Summer Term Music and Music Exams Thread

Arghh. Can you tell I aren't feeling on top form? I should read more carefully.

Thanks. She is year 5 and embarking on grade 7-8 technique, with a view to taking grade 8 next year at some point. Then doing diplomas. She is learning grade 6 theory and doing lots of singing. We shall wait a good number of years and when her voice is sufficiently mature, just do start at grade 5. As I run choir and the children always sing something in another language, it won't be too hard.

It's piano that's the problem. She wants to do it but there sing much time left in the day as she does lots of other things too. So is 10 minutes a day better than 20 every other? If I was talking about woodwind, I would recommend the daily method. What say you?

Six prep tests done and a grade 1 today. All of the preps got very good comments which matched exactly what I know about the students. Particularly proud of the youngest one (yr2) however, who apparently played excellently (I didn't listen). No idea how the grade 1 was (again, I didn't listen as was shepherding) but fingers crossed. ABRSM so we won't get the results for a while.

Next to plan for is the local Eisteddfod (which I can't spell) in November.

I entered her so hopefully results will come to me :)

Not all centres are so quick though...

Very quickly. Our local centre with exams Mon to Fri posts the results out to the teachers on Saturday, so we get an e-mail/tex/phone call on Monday evening from the teacher.

When school is the their own centre we knowby the end of the week, DS once came home from school to tell me his exam had gone really well and he had a Distinction, but I think they wait until the end of the exam session now.

Thanks RLP ....How quickly do Trinity usually issue results. Is it via email?

Sorry, I don't know teabiscuit. I wouldn't have thought a huge amount. Regardless, its done, they can put it behind them and move on to the next exam, and then Trinity is really quick with results.

Hooray! One exam down. dc thinks it went well but completely forgot (for first time ever) to shift to third position so had to ask to start the section again. Any idea how many marks are deducted by Trinity for this?

DD1 has been looking at 'Improvise for real' (it's a book) and she is finding it really interesting. She does jazz syllabus piano anyway, but she has found this book really good. I haven't read it (can't prise it out of her grip) so I don't know if it actually IS any good.

Potatoprints -

I've been using a book called "Jazz Fiddle Wizard Junior" which is aimed at high school students who've been playing for a few years. It starts with simple rhythmic improvisation on the A-string, introduces the pentatonic scale D-F-G-A-C-D in first position (2nd back) in the second lesson, with an 'advanced' version of the same lesson using the full blues scale plus some jazz techniques. It comes with a CD which has backing tracks and stuff to copy or questions to answer, so could be done without a teacher but your DD would need adult guidance simply because of age, though not necessarily from her violin teacher (you can tell whether she copied stuff exactly, guide her through the instructions on the page etc.). There are a few pieces included but it focuses on improvisation, which is a skill most classical musicians don't have! Honestly, I've been using it for myself a bit, to help flute improv.

Book one is about £10 or so from Amazon, with the CD -make sure you get the 'junior' version as the adult version has waaaaaay too much pointless theory.

I'd also recommend "Jazz, Blues and Ragtime" and any similar books if it's simply a question of looking for pieces. She's at a level where the pieces will be accessible. But I think this is a really good course for introducing jazz improvisation, especially to string players.

Shaky - our times match those of Julie's. Daughter's 2nd instrument is piano, circa 25 mins most mornings and violin about 50 mins most days unless she's had an hour lesson to offset. She's Y5.

Raspberry, thanks for the kind words on piano exam…we are still waiting for ABRSM results to come in.

Julie

What's the jazz course/ Is it expensive? DD is doing gr4 in July and has only ever played classical on violin. She does jazz on other things though, and was thinking it would inspire her a bit and her and dh could do some duets viledin and flute.

Potatoprints -

I forget whose children are which!

I'm reckoning I can use the jazz course (I totally use a book, it's a ready-made curriculum after all) from around grade 2 up - they need to be very secure in first position, nothing more fancy than that but with good musicianship. Been doing it for fun with an adult student who is still struggling with higher positions (wants to do grade 5, nowhere near ready).

