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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

February Music Thread

746 replies

Wafflenose · 02/02/2017 21:51

Overdue again, this time due to our local music festival. I put in 32 entries, and am now finished for this year, but haven't had a lot of sleep recently!

I am a teacher of woodwind - mostly recorder and clarinet at the moment - and have two DDs. Goo (short for Kajagoogoo in case anyone was wondering - and no, that isn't her actual name!!) is 11 and plays the flute, recorder and piano. Rara is 8 and plays the cello, recorder and clarinet. We are heading towards a half size cello soon, and I think we might have found a suitable one. We're going to try it out this weekend.

The girls have been entered for Grade 7 Flute and Grade 1 Clarinet this term, and I am really regretting it, as they are so under-prepared. But hopefully after a slightly quieter weekend, we can all get back on track.

Please jump right in, ask questions, moan about practice/ scales/ attitude, tell us about your DCs or your own learning... and new members/ beginners are always welcome!

OP posts:
Trumpetboysmum · 07/02/2017 11:56

Loose I am full of admiration I really don't think that I could go back to music exams now

Drivingmadness · 07/02/2017 11:53

3 music exams , 1 audition, county level competions in 3 different sports, 6 danceperformances this term (between 2 dc!). When are the summer holidays?

LooseAtTheSeams · 07/02/2017 09:18

Ok, just listened to the 12 year old violinist in the Menuhin competition and nearly forgot to breathe!
But I love the second violinist in your contrast clips, Never.
I am having a crisis of confidence over the grade 4 piano exam - I think I need to stop thinking 'exam' and just think about why I enjoy playing ( I don't mean not do the exam but to try to change how I think about it). On the other hand I also need to fix my scales, which were ok and now aren't. Back to the scales jars...

LooseAtTheSeams · 07/02/2017 08:56

Good luck Stringchild - exciting but stressful, I imagine!
Apart from a piano lesson for me and a bass lesson for DS1, half term just gives us a bit of a breather to recharge!

NeverEverAnythingEver · 07/02/2017 08:56

Waffle I find youtube performances of exam pieces generally dispiriting. Grin

Contrast a grade 3 violin piece:

Exam demonstration:

A performance (about 4:10 in) :

NeverEverAnythingEver · 07/02/2017 08:51

That young violinist is great!

I went to see the Russian Virtuosi of Europe play Vivaldi's Four Seasons. They were fabulous. One forgets what a great performance piece this is, with the conversation between the soloist and the ensemble.

stringchild · 07/02/2017 08:25

Loose - I am but we still have competition and then RCM JD audition to go first!!

onlymusic · 06/02/2017 23:01

I am glad that cello boy passed audition in our thread Grin
Pity there is no information on names - would be interesting to monitor his career.....
(I am not discussing the girl - everything I can say about her is that I had goosebumps when listening her alive - she totally stood out of 6 finalists and didn't leave a chance to anyone else)

Trumpetboysmum · 06/02/2017 21:53

Yes I'm exhausted!! And it hasn't even been a long term!!

LooseAtTheSeams · 06/02/2017 21:32

I must catch up with the YouTube clips - especially to get DS2 to watch the cello!
I can't help much on the piano pieces but will be interested to hear what Goo chooses.
Is anyone else really, really looking forward to half term?Smile

Original poster
Wafflenose · 06/02/2017 21:14

Thanks, Never - I have had a look and am not finding them overly inspiring really! Oh well, I suppose we'll just have to see what she likes. I'll let you know what she picks when the book arrives.

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NeverEverAnythingEver · 06/02/2017 21:04

Waffle I had a quick look at the A list and am also none the wiser. Grin I guess she'll have to choose for herself. I don't like the arrangement of Gounod's soldier's chorus though, and if there's a Kabalevsky I would always choose it (but I think this one is extra and not in the book). The Haydn looks like you need to get your staccato done very well. But I haven't played them and I think you need to play them to know... Not helpful!

Original poster
Wafflenose · 06/02/2017 20:59

Just to clarify... Goo was hoping she'd be done with music exams next year, not with learning music! She might well go on to study it at university or music college. She doesn't want to start doing piano exams just as she finishes flute and recorder exams, but I'll let her and the teacher talk about that in a couple of months.

OP posts:
Original poster
Wafflenose · 06/02/2017 20:48

Thanks for the link, only!

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Icouldbeknitting · 06/02/2017 20:44

DS is three and a half years past grade eight. It just goes on as before - lessons, technique and repertoire. There is always more to learn

stringchild · 06/02/2017 20:25

Only - thanks for sharing the clip; pretty stunning performance by the winner! and DD loved the dress! see what you mean about the cello - wonderfully secure left hand

Original poster
Wafflenose · 06/02/2017 19:09

I have had a quick look on Youtube, but was left none the wiser about which pieces might be easier/ harder/ more fun to play. Personal recommendations and pointers about particular pieces would be great, but failing that I will have to play the pieces to Goo when the book arrives, and let her choose one.

OP posts:
PetraDelphiki · 06/02/2017 19:06

I have dd(10) plays violin (G4), cornet and piano (G3). She's doing G4 cornet in the summer the either 5 or 6 violin at Xmas depending how hard she works...we are having a year of playing mostly for fun not exams to take the pressure off. And she and I are doing G5 theory next month which will be fine unless she makes really stupid mistakes!!!

onlymusic · 06/02/2017 19:04

I think I mentioned before that I had a chance to see the finals of Menuhin competition last year. The girl who won it was just fab, but I also liked the cello boy from the orchestra (student of Menuhin school). He is very animated and I think acts as a star in making. I think he is really worth watching (somewhere from 10.38)

onlymusic · 06/02/2017 18:58

Oh, NeverEverAnythingEver I sometimes think what happens after....
Then start planning, first diploma, then perhaps just lessons? I guess learning does not stop with grades...

onlymusic · 06/02/2017 18:56

I know it is a very silly question Waffle but did you look on youtube?

NeverEverAnythingEver · 06/02/2017 17:39

waffle I don't know Trinity but will have a look at the pieces later.

NeverEverAnythingEver · 06/02/2017 17:37

I'm always slightly surprised when I'm asked whether DS1 is "finishing" his cello study. Can you ever finish? Perhaps that's the danger of taking exams too regimentedly (is this a word??) I do know quite a few people who finish grade 8 quite young and then don't play any more, which makes me sad...

Original poster
Wafflenose · 06/02/2017 17:13

Has anyone taken Grade 4 Piano with Trinity? The teacher has just asked me to buy the book, and told Goo to pick one to start learning before her next lesson. I have no idea which ones are nice, or not, so any guidance would be appreciated. I am impressed, as Goo has only been learning for nine months. Goo is panicking in case that means she has to do an exam. I think she thought the end was in sight, as she is likely to do two Grade 7s this year and two Grade 8s next year. I have assured her that she doesn't have to do any piano exams if she doesn't want to, but told her to learn the pieces and decide in a few months.

OP posts:
Kutik73 · 06/02/2017 13:55

Getting involved in music seriously is quite a hard task when you have a family member like that (and he has the loudest voice in our household)...