernies

Music Land and we welcome you to come and spend some time exploring them on a

piano. The Piano For Leisure continues to be a popular range, too, and we have plenty of

stock of these.

You may like to consider the excellent range of ANZCA series 2 piano books; in

both classical and modern streams. The full range, along with technical books, is in

stock. These books are good value and we are noticing more and more teachers are

enjoying them. And, did you know, you can request for your students to have their

ANZCA exams here at Bernies Music Land? Yes, ANZCA uses our music studios

regularly throughout the year to host examinations for piano and a range of other

instruments. The feedback from students and examiners is that they love coming to this

comfortable environment and having such good pianos to play on for their exams.

Blitz books are gathering steam and providing some great guidance for teachers

and students. Popular titles include How to Blitz General Knowledge and How to Blitz

Sight Reading. Available now at Bernies!

If you would like extra material that correlates to your syllabi levels and provides

your students with more songs to play, why not consider the Getting To range? These

books are available in both ‘standard’ and ’new’ streams and offer technical material and

a range of tunes to play. A great idea for variety in a standard level!

Hey, Singing Teachers, did you know that we stock (and can order for you)

some singing books? Please phone me on 9872 5122 today to discuss the range and how

you can benefit from purchasing your books at Bernies Music Land.

The Bargain Bin has just been completely refreshed and has a wonderful range of

popular and educational books. It’s not the old stock from 10 years ago – just books

we’re over-stocked with that we’d love to offer to you at a good saving. Please visit

Bernies Music Land today and explore the Bargain Bin.

The outstanding range of Teacher Seminars for this year is about to commence and I urge you not to miss

out!

On Wednesday March 4, Mr. Darryl Coote of the Team of Pianists will present a seminar that every teacher

will gain something from. His topic is Extra-Musical Challenges in the Teaching Studio and Darryl will share his

wealth of experience to help teachers cope better, become more professional and enhance their teaching experience.

On Thursday March 19, Mrs. Maureen Milton OAM will present an insightful seminar on Preparing for

Exams. From her experienced seat as an examiner for over 25 years, Maureen will provide guidance for how to make

the most of your minutes in the examination studio.

On Thursday July 9 (during the school holidays), Maureen will present a second seminar on the topic

Preparing for Exams. For maximum benefit, enroll for both sessions.

On Wednesday June 3, Professor Max Cooke OAM will present a brilliant technical seminar covering two

aspects of piano teaching; Pedalling Technique and Teaching Timing. Professor Cooke offers a rare level of

experience that makes him a fascinating presenter.

To enroll for these seminars, please phone 9872 5122 today or please complete the form in the brochure

“2009 Educational Events for Music Professionals”. Bernies Music Land is very proud to present these outstanding

events and I hope you can join us. Michelle C.

EDUCATIONEDUCATIONEDUCATIONEDUCATION

EDUCATION

SPECIAL

SPECIAL

SPECIAL

SPECIAL

SPECIAL

DON’TMISS Seminars for Music Professionals 2009

The NAMM Show...

Catching up with Schimmel: Michelle with Mr. Hannes

Schimmel, Linda from Gold Coast and Mr. Lothar Kiesche

Catching up with Hammond: Bernie with Dennis (Hammond

USA), Shigey (Hammond Japan) and Ray (USA)

Can’t miss a hug!

Casio had plenty of

great keyboards!

Roland’s stand was amazing -

massive range, brilliant technology,

incredible displays and even had a

concert room!

And... of course... a quick

stop at Disneyland!

Michelle hangs out with Hammond guru,

Dr. Lonnie Smith and Waichiro (Japan)

at Los Angeles Convention Centre

BERNSTEIN® “Pianomation”Christmas Concerts 2008

Your Active Music Place!381 Canterbury Road, Ringwood Vic 3134

Ph (03) 9872 5122 www.musicland.com.au

Each year, we are pleased to host a number of

wonderful Christmas Concerts for local piano

teachers. Please enjoy the photos and phone me

on 9872 5122 if you would like more

information on Concerts at Bernies.

Michelle C.

Bernies Music School concert on December 16th; with Bernie

(far right) and teachers Colin, Keith, Nerolie and Jhonfil.

Carolyn Yap (left) and some of her piano students

at their concert on November 25th at Bernies

Angeline Armstrong (front, with flowers) and some of

her students at their concert on November 27th

Maureen Milton (far left) and her students at their

concert on November 26th at Bernies

Noela Bartlett (second left) and her students at their

concert on November 24th at Bernies