My kids' music

[HelenM]

My husband bought some portable sound recording equipment this summer, so we were able to record my childrens' year-end concert and recital performances in their entirety for the first time. For example:

Last Saturday Esther played La Folia by Corelli (http://www.mynl.com/media/Esther_La_Folia.mp3)(accompanied by me). In the same concert, Ben played the solo in the first movement of Spring (http://www.mynl.com/media/Ben_Spring.mp3) in the Four Seasons by Vivaldi, accompanied by the Windy City String Ensemble (which included Esther and me). On Sunday in the piano recital Esther played A Curious Story by Heller (http://www.mynl.com/media/Esther_HellerCuriousStory.mp3) and Ben played The Minute Waltz by Chopin (http://www.mynl.com/media/Ben_Chopin_ValseOp64No1.mp3).

Helen

[JoeP]

:glare: The Websense category "MP3 and Audio Download Services" is filtered.
I'll try at home.

[livius drusus]

Your children are amazingly talented, Helen (and you're not so bad yourself ;)). Ben's solo is a show-stopper. :appl:

[HelenM]

Thanks, liv. :)

Thanks for trying to listen, Joe!

Helen

[Dingfod]

Wow! I rather enjoyed having that music playing on my PC here at work, so did my shiftmate. How old are your kids anyway? They're good.

I remember my sister playing The Minute Waltz when she was in the 6th grade, about 11 or 12 years old, I'd guess. She rushed it a bit, finishing it in about 51 seconds.

Also, I am to be piano accompanist for my daughter Roxy's flute solo in state Solo and Ensemble competition this coming April. I am scared to death that I'll mess it up for her. I always got very nervous playing for people, most particularly for strangers. She is very insistent that it be me, she thinks I can do it. I probably can, if I don't play anything but that piece from now until then, a little bit every day.

[HelenM]

Wow! I rather enjoyed having that music playing on my PC here at work, so did my shiftmate. How old are your kids anyway? They're good.

Thanks; they're 9 and 11.

I remember my sister playing The Minute Waltz when she was in the 6th grade, about 11 or 12 years old, I'd guess. She rushed it a bit, finishing it in about 51 seconds.

I don't think it has to be played in exactly 1 minute. Anyway she was the age my son is now.

Also, I am to be piano accompanist for my daughter Roxy's flute solo in state Solo and Ensemble competition this coming April. I am scared to death that I'll mess it up for her. I always got very nervous playing for people, most particularly for strangers. She is very insistent that it be me, she thinks I can do it. I probably can, if I don't play anything but that piece from now until then, a little bit every day.

So you play the piano? I have the same problem with accompanying - I'm so afraid I'll mess it up for the soloist. I'm glad everyone's attention is on the soloist, not me!

Anyway, that's what I did to get ready for Esther's accompaniment - a bit each day, starting early. Hopefully if you do start practising now you'll feel ready by the time the competition arrives.

Helen

[JoeP]

:qsigh: I got 13 seconds of 'spring' before the download decided to timeout. But it was a great 13 seconds.

[HelenM]

Thanks, Joe :). I'm sorry the download didn't work for you.

Esther and I just went to play carols (her on violin, me on piano) this afternoon at a nursing home; the people there were very appreciative. A couple of weeks ago her girls' group from church went to sing carols at a childrens' home; everyone else sang and Esther and I were the musicians, her on violin and me on piano. Since she'd learned the carols already I asked her if she'd mind playing them at the nursing home a few blocks from us and she said that was ok, so I arranged for us to do that this afternoon. There's an old lady there who (whom?) I visit regularly - it's a long story to explain why. But anyway Esther and I went to play to her - and all the other people there who wanted to listen too.

Helen

[Dingfod]

So you play the piano? I have the same problem with accompanying - I'm so afraid I'll mess it up for the soloist. I'm glad everyone's attention is on the soloist, not me!

Anyway, that's what I did to get ready for Esther's accompaniment - a bit each day, starting early. Hopefully if you do start practising now you'll feel ready by the time the competition arrives.

HelenI've been playing since I was about 9 years old, but my abilities peaked when I was 13 or 14. The only thing I do better on the piano now than I did then is to play with more expression, but technically, I was better then than I am now and a whole lot faster at learning new pieces.

I know that they will be judging her performance not mine, but I worry about messing Roxy up. I cannot accompany singers because I get off track. My main problem is an old habit I cannot seem to break. Like my typing on a computer keyboard when I backspace to correct errors as I go, I halt when I make a mistake on the piano, go back and correct it before proceeding.

A while back I was listening to an interview with a concert pianist on NPR, the interviewer asked if they ever made a mistake. He said in the piece we had just heard he made at least five mistakes, but the reason we didn't notice is because he just went on as though they didn't happen, easily forgotten. Stopping like I do, it is impossible not to notice. Aaaaarrgghh, why does she want me to accompany her?

[viscousmemories]

Really nice, Helen. I don't know much classical music but I'm a big fan of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, so at least on that one I knew what it was supposed to sound like. :)

[HelenM]

I know that they will be judging her performance not mine, but I worry about messing Roxy up. I cannot accompany singers because I get off track. My main problem is an old habit I cannot seem to break. Like my typing on a computer keyboard when I backspace to correct errors as I go, I halt when I make a mistake on the piano, go back and correct it before proceeding.

A while back I was listening to an interview with a concert pianist on NPR, the interviewer asked if they ever made a mistake. He said in the piece we had just heard he made at least five mistakes, but the reason we didn't notice is because he just went on as though they didn't happen, easily forgotten. Stopping like I do, it is impossible not to notice.

My childrens' teachers have encouraged them to keep going no matter what, explaining to them that most people won't hear the mistakes if they do that - just as you said the NPR concert pianist did.

Perhaps playing in ensembles like orchestras also emphasizes that you can't go back and fix anything - whether it's that (I've played in amateur orchestras on and off for many years) or all the accompanying I've done lately, I don't have a problem going back and fixing things when I'm playing with other people. I definitely do make the mistakes that I have to move on from, though!

Aaaaarrgghh, why does she want me to accompany her?

I never had a parent who could accompany me so I don't know what that's like - but I can understand how your daughter feels because mine prefers me accompanying rather than a professional.

Helen

[HelenM]

Really nice, Helen. I don't know much classical music but I'm a big fan of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, so at least on that one I knew what it was supposed to sound like. :)

Thanks vm - I'm glad it did sound somewhat like it's supposed to! :)

Helen