Spring 23 music thread

@northerngoldilocks

Would also recommend Debussy’s Children’s corner. Also some of Grieg’s Lyric pieces or Chopin Fantasie Impromptu.

I think that its a really good point @thirdfiddle that a new teacher is unlikely to dive straight into an exam syllabus - there is a bit of time of working out where they're at and whether there are areas to work on.

When DD was finishing up with her last piano teacher he suggested she play Grieg's 'Wedding Day in Trolldhaugen' and her new teacher worked on it for a while with her before they put it aside to concentrate on the Grade 7 work. It was all just about there but not performance ready - she might pick it up again later though (when her hands grow mainly!). It was good to learn something that was different and harder than the things she'd been doing. Similarly with the Chopin minute waltz, its just a different technique and style to the pieces she's been working on so its been good. She was also playing Debussy's 'la fille aux cheveux de lin' which was beautiful and definitely worked on different elements of playing / expression - might be something @twinklypiano your daughter could enjoy playing - or perhaps the Deux Arabesques if she likes that type of music?

Other things on DD's 'wish list' to play at some point (bearing in mind she's only quite young so still hasn't heard loads of music) are Glinka/Balakirev's, The Lark and Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique. Both might be a little way off though!

Can't comment on the pieces but oboe is SO in demand here. Literally one player in the county band! So many opportunities for oboists, more than bassoonists.

She could pick one of the grade 8 syllabus pieces and see what she thinks. What has she done other than the grade 7 recently? DD is learning Chopin's minute waltz alongside her grade 7 stuff 'for fun' if that might be of interest?

Thanks everyone :)
So while I’m trying to sign up for piano lessons at school, DD wants to learn a new piece which is harder! (her words) What would you recommend? Do you think she could look at grade 8 and try those for fun? And if it goes well new teacher could possibly try for grade 8? For the 2nd instrument she’s thinking oboe, horn or maybe viola. She could play in ensembles then.

@twinklypiano Hi, and welcome.

Definitely skip grades. DS plays 2 instruments, got Grade 8 in both, but actually only took 4 other grade exams in total, two in each instrument.

In terms if a second instrument- DS was a late starter in music, though he still went to conservatoire at 18. He picked his second instrument based on three things - the style of music that he liked, in what instruments a really good teacher was available, and what locally available ensembles were likely to have vacancies for at a suitable level. So for example, violin was out - too late starting to join age appropriate ensembles. Bassoon was out - not used in his preferred genre and good players of his own age already filling available seats. Double bass - out because no good local teacher.

Good luck and have fun!

I think that there are papers for each grade 1-5, we definitely accessed 3 last summer when she sat that.

@horseymum thanks! Your DD is a giant compared with ours, who is pushing 5:2 on a good day. She started at ten on a mini and only got the short reach at 11 and a half - I sometimes wonder whether she's really big enough to play the bassoon at all. Anyhow, new school confirms they have short reaches for her for now and will help us sort a proper instrument when necessary so I guess they know what they're doing! So it's just a few months of working with what she's got.

@Alakazam8 A I think there is a practice paper online at ABRSM you can do on the computer - and you could always try the ones for lower grades too just to get used to the format and the computer. But someone who has a child who has done it more recently will know more (@northerngoldilocks ?)

@Alakazam8 there is an online mock on the abrsm website (only 1 though)

thanks for the info on theory test. Are there any practice versions that can be done online to enable dd to understand what is required of the online exam- we work on paper and she might struggle with the change of methods?

@twinklypiano welcome! Glad your DD is enjoying piano. We definitely don't do all the exams- too expensive and slow down progress and reduce the variety of repertoire played.
I would echo a pp saying to consider a rarer second instrument, more opportunities! Starting violin at 13 is relatively late so harder to catch up. Look at double bass, bassoon, tuba, trombone, oboe, all endangered instruments and often started later. With regards to having less time, I find elder DD is more efficient with her time, she also stays up later. She has rationalised her hobbies too and only does music and some sport a couple of hours a week. Therefore she actually has more time for music than when younger. She will also have some study periods next year and a practice period in music and fewer subjects so I think it will actually be easier. Although she is very focused so makes it look easy. Two instruments help each other.

@minisnowballs DD is nearly 13 and went from mini bassoon onto full size when 11, she's now mostly playing on a short reach but no problems playing the full stretch one. She's 5'5" and got a big hand span and will grow more so if we buy one, it will be full size. She's only on the short reach as that's the better of the two the region owns. No one else is playing not likely to so she's the only bassoon. Hence applying for NYO inspire to meet some others! She's also doing a NYOS ensemble this summer, so hopefully some bassoons there.

We've missed grades too. On piano dd didn't do 4 and isn't doing 7 and will do g8 when ready.

