Haydn Seek

In response to:Discounts and Free Stuff! Hooray!

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:09:10 +0200

And of course the museums are free...if you eat out up town Wong Kei, 41 Wardour Street, Soho, is the cheapest Chinese around, and the food is good.

In response to:Music Journalism

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:56:22 +0200

Yeah, I'll be reading other reviews. Thanks :)

In response to:Music Journalism

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:00:31 +0200

In the modern context, "classical" music means composed music for the instruments from an extended orchestra, so Brass Band music would probably count.

I would suggest you read lots of reviews of similar events to get the flavour of how they are currently written and then use the same sort of style to describe what you heard.

Since it's for the local paper nad brief, you won't get very technical. Just stick to what they played, how well they did it and how much the audience liked it and you should be OK.

Good luck!

Tom.

In response to:Viola Player

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:02:50 +0100

I think that I have seen this before but it made me smile again, I think of the deep purple faces of some of the wind instrument players.

In response to:Viola Player

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:07:15 +0100

Bahahaha. Yay, jokes at the expense of the string section! Always welcome ;)

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 16:43:44 +0100

I have twice been tenor soloist in Carmina Burana quite difficult the orchestral accompaniment is discordant so one has to be extra alert all the time the high D for a tenor can be a problem is,I have heard this part sung by counter tenors who find the high notes easier;however the tension and stress is lacking in the higher register The music is exciting as is the text Its about fun.To be honest I wouldn't try it again. I don't think Orff intended it to be taken seriously.

In response to:Hoorah

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 16:27:06 +0100

Congratulations roisini.

In response to:Nervous!

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 15:39:38 +0100

* should read 8 sorry

In response to:Nervous!

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 15:38:45 +0100

Good luck...Now think about finding another teacher. I agree with Znethru......... the examiner wants you to pass ,in the same way that audiences want you to play well grade * is pretty good you know and on the horn

In response to:Hoorah

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:50:02 +0200

gr.8 merit is pretty good going & I have known music students get into (for example) the Royal Academy of Music on "only" the basis of a merit.

A lot depends on how well you play to the panel you meet on the day.

And finally, of course, grade 8 is only really a 'starting point'. It's how you continue to improve over the next 3 - 4 years which is important!

In response to:Hoorah

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 19:25:40 +0200

hi great to hear u passed with a merit!!!!
im taking my grade 8 in spring with tricante, hungarian march and my own composition. then it is onto diploma and teaching diploma aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

In response to:Hoorah

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:49:28 +0200

well done, you!
don't know the rules about what expectations uni would have, but it certainly sounds good to me.

In response to:Nervous!

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:58:39 +0200

On the plus side, the examiner is not 'trying' to fail you, so just take your time (before starting each scale/piece) and try to concentrate.

Aural is kind of bad news. Ideally, you need a year's tuition to prepare properly for grade 8 aural! You should ideally revise gr.6 and gr.7 'on the way'.

This exam used to count for about 20 to 25% of the old A-level.

Which pieces are you playing?

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Mon, 26 May 2008 13:44:49 +0200

Beethoven's 9th is one of the most stunning pieces of music ever made. Seen live it is almost unsurpassable. Only some of Wagner's finest works, and perhaps Mahler, Stravinsky and Shostakovich reach a similar peak of depth, complexity and emotion. I'm overdue to see that sort of concert myself. I'll have to see what's coming up in Aberystwyth Arts Centre soon.

Cheers, Tom.

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Mon, 26 May 2008 13:34:40 +0200

It was great but Beethoven IX was better. :)

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:14:15 +0200

That should be great. Good music by a great orchestra. I've seen Carmina Burana twice live and both instances were stunning. The power that music has is astonishing.

Cheers, Tom.

In response to:More about Conductors...

Wed, 21 May 2008 00:26:43 +0200

Ego-trip? Conductors? You're pulling my leg!

In response to:EMI Classics

Mon, 19 May 2008 14:18:01 +0200

Not sure I could.

My review would be: It sounds pretty, I like it.

or

It doesn't sound pretty. I don't like it.

:)

In response to:More about Conductors...

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:16:04 +0100

I do appreciate a good conductor who can get the best out of the orchestra. However I do think that some of them must have an ego, they seem to get all the lime light on CD covers, the orchestra itself hardly seems to get a mention.

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:53:22 +0100

I'm the same way with art and photos... may not know the technicals but I know what I like.

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:51:25 +0100

Yes indeed. I'm sick of music snobs thinking I don't have a right to appreciate this music just because I don't know anything about it. It sounds pretty, therefore I like it. That's all that matters.

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:11:09 +0100

It's not what you wear, it's what you hear ;)

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:04:44 +0100

We'll see what the Germans make of my culture when I show up in my hole-ridden jeans and a football jersey! :))

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:39:00 +0100

Oooh, get you and your culture :))

(I'd prefer the 9th over Carmina Burana too, purely because I've used CB a lot in trails...)

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:19:45 +0100

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:16:44 +0100

Start hitchhiking now and you never know!

But this is a quite a common occurance, it'll be on again in October and January.

Hmm classical music blogmeet in October?
*strokes chin pensively*

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:14:17 +0100

I'm a very naughty girl, apparently ;)

:))

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:14:03 +0100

Bother - there's no way I'd get the in time for the spare ticket!!

Am very jealous.

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:53:38 +0100

Keeping your hand in //where// exactly?

What sort of debaucherous behaviour are you planning for the weekend? :))

In response to:Excited? Oh yes!

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:49:06 +0100

Oh g'wan g'wan g'wan g'wan, y'well y'well y'well y'well. It's all practice isn't it? Keeping your hand in, so to speak :))