New Year Music and Musicians Thread

[Wafflenose]

Morning all, and Happy New Year. I decided it was time for a new music thread too. I really enjoy hearing about what everyone (and their DCs) are up to each term, and it's great to hear from new posters too.

I have two DDs. Goo (10) - the child previously known as MiniWaffle. She's not very mini any more... she's 4'10" and catching up with me. Anyway, she plays the recorder, flute, piccolo and a bit of piano when it occurs to her. She is doing Grade 5 Theory and possibly Grade 5 Flute (if the new teacher deems her ready) this term. Next recorder exam will be Grade 7, but possibly not for about 18 months! Am hoping the new flute teacher will also do a bit of piano with her... we'll see.

And Rara (7) - previously known as BabyWaffle - plays the recorder and cello. I was thinking of putting her in for Grade 1 Theory, but she's not keen, so we'll wait. She is in the blissfully calm position of no exams this term - yay!

We all have the local music festival next month. I think Goo is doing 11 Classes, and Rara about 7 (plus possibly helping with some percussion parts). I have 27 groups, pairs and individuals entered, so am going to be busy for the next month or so.

I agree. It's completely fine to learn some more grade 5 pieces and maybe perform them, but don't waste your money on taking the exam again! If the teacher is keen to reassess her, they could do an informal mock type exam.

I'd want to hear the teacher's views on why he wants to retake G5 and what he sees the learning outcomes being. I'm struggling to see the benefit of sitting the same exam twice (unless it's a poor performance at G8).

Well I would spit blood and DD venom, but neither of us are enchanted by the exam experience. My initial thought was that teacher wants [whatever it is they're doing] independently assessed and the child interest's aren't exactly central to this. Perhaps not, but it still seems odd.

Thanks all - it seems to be non-negotiable.....I think he has decided that DD needs to do the exam with 'proper' technique as some sort baseline to move forward on. To be honest I am equally besmised that her technique could have been so questionable but I don't really have a clue. And I must admit we have seen a fairly big impact from only two lessons and DD is happy. It just feels rather making a point to re-do an exam without even knowing the result......

*Musicmom
*
What instrument? Seems an odd idea ...

Why can't he establish a baseline starting with G6? I'd be working out the cost of the exam plus the music plus the accompanist for rehearsal plus the accompanist for the exam and asking again why he thought it was necessary. Parents do not have access to a money tree and that money could be going on lessons that will move her forward. I thought that teachers were usually pretty good about knowing what mark their pupils were going to get in exams, the mark sheet usually tells them what they already knew.

I can't see what is in this for your daughter or for the teacher.

ABRSM specifically don't mark or comment on technique anyway and you don't get instrument specific examiners (which can be a pain when you have a pianist examiner commenting on restricted dynamics on a 1/16 size violin, that's all a little instrument hasavailable!) so an exam isn't a helpful setting for targeting improved technique I think.

The only reason I can see in taking the same exam twice is improving the marks by playing the pieces better following technique improvment, so maybe the teacher is trying to show you he is the right teacher by doing so.

However I don't see why he couldn't do that by moving on to grade 6 and get the high marks in that exam.

Also what if your DD gets a high distinction now as you haven't yet got the results, let's say she gets 142 points, what would be the benefit of sitting the same exam twice?

What a strange way to form a new relationship, almost petulant in its approach! There's nothing wrong in re-focusing on basics, using other G5/equivalent pieces but discounting a practical exam just sat, without even waiting for results and insisting on a re-sit is a negative message, no matter how much the technique may need improving.

Not quite the same, but my DD had completed all 3 G8 pieces to a reasonable level, then changed schools and had 2 terms to sit the exam under the old syllabus deadline. The decision was to not sit, as the new teacher wanted to go back to basics, and let her settle into senior school without exam pressure or rushing. Nothing really lost except the cost of G8 music...ouch, she learned 3 very beautiful pieces that will remain in her repertoire, possibly getting picked up as and when she needs to perform. And her new teacher got to teach her 'her way', that will hopefully net a better result as and when it comes back on the schedule.

