October Music and Musicians Thread

Hugely impressed by minishakyisles!
There has been some practice over half term in this house but I have set a less than shining example by mislaying my music book!
DS2 has started to tackle a piece that the more advanced string orchestra is doing to challenge him a bit, but I think it will be a while before he gets promoted! He's in between the standard for the two at the moment. He has also almost outgrown the 3/4 cello - so much for that size lasting until year 8! I don't want to rush into a purchase so there may be another hire swap for a bit while we look around.

Fleur Have you read Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro? There's a story called cellists, i think, that you might find interesring, related to "you don't even know piano!"

Downloaded. Looking forward to start reading

One down, one to go.
Miss 12 has been a bag of nerves all week and yesterday even said she wasn't going to take the exam. Anyway - she went in and did it. She is hoping for a merit. She forgot to answer which inversion the chords were for the cadences and she got prompted for part D, so knows she isn't on for full marks in aurals. It's a shame as she has been getting them all right in practise.

Miss 10 does hers next week.
Then it will start to get really interesting... which diplomas..?

Gillybeanz is the type of thing?

www.gael.org.uk

Ha Ha, no, honestly the violin is no huge talent, but I think/ hope at least with a knowledge of several instruments skills such as composing, arranging, and conducting won't be out of the question if she wanted to.
I think the main challenge will come when she is able to choose singing as a first study, but that's a while off yet.
I do like that the school are very relaxed about it all and they really do show an interest in the emerging musician, rather than pushing for the next milestone.

Need to look for a flute now, they will be going to the exchange no doubt.

It was lovely reading about the festivals, I had no idea what they entailed either, and there's an organisation. They seem like such a good idea for children.

Does anyone know of any international or UK based folk organisations? On the lines of young people, maybe educational or not.

if i comment on DD's practice i usually get - "it is not wrong it is my INTERPRETATION" .... hmmm

Gilly - wow! def a serious talent to keep that many going, and even make ensembles on instruments she doesn't touch (violin!) given where she is!

Oops, x posted with fleur

Woah gilly...that's an impressive list!

Too many, Fleur.
i think she's aware that she can't play them all to the same level as there aren't that many hours in the day, but unfortunately the wind instruments do require doubling when they go into Higher Ed or into the industry.

Dh always makes me laugh when people call for certain orchestras and ask what he plays. He says all the saxes, clarinet and he owns a flute
He can play it to a fair enough standard for the requirements, but is no way a flautist

Mending good idea to record though not sure DD would be very critical of herself.

NeverEver no, I didn't read it, I'll have to look for it, thank you! We currently have the same on the clarinet, it's Bb, THAT'S WHAT I PLAYED! Erm...no you didn't.

gilly that is an impressive list of instruments.

Interesting hearing about the arguments and answering back fro the dc, I think they all must do this. maybe it's their way of saying this is my thing, so butt out. i don't think they are necessarily right to think like this though

I also found the posts interesting about practice and speed. You would think at dd school where their practice time is effectively and efficiently managed to the nano second, they would be practised at practising iyswim.
(Sorry if my spelling is wrong), however, you can still hear them rushing through pieces too fast before they have mastered the slower speed, and of course the giving themselves a little concert
Good practice is a learnt skill, some adults don't always get it right.

We are having a new addition to the family and have no idea how school are going to manage all the instruments and their practice, but not my problem.

We now have, in no particular order Tenor, Alto and Soprano Sax, Singing, Piano, Clarinet, Flute and the flipping violin is back.
She was messing about on one of her friends violin, with permission and he was there of course. When a string teacher came past and suggested she joined one of the lower ensembles, she's only about grade 4/5 emerging.
I don't think she'll need to do grades on them all though as Clari and Flute are the slow but steady instruments that will enable her to double and also Big Band requires Alto players to play clari and flute.
Flute is going to have to be a Christmas present, does that sound mean?
She asked to play drums last week, I shall not repeat my response, I'm sure you can imagine.

Sounds ever so familiar, but to give dd1 her due she is getting less stroppy..... dd2 is ok at the moment too IF she actually wants to achieve something. Low c on her flute was apparently impossible until she came home with a piece her class teacher suggested she could play With the choir in the xmas show. 15 minutes of solid practise and effort and we have a beautiful c....

Ds won't let me record. He would swear blind he played a C when he played an E. "It's a C" I say. "THAT WAS WHAT I DID!!!!" He shouts.

Fleur Have you read Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro? There's a story called cellists, i think, that you might find interesring, related to "you don't even know piano!"

I agree - I did this with DS2 although he got wise to it and now refuses to be recorded. His nickname is 'I know' because if you try to tell him anything, he says I know! Every time!

I have taken to recording dd1 and playing it back to her. This has dramatically reduced the disagreements (understatement!) About her getting faster and faster as she plays.

Green I sometimes have to text DD's piano teacher after the lesson as we have a disagreement about how she needs to practice something. I have heard the phrase "she didn't say that!" so many times...

NeverEver I am a know it all too, I have been sitting in lessons for the last 3 years+, kept up with DD, I can read music, dynamics, rythm, you name it. There is only one little detail: I don't play.

So I guess she's right, I don't even know piano!

(I'm speaking for myself. I'm sure others could handle this better than me ...)

"you don't even know piano!"

I do and he still doesn't want to listen. Or at least not want to give the impression of listening. Now and then I do hear/see him doing the right thing but I don't point it out.

He says that with cello. I might not know how to play the cello but I know wrong pitch/rhythm/notes when I hear it.

What is it like to have a know-it-all mother, eh? I do pity them ...

Thats happening to me too Fleur when I dont even know if she is playing the scales correctly. I had to have whatsapp where I sent our teacher her scales playing video for him to tell if they were played correctly during the week(only started from Monday, hopefully it isnt too late)

NeverEver they'll never admit that we can actually give good advice, would they? When DD gets stroppy when I remind her what her piano teacher asked her to practice she turns to me and shouts at the top of her voice "you don't even know piano!"

This is now our family joke.

Oh drummers believe me she does know her counting after three years of piano. It is laziness we have to deal with. With piano it is easier as when I can see the rythm is not right I make her count out loud, with clarinet this is impossible.

In fact she does around 3 sight reading exercises each day and she's meant to count out loud every one of them and she does them perfectly, she just feels she can get away with it, which drives me mad!

I may make her clap the rythm anyway, back to basis (which she hates) just as a consequence of not counting (evil cackle)

Fleur this may sound very basic but sometimes basics are basics for a reason... clapping the rythm several times as part of learning the piece?
Neverever the thumping Bach made me smile.
Prada roll over to March. You will feel so relieved and satisfied to have conquered the race course.