May/ June Music and Musicians Thread

There's a Saturday music school in Sutton borough too: www.suttonmusicservice.org.uk/

We haven't investigated it yet, but it's on my list of things to do!

Alexandra, we are in Surrey, I will look into those. Are they happy to accept children from out of the area do you know? Thank you for the links.

That's great work green...and her strong maths will also help her

Green that is really good work! I know how hard this is and she's doing very well. It's hard to say when DS2 calmed down as he still jumps on us! Two of his little girl cousins have the tendency to fling themselves around the furniture but he now looks surprised at this even though he used to be the same...
Merton music foundation has a Saturday music centre, although the advanced ensembles meet on Monday evenings and Wednesday evenings so it is quite spread out. (And I am stuck with going to two concerts one after the other in July!)

Alexandraleaving: thanks so much, we live near both these places, I will call them after midterm.

We did the 2nd paper(2012) on Friday and she luckily had 95, only got wrong in Transposition. We were very surprised, I dont think she is that good yet, only a lucky one. Transpositions, chords and Interval were still weak. At least it looks like if she focuses on the day and there is some luck then there is a chance to pass

Would love to find a Saturday music school for dd, if anyone knows one in the south east.

Have been asked by a few people how the MDS works in relation to income. So as it is hard to link via pm, or I'm finding it hard at least, I have a link here.
It's only for one school but the amounts are the same wherever applied, it's just different schools or organisations will have different fees iyswim.
It's the final part that will apply to music and dance schools.

www.chethams.com/study/fees

No music school today. It's a bit weird to have Saturday morning at home.

Very quiet in this house today as DS starts revision for end of year exams. After breakfast he organized all his notes and books and cleared his desk which will constitute his main instrument this half-term... My only job is to bring him a glass of water every now and then and plant a kiss on the crown of his lovely head.

I have endless arguments with DS1 about fingering.

She says there is no real alternative for fingering. She can play the bar fine if she slows it down even a bit, it's the speed that's the problem. I'll see if the adding a note idea helps, thanks!

The 8 notes (E, C#, A# G ...) for the right hand? Has she got a fingering she's comfortable with? Maybe experiment with a few different ones? Another thing I've tried is to play the bar before and one note of the troublesome group and stop, then repeat and add one more note, repeat and add another note and so on. Don't know if that would help.

NeverEver it is the Henle urtext collection of Chopin nocturnes, Op 72 no 1, and the bar that is causing problems is on the third page - she is fine with all the rapid ascending sequences and trills, but can't nail the descending one. It's not for want of repetition.

She hasn't had enough time with her teacher recently unfortunately - a combination of public holidays falling on her lesson day, timetable changes and a school trip - and I've just realised that because of work experience the week after next she only has one more lesson left!

Newlife: enjoy your time with her this mid term!

I can't name instruments, but if it appeals to some that's great and part of your personal approach

Misti: watching you with interest although I am no expert! Best of luck with any decision!

Mine came back from school today, headed straight for her dads soprano played about an hour, ate me out of house and home, saw her brothers until they went, and then went to bed, she didn't even make 8.30.

Had a lovely cuddle and a run down of the state of play atm

I really like Claire too!
Loose: then when did he change, I firstly thought it was terrible two then now I feel like my 8 years old has never changed!

I'm not naming my piano.

Misti Which piece which edition which bar?

Naming instruments is weird . DD's guitars just get called by the type of guitar/ brand, so for eg I'd ask her if she was going to play the Taylor, the GS mini, or the Strat. The piano is just the piano (even though it's not really a piano ).

We are still struggling to work out a strategy for working on the fast bit of her piano piece. There is one bar she can't get up to speed, it's kind of a descending arpeggio that ends in a chord. It's fine at about two thirds speed. As soon as she starts to increase speed even slightly it introduces errors (whereas the rest of the page is now at the point where slowing down makes it worse). It doesn't help that she has small hands which means she can't use the recommended fingering. There is a lot of simultaneous movement in both hands, while playing a cross rhythm, which seems to result in a sort of cognitive overload. I'm not really sure what to suggest: this morning I got her to try doing the right hand with her eyes closed, to see if this would free up some attention for the left hand, but this results in errors about one time in three. Any suggestions welcome. It may be that it's just a question of time (but she doesn't have much of that left).

I can see why you wouldn't want to get Dave the piano confused with Dave the dishwasher.

"Just shove all the dirty plates in Dave and I'll sort them out in the morning."

Penelope is excellent!
However, I have to say Dave the piano is genius!

I love the idea of a piano being called Dave trout

DD decided on Penelope the piano! I am afraid I couldn't impress her with the other suggestions but then she shouted "Penelope". so there you are...