Shaky,

If piano is just at a beginner level, then surely 10min a day is plenty. Unless being so intent on it catching up.

I think when I started piano (2nd instrument out of 2 at the time) I did around 30min on it compared to about 45-60min of violin (ca grade 6). Practise was 'most days' not every day. Orchestra counted for practice, school orchestra didn't. I was year 5 or 6, not quite sure.

At probably-diploma-thinking-about-music-college violin and grade 8 level piano it was 3 hours of violin and 90min of piano.

Shaky

My dd is 10 and plays 5 instruments but only practices 3 including singing on a daily basis. Piano and clarinet are just for composing and fun.
She is also in 2 choirs, one of which is a very prestigious one and also ensemble and orchestra (county youth)
She works hard but music is her life, she's one of those you have to take an instrument off her before she goes to bed.
She practices for at least 2 hours a day, mostly it is between 4 and 5.
This is possible as she doesn't attend school.
I'm not sure she's the norm though.

Thanks for your honesty. When I was diploma level, we had to do at least 2 hours a day on main on instrument at a good time of day. Second instrument was supposed to be 30 minutes daily but I found it hard to fit in. Maybe she should aim for less times a week and accept that it is a second.

For reference, my girls are DD1 diploma level, grade 8 grade 8 grade 6; DS grade 5 grade 6 and 'for fun' and Dd2 is grade 5 grade 5 grade 5 grade 1. They are 16 (just), 14 and 10. So I think their progress is fine for their ages, really.

All mine play more than 3 and none of them practise each instrument every day. But they do a decent chunk (depending on their level) each time they practise, so none of them would do as little as 10 mins on anything.

DS2 (11) is probably my best practiser.

He does piano most days, although usually in the morning. This started off as his first instrument, but I think trombone may take over.

Trombone should be 5 days a week, more likely 4. Plays in 3 bands including 2 hours in a challenging Concert Band where he is the youngest.

Clarinet he is not having lessons on at present, but practises the pieces for the school woodwind ensemble.

He is a chorister so after school until 7 x 2 evenings a week and most Sundays are completely taken up, plus he also has a singing lesson once a week.

He also fits in theory, and the work needed for his Voice for Life chorister training.

He could probably drop an instrument and go faster, but I don't think there is any rush.

She plays in a string group and sings in choir too - for fun - but we don't count those as practise, as they are super easy. Pavlova - do your children do their other instruments daily? She can only manage 5-10 minutes daily on piano, and that's when she remembers, so often she is tired, as it's in the evening.

Shaky, mine all play 2 or 3 and don't often do that much on the three together! They do play in a lot of bands though.

A question for those who have children who do more than one instrument. DD plays violin so practises every day for about 90 minutes. She is starting piano, to help with her theory. How much practise do your children do, daily, on their second instrument?

Ah thanks for the replies, dh is trying to stop her from bending too much as he says it could sound out of tune.
His other students who play this piece are straightees and play it in a skipping do be doo way, but dd really razzes and does more like a doo wap and lays back on the beat.
Its "Rachel and the Boys" if anyone is familiar with it. A good contrast to Turkish Rondo and Show Stopping Sax. I love this syllabus.

I wish you were near us Julie, I know dd would love a jazzy violin teacher

BTW, having been unable to play the guitar... ever... despite trying periodically.... I have yesterday acquired a ukulele. Rock on 16 chords memorised in about an hour. That's 12 more than I could ever play on guitar! I find it hard to bar even on this diddy thing, though, so no wonder I struggled with guitar. It's counter-intuitive when one is so used to insisting on curved fingers!

There are apparently now RGT assessments up to grade 3, and some of the random exam boards do higher grades - the most reputable is VCM. Because, of course, this is a pragmatic 'people want lessons' move. I reckon I can learn to play reasonably over the summer.