I think every teacher has a different teaching method and will probably not be 100% happy with the way the previous teacher addressed certain areas. Nothing wrong to concentrate on weaker areas such as sight reading, tehnique or whatever the new teacher feels it hasn't been properly taught or up to their standard but I can't see the benefit of re-sitting the same grade.

The new teacher can always say that it would take longer to get to the next grade as there are issues to be addressed by their standards.

As an example Dd's teacher was not high on sight reading practice unless she'd notice a problem. From her point of view you could learn to sight read just by playing various repertoire. However now she can see my DD needs proper sight reading focus as she is lacking behind in that area. If I would be to change her teacher now the new one would certainly focus on this (as Dd's teacher will anyway) but I wouldn't be happy if they would suggest re-sitting grade 3 just to get better marks in that area. I would though understand if they would tell me it will take a while till next exam as this need addressing.

A period of consolidation is fine, but resitting an exam is just weird.

DD's new piano teacher had her working on easier pieces initially - it was good for her to work on a few pieces that she could master in 2-3 weeks, leaving more time and mental energy for the fine detail. But that's very different to committing to an exam resit. Surely there are more productive and motivating ways of using lesson and practice time?

As an aside: Dd's teacher is focusing a lot on tehnique, she got another student recently from a teacher focusing a lot on sight reading practice (a lot of the lesson was focusing on this). The new student is great at sight reading but tehnique is lacking. Probably the other teacher would have addressed that later but at this point in time due to the different teaching methods it looks like the other DC hasn't been taught properly.

Musicmom My first reaction was to think why on earth resit a grade exam? (the same as everyone else). However I have just sat through DD2's practice. She learns and memorises very quickly but then gets stuck and is very reluctant to put in the work to polish the details. Perhaps the new teacher is intending to use the exam process to build the polishing skills. It would be hard to do this at a higher level but may not be quite so frustrating at your DD's current level. The carrot effect of seeing the marks and comments gained as a result might be quite a good reinforcer?

Both mine have found / are finding grade 5 quite frustrating / rewarding as I think it is the stage when the foundations need to be secure before you can really start to play more freely.

But you don't, or shouldn't, only polish pieces because they are going to be played for an exam!!! They could be prepared for a performance, for example. DD has spent a fair bit of time this year working on a relatively simple (grade 4 ish?) duet written by a contemporary composer with local links. She went to a workshop recently where they worked on the fine detail with the composer himself, and there's a public premier of the work in May. That sort of experience is far more valuable than a 10 minute exam.

Morning everyone! Just thought I'd share the lovely violin shopping experience yesterday with miniprada. Taking a break from practice etc, We went at the recommendation of the violin teacher to see Russell at Woodbridge Violin and it was absolutely charming. A proper craft shop (they make and restore too) and he was just so patient too. I did phone in the morning to check he would be in and to explain we needed a new 3/4 size and our budget. When we arrived he had set up in the private room around 10 violins varying to £300 under and one at £400 over (I had said to show us instruments just slightly over) no prices on any of them to avoid swaying mini's decision. We spent around 2 hours trying them all, selected one and then sorted a new bow and case. He was very complimentary about mini's playing (he loves to see kids giving it 'welly' on a violin) which she loved. Instrument cost is fully refundable if the teacher doesn't like it against another one and best of all, the full cost of this one will be the p/ex against the next one and he invited us back annually to check the violin and re-hair the bow (he also does this by post for those of you who need this). So we are now the proud owners of our first mid 1850's French violin and mini is so excited she has played solidly (without being asked!) today already for two hours. Did not feel under pressure at all to purchase or to select the most expensive items (quite the reverse) and we had a sensible chat about bow costs and case costs so really felt as if we had guidance rather than a sales pitch (we ended up with the cheapest case and a mid price bow). Mini loved seeing the workshop and horse hair hanging and asked a million questions.... Woodbridge is a charming place so we had a lovely lunch afterwards

On another note, apparently a re-mark in the theory would only yield us the fee back not a new score so 18th June here we come....

