January to March 2019 music thread (Title edited by MNHQ)

Good luck to everyone with exams!
I have some one with lices and nits so the whole morning the whole family was on hygienic session including stupid thing as hovering the violin bow hair. Everything else was almost boiled and we were all sitting in the bathroom waiting for the 15-20mins cured with the special shampoo. Its rather disgusting!!!

Other than that then 11yrs old is on G7 violin and G8 piano exams this coming summer term, she has picked the pieces and for some reasons the scales dont look too scarily. The nearly 5yrs old could play “twinkle twinkle” after a week by reading the music herself, she is now learning to hold bow and starting on couple of scales. Our piano teacher mentioned that she could start now and he would just increase the current 1hr fee a little for an extra 30mins. I want to delay it till September once she is 5.5 though, I still think its too early.

Mending, so you are with me for this journey then. I've ordered Dampit already. Do you have a hygrometer? We have one. It's placed in the room where DS leaves his violin (in a case). It indicates the room isn't that dry so we don't need a humidifier usually. I am thinking to use it for travelling mostly.

Not sure about humidifiers neleus but you've just reminded me dd1s teacher said she should have one last week.... i will start investigating now

We’re treating the festival as essentially a warm up for the audition so are definitely going to be recycling repertoire!!

Good luck to all those preparing for exams and auditions.

I am in search of humidifier for DS's violin case. Initially I ordered Stretto but It didn't fit well in his compact Gewa Air. So I am thinking to get a tube thing instead. However, there seem to be quite a gap in price between Dampit and other brands - Dampit is around £20 but others are around £10 and some are considerably cheaper than £10. Is there any reason for this? Should I get Dampit assuming it's better in quality? Or it doesn't matter so I can go for any cheaper one?

The other thing bothering me is whether it's safe enough to put a thing inside the violin.... I picked Stretto at first because it wouldn't touch the instrument. I felt a lot safer this way. Is there anyone using a tube type? Any caution or advice to share...?

Any thought to share would be very much appreciated!

Cripes 4strings, can she at least re-use some pieces between different engagements?
mending, at the drunk duke dancing up the hill. The yelling sounds familiar somehow. ("WHAT?? There was nothing wrong with it!!!" - DS)

Good luck to all those in the throws of exams and auditions.

Things are fairly quiet here, and practise happend this morning with only one meltdown. Dd2 has been given a piece to play which is basically the Grand old duke of York in 6/8 time, and being very familiar with the march time original dd2 went dramatically to pieces. Total crisis was averted with humour; this duke is clearly dancing his men to the top of the hill and in the mangled version she's been producing all week (while yelling that of course she's got it right ) the duke was clearly drunk

Thanks - what will be will be!

Good luck 4strings- hope the audition goes well!

I lurk on this thread. Dd is about to embark on a frankly bonkers couple of weeks. Woodwind exam (grade 1; only started 12 mo ago!), specialist school audition (eeeek), music festival, band concert, strings concert. None stop!

We survived the clarinet exam! Three weeks till the next one... Good luck to woolley third and anyone else with exams coming up

@luckyfab well, I thought it was amazing as a production. I can't say I loved the music with the exception of the main one that the folk ensemble performed (Roots). Definitely not my cup of tea! However, hats off to everyone for pulling together such a huge number of kids and making it all work so impressively. My boys had solos which was really cool - who gets to say they did that on the RAH stage?? I thought the youth orchestra was very impressive too.

@Wiifitmama
Hi, did you like Convo at the RAH last night?
I think they were amazing. I enjoyed every single moment of it.

We are 2.5 weeks away from exam and seriously at the arrgggghhhhhh stage! This is why we swore no more clarinet exams, lol. Dd is calmer than me, and secondary school are being a lot more supportive of exam preparation than her primary were. Aural practice session booked with music teacher, rooms to practice at lunch or after school etc. All scales learned ish but one piece still not sounding great...

Four lotsofmilk good luck to your DS2 today. We have 3 exams coming up between 2 kids. DS x2 should be fine, he doesn't seem to do nervous. Or practice much, but plays through his pieces every day and no reason he can't do so again in exam. Sight reading is his weakest area. DD is a bit more erratic, plays beautifully on a good day but can go very fast and very quietly if she gets nervous.

First of our 4 ABRSM exams tomorrow ( not great planning !!) ..... grade 1 clarinet for DS2. He has quite severe dyspraxia so it’s a big deal for him. He’s very anxious but we got through it all tonight🤞 it will be ok. Would be great for his confidence to get a good result. The others are all in the last week. Good luck to anyone else about to sit exams .. bet there are quite a few on here!

Thats great Coffee, hope she is on a complete mend.

Money and time well spent then. Hope your DD enjoys the rehearsals. New music is always exciting.

Feeling efficient .. I was a bit desperate and spend some time online. It was so bad luck with the new music (4 pieces) and completely out with the flu for the past week.

It can be so embarrassing being the only one who cannot play in orchestra... just wanted to spare her that!!

That's an impressive PA work, Coffee.

Hi Green,

I actually managed to book a teacher through a music school I found online just 30min ago (anyone need details, let me know). They incredibly had a slot....my daughter is home today (she was ill all week, so today as first day well I kept her at home). They managed to fit her in as it is mid day and before the rush starts. She is in lesson now, still cannot believe it. Thank you though!!!

Hi Coffee, are you in SW London? Its quite tricky with regard to timing(most teacher wants to take weekend off).

Hi Everyone, has anyone got a one-off “emergency” violin lesson? DD has been ill all week and we had to cancel her regular lessons... now she has new pieces for orchestra tomorrow and Sunday and her teacher is unavailable. Have anyone any idea on how to approach this ? We are London based....

Thanks Taggie- no she hasn’t tried anything in that price range. Eek! This violin malarkey is expensive! 🤣

Zak - I tried one and found it nice to play, and easy to control, but lacking depth on the G string.

At your DD’s stage, she probably needs a fine bow, to be honest. Have she ever tried a really good professional level bow? (£3k +). The colours you get and ease of technique are a step up even from a decent student bow, of the type she has tried. In some ways, it makes more difference than the instrument. Maybe the school could help organise a loan from a foundation?

Sorry if I am out of line with this, but I just wanted to offer a slightly different perspective.