On cello she's only done grades 1 and 4 and is playing pieces around grade 6 now which she may or may not take. Decision not yet made.

For dd piano is her "serious" instrument and cello is more learnt for the pleasure and enjoyment of ensemble playing. She plays in two orchestras at school and a trio. It's great for the social side and she's made friends across the year groups at school because of it.

As everyone says @twinklypiano definitely skip any you like. Dd skipped five on flute (covid) and has only taken five on bassoon but grade eight repertoire now.
only caveat is that I think you can’t take the diplomas without a grade eight in the instrument or a related one (so violin if it is viola etc). They cost a bomb as well so there is an incentive not to take them!

@twinklypiano You can skip grades. DD did G2 piano in year 3, then Covid started and she did G7 in year 6. I don't think she's going to do more grades. She's on G8 and above at the moment, in year 7, and happy to continue according to the pieces her teachers throw at her and what she's interested in.

Re second instrument, DD took up violin in year 3 so she could play in orchestras and ensembles. In that respect I do think it has a huge advantage as piano is a rather lonely instrument. She enjoys the violin (on G5 now) and it opened up many options for her.

Hi @twinklypiano - skipping grades is fine. DD has done 1,5 and will do 7 in the summer. Her teacher doesn't like to do 8 without 7, but that's his preference rather than based on any rules.

Re introducing another instrument- does she want to? My DD added violin after piano so she could play in ensembles which is more sociable, but I wouldn't make her if she wasn't interested?

hi everyone, hope it’s ok to join
I am not very musical myself but my DD 13 is a keen pianist. At the moment she is only playing piano, she did the Grade 5 theory online last year and she is playing Grade 7 syllabus. She also plays other music for fun. Currently her piano teacher is abroad so no lessons although I’m planning for school music lessons next year. The last grade she took was Grade 5 Performance but I don’t think she has to do grade 6. Do you think it’s possible to skip to Grade 7? Also would it be better to carry on with piano to a high standard or to introduce another instrument? Because I know that in higher years of school, she will have less time to play piano. Thanks

Do check she knows how to use the mouse correctly to answer the questions before the real thing. Sounds really stupid but my DD1 got 0 out of 10 on chords (her strongest bit of the paper) which we thought was odd given it is multiple choice. When we enquired further it turned out she had not dragged and dropped the notes onto the stave, merely clicked them and they didn't register. She got the actual pass mark - thank GOD - otherwise I would have been pretty cross.

Assuming its ABRSM theory and grade 5 or below it will, as you say, be online. Apart from the obvious 'make sure you have a stable internet connection because if you don't you'll be booted out of the exam', then there are official videos on youtube from ABRSM re what to do in advance and how to start the exam that are useful so recommend watching. Also has to be on a computer not a phone or tablet.

You have to download the software each time even if you've previously used it and you need to run the systems check in advance which will guide you through whether the laptop is suitable and the internet connection strong enough etc - as well as tracking whether programs which shouldn't be open are running and prompting them to be closed. I always find the room scan a right faff, and on Gr 3 theory DD forgot to rip up her working sheets on camera. Otherwise its fine.

Results take 4 weeks every time, so no chance they'll release earlier on theory.

Changing the subject quite dramatically, dd wants to do her first online theory exam over the summer. How easy is it to set up and organise everything please? Do I need to prepare anything in advance please- do you have any helpful tips?

@PinkGrapefruitSorbet We discovered in lockdown that the man in the music shop at the end of the road repairs bassoons very cheaply.

However, only after we had posted DD's bassoon to the North East of England where her teacher's repair expert lives at extortionate cost. It's all so much easier now!

@minisnowballs The bassooning world is small! Yes, lockdown impacted on our bassoon understanding too. The county music service recalled all the borrowed instruments so we were lucky that we were in the middle of finding a second hand one to buy for DS otherwise his bassoon journey would have ended abruptly! As it was, locked down with a bassoon and an enthusiastic piano-playing parent (DH), he progressed in leaps and bounds. It's hard to get knowledge and support - even for basic repairs we have to drive an hour and a half to the nearest bassoon fixer. I often feel we're on the brink of an expensive mistake, though his teacher is very helpful in providing guidance.

That's really, really helpful @PinkGrapefruitSorbet. Dd's friend who is NCO (and therefore probably one of the girls you mean), has very recently got a full size for her grade eight and DD was worried that the magic key she needs for the top notes might only be available on full sized ones because of that. But it sounds like not...

DD's bassoon was a full-size one that was in a friend's loft for 30 years. The teacher's repairman stuck a key on it for her that makes it more like a short reach but it isn't quite. It was deep in lockdown and difficult to really source anything else. That's why we're so confused I think!

How extraordinary that he is the only one in the region. But brilliant that he enjoys it so much!