Autumn 21 music thread

Update on Christmas music. I bought the Nikki Iles 'jazz on a winter's night' book. Have had a quick play through and it's got some nice arrangements and it's not too hard so will be fine to pick up in Nov / Dec

Thank you musictimesthree, we have the abrsm app will try your other suggestions!

I don’t think the repair guy was the issue - as far as I know, he’s still working.
On the FB group, they had estimate over £100k worth of instruments had gone “missing”.
I have professional friends who have been affected; initially, they refused to believe they were victims, because of their great relationship with the men in question.

How awful - the repairer guy would recork recorders for DD as well and never charged a penny for it.

That is so awful @comefromaway - I feel really sorry for them.

DD's current flute is returned from the repairer. Having fiddled with it he is now more confident it will get her through grade 7 (poss eight 'at a push') but we shall consider it on notice to upgrade - at least we now have time to do so without too much hurry.

A friend who is a professional flautist and teacher has lost her flute which was in for repair at Topwind.

@Glwysen I would suggest lots of practice using online apps such as Emusicmaestro and the ABRSM app. Otherwise the ABRSM aural raining in practice books and any other books you can get hold of. Also, listening to music in general and making connections with the aural tests.
This has worked so far for us 🤞!

Wow!

Anyone any tips for grade skippers! DS did grade 1 sax a fews years ago and then has been scuppered by lockdown! He is doing grade 4 in november and I think is very nervous about the aural tests as he hasn’t really done any since his grade 1.

That's AWFUL!

Also, read the newest comments on the link trumpetdad posted from Slipped Disc above.

minisnowballs, trumpetdad - www.gov.uk/government/news/musical-instrument-traders-banned-for-18-years

@Alsoplayspiccolo gosh never knew that (not on FB as a matter of principle).

They fixed dents etc on my DS’ flute for free and were great advising on piccolos. So sad others had an awful experience.

And thanks @trumpetdad - supergrateful - I will DM when I've got my head around it a bit more

Oh no - all those poor flute owners - the Topwind person used to fix DD2's instrument for free for years when things popped off so I was always very grateful to him. I'll look at some more options. Sure the teacher will have views!

Trumpetdad, it wasn’t just their accountant who was dodgy, sadly - there is a whole FB group for Top Wind customers who never saw their instruments again, thanks to the owners, who have now been banned from trading for 9 years.

@minisnowballs All of our instruments have been second hand on eBay or Gumtree. DM if you want some advice

@londonmummy1966 if you’re thinking of TopWind, they were amazing but have sadly shut down

slippedisc.com/2020/03/best-london-flute-shop-shuts-after-accountant-goes-to-jail/

In lighter vein DD has texted tonight to say she can now play the hurdy gurdy. 11 years of practice and it all comes to this.....

@minisnowballs there is an amazing flute shop on Lower Marsh about 3 mins walk from Morley. I'd go in and have a chat and see what they recommend. I imagine that they'd let DD go in and try some flutes out - perhaps suggest that instead of a lesson she and her teacher go there and have a "play"

Re the cello - as she's a girl do bear in mind that a 7/8th cello might be better for her than a full size - far too many cello teachers don't think about the fact that girls are smaller than boys and full size can be too much for smaller hands. we nearly made the boob of buying a full size as her (male not CYM) teacher didn't think about this. It was only that we have a professional cellist as a neighbour who came round to look at the "on probation" cellos and said they were all too big and she needed a 7/8ths.

YOu could also look at Benslow for a flute if what she needs is more than you can afford atm. Link in one of my earlier posts

@minisnowballs No need to fear. The flute should come with (or you can buy) hole plugs. Flute teacher gradually took out one plug at a time. DS still plays with one plug in (and we upgraded in Aug 2018).

Thanks @londonmummy1966- I'm sure you're right with the instruments. How can examiners know whether it is tone or instrument?

I feel terribly guilty as DD has been complaining about tone on her flute for weeks and I've told her that I'm sure it's her fault, only to take it to a repairer who has basically gone... 'er... yeah, there's no way she can be playing well on that at her level'.

Her teacher is great but isn't one for examining instruments closely and fiddling with them when something goes wrong.

Thankfully she's still on a 3/4 cello so I'm not planning to let her upgrade that til she gets to full-size (when it will be more expense!). The bassoon is too good for her, rather than the other way around!

Thanks @trumpetdad - i'll take a look. She's a bit scared of open holes, but I guess they're necessary?

@minisnowballs I feel your pain re the flute (we had to upgrade for a cello which was painful). However there are advantages to upgrading early if it yields a big dividend in terms of sound/tone etc. Although ABRSM examiners aren't supposed to judge on the quality of the instrument sadly the improvement in tone a better instrument can bring often does affect their judgement. The only time DD didn't get a distinction was Gr 6 cello where she was on a student instrument the upgraded one for Grade just transformed the sound she made. So if you do have to buy a new flute then there might be a positive....

For those looking for a Christmas party piece perhaps get an arrangement of the last movement of the Corelli Christmas Concerto for solo piano? Not too tricky and plenty of free versions on the web. A bit more challenging might be the Daquin Noels (free on IMSLP) but number 10 would be OK for a grade 5/6. However the best way would be to buy a hymnbook with music and start learning to play carols from the 4 part harmonies. (DDs teacher at CYM got her to sightread a hymn a day over the summer holidays between G7 and G8 - you always get kudos at school if you can stand in for the music teacher in assembly.........)

@minisnowballs - our flute teacher recommended an open hole Altus Azumi. I got the AZ1000RE on eBay.