May Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

Have a new thread for May... you all managed to fill the April one!

This is a place to chat about music lessons, exams, practice, aural, theory, performances and anything else you like. We have many regular and occasional posters (some of whom are learning themselves) with children ranging from complete beginners to very advanced. We do try our best to make sure everyone feels welcome!

I am mum to Goo (12) flute and piano, and Rara (9) cello and clarinet. They play in loads of school groups, South West Music School and NCO, although practice isn't going too well at the moment. Later in the week, all three of us are taking part in a big community concert, which will be lovely.

Hello to everyone joining and congrats to the various minis successes!

I have DD 11 who is taking ABRSM Grade 6 clarinet in 3 weeks time, ABRSM Grade 6 piano and grade 3 singing the summer. She’s been in NCO since she was 9.

I play clarinet, picking it up again a few years ago after 20 plus of not playing, also play piano badly-wish I played better-DD is now much better than me!

Hello, checking in for May. DS is 8, just got grade 1 piano, and is another one for the slightly approximate and reluctant to look at the part school of playing. DD is 6 and started on violin, but has since September discovered a huge enthusiasm for piano. She's just done a trinity Initial grade but is closing fast as she practices a lot more than DS and also will listen to advice (mostly). Am a little concerned as to DS' reaction if DD obviously overtakes at some point.

This term they're learning some fun stuff for music festival - between them we have solos, duets, trios and even a quintet - 5 children, one piano, one hand each!

I'm a keen amateur violin/viola player. Got some fun concerts coming up this term with my orchestras and chamber groups.

Hi onemouse, horseymum, firsttimer!

Kutik, afraid I don't know about editions of ashokan farewell either, it's a while ago I played it and was someone else's parts.

Well done Noo!

Hi everyone...checking in for May!

DS, 9, plays trumpet (just taken grade 4) and piano (just taken grade 5). Summer term goals are grade 4 theory and grade 5 trumpet. He is also a member of NCO U10s orchestra this year so is really enjoying regional rehearsals and is excited to be off to Dorset in August for the residential.

I teach piano and trumpet myself (but not to my DS!), hubbie is musical, and we have two younger DC who enjoy music but are not learning anything yet.

Speak soon!

I am have been watching this thread off and on ( I mean every month). DS,11 would be appearing for grade 5 piano coming Oct after his grade 2 , two years back. We recently changed the teacher and what a blunder it is?? As new teacher thinks she has to take care of all Aural, musical knowledge, theory for missing exams. He has just started first grade 5 piece and is still in middle of grade 3 theory books. I am looking for free online resources for music theory ( grade 3 to grade5), aural etc.
She also complained of him missing on composure knowledge, piece knowledge etc (so far just 2 classes with her). As per her, only developed fingering is just one part.
pls. suggest some sites where other skills required for musical abilities can be enhanced.

Love to Waffle and Goo today, hope everything goes well xx

Trumpet, just occurred to me, you said trinity syllabus runs out - but is that including the overlap period? For piano we were allowed to do "up to 2017" syllabus at any point in 2018.

mom17, hi! Sounds like your DS is making great progress. Are you sure it was a blunder changing teacher though? Getting aural and general knowledge up to scratch sounds like a good plan to me. Is it that you've usually taught those at home up to now? Would be worth a chat to the teacher if you're not sure about things? Will leave it to others to suggest resources, my two are still beginners so that's beyond me.

mom17 - am afraid I don't know of any free resources - am sure there will be some so hopefully others can advise.

Regarding theory - we have just been working our way through the ABRSM books and past papers. Also the Eric Taylor pink book and little red/orange book for reference.

For aural - I use the ABRSM book which comes with a CD & the teacher's book which comes with a different CD (so extra exercises when you finish the first one).

ABRSM also have an aural app which is 7.99.

We don't use Trinity so am not familiar with their material.

Good luck!

Also - on the app: it's ok and everyone will respond differently but I much prefer using the CDs. Some of the exercises on the app are copies of those on the CD. And it's not always very responsive when you tap the answers in. So, I tend to just use the app for example when we're away or travelling as an 'extra'.

cat, thanks for answering to my question on Ashokan Farewell. It's a fiddle piece so hopefully playing around by ear won't be too harmful and I'll just let DS do so until I come across a good edition.

mom17, I'm afraid I don't know any resources to recommend. But I've got to help DS prepare for an exam this term so I'll try to search around and let you know if I found anything useful.

