May/ June Music and Musicians Thread

[Wafflenose]

Welcome, everyone. I can't believe we need a new thread already, but I'm delighted that they now seem so popular!

I'm Waffle, I'm a music teacher and I have two daughters - Goo (10) who plays the recorder, flute, piccolo (a bit) and started the piano a month ago, and Rara (8) who isn't as musically inclined but plays the cello and recorder. She is plodding (very) slowly towards Grade 3 on both.

We're going on holiday this weekend, so will have to have a good read when I get back. For now, I'll wind the thread up and let it do its stuff.

I'm not naming my piano.

I really like Claire too!
Loose: then when did he change, I firstly thought it was terrible two then now I feel like my 8 years old has never changed!

Mine came back from school today, headed straight for her dads soprano played about an hour, ate me out of house and home, saw her brothers until they went, and then went to bed, she didn't even make 8.30.

Had a lovely cuddle and a run down of the state of play atm

Misti: watching you with interest although I am no expert! Best of luck with any decision!

I can't name instruments, but if it appeals to some that's great and part of your personal approach

Newlife: enjoy your time with her this mid term!

NeverEver it is the Henle urtext collection of Chopin nocturnes, Op 72 no 1, and the bar that is causing problems is on the third page - she is fine with all the rapid ascending sequences and trills, but can't nail the descending one. It's not for want of repetition.

She hasn't had enough time with her teacher recently unfortunately - a combination of public holidays falling on her lesson day, timetable changes and a school trip - and I've just realised that because of work experience the week after next she only has one more lesson left!

The 8 notes (E, C#, A# G ...) for the right hand? Has she got a fingering she's comfortable with? Maybe experiment with a few different ones? Another thing I've tried is to play the bar before and one note of the troublesome group and stop, then repeat and add one more note, repeat and add another note and so on. Don't know if that would help.

She says there is no real alternative for fingering. She can play the bar fine if she slows it down even a bit, it's the speed that's the problem. I'll see if the adding a note idea helps, thanks!

I have endless arguments with DS1 about fingering.

Very quiet in this house today as DS starts revision for end of year exams. After breakfast he organized all his notes and books and cleared his desk which will constitute his main instrument this half-term... My only job is to bring him a glass of water every now and then and plant a kiss on the crown of his lovely head.

No music school today. It's a bit weird to have Saturday morning at home.

Have been asked by a few people how the MDS works in relation to income. So as it is hard to link via pm, or I'm finding it hard at least, I have a link here.
It's only for one school but the amounts are the same wherever applied, it's just different schools or organisations will have different fees iyswim.
It's the final part that will apply to music and dance schools.

www.chethams.com/study/fees

Would love to find a Saturday music school for dd, if anyone knows one in the south east.

Alexandraleaving: thanks so much, we live near both these places, I will call them after midterm.

We did the 2nd paper(2012) on Friday and she luckily had 95, only got wrong in Transposition. We were very surprised, I dont think she is that good yet, only a lucky one. Transpositions, chords and Interval were still weak. At least it looks like if she focuses on the day and there is some luck then there is a chance to pass

Green that is really good work! I know how hard this is and she's doing very well. It's hard to say when DS2 calmed down as he still jumps on us! Two of his little girl cousins have the tendency to fling themselves around the furniture but he now looks surprised at this even though he used to be the same...
Merton music foundation has a Saturday music centre, although the advanced ensembles meet on Monday evenings and Wednesday evenings so it is quite spread out. (And I am stuck with going to two concerts one after the other in July!)

That's great work green...and her strong maths will also help her

Alexandra, we are in Surrey, I will look into those. Are they happy to accept children from out of the area do you know? Thank you for the links.

There's a Saturday music school in Sutton borough too: www.suttonmusicservice.org.uk/

We haven't investigated it yet, but it's on my list of things to do!

I tried to persuade the kids to watch The Secret of Beethoven's Fifth. They were not too impressed...

Is that the one with the giant dog? Bit of a silly film if I remember correctly ;)

No! It's a thing on BBC4 with John Eliot Gardiner analysing Beethoven (the man, not the dog) 5th symphony.

DC would probably have liked the dog version...

Missed half of the programme on bbc4 charting composers from Mozart to Liszt last night, so intending to make DC watch it on the iplayer with me - what I saw looked good.

Did catch a really cool double saxophone band on Jools though.