January Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

Happy New Year!

This is the new thread for our continuing (6 year old) conversation about all things to do with music - lessons, exams, auditions, theory, scales, practice and whatever else you want to talk about.

I am Waffle, teacher of woodwind, amateur composer, and unpaid consultant watching and commenting on all sorts of woodwind videos that people send my way! I am mum to Goo 12, and Rara 9, who both play instruments, do South West Music School and NCO. Goo plays flute and piano, and has Grade 8 and Grade 5 pending for some time this year. Rara plays cello and clarinet - working within Grade 4 for both, but hasn't taken a clarinet exam since Grade 1, and wants to do Grade 3 this coming term. She's way behind with Theory, so it's theory boot camp again this week. We start back to school late (Jan 8th) so that's good.

Thank you Taggie for your kind advice. I love the positive thinking (and I guess that's what I need right now!), but I'm afraid school homework is pretty useless for 11+ preparation. They are just so unnecessarily time consuming - the total opposite to what we need at this busiest moment! It doesn't help that DS doesn't know how to cut corners...

The teacher probably knows it's not really ready yet but suddenly decided DS should perform it in front of people before his scholarship audition. DS can have only one lesson before the audition as other lesson days are taken for 11+ exams/interviews. So there is no other option but it has to be this weekend...

Thank you again for your kind comments on DS's playing. However, whereas the piece DS played in the video is forgiven due to the style of the music, the one he is playing this weekend is utterly absolutely unforgiving. And I know DS hasn't nailed enough yet. Scary....

I was very close to turn down the performance opportunity but in the end decided to go ahead as I thought gains would be greater than losses. Gaining experience would beat the possible humiliation (I hope)...

DS has never experienced disastrous concerts (yet). This could be the one!!

ALL concerts are disastrous according to my dd1 !

But I am sure minikutik will pull it out of the bag and all will be well.

Good luck Kutik I'm sure he will be fine .

Good luck MiniKutik and to minifolk!
Alex your post made me laugh as I have had many such conversations myself! On a whole range of issues. DS2 did some cello practice last night but dodged the scales even though it’s the scales that are holding him back, not pieces or sight reading.

I’m sure MiniKutik will be fine with his performance. What piece is he playing Kutik?

Many congratulations to minifolk. And I missed the news from truffle which are indeed wonderful!!!!!

DS is playing Bach Concerto, Paul.

He played through before school this morning as he has a football match so all he wants once he's back home may be a long warm bath. It sounded pretty good to my ears. Of course there is plenty room to improve (always will be) but good enough for what he could achieve at this stage. Hopefully he'll play like that at the concert!

I asked DS how he felt about his play and he excitedly reported me the increased number of steps on his fitbit from playing the whole movement... Kid..

Could be a great way to encourage CDs to practice?! I'm sure pianists can increase the number of steps significantly!

CDs = DCs...

Someone has replaced my child (DD2) while I wasn't looking... she came home from school, ASKED to do cello practice and then proceeded to play like an angel! All the things teacher has been asking her to do for months but she refuses to do for me at home were there. So it obviously all goes in! Think the piano result has given her a real confidence boost!

kutik laughing at the Fitbit comment... I might just go and mention that to Noo 😂

Love the comment about the fitbit. mini-Kutik should try the Bohm moto perpetuo!

Great about DD2, Folk! That is a definite plus point of exams

Bach Concerto in A Minor Kutik?
Great piece to learn and play.
I’m sure he’ll be fine - I managed to hear his Schindler’s List- sounded great, his tone is great.

Flight of the Bumblebee would be another good choice for fitbit cheaters.

Paul, yes that's the one. The teacher initially wanted DS to learn something else but then said he had to be put on 'a healthy diet' therefore had to learn this piece first. Thank you for watching the video and the kind comment on his playing.

Sorry for late arrival to new thread.

I have been trying to learn Bach's St John Passion before choir rehearsals start in 10 days time.

DS2 is beginning to prepare for Grade 8 clarinet, but is also in the middle of GCSE mocks, so those are taking priority.

DD has just found out that she'll be wearing a twin block orthodontic appliance for 15 months. I'm guessing she'll have to take them out to play the flute?

TheSecond I have taught flute to a girl who had to wear blocks all the time, including her lessons. They seemed quite far back, and she coped amazingly. They didn't really affect her tone, but I must admit it wasn't great to start with. My daughter Goo had them for about a year, and her blocks were much further forward. She was allowed to take them out to play. I think if they are completely determined, it's fine. She couldn't make a single sound once she got her train tracks, but had loads of stuff lined up and simply had to get on with it. She passed her Grade 7 with distinction four months later. Her next appointment is in February, and we should be given a tentative finishing date - HOORAY!

Thank you Waffle
Well done to Goo for sticking with it.

Well, back to school on Monday, we have had a lovely music-filled holiday, the children have never played so much voluntarily in the holidays. DS has discovered that practice works as in could not play any of his upcoming grade 3 piano pieces at start of holidays, and can now do at least the first half of all 3 hands together! Just got to crack the sight reading! Any tips?

Ds finds his step count goes up a lot for drum practice too!

Just said goodbye to DS from the door as he headed back to jd. School hasn't started yet so this is the first early wake up after a long time. Ouch.

Up earlier than for school this morning with the first of the school entrance exams. Left home at 8am. Had to take DD2 out of band practice an hour early last night to make sure she got enough sleep. A busy 10 days ahead with another two exams and two scholarship auditions. Aargh! She was due to have both the auditions on the same day, but I have managed to change one of them thankfully.

Good luck miniDouble! Our first is on Tuesday. We have to leave 7.20am - DS's usual wake up time... Have been trying to adjust his bedtime/wake up time but no success so far. He sleeps a lot...

I just discovered DS is supposed to be playing two pieces not just the concerto. Wish I knew. Haven't done playing through two pieces, and obviously DS has abandoned other pieces to concentrate on the concerto last few days due to the combination of his limited practice time and the concerto being not so ready. I double checked with the teacher when the performance was booked so not sure when the change happened and why I was not informed... Well, he just has to have a go... Everything is experience, isn't it...?

Kutik everything is an experience is also something I repeat to myself often. Good luck with the performance and the entrance exams mini kutik and mini double