The violin teacher recently checked DS's aural skills and she said he would be fine (for the forthcoming exam). But I think he could improve the knowledge of varieties of music and composers, and describing things he heard and noticed. It's very hard to improve this area without exposing to many different music. DS's musicianship and awareness has improved a lot since he joined orchestra/chamber as he became more aware of the instruments other than the ones he plays. He became more and more interested in listening to different types of music and instruments also so he has started actively absorbing more information by just listening to the radio for instance.

If your DS doesn't play any orchestral instrument, then I would recommend letting him listen to many different music daily (during breakfast, in car, etc). With his increasing knowledge of theory/aural skills, he would probably start noticing things he didn't before and hopefully it makes him enjoy listening and encourage listening more and learn more.

Good luck!

Hi all! welcome to the newcomers/quietly watching ladies.

DD is 8, taking g5 clarinet next term and working on g4 piano. She does JD and regional NCO (LOVES it!) plus school music and county stuff. I'm a plodding along adult piano learner. She's got a bunch of concerts and festivals this coming term plus annual re-audition for JD in a few weeks, lots to keep us busy!

Hi catkins , I can sympathize with the younger sibling overtaking older one, my middle will hopefully do grade 4 in the autumn and I can't see my eldest wanting to do grade 5 this year so he will have gr3 still. He is more musical but she practices way more. He knows what the answer is if he gets overtaken.

Kutik Bach playing Mendelssohn would not be as bad as Mendelssohn playing Bach. > I feel that I should have a medal for putting up with people putting pedals and rubato on Bach's 2-part inventions. > It's almost enough to make you regret paying for their piano lessons.

How about vibrato for baroque?

He knows what the answer is if he gets overtaken.
that applies here too. Could be good for him.

Talking about Mendelssohn playing Bach - well meaning DH once got me Menuhin recordings of unaccompanied Bach. They are... characterful. My last two teachers have told me off for playing Bach too straight, but that's a whole different dimension.

I don't know how baroque strings are played. I can only be tsk-tsk-ing for piano pieces.

Bach should be played straight.

Though people probably have wars over this.

Hi mom I don't think it's a bad thing to make sure that all the different skills keep up with the playing ( Ds only did grades 3 5 and 7 and so we have large gaps to fill at times ) I think doing the theory as you go along is also useful though Ds just gets it now because he's older and has played more . As long as she's not going to hold back the playing because she's the type that like you to do every exam etc etc fine ( this is also fine if it works for your child - I suspect it will be the case for dd definitely not for Ds) my music theory . com is a good website though I can't remember if it's free . The Trinity aural tests are very different to Abrsm but I like them and the book and cd are great we also use the Abrsm app

I'm glad the links were useful CruCru - it's about time my DDs' instruments were bathed again too.

I have two brass-playing DDs (aged 13 and 8). DD1 attends JD and has started double bass there this year. She's involved with various other musical things at school and beyond. She's a fan of playing jazz, took G5 jazz last year and decided she didn't really want to do exams again until G8. She's got a busy term ahead with a couple of performances in the next week or so and two overseas music tours.
DD2 has lessons at school for 18 months and will be taking G3 this term. She recently attended the Brass Academy Easter course and had a whale of a time in spite of being the youngest boarder and only player of her instrument.

Hello. Dd 8 violin. Thought she was pre grade 1 but just discovered she been put in a post grade 2 group for something so maybe I underestimate her ! Ds6 just starting violin. And think the musical journey may end there for him as he has strong opinions about what he wants to do re practice so progress may be hard which is a pity as he is very musical ....

Though people probably have wars over this.

Lol. Yes.

I can't imagine doing unaccompanied Bach without vibrato; not a lot, but just for punctuation. Am I not supposed to? I'm not good with period instruments, can't listen to them without playing out of tune for a week, so I'm a bit clueless about authentic. Modern instrument recordings do seem to use rubato and vibrato. Janine Jannsen was all the rage last time I was learning Bach on violin.

I quite like a bit less rubato as I like the way that you can hear it different ways whereas with more rubato one interpretation is forced on you if that makes sense? But teachers have made a good case for two pages of straight semiquavers coming across a bit dull to the average audience!

By the way kutik, I think the one song in the style of another thing is impressive and creative as well as fun, and probably a good thing for his understanding of the different styles and for developing his own style in due course.