Passive aggressive dominant sevenths

[Korg]

Dc has grade 8 at the end of term. I reminded him that other candidates will be practising a couple of hours a day so ten minutes wouldn’t kill him.

He has now played the same scale 50 times. 🙄 waiting for maturity to kick in...

DD is going for G8 piano next year. With no practise at all - an hour a week of lessons... She will scrape through, she always does - don't know why she WANTS to do the exams, but she does. 10 minutes a week would be good...

She plays loads, pop, rock, jazz... just not exam based stuff.

DS does practises between his hectic schedule - nowhere near one hour x 6 hours though (he does sport after school everyday). But he still tries to make time. Because he actually loves his instrument a lot. If he had more time he would play lots more, so our problem is rather finding time than making him practise. Whether he is using the limited time more efficiently for exams is another story... Though, to be fair, he does has lots of material to work on other than exam stuff.

On the other hand he does absolute bare minimum for his second study (piano). But still passed with distinction for grade 7. However, he says it is not his instrument (though he thinks it's very useful and enjoyable time to time). He feels it doesn't come natural. I sometimes think he actually is quite natural at it, by looking at how he plays with such minimum practice. I find it interesting, how he sees it... But then he is good at sight-reading, so it may be helping a lot.

Korg I suspect your boy and mine would get along very well. Also down for grade 8 this term. Maybe we can get them together one day for an improv session - I recall suggesting he start with hot cross buns on organ once and see what happened :)

I'm trying to make sure he does some piano each day, and vaguely listening out so I can remind him if an area seems to be too badly neglected ... Since he had to step down from choir earlier this year (boo!) he's had more time, and rather likes the idea of doing an hour's practice, but I'm not sure he understands how to make an hour useful so I'm encouraging him to think in terms of shorter, more focussed sessions.

2nd instrument is similar standard but grade 8 pieces been put on hold for summer / next school - instead a nice challenge has been set to prepare for the end of year concert. He loves the piece, but practice tends to happen 2 or 3 times a week ...

Kutik your description of your son reminds me of my violinist sister. Who was the most natural, easy pianist - and drove our teacher insane because she could go from completely unprepared to properly ready with just a few days of proper practice.

Pythonesque, DS's piano teacher doesn't know how little he practises and thinks he is very diligent... She would say, 'that's much better than last week, well done.'

But I have to say DS is not as natural as your talented sister. I think he is better than he thinks about him but I can also understand why he feels it doesn't come natural. He is definitely a string player than a keyboard player.