holidays?

[Bunnylump]

Now that really is impressive!!

[kathlyn]

the next emma johnson maybe

[LAT]

What a professional!

[giraffe]

I think unobservant is perhaps nearer the mark, but it was hillarious at the time.

[SparkOut]

Katsmom, Grade 8 music level over here is astonishing for one so young. It's hard to know how to give an equivalent without knowing the scholarship level over there, but for some kind of perspective, I hope you are aware of the "A" levels we have over here. They are the "specialist school diplomas" we have for school leavers and used as University entrance requirements. A Grade 8 music award is higher than A level standard. If you were going to do a University music course then "a rule of thumb" entrance requirement would be

The experiences of most people here is that universities require an A-level pass as well as Grade VIII practical in at least one instrument and at least Grade V on a keyboard instrument, but policies will differ between institutions.

So Grade 8 is not exactly comparable to an easy reckoner guideline, but it's not just "impressive" it's "knock your socks off" level for someone of Kingsley's age.

[Wulfruna]

Absolutely!! And such a splendid instrument too - I could never manage more than a squawk out of one, so stuck with the violin.

[giraffe]

I tried to get a noise out of F's french horn earlier. Once I'd worked out that the valves are pressed with your left hand. (The spout points downwards if you try to do it with your right ) I managed to get some extraordinary squawks out of it, but not very tuneful. I don't think there is much future for me there.

[eirian]

Katsmom, Grade 8 music level over here is astonishing for one so young. ......... it's not just "impressive" it's "knock your socks off" level for someone of Kingsley's age.

I'll definitely go along with that - much respect, Kingsley.
I thought about grade 8 piano when I needed it if I wanted to do music at uni - and even thinking about it took me until I was 19 years old, but decided it was easier to do philosophy with my maths instead!

[MBH]

She played the Adagio from Mozart's clarinet concerto a couple of years ago

Very nice But does she get a stab at "Stranger On The Shore" sometimes as well?

Truely professional in not being put off by prat-falls I bet if Fernando had fallen over she would have noticed

[Bunnylump]

My daughter is in her last year at Surrey University studying music. She only got her grade 8 piano the year before she started, having studied since the age of 8. She also has grade 7 alto saxophone but couldn't be doing with taking grade 8 in that too. So yes, highly commendable!!

I got a grade 5 in guitar when I was 14, but hated the exams so much I refused point blank to take any more. (I got so nervous my hands shook - not much use when you're trying to play the guitar).

[clvrlad]

well i cant remember what i grade i was at at high school but i did piano and french horn their
b4 then id started learning the guitar whilst much younger not that i stuck to it...
i can just about remember playing silent night on it (the guitar)

[giraffe]

Yes MBH, she has a version of Stranger on the shore, but it's quite a simple version, so probably hasn't looked at it for ages. Perhaps I should get a "proper copy". She has lots of fun things to play like the Harry Potter themes, Andrew Lloyd webber things, Midsomer Murder theme (that's a good clarinetty one) etc etc. But Mozart suits her, so she plays quite a lot of his music.

[Laura]

Actually, the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) do a lot of exams in Hong Kong anyway, so it could well be the same exams in both places.

[kingsley]

When I was playing the mozart and the head of year 7 tripped over, I saw it and wasn't quite sure what it was. At first I thought the pianist had fallen off the piano stool, but then realised that the piano couldn't play itself. It was only after the prizegiving that I was told who had fallen!

[Scurra]

Mozart's Clarinet Quintet (K581) would be one of my "Desert Island Discs". It's the only one of the pieces that I studied for Music O level that I can listen to for pleasure (the others bring back odd memories, but for some reason this one doesn't.)

[Laura]

I studied the Overture from The Barber of Seville for A level, and it was brilliant - every week we'd go round college singing it all day. It drove everyone else loopy, but we just bounced around singing all the different parts (like the musical geeks that we were!)

[kingsley]

Your not the only ones!

My friend (who is also very musical) and I spend every German lesson on a Wednesday afternoon (having just had band at lunchtime) singing our band pieces to the girl who sits between us! It sounds quite good because she sings her flute part and I sing my clarinet part so we cover most of the tune between us!

The same friend and I also used to sing our the parts of our flute and clarinet duet.

[dcfanjo]

Your not the only ones!

My friend (who is also very musical) and I spend every German lesson on a Wednesday afternoon (having just had band at lunchtime) singing our band pieces to the girl who sits between us!

Aren't you supposed to be speaking German though?

[MBH]

Ich weiß es nicht





Edit: Just making sure I was right and I found this: "Keine Ahnung!" : could be quite appropriate for this site

[katsmom]

And to think I spent my class after lunch getting in trouble for eating m&m's What these kids get up to nowadays. It's disgraceful