April Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

We've managed to fill up the March thread, so I give you April's, around 10 hours early. Don't use it all up at once!

The music threads are for learners of ALL ages and stages, including beginners and adult learners.

My kids Goo (11) and Rara (8) break up from school today, thank goodness. Rara is off sick at the moment, in any case, but they both need a break. They did their music exams this week. Goo got a distinction for her Grade 7 Flute, and we are awaiting the results of Rara's Grade 1 Clarinet, plus a couple of my pupils. They will probably come on my birthday - the ABRSM ones often do.

Next term, we have a big community concert at the local high school - all the feeder schools take part. Goo could do Grade 7 Recorder and/ or Grade 4 Piano, but I don't think she wants to. Rara is doing Grade 3 Cello. My Year 6 Recorders have been asked to play in the local Festival gala concert, and I'm sure there will be primary school leavers' performances too.

The second fab reasoning

TheSecond Rara would agree with you! She got 130 in her recent exam too. She worked for it, but wasn't exactly busting a gut. She's currently away on a Brownie holiday and hasn't practised for a few days.

Goo and I went to look around Cardiff today. She liked the music college... and also liked the trains, Pizza Express, the quayside and the Warhammer shop! We dashed back for her flute lesson, which is normally on Friday but had been moved. She has learned a big concerto in 4 weeks, and a cadenza in 1. Obviously, she could spend months (or years) polishing them, but her teacher was gobsmacked. She has around six Grade 8 pieces on the go, and the scales. We'll learn more, and just pick three favourites next year - it's penciled in for June 2018.

Waffle, Goo really is flying high!

DS experienced his very first improvisation lesson today! The teacher picked DS to have a go in front of 30 or so people. He was given a key and theme, then the teacher started playing and DS followed. DS was over the Mars (further than the moon).

As someone kindly explained on here (was it gilly?), I could see you need to have deep understanding of musical language to have real fun. But DS loved the taste of it and the excitement lasted till he went to bed tonight.

Glad goo had a good day Waffle ds is another war hammer fan

Second, I like where your ds is coming from. I will share that with my dd.

Aw well done Raa what a star she is. I can't believe how quickly she moves on

Something for the Jazzers

Sounds like Goo had a lovely day!
I got an email today to say DS1's drum corps have been invited to play at the national Music For Youth festival in Birmingham in July. I think he's pleased - he did look a bit shocked when I told him!

Loose

Hello, bless your ds, why was he so shocked?
I'm really pleased for him, sounds like a good experience.

Gilly I think he'd forgotten all about it! I wasn't so surprised because they got such good feedback at the last one. It'll be a great experience for them.

Wow Goo that's really impressive
second your DD will go far
Gilly thanks will watch asap!
We went to a jazz concert last night, Chopin arranged for Jazz. They played for two hours! It was fabulous.
loose what an exciting opportunity for your DS. Has he seen this drumline?...

Gilly I saw Dizzy Gillespie live in NY in 1991 at the Blue Note. I was sitting in a front table with my mum who was dropping me off at graduate uni and he dedicated a song to us, to "the two pretty ladies over here"...

drummers DS loved the clip - he was really impressed by the walking backwards bit. I doubt I could bribe him into wearing the costume though! I like the drum line stuff a lot now - it's not just the skill in drumming but the whole attitude they have to put across. It's quite aggressive but in a very controlled way. It tends to shake things up at the end of term concerts, anyway.
I am very, very jealous of your Dizzy Gillespie story!

I'm very jealous of your Dizzy story too.
I thought the clip was fitting as there was talk of improvisation on here
As if beeping instead of bopping would be a sin in Jazz terms.

Loose

I know exactly what you mean about aggressive but controlled, it sums up every drummer I know.
I guess they are the main time keepers and a rhythm section can't really work without a drummer.
I've heard bands without, where the piano and bass have done an excellent job, but to me there's always something missing without a drummer.

There's still room on the thread!
Yes, I agree gilly I think there's a layer missing without the drums!
I now have to round up some theory books.DS2 finished the grade 1 book and his teacher now has a plan to teach theory by topic for grades 2-5 rather than grade by grade, so he needs some more books.

DS has been playing at an event today where they mixed a Samba band with the Jazz ensemble. Definitely had the drum layer!

How cool raspberry
Really enjoying this drum appreciation society as out there they think it's easy and sometimes dispensable

Grade 2 viola passed. Need to sort out scales and arpeggios a bit better for grade 3 - and sightreading (although glasses might help a bit with that!).

Currently singing is taking priority with performances of an opera for the for another 2 weeks... Luckily school are very relaxed about him missing lessons for performances!

mistle great news, well done to your DS

Thanks Drummersmum. I think it might be seeping in that practise = results.. although he does have an advantage in that I help with practise so we can get a lot achieved in a short time as long as he's concentrating!