Spring 22 music thread

[thirdfiddle]

Roll up roll up for a new term of music parenting! This is a long meandering series of threads for all things musical. Please do say hi if you're new or lurking.
Delighted to see on the last thread that musical things are up and running again in the new term despite some covid nerves. Here's hoping for a smooth normal as possible run.

@herbaceous
My daughter was in the same place roughly a year ago. She finished her grade 7 and started working on 8. She started learning jazz and improvisation. She uses sheet music downloaded from the internet as well as a book called Exploring Jazz Piano. She's super musical and loves composing things and improvising. She has a natural talent for this so jazz is something she's attracted to.
By the way, she did a jazzy/bluesy piece for her ABRSM grades in the past. Did he do Pink Minor for Grade 7? It's a great piece and quite technical.
Good luck!

We've found the jazz books by the wedgewood family good- think jazz after dark is the latest. It's not too hard - probs 4/5-6 really but would sit alongside harder repertoire as light relief nicely. The challenges are different from the classical repertoire you listed but there's more to it than say covers of popular music

It's this one that we have- after hours not dark!

https://www.musicroom.com/pam-wedgwood-after-hours-jazz-1-piano-fab0571529089?glid=gb&CAWELAID=120075890000083741&gclid=CjwKCAjw-8qVBhANEiwAfjXLrsjaJ2UWPeXLg2xHEn4GmJzHe5wvEJleMHNlAnYEBMrT9m6PVdM-BoCYa4QAvDD_BwE

Brilliant! Thank you both!

DS too loves composing and improvising, so jazz seems a natural next step. And 'light relief' was indeed the phrase I was going for!

D's has enjoyed Joplin ragtime. Fun but still challenging. Probably about grade 7/8 ish or harder for some of them.

Can anyone comment on Trinity digital exams? We have recordings done at school and home. In the school one the accompaniment is rather loud (piano), at home the backing track is rather quiet. The at home one also has a better view of the player - although the instrument, hands and face are all in shot for all recordings. Transitions at home are also smoother. Trying to balance those things with the overall playing quality! Any advice?

No idea re Trinity exams at all!

My current trauma is DS has just stopped being a chorister, as he's reached the end of year 8. His voice is still pure and treble, so it's such a shame. I wept my way through his three final services on Sunday. He's spent the past two days dicking about on his phone. Piano has gone by the wayside.

I'll give him a few days rest, then suggest/demand he does at least some music each day!

Valvetta, we did a few between two kids in 20 and 21, and I'd just go for whichever DC played better on. As long as they're not actually drowned out by piano that's really a recording quality question and you're not being marked on recording quality. One of DC's teachers was inclined to fret about exact angles etc - but the best result we got was a very rough single take by DS in a huff.

Herbaceous, end of an era indeed, no wonder you're in bits. I guess it make sense to end on a high rather than fizzle out. Hope he has a good summer holiday and other musical interests take over naturally. Perhaps he'll be back as a bass in a few years!

Thanks, yes, I know what you mean, best playing really should win. Piano really loud though and definitely close to or at drowning out. Was criticised last time round for messy transitions (although who knows if someone else would mark that way).

Aw, that's sad. I went to Evensong last month ( away from home, our church doesn't have a choir). The treble voices were beautiful and I was thinking, I bet they didn't realize or appreciate their voices which are like that for such a short time and are just lovely. There really is a distinctive English cathedral treble sound I think, very different to other youth choirs. Not necessarily ' better ' but unique. I hope you treasured those last few services, I'm sure it's set him up for a lifelong love of music.

This is his swansong solo, one hour in precisely!

Beautiful voice @herbaceous - what a high note (pun not intended! 🤣) to end on.

dd had a v busy end of term - a school musical, her end of year chapel service and a couple of concerts. She was thrilled that her piano teacher is "not fussed" about her doing g7 - the plan next year is to do some repertoire and then see what grade to do - 7 or 8.

She's also finished with her cello teacher and will start with a new one in September. She's very excited.

Just a couple of days' orchestra and a "play in a week" type thing booked for over the summer.

What are everyone else's plans?

Thank you. He's entered the BBC Young Chorister of the Year competition, but had a croaky voice when we had to do the videos, so not sure whether he'll get into the next round.

Re summer, a week summer school doing 'ethics and philosophy', a 'play in a week', a week singing in Wells Cathedral with his old choir, and a three-day orchestra course. Busy busy!

Our summer includes plenty of non music camps ( volunteering and camping) a first music camp for youngest dd where she will meet another young bassoon player for the first time since she started playing three years ago. Middle dd just has to look at at some new repertoire and decide what to play next term for piano/ oboe. Eldest will probably not touch piano bit that's fine.

Can I have any tips for nco? I've just seen it on Facebook and for once we've not missed the deadline - beginning of August I think?

Dd plays cello. About g5 ish. Do you just apply generally and if you don't get the national you can still get the projects or do you have to choose one or the other? Suspect dd unlikely to get either but she's making noises that she'd like to give it a go (she's 13) so I don't want to discourage her!

Gosh, you are all so busy. @Queenmabby, I might be able to help with the NCO thing. DD 2 applied for both flavours last year. Didn't get nationals (was below the grade range tbh) but did get projects, which she enjoyed - the form allowed you to apply for both, and you heard about both separately.

She enjoyed it enough to want to try again, so is recording tomorrow. Again, she is (I would say) below the grade range for nationals on the instrument her teacher wants her to audition on. She played Grade 5 pieces last year, this year they will be grade 6 but quite new to her.

Worth a go, anyhow.

Thanks @minisnowballs - good to know. Think we'll apply for both.

We're on holiday until 24th so it'll be a bit tight on time but will give her something to do in the week we get back!

Yes - good luck to her. We are looking forward to a rest here - DD2 had two grade 5 exams in one day last week (no results yet). The cello scales nearly killed us all.

She's off on a wind band tour on Monday, where she is, much to her joy, the piccolo player. Shall be glad to get the squeaky thing out of our house (and by that I refer to DD2 as well as the instrument).

I was thinking about getting DD to audition for NCO but might leave until next year, she's only 9 and has been having real violin lessons for a year so might be better to have another year of lessons under her belt, though obviously conscious that the trade off is that the overall standard would improve too. Not ruling out a last minute recording but probs about gr 4/5 ish now and on violin that might not be high enough.

She's got a couple of youth orchestra courses this summer and so probably enough- plus it's quite expensive!

If anyone has any advice re what the actual level they're looking for at DDs age is though that would be good. Thanks!

My advice is always to audition as that alone is great experience. Several pupils have auditioned over the years at around Grade 5 level and been successful. They do say that you should play pieces that you are confident playing and allow your musicianship to shine, rather than choose something too challenging.

I do think the NCO courses are too expensive for what they are though, and several children are "priced out" while not qualifying for financial assistance. It's a real pity, however there are some excellent local alternatives.

Yes, it's really expensive. Projects thankfully cheaper!

Thanks - I'll give it some thought. Definitely on the cusp of what might be ok for her I think re playing but also need to check the dates for clashes

Northern, DD got into Projects last year auditioning with G5 violin pieces at age 9. Fairly rough and ready ones because of how the timings worked out. If it might be of interest it's very little effort to pop a recording in.

My DC has played in the nationals and is currently in the mains. My advice is to not worry too much about the level, they are definitely looking for musicality. Much better to play something beautifully rather than very difficult with mistakes. And DC's teacher is convinced that the excerpts are super important and easy to overlook, so it's good to spend time getting them tip top.