June Music Thread

[Fleurdelise]

Hello all and welcome to the June thread! Waffle did me the honours of asking me to initiate this thread as she has no access to Internet while on holiday.

This thread was first initiated by Waffle when Goo was 6 and now she's 11. It is a thread for all the musicians, big and small, to share their love (and frustrations ) during the long path of learning an instrument. I first joined when dd was 7 and in the process of preparing for grade 1 piano for moral support. If you read the ending of the May thread you'll realise I am still a nervous reck here we are now, two years later, Dd is 9 and preparing for grade 5 piano and grade 3 clarinet, the exams are in exactly 13 days. I also have DS 15 who is in the middle of his GCSEs at the moment, he has no musical interest.

As I couldn't leave Waffle without an introduction, below is a quote from the May thread. The only correction is that I believe Rara has now turned 9.

I have two daughters. Goo is 11 and in her last term at primary school. She's working towards her Grade 8 Flute (some time next year) and playing from the Grade 4 Piano book (currently refusing to take any exams, and putting off the first proper performance!). Rara is 8, may or may not be doing Grade 3 Cello this term, and is approaching Grade 2 Clarinet.

Both of them played the recorder for years, starting as preschoolers. They reached Grades 7 and 3 respectively, but sadly neither has really played since the music festival a few months ago. They are obsessed with their Flute and Clarinet, and really enjoy Piano and Cello. There won't be many opportunities to play the recorder at the secondary school they will attend, so much as I love it, it's probably a good time to quietly drop it. Recorder has given them both lots of opportunities, confidence, reading skills... and festival prizes!

Fleur's timeline I love reading Fleur's posts - so human and so related to all of us human.

Again, another wise words from ealing. I do also agree about early and late bloomers. The head of RAMPA said to us at the open day that the reason why they would divide the entry for U12 and 12+ was due to the fact that there were those who progressed so quickly yet it wouldn't mean they would continue to progress at that speed and those so-called late bloomers often caught up and in fact would often become somehow better musicians. We can say this in any area. We all develop differently.

Well done Minifleur.

DS2 is learning Lord of the rings from the new Trinity Grade 6 syllabus. It's rather nice. He is really working towards G8 but his teacher thought he would enjoy it.

Loving all the videos. I'm going to try and personal DS2 to let me record an organ piece.

Well DD1 got the result of her county orchestra audition. She didn't get a place, but was offered first reserve which she was happy about anyway. Having been told it was only to have a go at the audition for experience, she has actually outperformed herself. She only did G6 in March and the requirement is G7, so she has done well.

DD2 I can hear messing about on the piano - anything other than get her bassoon out! Aargh!!! Give me strength!

It's Dd doing the Hurlstone piece Fleur. I put it on to show the jigging about that she does. I actually think she could probably play it better if she stood still.. but she can't seem to.
Is it your lad on piano? Absolutely fantastic !
I really enjoyed all the performances.. so nice to see such passion for music

Well done anyway, Doubleup DD1!

I played the Hurlstone Scherzo for Grade 7 (?) and the examiner seemed to love it. It is (or was) an unusual choice. He sat back and really enjoyed it, then wandered over to have a look while I was playing, and turned the page for me. Mini trout plays it beautifully.

One of DD2's pieces is the first movement from the Hurlstone Bassoon Sonata in F major. Quite modern sounding for being over 100 years old. Lovely when played well. Not consistently played well here

Well done to your dd anyway Double I think it is a big thing to even audition.

Trout I knew that was your dd, somebody else asked who she was. The lad I belongs to drummers I believe, not sure if there is more than one video of a boy playing there.

Sorry meant drummers
He's great drummers 😁

Re The Hurlstone piece...It's grown on me as she's done it more. Her clarinet teacher recommended it as she thought she'd like it and she does

Ah ok it's minitrout! Like I said, awesome.
double well done your DD.

yes hats off to MiniTrout - really lovely and its a piece that doesn't always sound that way!

well done to miniDoubleup too

I was obsessed with it from the first day I got it!

Will attempt to put some videos on the channel in a minute. There wasn't a lot of time tonight, so I'll make do with some flute and clarinet bits from the other day, and get some cello and piano tomorrow.

Drum roll
DH and I opened piano and armed with torch, spanner and 6in1 oil managed to solve creaking of pedal.
Round of applause please

Well done to both of you! I bet the piano is happy now.

I have added a few videos. Apologies to those who've seen them before, but they're all we have right now.

Well done drummers you are brave and knowledgeable! When our piano was first tuned this woman tuner turned up and in a couple of moves opened the piano completely. I was shocked, never knew it opens that much 😂

Waffle I've seen the videos before but I love your girls playing their instruments.

Dd is driving me nuts with her new pieces practice, she's doing this after each exam and I find it such a battle. Basically is like she forgets how to learn a piece from scratch again, she fights against it.

For example she started 4 new pieces (her teacher wants her again to learn a lot of different styles for different reasons) and the practice set is basically 3 lines of music hands separately to practice sloooowww but achieve all the dynamics and phrasing from the beginning.

Well guess who's sitting at the piano ignoring it all and just quickly (very fast) playing all the pieces in 10 min stating she's done?

So tonight we had a battle of wills, I've sent her back to the piano reading out loud from her practice book what she HAS to do (practice slow, make sure the phrasing is right, respect the dynamics). Needless to say I got the "you don't even know piano, leave me alone!".

Grrrr, we always have this attitude after exams, it is due to not having learnt any new pieces for a while and getting frustrated she cannot play it all fast and well from the first attempt.

fleur I attempted to preempt that "but you don't know" by learning along with her- I've just done G3- but she's going to sail on past me very soon.... the speed these tiny humans learn scares me!

drummersmum well done! I'm like fleur that the full opening of the piano was mystery enough to me

trout that hurlstone is fab, haven't heard that before but my little one loves it now!

Hello to you all. I have dipped in and out of these threads occasionally but always felt a bit in awe of all the classical stuff and playing of several instruments. My DS is a drummer (jazz and rock/indie) and it seems a whole different world. He still did some grades but performs a lot (just local stuff) and that has always been the focus really. Anyway, yesterday he got his Grade 8 (Distinction) and I am so proud and relieved!

Sort of wanted to share with orders who would understand the long slog and the relief! If anyone knows of threads for parents of popular (as the music teacher terms them!) musicians and the perils of humping great shed loads of kit and amps around, I would be really grateful!).

Congratulations to Miniminimus ds! Grade 8 distinction! That's an amazing achievement! I'm not a musician at all ( just a mum of one) but am in awe of these dedicated youngsters . I bet he is chuffed to bits with his result and a big hats off to a supportive parent who did lots of lugging to make that possible

Minimusiciansmama Thanks- Dd's teacher and Dd tend to choose the grade pieces that are a bit off the beaten track .
Tbh I fleetingly thought "But now I'm buying 3 books!" But she was right, this one really suits Dd.

Waffle lovely vids .. sounding beautiful

It's a lovely proud moment Miniminimus, enjoy it as a reward for all the running about you've done over all the years.

Miniminmus - well dont to your dc! Don't see why this thread can't be for all music genres (quite a few of us have dc who do jazz and 'popular')

Minimus that's a wonderful result! He must be so thrilled
Please stay on this thread - I have a rock/jazz child as well, playing bass and drums (although he also does orchestral percussion lessons).
We have grade 8 electric bass looming on the horizon at the end of July but I certain won't be expecting a distinction! He doesn't do many exams either - grade 4 drums were a long time ago and he won't take another one until he's ready for grade 8, which will be some way off yet.