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

my dd is a beginner cellist and learns from Cello Time Joggers/Runners/ Sprinters. Quite nice pieces and a CD to play them with which she enjoys. She also has their Christmas carol book which went down well in December. Her grade pieces come from an ABRSM book called Time Pieces for Cello, or something like that. That has some nice bits in it, including the Pink Panther (but no film stuff, alas). I'm sure she would like stuff from musicals.

On a similar cello-ey note, can anyone recommend where I could get a replacement bow for a 1/2 cello that is neither too pricey nor too awful (holy grail?). Dd is about to take Grade 2 (so doesn't need anything too fancy), and has just gone up a size. Her cello is nice, but the bow is dodgy apparently.

Please can someone recommend some beginner cello books? DS is currently using Waggon Wheels as recommended by the teacher. He's working through it & doing fine but isn't terribly inspired and I think he could do with something in addition for some variety, ideally something recognisable such as films/musicals/classical pieces. He never just sticks to one book with piano. I'm planning to discuss with the teacher but thought someone here would likely have some helpful advice. Thanks.

Has anyone tried an Arcus bow??? Apparently cheaper than Benoît Rolland Spiccato but just as good??? Not sure- dd hasn’t tried- anyone tried one?

We can carry on I suppose? I'll request the title change to MNHQ.

....do you think we should start a March thread... or just carry on in our time warp!! 🎵🎶

That’s the bow brass tacks- unfortunately that one is sold- already rang them x

ZakStarkey - this? www.cardiffviolins.co.uk/benoit-rolland-spiccato-carbon-fibre-violin-bow/

So interesting to hear this. I’ve always told me children that I can help them get to grade 8 (and equivalent) but then it’s up to them! There has to be that innate desire.

I find it interesting to think that some of the skills necessary post 18 ar taught in school. They weren’t when I was there. When I taught up to ‘A’ level, most students study skills and prep for the big wide world were sadly lacking. I really don’t know what the answer is!

Saying that this is not just confined to music.
I was thinking it sounded rather like DH at uni. But then it kind of applies to any field - you get to the end of one stage and move onto the next and you're a beginner like everyone else and don't know if you're going to make a success of it or even like it. I think it's quite healthy really.

I do think it can be particularly bad in music because of the constant need to reinvent technique. I've talked to enough people who went to music college and were told to just play open strings for months or equivalent. Must be quite a dampener on the spirits when you've been the star of the show at school/youth music scene and getting to do lots of fun projects!

I think sometimes too people realise they enjoyed something more for the fact of being good at it and getting admired than for the thing itself - so when you put them in an environment where they're average, it's not fun any more.

I've never watched but can imagine the craziness as I know a few achievement junkies in real life (and interestingly most of them claim it's all 'natural' saying the kids are left on their device so it's all coming from the kids etc, then when the kids failed they would say it's the lack of preparation or the kids failed deliberately, etc..., never accept the simple fact that someone can be better than their kids... ).

However, it's so easy to criticise the family of a genius so I would try not to jump into the obvious assumption. I am sure the production would make it look even more sensational by clever editing? You'll never know what's going on behind the doors.

Related subject - anyone watching Child Genius on Channel 4? Forgot tiger mums in music (and tiger dads) - some of those parents are off the scale and I dread to think how the kids will turn out.

I have heard of others like that. Somebody I know took a gap and practiced like crazy and got into in a leading conservatoire. She quit within 3 months realising it wasn't for her. Seeing others around her she suddenly realised her relative level and appreciated what would be required to become professional. Saying that this is not just confined to music. Oxbridge is full of successful clever people who when let loose on their own after nurturing environment of school and home can't manage their studying and life (as well as realising they are not as clever as they thought)

Also being behind at the conservatoire (due to the lack of practice) from being a miracle in all his life until then demotivated him hugely. He switched his career plan so now works in a different field. He is happy but couldn't listen to some particular pieces without feeling a pain (so doesn't like to go to concerts).

That's so true but sadly the importance of learning the basic life skills are quite often underestimated over achievements necessary to obtain a place at desirable destination... Possibly in the result of focussing on surviving the fireice competition too much...?

