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Extra-curricular activities

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July Music Thread

626 replies

Wafflenose · 01/07/2018 13:27

Hello, I have just realised it's time for a new thread! Feel free to discuss anything musical here - any level at all, from total beginners to advanced, and adult learners are welcome too!

I am a teacher of woodwind, currently limping towards the end of term (July 24th... can't wait!) and have two DDs. Goo is 12 and plays the flute and piano. At the moment, she's doing the bare minimum, but she has won the Y7 music attainment award at her enormous comprehensive secondary school, so we get to go to an awards ceremony next week. Her piano teacher is about to retire, so we're looking for a new one. Rara is 10 and I would say is now a joint first study cellist and clarinettist - it doesn't come easily and she's progressing at an average rate, but a good Grade 4 on both. She spends most of her time reading, drawing, doing origami and swimming for a club.

I have so far managed to get through 27 music medals this term (6 still to go) and 4 Trinity exams (1 ABRSM still to go) and about half of the concerts!

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Pythonesque · 14/07/2018 23:59

We just heard that my son (still 12 when he did the exams) has got distinction in his grade 8 piano and a strong merit in grade 8 theory. Don't know yet how his friend who was doing the theory with him has done but expect he probably got a merit too. Very very pleased especially with the piano as he wasn't happy with how some of his exam went but I felt he was working at distinction level so have kept my fingers crossed!

He accompanied his friends singing at their end of school concert last week and it was SO sensitively done I was almost more proud of that than of the violin show-piece he aced :)

TheThirdOfHerName · 15/07/2018 00:01

Well done to all who have received theory results.

I took part in a performance of Elijah this evening (40-piece orchestra and choir of 170). Pleased with how it went, but a bit tired now.

TheThirdOfHerName · 15/07/2018 00:03

Pythonesque very well done to your DS on his excellent practical result too.

LooseAtTheSeams · 15/07/2018 07:46

Mini2nd has an army of supporters on the internet! It really varies with 10 year-old girls. A couple in DS1's class in primary were pretty awful and not a good influence, although two or three others were overwhelmingly lovely. It's not Mini2nd's problem if that particular child has the attention span of a goldfish! I absolutely agree a full concerto is called for...
Alexandra hope the Boy is having a wonderful time! DS1 heads off on Friday. Congrats to you and Third on your performances - you are both amazing! StarStar and huge congrats to minipythonesque StarCake for the splendid result!

Trumpetboysmum · 15/07/2018 08:16

I agree with Loose re 10 year old girls they can be lovely or horrid to each other ( or both it's a minefield!!) For example on Friday Dd had prepared a song for the school talent show which I thought was really lovely and was one she had learnt with her singing teacher . She said she wouldn't get through to the final because she wasn't popular 🙁 And so she was really surprised when she did because children who are normally not exactly nice to her voted for her song . This was a cue for some of her so called friends to be really mean to her because they didn't get through ( they felt angry because she always gets through and they didn't- this is mainly because she always does something on her own that she is good at - singing- rather than a hastily made up piece with friends) anyway she says she's just going to stand up in the final and show them how good she is !! That's if she's recovered from our trip to Latitude - nice to know my dc like all types of music ( especially Ds - he's been talking about it for a while but apparently he's getting an electric guitar !!)
Pythonesque that's a seriously impressive set of results well done to your ds 😊

Trumpetboysmum · 15/07/2018 08:18

I'm also really pleased that minisecond stood up for herself and said she wanted to play violin- I think she should definitely play a full concerto when she's in Year 6 Wink

2ndSopranos · 15/07/2018 10:08

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TaggieOHara · 15/07/2018 14:13

Yay for not-so-mini python Star I’m not at all surprised, based on his concert performance a couple of weeks ago! Brilliant theory result too. Grade 8 theory is seriously hard, especially for a 12yo!!

littleladsdad · 15/07/2018 14:34

Well done to Python & Panda minis! Those Grade 5 tips are very sensible Petra, I'll try to remember them when the time comes.

DS has swapped his trumpet for his cornet in readiness for the NCBB course at Repton School. The sounds I'm mainly hearing are teenage moans and groans at the moment (he prefers trumpet) but we'll get there! Smile

AlexandraLeaving · 15/07/2018 14:47

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TheThirdOfHerName · 15/07/2018 15:49

If the choir, the town and the cathedral where the concert was held are all named after a saint, then it's the same one.
I felt that it went well, the soloists were excellent, the feedback from the audience was positive and I was happy with how we sang, but I haven't heard the director's verdict yet.

Meltingwax · 15/07/2018 17:21

Very well done to python's and panda's minis - what a fantastic set of results.

Great that Alexandra's and TheThird's performances went so well.

Had a bit of a logistical series of cock-ups with DD's Grade 2 recorder exam today. I don't know what came over me. I blame the heat Blush.

It was our first experience with Trinity so I had gone through the syllabus time and time again to make sure we had the right pieces and prepped for the right set of aural tests, etc. DD changed her unaccompanied piece about 3 weeks ago...