Hope everyone is enjoying the sunny weather. Fab here in the south

"What a strange way to form a new relationship, almost petulant in its approach!"

Well put. Via work I once spent a little time immersed in county peris and I think there is a higher proportion of haughty, petulant types in their ranks. Of course the majority were perfectly reasonable and delightfully quick-witted, so the overall exercise was still quite refreshing.

I'm very content with the relationship with DD's piano teacher. Here in state-school world we actually had a genuine choice(!) between two primary schools and one little factor that influenced our decision was the HT's promise of a very good peri. They are very good and when DD moved to secondary school we switched to private lessons with that teacher rather than risk $deity-knows-who at secondary for the sake of saving a few extra quid a week. Teacher is older than me and has less of the 'nice' sentimentality installed by default in younger generations, but she's lovely in a terser, quirky way. By-and-by she sincerely thanked us for bringing DD to her i.e. she enjoys teaching DD and that shows. What more can you ask for?

There were some other children in DD’s primary class also learning piano and their parents didn’t question just moving to lessons at the secondary with [$deity-knows-who]. I don’t get it because in my view that teacher, pupil and parent relationship is critical.

Prada what a lovely experience you had! It sounds like miniprada is happy, enjoying the new instrument!

Pique I totally agree, the teacher/student/parent relationship is vital when learning an instrument and I hope Dd's teacher will happily enjoy teaching DD for a long long time and they'll always have the great relationship they have now.

Dear bassoon,
I know that you're only visiting but you need to know that we have certain expectations of our instruments. We're accustomed to hardworking brass instruments rather than prima donnas with cork joints. Being pretty and covered in intricate metal work does not excuse you from doing what you are told. When I called your owner and told her that you defied my son and refused to be disassembled after practise she told me that you were a frequent offender and should be put somewhere to cool off. The night in the garage did nothing to make you release your bell but Google and basic physics came to my rescue. I've got the measure of you now and if you do it again you will be straight in the airing cupboard for a couple of hours of desiccation.

I hope this is going to be a fruitful relationship and I'm sorry we got off on a bad footing. I'll buy you a new reed and some proper cork grease if it helps you settle in (even though your owner says Vaseline will do) but bear in mind that there's now a bassoon shaped gap in the airing cupboard if you ever need another time out.

No love,
Me

Icouldbe. It could be worse, we have an oboe with an equally temperamental owner. She also develops unhealthy attachments to reeds just before they are about ready to retire - I am told this is a common affliction. Cork grease is indeed your friend.

Prada, thank you for sharing, it sounds really nice. Can I please ask if the shop is Woodbridge violins? I tried to Google with Reeds but nothing cam up, we won't need a new size yet however it would be lovely to visit.

Regarding to the relationship with teacher: I have to admire our teacher patience every time I was in the lesson. My only thread to my daughter if she doesn't practise that it will make our teacher unhappy and leave!

Haha icouldbe

Ealing - I think you have hit the mark; I have no problem with stripping down and taking a long break from exams. Think I will raise the subject again when we get the exam result. Thank you all or your thoughts

Prada - we have been there just to mooch; so lovely!

icould.....so funny!

Oh dear, Bassoon. I hope you are now behaving yourself!

Icouldbe

Oh dear, DD decided she wants to learn Fur Elise which has been done to death and I am sure her teacher will not be happy. I made a mistake of telling her the story behind this piece and she declared that it is "so sad and beautiful, I love it, I don't care how hard it is, I want to play it".

So I'll let you know if her teacher will run around in circles screaming when she hears Dd's request.

Haha to the bassoon in the airing cupboard! I think it's met its match!
Fleur if this is any help at all, there is a jazz arrangement of Fur Elise by Martha Miers that is rather nice. Just in case by any chance the piano teacher is a little weary of teaching the original!
dS1 learned a simplified version in music class in year 7 - just the first bit, over and over and over...