In this particular violinist's case though, his main problem seemed to be the sudden loss of the structure. He had such busy schedule juggling school work and musical commitments for many many years that his parent had to be his super PA. But being away from home and more spontaneous learning required at college meant suddenly he was given many 'free' hours which he had to figure out how to use and gradually lost motivation as he couldn't grasp the needs and priority. He expected the teachers would help him learn how to practise/prioritise but all they told him was 'practise!'. He had the desire to do well but just couldn't work out how.

I naively thought at that age they would know and be capable especially for someone who'd managed to reach such a level good enough to get in a conservatoire but obviously not. Some are naturally alerted and hand-on but some aren't so need extra support before being thrown into the real world.

I'm not surprised. It's not just about practice, they are learning about independent living at the same time. Turning up to a concert at the right place, at the right time, in the right clothes is different when there's not someone there saying "we're setting off in an hour", delivering you to the door and of course you don't have the magic wardrobe that delivers clean concert wear. You then have to get yourself home in the dark and if your planning skills weren't up to scratch you realise that you missed a meal.

The first disaster is a learning experience that teaches them about keeping up with the laundry and planning to fit a meal into the day. If they are used to having a roadie, chef, laundry assistant and logistics manager it hits hard when they have that support taken away.

(Does it sound as if I speak from experience?)

A violist managed to get in a top UK conservatoire but dropped out later because of the lack of discipline and knowledge of how to practice. Being away from his super supportive parent was a problem, apparently. I am

Thanks both. I had a good chat with him actually. He did admit to being nit-picky with her but only because (as he said) she’s so good that he feels he can really drill down into the pieces with her as she picks things up so quickly. I stressed to him that she’s very self critical of her own abilities so she needs plenty of positive reinforcement and he said that he would make sure to tell her when he thinks she’s done something particularly well or has made good progress. She took her grade 1 at Christmas after only 2 terms of lessons and will likely take her grade 2 in the summer so I know she’s definitely making progress 😜 but she’s such a perfectionist she doesn’t see it herself! Fingers crossed this helps.
She played in a concert at school last night - with her cello in the strings orchestra and then a piano solo - and she just loved every second of it so i’m keen to keep her enthusiasm going!

I think thats good service from fiddle. Ds has a pretty picky piano teacher but he always makes a big thing of saying he's being picky because ds is doing really well and has potential to make the piece 'excellent' (it should be noted we are talking about arrangementa og old Mac Donald here so not exactly masterpiece level )

queenmabby could you phrase it as a comment on your DD rather than teacher? "Quiet heads up, DD is being quite negative about cello at the moment feeling she can't get things right - could you look out for opportunities to reassure her she's doing well?" I'd also be having a chat to your DD about how different people react. Piano teacher's response to her doing well is to say well done first, cello teacher's response is to go straight to asking her to do harder things and try to get every tiny detail right. Explicitly understanding this about the teacher's personality not her playing could help. A friend's DC has a cello teacher like that, it's become a standing joke that cello teacher is never satisfied and they don't take it personally just roll eyes at each other once they get home.

Help! Off to see DD’s cello teacher later today after she had a mini-meltdown last night over not enjoying her lessons. She’s adamant that she loves the cello and wants to keep playing but finds her teacher nit-picky and overly negative. Not helped I think by the fact that her piano teacher whilst also a complete perfectionist is v lavish with praise and compliments so the comparison is stark. What’s the best way to ask her cello teacher to dial down the criticism and dial up the positive support without seeming offensive?! Thanks.

Depends on how much your DD wants the bow though if it was for my DS I may have sent a bulk email to loads of dealers asking about the bow. People bring their violin (and bow!) back to upgrade etc. So someone should have it somewhere ready to sell!!

That would be helpful Neleus- I think the bows are pretty old (for carbon fibre) so I think they’ve all sold and then re-sold etc etc...

Zak, it would be great if the maker could provide you the list of the distributors then you could send a bulk email to all of them??

raspberryrippleicecream, I know someone who had a business degree, then went off to travel the world which lasted nearly 10 years! In his early 30's he decided to come back to the UK, did a master in computer science, he got a job in the field straight after the graduation and now in his 40's he has a very comfortable life. Do you think your DS could do music (college or uni) if that's where his heart lies, then maybe think of doing a master in computer science if he feels the need? I just feel academic study can be delayed while music could be less forgiven. Maybe not.

I’m sure some of you will know about Awards for Young Musicians but thought I would post the link www.a-y-m.org.uk/how-we-help/getting-the-support-you-need/ as the deadline is March 8th to apply this year.