This morning, I packed the bag: 2 recorders, 2 pieces, 2 piano accompaniments (originals), completed exam form and somehow totally forgot about the unaccompanied piece. I went through the bag with DD before leaving the house and she didn't realise either. We went and had a nice leisurely lunch beforehand and then just getting on the bus to the Barbican (exam was at Guildhall), I realised I had forgotten the music. Cue frantic phone call to Chimes at the Barbican and luckily they had it in stock so I could buy another copy before going to meet the accompanist. Then just double-checking the form, I realised I had written down the wrong title and composer for the unaccompanied piece! I just don't know where my mind was today.

DD and her accompanist came out of the exam at the end to tell me that they should have taken in photocopies of the music for the examiner. I had no idea to be honest, DD was playing from the syllabus and I just didn't know that they expected photocopies of the music. Luckily the accompanist had photocopies of the accompanied pieces in her bag which I had posted her a while ago (I kept the originals for the exam). Apparently the examiner said she would read over DD's shoulder for the unaccompanied piece but that was an official Trinity publication so am not sure why we needed a photocopy of that one...the accompanist said she thought at one point the examiner was going to say the exam couldn't continue without the photocopies.

Anyway, lots of lessons learned. And I have wine. Wine Wine

The Trinity experience was certainly different from ABRSM with the little registration desks with sweets and pens, etc. Next time I must remember photocopies!!

se22mother · 15/07/2018 18:11

Chimes are fab. Often go in for a browse at lunchtime

se22mother · 15/07/2018 18:19

Well done to your dd and Winefor you

Meltingwax · 15/07/2018 18:45

Chimes are fab - yes, I could have kissed the man behind the counter when he told me over the phone that they had a copy in stock. Little gems they are.

raspberryrippleicecream · 15/07/2018 19:31

Our Trinity Centre gives you a coffee/tea while you are waiting. The photocopies are quite a new thing, I bet there's a few people get caught out. Well done on getting though.

Congratulations on all the exam results - I can't keep up.

We have said goodbye to Ds's organ teacher today, he is moving away. We aren't used to moving teachers, he has had his piano teacher 9 years!

cantkeepawayforever · 15/07/2018 19:35

Ah, the photocopies.... never managed those more than 24 hours in advance...always something of a last minute 'Argh' moment!

TheThirdOfHerName · 15/07/2018 19:42

DD and her accompanist came out of the exam at the end to tell me that they should have taken in photocopies of the music for the examiner.

DD has taken five exams with Trinity, the most recent of which was this month. Nobody has ever mentioned needing a photocopy of the music to give to the examiner. The pieces are in the book published by Trinity; do they not have a copy?

DS2 usually provides a copy of his piece for the adjudicator in music competitions, but that's because there is a free choice of piece, so he wouldn't expect the adjudicator to have a copy.

cantkeepawayforever · 15/07/2018 19:52

TheThird,

The Trinity jazz pieces are always from lots of different books, so we always have to provide photocopies, and we always have to rub out any pencil marks so it is clear that e.g. improvised sections aren't actually written out and read from the music. Possibly depends on the precise instrument / syllabus.

OTOH, DS has only taken 6 exams in total, in 2 different instruments, so i wouldn't claim that his experience is 'typical', especially of lower grades, as he started with grades 4 / 5.

Meltingwax · 15/07/2018 19:56

TheThird - that was why I was clueless about the photocopies. I understand why it's necessary in festivals, etc. but am confused as to why the examiner needs to see photocopies of pieces from the exam board's syllabus.

The pieces she played were all from the syllabus. The unaccompanied piece was from a Trinity publication (Recorder anthology 2) - this was the piece the examiner looked over her shoulder for. The other 2 accompanied pieces were not from Trinity published books but were from the Peter Lawrance Brass Wind Publications and I think they have been on the syllabus for a while.

I have checked the regulations this evening and it says candidates are 'strongly encouraged' to take photocopies for the examiner of any music which is considered to be additional repertoire. I guess additional repertoire is anything which is not a Trinity publication (even if on the syllabus). DD said the examiner 'seemed a bit cross' about the lack of photocopies. And the accompanist said she was half expecting the exam to be halted. I definitely won't be taking the risk again - and will photocopy everything!

TheThirdOfHerName · 15/07/2018 20:07

The Trinity jazz pieces are always from lots of different books

That makes sense then. DD does flute (not jazz flute) and all the pieces were from the Trinity book.

TheThirdOfHerName · 15/07/2018 20:09

DS2 is preparing for Grade 8 clarinet with ABRSM (hoping to take it within the next term or two). We have had to buy all three pieces separately, so I'm guessing ABRSM will want him to bring copies for the examiner?

Meltingwax · 15/07/2018 20:10

Yes, I think that's the difference with the recorder, there isn't one book really. It was my fault. I didn't think about it properly. Am feeling guilty as I think I caused DD unecessary stress when am usually on top of it in terms of getting to places ridiculously early on time with all the right stuff.

Meltingwax · 15/07/2018 20:13

When DD did her ABRSM Grade 2 piano last year we did all the pieces from the 'alternative' lists and didn't take copies for any of it. But I guess it can't hurt to take them just in case. I've always thought photocopying music was such a no-no.

folkmamma · 15/07/2018 20:24

Having a great night at the proms!!

July Music Thread
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