October Music and Musicians Thread

Obedient, compliant children are SO over-rated Neverever

Why don't I have obedient children??

So, another attempt in trying to understand why there are arguments about practice. I made him slow down, and demonstrated, and he said "that's not how I want it to sound" - and I had to repeat quite a few times that practice is not performance ... Maybe it's just that he doesn't see how slow practice will let you play fast nicely later ... I tried the nuts-and-bolts explanation I read somewhere - that practice is tightening the nuts and bolts on your plane so that when you perform (take off) your wings don't bloody drop off. But I don't think he believes me. Maybe it's just an experience thing. He'll just have to see it for himself and we will continue having arguments until he sees it.

disorganised Happy shopping! Are you going for full size? We did a 3/4-size shopping. I looked on websites, phoned up shops etc and then when we went to the shop DS2 tried a couple of violins and went for the cheapest one. It was a bit of an anticlimax. But we had lots of spare money (!) to spend.

PradaQueen Yes we're going to Woodbridge Violins. I have to confess I'm a bit excited too! This is all to get ds ready for Junior Guildhall auditions in the new year. Going to look round Guildhall next Saturday.
It's going to be a very expensive afternoon I fear!!

Morning all, trying to catch up with the thread. Hope everyone is well and practising hard in the hols lol.

Ooh disorganised mummy- are you going to Woodbridge violins? Have fun. Brilliant there. We have had a growth spurt so a full size is likely for next year...

Looking forward to the Halloween surprise waffle!

Gilly - omg! What a list!

Loose

Welcome weegie!

Green - what a shame about the violin teacher. The fantasy sounds great though.

Can I join in?
My dd1 has dropped all her music, but thats because she is totally focussed on her art for now.
DS is taking it slow - he's 14 and doing grade 4 piano. Its really just a hobby for him, he loves messing around on the piano, trying to write the notation for the things he wants to be able to play.
Dd2 is my little musician. She's 12 (in S2, thats year 8), grade 3 piano and grade 4 violin, but right now she's working for her National5 (Scottish GCSE equivalent) which she'll be taking in May. The school are great about putting talented musicians in for exams early, and we're grateful for the opportunity for her. Long term she wants to be a fashion designer, but says she can't imagine not doing music too!

It does rather sum up his attitude to life! he's got a choice of bass, drum kit and xylophone or even snare drum - all at least at grade 5 - but hey! Why be logical!

Yes Loose that is such a minor detail I don't even know why you pointed it out.

How exciting disorganisedmummy! Happy shopping!

Waffle looking forward to the Halloween surprise from Rara!

"I pointed out he doesn't play guitar."

A minor point.

Morning all,ds is about to explode with excitement as we're off to Suffolk to go violin shopping!! It's a 2 hour drive from us.
Wish me luck,it could be a very long day!!

I got a cello stand from Amazon. It makes a significant difference to the amount of practice. Apparently unzipping the case is a major impediment!
Yes, DS2 has shot up this year. He's taller than me, which isn't too difficult.
DS1 has abandoned notions of playing Bach on bass guitar. (No comment) However he is now questioning notion of playing bass for GCSE at all. He thinks guitar would be better. I pointed out he doesn't play guitar. He claims he does.
Whatever the school pays his music teacher isn't enough!

We are also in the process of sorting out rooms. When there is space I think I'll get a cello stand too. The cello hasn't been out all week ... But I'm on the case with practising the piano. I'll make him play slow if it kills me ...

We had a really nice cello stand when DD played Waffle. It made a huge difference to it being picked up. Also, I think it stayed in tune a bit better.

Gillybeanz DD has an impressive list!

I have got DS2 to put his instruments in order of priority so we know were we are. He put them as piano, trombone, and clarinet/voice joint third. This was before he tried the organ, which of course he loved ...... But there is no way we can manage five lessons, either financially or timewise so something will have to go.

I did wonder about asking the Cathedral Organ Scholar for a lesson every month or so, DS2 is now allowed to get our church key and practice on that one when he wants, and maybe if he just did it very slowly?

He is spending tomorrow recording some solos on clarinet and trombone for a soundtrack for the prefirework show at our city bonfire. Another child not phased by audiences or performing!

Due to long half term it is now two and a half weeks since the last clarinet lesson. Feels like we are going backwards with the pieces and is missing out more and more notes I'll be glad when it is back to normal,

Shaky I am so impressed with your DDs. Well done to them!

Cd wasn't on tonight, she just needs to speed up piece no 3 and she's done for the exam. Phew!

Hey Shaky

She isn't strange even though we may think our kids are.
When they are in environments with other children who like to perform, I think we are the ones that appear strange.
Good luck to them all, I say. So many people end up in jobs they don't like and at least if push comes to shove these kids will have opportunities that many others won't.

Shaky when you are through it and out the other side you will be able to tell yourself that it was better getting it all over at once. I'm not convinced that's the case but it most certainly will look better from the other side of the exams.

It has been a problem here when DS and DH have had exams in the same session because they were always wanting to play at the same time. Never mind that DS was in for two hours before his father came home, never mind that DH could play for three and a half hours straight if he'd just give DS the half hour.

I have no intention of rushing into diplomas here. Nor do I ever want them taking their higher level exams at the same time again!

I'm pleased to say goodbye to aurals.

Miss 12 doesn't want to hear the word 'exam' again for a while. She is longing to get back to some excitiing repertoire. Even Kreutzer studies are looking interesting.

Miss 10 is looking at diplomas - mainly as she is already playing such a lot of repertoire. She also loves reading around about everything. She loves lessons and practise and composing and improv and being in front of an audience. Strange child!

No problem Gilly. Good luck in finding something.

Practice has not been amazing here either, especially with Grade 7 piano approaching!

Well done to the minishakeyisles.
They must be very talented and work hard, what achievements.

Raspberry

It's the sort of thing, but one that includes voice. It's more for the unaccompanied folk songs and for dd to get some repertoire in this genre.
She likes folk music and it isn't easy to find pieces that haven't been flogged to death.
A lot of the books on offer seem to just cover popular pieces that most people choose from, so was looking for something different.
That does look good though

Gilly: very impressive list of instruments
Shaky: did she take the diplomat exam?! Fingers crossed, from what Waffle described, it must have been a very very tough one!
I have been on long hours so I dont know what is happening at home. The other evening I sent our teacher few video records of the couple pieces and the scales she played and we were told that it was too painful to watch. Well I keep telling myself that we still have time. The good thing is she has been going to museums/theatre/indoor play centre as her dad took time off and since then she has been writting like mad everynight inventing a long fantasy story so at least it goes well from the academic perspective.
We have to postpone our violin lesson with our lovely new teacher even we really like her. The reason because we cant come to her place anymore due to my work commitment. What a shame. We found a temporary alternative teacher whose major is viola. Not feel 100% certain about it however we havent had a better option for now. Hopefully things will get better in the future.