May/ June Music and Musicians Thread

Misti - It's good to hear that everyone is enjoying the new piano Isn't it SO much nicer to play than the digital keyboard?

Re going back to playing piano as an adult - I did this several years ago (40s) and did not bother with a teacher until this year when I got to a certain level and decided to take it further. I would recommend picking up the notes for music that you really like to listen to and advancing in that book page by page at your rhythm. Every time you sit down to play, start playing from the first song you learn, so you have a long repertoire that you are comfortable playing in 6 months or so .

You will be surprised by how muscle memory & eye-hand coordination of your childhood kicks in. It's brilliant - pure pleasure

I'd be pretty identifiable by RL friends and anyone on my FB, though I do use an alias on social media, and an email address that is totally separate from my professional accounts. In fact I've been so careful that I now have RL friends who think my FB name is my real one , slightly awkward lol.

Am a bit out of touch, excuse lack of participation due to (a) arguing the toss over brexit implications and (b) having to revise all my work forecasts due to the aforementioned b word.

Anyway the new piano is a hit, has been played a lot and sounds lovely. I've moved the digital piano into the front room and have started playing myself.

So, music teachers and pianists out there - how should an adult approach starting piano again? Bear in mind I'm old (51) not a 30 something with a young, flexible brain and fingers. I have noticed that while I can still sightread comfortably (albeit slowly) up to around grade 6 level, it is harder for me to "wire" even much easier pieces - in the sense of getting to the point where my fingers play it automatically rather than having to read the music.

Would you bother with a teacher at this point?

drummersmum thanks, I will tell her that. I think the uncertainty has worried her more than anything else. I do hope particular rules will be brought in for professionals (and students) in the arts. Musicians give so much more than they ever receive. And you are so right about the leading orchestras!

Loose :( :(

Loose
tell your lovely piano teacher that those who are already residents here should not be affected. Imagine the effect of deportation on all the British orchestras! Who will play for Farage when he feels like some good old Wagner?
www.thestrad.com/cpt-latests/association-of-british-orchestras-warns-of-challenges-ahead-following-brexit/

It would be so exciting to take up a brass instrument, MusicMom! Let us know what you choose. Trumpet looks a lot of fun but I think my family and neighbours might object if I tried it...
Got to my piano lesson on Monday to find my piano teacher very dejected about the Brexit vote. A big issue for her and many other teachers at the music school is the cost of applying for citizenship, plus she's worried about the rules on earnings thresholds. Three of my four piano teachers have been EU nationals. The other one was Australian. They have all been excellent.

I don't know! Not in the near future - already have hands full - I want to try chamber music first. But I dream of playing in a quartet. Any Beethoven string quartet would do.

NeverEver....will you do it? Strings just look so difficult to me, I am cowardly about them.....

I want to second everything Suspended just said. I am also hopelessly behind with the thread what with balancing all the school show performances, exams etc with the fact that I am a sport and politics junkie.

I would never discourage anyone from taking up the fiddle. There is always safety in numbers. Highly recommend Fiddlerman.com for anyone who wants a friendly adult community and self-teaching environment.

Green I'm so sorry some of your acquaintances have worked out who you are in RL from the content of this thread. Please don't stop posting, particularly if you get support here that these acquaintances don't provide. We understand your English just fine! Fingers crossed for MiniGreen's violin result.

Musicmom amazing news re your DD! Apologies for not commenting earlier - it's a struggle to keep up with this thread and I tend to get things muddled even when I do comment!

Congrats also to Goo for her fine distinction and Raspberry's DS2 for placing so highly in his young musician competition!

Fingers crossed for Only's and TheSecond's DCs as well.

Finally (in the hope that this time I haven't missed anyone….) well done to Misti's DD for her performance in front of so many people. Nerves of steel, clearly. .

We are one out of three concerts done before the end of term. DS played his trumpet and sang (took me completely by surprise) alongside his classmates in a rock concert last week. So much fun! Not that Louis Armstrong would have reason to fear, you understand, but I was quite proud of his performance. . Trinity exam finally gets here next week, followed immediately by classical concert that night, and then my DDs -screech- play violin / sing and dance their way through the last performance on Saturday week.

I want to learn to play the violin...

Thanks - brass it is!

Thanks for all the nice postings!

DS1 and 2 are both helping with schools Primary Music Week this week, a week away from lessons for DS2!

Green anyone in real life would know me, too many children with distinctive instruments.

However, it's always worth remembering it us a public forum. New life and I realised we have a mutual acquaintance through posting in the thread

I remember a few Christmas ago more ukuleles were sold than IPads (or was it IPods...?) Anyway, I thought it was nice.

raspberry ab fab!!

green anyone who knows me or DS in real life and reads all my posts will know who I am , but do I want to sacrifice being part of a friendly supportive forum I enjoy? I do not! So be it I say.

Well done Raspberyy, and Good luck to all awaiting results. Am still catching up so sorry if I missed any

Green - that is so sad, please don't leave the thread - it will pass.

Thank you all for dd's'well dones' - I was teasing you all a little 😀 But I think Waffle is going to have to open a summer holiday thread soon!

So music lessons finished until late sept - ha, imagine what damage to great music we can do in nearly three months!

Am also determined to take up an instrument.....I want something I can play in low level adult community groups in a couple of years (hopefully!). And that DD won't steal (as per my fleeting encounter with the Sax)....ideas? Please remember I have no music skill at all!

Well done raspberry!

raspberryrippleicecream well done to your ds!