July Music and Musicians Thread

[Wafflenose]

Welcome to wet July (well it's wet here) and a new thread. This is the place where we can talk about all things musical, like music lessons, exams, practice and new instruments. I am a music teacher (woodwind) and have two daughters. Goo is 10 and her first instrument is recorder, although on paper, flute has now caught up. She plays flute in NCO Under 11s, has just received the difficult bits she's meant to work on, so is finally cracking on with sorting out her piccolo. She started piano lessons at Easter and is going fast, currently playing Grade 3 pieces, and working through the Grade 2 sight reading and Dozen a Day books. Rara is 8 and far less keen - we are still currently trying to figure out what she really enjoys so that we can encourage her. But for now, she's learning the recorder and cello, and is between Grade 2 and 3 on both.

Goo did her flute exam on June 23rd, and now won't have any until at least March, or next June if I can push for that. Rara will probably do Grade 3 Recorder at Christmas. I have had a quiet exam term for my pupils - 7 altogether. 4 are already safely through (3 merits and a distinction), we are awaiting results for a Grade 6 Theory, and I have a couple of clarinettists still to go on Monday.

I don't know anything about vibrato - that's where I stopped learning about 30 years ago.

A bit of a range of opinion on vibrato

www.thestrad.com/cpt-latests/ten-things-you-need-to-know-about-vibrato/

Ranging from point 1 which is quite close to what I said above to point 10 which is about the need to avoid sounding like "jelly on a plate"

"Those who do not should be helped in some way that does not interfere with their personalities."

I love that! Do not interfere with personalities. Perhaps a good advice in general.

Very interesting howabout. Should also add miniprada is LH so it maybe why vibrator is easier to master but her bowing is shocking!!

Prada. Pesky spell check gets us all at some point...

How, all: thanks so much for your reply. I have to admit I dont even buy the excuse that "ouch, it hurts" however the monent she says it then she is free to drop and it has been alittle abused the last couole of days since she starts working on vibrato. Our teacher showed her how to do it, we watched on you tube(will read your link on the train tonight and share with her). She is now still "sliding", she wanted to cheat but didnt success so I think we will have to keep sliding until the wrist knows that it has to move along the strings rather than wriggling and killing the string or twisting the violin(I am more worried she will break it in half rather than it could hurt her at all )

In other news, DD tried to re-create the irregular stepping as so effectively demonstrated by Drummersmum's son whilst walking. She couldn't stop laughing...saying this is SO hard!

Green, it is so hard to get it right. And rushing it can sometimes lead to future unpicking of bad vibrato. Right now, I'd say subtlety is key, lots of trying without the bow/then with bow, and it'll come over time. Less is definitely more....

Ealingwestmum oh dear....

Green I agree, slowly and get it right. Good luck!!

Ealing:

I am now officially a pushy mom as if I dont ask for it then will NEVER happen(even I asked for it, there are more miss than hit). The last couple if days I reminded her that we have only 3 weeks left till the audition and reminded her how much she wants to be in it then there was some practice. It doesnt come automatically and only when I am at home, watching. I am praying for a day all the practice happens during the day and when I got home in the evening we only enjoy quite moments of calmness(the most aggressive dream that I dare to dream of)

Green this sounds so familiar! It can be so infuriating! I have had to be a 'pushy mum' about playing instruments, about pre-GCSE Summer art homework - and before every exam if I didn't force DS2 to do some sight reading he would ignore it - as it is, he does the bare minimum. Luckily no auditions here so can ease off. Mind you, my own practice has been exemplary as currently on hold and have enough time to do it properly!
Weird thing is if I am out at work and leave DCs a list of what they have to do, they actually do it. Their Dad says it's a miracle! Apparently the written word carries great force - so why is it harder when I'm physically there and telling them!
In other news, DS2 is now taller than me and I am very relieved I hired rather than bought the 3/4 size cello!!

'On holiday', not 'on hold' - iPad doesn't understand me!
I think MiniGreen is going to be fine in her audition, by the way!

ealing
We've just spent a few wonderful days by a lake. Practice pad every day and ohhhhh it's so silent compared to real snare.
green so glad to not having to deal with vibrato...

Vibrato on the cello, though, seemed to have happened. DS1 impressed the examiner by being able to do it even though not required.

Ok , I know music is not their "main thing" for any of my dc. But if they don't want to practise (despite me nagging), why o why, do they still insist on having (expensive) lessons......dc3 is the only one who doesn't t need nagging. Waiting for her to catch up with dc2... will not go down well.....

Loose: clever mummy!
Exampanic: I cant immagine I have to nag another one, 3 musical children must be tough!
Never: I think I stopped around the time I had to start on vibrato too I dont even remember and I cant play at all now
Only, how, all: how do you slide, we sliding along the string on each finger with minimum weight right now, is it right?

Greenleave I can play twinkle twinkle little star.

Greenleave, sorry, cannot really explain, sounds similar, but I am not 100% sure.. I must say I am totally lost at all that now and only get involved if she does not practice correctly and teacher tells her off..... He is sort of teacher who thinks that if child does smth wrong it is his fault and not child's/parent's and therefore it is his job to get it right.... unlike some other teachers we had in the past :)

NeverEverAnythingEver I never had violin lessons but I can pizzicato it too now! Learned it with my no.2!

Goo is playing the piano willingly, and I'm having to remind her about the flute. Recorder, once her first instrument, has not been out for at least a month. Rara doesn't do anything unless I help her. I have just asked if she really wants to play two instruments, and she insists that she does. So I will have to organise her to practise a bit more!

Music theory today (now halfway through the Grade 1 book) - drawing accidentals has resulted in Cows, Sharp Cows, and (this really made her laugh) Flat Cows. OK Rara, whatever floats your boat.

Not to mention Natural Cows - cows in their natural state! (Also known as C natural for the uninitiated...)

prada and juggling sorry this is late but well done to your DC :) You can relax now!

DD has been doing a bit of piano this last week but she'll be away so much of the holidays that she won't get as much done as I would have liked. She is halfway through the Schubert impromptu which at least means that by next term she should have at least two pieces of the right standard ready for her next exam (end of cycle 2 = roughly grade 8) so when the time comes she can concentrate on the obligatory piece.

Final concert of the summer tonight and she's also managed to make a bit of time for recording. This is the latest effort (oldish song that was written last summer):

Mistigri, she sounds so.... professional!
Really enjoyed it!

Mistigri: its really lovely!
Only: your teacher sounds lovely, we are to blame on almost everything however I have to agree with my teacher(most of the time).

We are having a concert tonight, so looking forward to it!

Mistigri that sounds so lovely! Well done to your DD!
Waffle I do love the idea of flat cow! I see the new instrument is still very popular! goo is definitely motivating me to keep my piano practice going.