January Music Thread

Kutik my dd practices around the same amount of time as your ds, I never re-haired the bow, but to be honest, from what I have heard it is just cheaper to buy a new bow than to do a re-hearing (assuming it is a standard bow and not smth antique of course)

oh wow Mistigiri how I'd love to hear it. How many great instruments lie in waiting in attics, garages and basements in the world I wonder?
Glad she's not in pain anymore.

Hello everyone - am reading the thread but very little time to post. Both kids have mock exams this week and we just got home from DD's piano recital. Tendon injury cleared up (thank you for the advice) so she was able to start playing again this weekend, not ideal preparation but that's life! It was all right on the night - the odd mistake but she is good at carrying on and covering up.

She was the most advanced student, last on, and her piano teacher did little speech before she played about inspiring the newer students. No pressure then LOL! But she was a bit less nervous than last time, though still more nervous about playing the piano in front of 50 parents/students than singing and playing guitar in front of a thousand paying customers.

They have a new piano in the auditorium that is an early 1900s grand that may have been played by Fauré (allegedly). DD didn't play it tonight because it hasn't yet been fully restored and you have to play it quite hard to bring out the high notes (she played the Yamaha grand instead), but one of the students played a lovely Mendelssohn piece on it and it has a beautiful tone. You wouldn't know that it had spent 15 years on its side in a garage before it was rescued!

Kutik woodbridge violins is amazing ( and in a lovely part of the world if you fancy a day out)good luck with your week waffle
V excited here as ds has potentially got the opportunity to take part in a workshop with Alison Balsom ( if school will let him have the day off)
We just need to fix his ear first ( we are off for a visit to ENT tomorrow so fingers crossed )

Fleur, we use Vandoren reeds now, started off with Rico and dd gets on better with the Vandoren.

I'm thankful she is not yet as fussy with the bassoon reeds as she is with the clarinet ones!

Thanks Drummersmum, will have a look at this one aswell. Thanks for your help, much appreciated : )

paulweller yes, that looks good, there's also this: southernpercussion.com/timpani/10338-solos-for-the-developing-timpanist.html

waffle what you need this week is some meditation

stringchild that's so interesting, because DS2 really liked it, too! Funnily enough there was a more expensive bow that we preferred. Very glad to hear your dd has got on so well with the solo - it's certainly given DS2 a benchmark to judge anything else by!

Thanks superhagbag x

Pradaqueen - I just peeped their website. They look amazing. However my navi tells me it will take me more than 2 hours drive! Thank you anyway for the information. It may cross my way one day!

@paulwellar11

We are using this www.boosey.com/shop/prod/Various-Percussion-World-Timpani/910799 as well as the G5-8 piecesbook. It has timp pieces, exercises and studies from G2-G8.

HTH

Kutik - I've not been to stringers but some of us go to Woodbridge Violins in Woodbridge Suffolk. Excellent service also.

We changed the strings for DS's violin only once so we are yet to discover which bland suits to DS's taste/DS's violin. A set of the strings cost £40 or so much cheaper than cello (however I understand there are more expensive choices).

We haven't done any re-hair neither. How often should we do these things? I heard it would be 3 months to a year depending on how much they are used. My DS plays an hour or so 5 - 6 days a week. Maybe I should take his violin to a shop for a check-up....

Loose - dd has the solo; she chose a more expensive one originally, but just didn't get on with it and had some mishaps with a collapsing spike which really rocked her. So we traded back to the Solo (which we took on approval first). It has a wonderful sound that really suits DD. As a non musician i am really surprised at the variety of sounds and how much people's tastes vary - even down to string preferences! we did upgrade the bow after i while but otherwise it has been fantastic and i can't see any reason to move on anytime.

Waffle good luck with your busy week, I hope your students make you proud!

Woolley I think your teacher may be able to advise (and Waffle) but you could buy a stronger reed and see if there is any improvement? Which make is your DD using? Because they don't match across all makes.

Kutik that sounds about right for strings - and it goes higher! It's worth looking on the website first to get an idea of violins they have available because they certainly have packages for students and you can take instruments away on approval.

So... Stringers is nice but pricey then... I haven't visited the shop yet but now I am starting to hesitate.... I guess cello is much more expensive than violin though. The mother of last year's YM was talking about the constant financial struggle to meet the children's needs in a documentary and I remember she said a set of the strings alone cost £85 or so.

Waffle/Fleur, it is interesting to read your discussion above about reed strengths.

Dd progressed from 1.5 to 2 shortly after starting playing and has stuck there ever since.

She is still at times struggling for the high D at the end of the two octave D minor scale, do you think a stronger reed would help any?

Fellow percussionist parents.
Dd has '1st recital series for timpani', done quite a lot of the pieces except maple leaf rag. Any other suggestions for pieces around the same level or a little above?
As always thanks.

Ah, Kutik, Stringers was where we went on Friday! They were lovely to DS2, I must say, and he really enjoyed his visit. They are pricey, which is why I didn't want to be too hasty. The one DS2 really liked was the 'solo' outfit and comes with a good case, strings and bow. (The one I liked best was more expensive and all those were extra!) I would definitely go back there for accessories.
I need to see the other one we've been offered and check with our teacher before doing anything else.

good luck Waffle - what a week you have! hope it all goes smoothly, and you get to enjoy it too:)

Kutik - we go to stringers for all our cellos; they are great but a little pricey sometimes.....

Just to report you back the outcome of the recent conversation with my DS's teacher on the piece he disliked.

The teacher said it was totally fine to drop the piece! He said there is so much music to choose from so no point of risking DS's enthusiasm. I am so glad I asked you guys whether I should tell the teacher - I would have been still thinking of this matter with no action otherwise! I am sure there will be the pieces DS cannot avoid whether he likes it or not. But it seems it was not the case this time. Thank you for your advice.

By the way, I'm not sure if it's any of help, but thought I would share the information especially with those who have young cellists. While searching for 4/4 violin, I found a nice cello specialist shop called Stringers Music. Well, they sell viola and violin too but the owner and their children are a cellist.

I typed a long post earlier which has disappeared. But the gist was Good luck with week ahead Waffle, looking forward to hearing how you have got on.