February Music Thread

Oh Fleur - yes please to the link - i love seeing these DCs play! well done to dd today, and good luck tomorrow!

Thank you Loose you make me blush, I am proud of her but I am sure you haven't got anything to learn from a 9yo and I am looking forward to see you play if you ever have a recording of you.

Waffle I've sent you the link.

I am uploading another two pieces as she has two more classes tomorrow, I'll send it on to you ladies as I like hearing some opinions (and show off with dd ).

As you may remember dd is a shy introvert, monosyllabic and I was amazed that even though the festival organisers said they don't have to introduce their pieces if they don't want to she chose to do it. She then told me at home she loved the applause for her and can she do more festivals as she enjoys performing a lot.

Fleur thanks so much for the link - that was such a lovely treat. I've played it several times to get tips from MiniFleur's delightful playing! Well done to her.

Loose the bloody thing is still uploading, as soon as it is done I'll pm you. I don't know why YouTube is taking so long.

Fleur I am not bored and I would still love the link! 😀

Oh I recorded dd playing before the festival so if anyone is bored and wants the link I'll pm you

Thank you Loose!

irvine I think you can ask for a change of date by contacting them directly but there is no guarantee they'll change it. Aural - there is an Abrsm app you can use really helpful.

I would go and look for a church with a piano to practice on a real piano as it could be a shock the difference between a piano and a keyboard in the exam.

Thanks for birthday wishes! We're having a nice day at the Natural History Museum.
Big congratulations to MiniFleur - what a great result!

Happy birthday Loose's DS2! Lovely day to have a birthday.

DD got second place in the sonatina class (age 14 and under) so quite proud of her for her first festival. First place was a 13 yo so I wasn't amazed when the comments referred to dd's maturity to interpret music.

hello! I have posted before, and had great advice from you.
Please can I have some advice, please?
My ds has been learning piano, and lost his teacher due to unexpected circumstances in September. He now have keyboard teacher, but not proper piano teacher yet.

Anyways, he has been practicing grade1 exam pieces since last summer(without any input from teacher), and we decided to go for exam in spring.(Since he had enough of it already.)

Q1: I enrolled him for exam, but hasn't got exam date yet. Can you ask to change it if it clashed with something important? (He has residential trip during this period, which we didn't know at the date of entry to exam.)

Q2: We have been practicing scales and broken chords with you tube. But how do you practice aural? We have seen you tube video of grade1 exam, is it true reflection of what it is?

Q3: We don't have piano at home(only keyboard), and keyboard teacher doesn't use piano. I have asked school if he could practice on piano during break or after school, but it was denied. He hasn't touched real piano since July last year.
Do you think he would stand a chance passing?

Q4: I have no knowledge of music at all. Anything you recommend that we should look at/do? Any advice truly appreciated.

Happy birthday Loose's DS2!

DS1 was given a cello stand as his birthday present.

I sort of want a glockenspiel now just to hear the helium effect!!
It is ds2's birthday today. He has a couple of music presents - a stand for his keyboard (hopefully freeing up his desk for some homework!) and some very nice cello strings, as well as a bag for his piano music. Mind you, I am sitting with a coffee looking at his presents and cards while he sleeps in!

The reason why I introduced music into my ds's life was because I wanted him to discover the joy of music. I hoped he would find comfort, excitement, happiness, sadness, all sorts in music through his life. I didn't really expect music to be the central of his world like now. But he is only 9, so I won't be surprised if it's replaced with something else at some points in future. However, I can see he has definitely found something special in music and I feel he won't forget that even when music becomes less important to him. I am so glad I had the courage to phone up the piano teachers I found on the internet! It was the very beginning of our musical journey (though piano is very much in the background now).

A bit late response to onlymusic stating that the point of taking exams early. I suppose there is nothing wrong to be wanting to get certificates for whatever the reasons. BUT as long as you are aware of the pros and cons of rushing. Some people value 'quality' and 'solid progress' then rushing to get higher grades won't be their choice. Meanwhile, others may not be bothered by the fact that their 'true' standard may not match to the paper, then racing up to higher grades will be totally OK for them. The disaster only happens when you are not aware of what you are doing.

arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh - have just this minute got the date forDD16's G6 piano exam - April 3rd..

7 weeks notice seems a lot more than we usually get, so am pleased, but it is a lonnnnnnnnng time to be pushing the "practise for your exam" buttons!

pirates of the Caribbean on helium

Played on the glockenspiel you get Pirates on the Caribbean on helium. It makes you smile.

It's the very first time for DS to play in an orchestra so I am not bored with listening to Pirates of the Caribbean yet. I'm quite exited about it actually (no no I'm not thinking about Mr Depp).

Loose he is really excited and I'm being allowed to stay and watch so I'm looking forward to it too

Meant to say as well that I would be very excited to meet Alison Balsom, let alone get selected for a workshop! I bet he'll have a fantastic time!

Ha! Don't mention Pirates of the Caribbean - I don't want to think about the number of times I've heard that!
Gilly I hope you get a bit of mum-dd time before she rushes back to school - she sounds as though she is loving her music! Poor young Raspberry - wishing him a speedy recovery.
Trumpet watch out - the fun instrument can become the main one and you'll end up with a super pianist on your hands!

Waffle at the minute I am braving ds's moods to supervise his practice a bit ( he's ok at getting started but probably doesn't practice as efficiently as he could getting totally distracted by pieces that he likes to play not what he has to perform and play in his audition next month!!) he has also discovered the piano and I will often hear him playing that when he's supposed to be practicing trumpet apparently he finds it relaxing What a shame raspberry that your son is ill hope he recovers soon. Ds got his place on the Alison Balsom workshop so that's incredibly exciting