just curious (2 Viewers)

[petite]

hello

i'm just curious and interested to hear what are some of the instruments people are doing for their major and what pieces for performance or viva voce. also, what type of music eg jazz, baroque music...etc

oh! don't be shy if u do voice...!

 

[Jenny]

I've got my trials next monday and im doing 6 pieces (3U performance) and havent yet learnt two of them or practised with my ensemble.. shit...
someone tlel me itll be allright... ive managed to get by in the past..
argh!

 

[Jenny]

yeah, sorry, i play tenor sax and im doing 3 contemporary, 3 jazz

 

[petite]

hi

hi, thanx for replying.

wow, sax...how long have u learnt the sax?
i thought ur only allowed to do 4 performances? 3 electives and 1 core peice?

cool..our practical trials are next monday. my fingers are nerving..haha..btw, i play the piano. boring instrument, i know. )

 

[dissonance]

what? the piano is the coolest...i wish I could play it better.

I take music 2 and do percussion. Did our trials a week or so ago, did pretty good with only a week to prepare.

timpani solo w/ piano - 17/20
mallet focused multi piece w/piano - 17/20
drum focused multi piece - 16/20

17 was the top band so I'm reasnobly pleased with the results...

 

[petite]

hello dissonance

wow dissonance, that's incredible. i've read some of your entries in the other sections. i'm intrigued, what made you decide to do percussion for major?
and do you improvise too?

thanx...haha. i always thought piano's a boring instrument because just about anyone can get their fingers on it and play a small tune. wel, i don't have much choice, i've been playing since i was 4, so why not take advantage of what i'm good at eh? haha..)

 

[dissonance]

I know how you feel everyone thinks they know how to play percussion! I mean you just hit stuff right?

Anyway I did percussion cause I do music 2 and I thought that markers would like that better than drums. But I've really been enjoying it more than when I was just learning the drum kit. Playing lots of different instruments makes practicing more interesting I think.

I was lucky cause an old boy of our school that left when I was in year 7 came back to teach me. I think he got 49/50 for his 3-unit performance but more importantly he's now got his BMusic (honors) from the Sydney conservatory who gave him full scholarship to study percussion straight out of high school. He's great because he's amazingly good at everything and also knows what HSC music performance is all about.

haha, yeah half way though my timp piece I put my sticks down and do a little dance. (Its in the score so its not just some random thing I've added to the music - well, maybe....the music notates what I should do with my heels and what rhythms to clap an stuff). Its funny, if the audience is full of friends they just crack up...(it comes at a really unexpected time in the music) but when I do it for markers and adults etc. none of them know what to do with themselves...my piano accompaniment also has to clap and stomp a bit as well, and seeing she's a very proper, classical pianist everyone loves seeing her do this stuff as well. Hmmm, my other pieces arn't half as fun to play...

 

[petite]

cop an earful! lol

hello dissonance,

hahah...i must say dissonance, i had fun reading your reply post! no no, you don't just 'hit' stuff on percussion. You have to hit the right stuff! i mean, when you play percussion, you make music...if I played, I make noise! ) So you should give yourself credit for what you do!

uhuh-uhuh...I agree. why just settle for drums when you can explore further? wel, music's about fun anyway...the stomping and the clapping *laughs* Which era or type of music is the song written for? is it some kind of folk music that requires the dancing n the clapping?

I wish my peices can be fun. I mean, classical music n all, not that I don't enjoy it, I love classical music! But everything seems...limited when it comes to classical music. I don't know...I suppose everything has it's cons n pros.

Is music your priority? or just a sidekick?

 

[dissonance]

petite ------

yeah the timp piece is my contemporary Australian work actually. Written, by an Australian (obviously ) in 1990 I think. But, yeah the title of the movement is called "Fandango" so I'm sure that is some form of Spanish dance.

You have to hit the right stuff!

My point exactly! Ahhh, if there were more understanding people like you in the world my life of "hitting stuff" would instead be finally known as "making music"!! -- *dreams of such a day*

What piano pieces are you doing? I think piano can be the most passionate instrument...Ironically eventhough there are two people in my music class with 8th grade ability on piano they've both chosen to play other instruments instead so we don't technically have any pianists...I love the piano though, cause you can play so much on it, all styles...everything ---and it sounds great on its own, very much unlike percussion.

Is music your priority? or just a sidekick?

Funny you should ask that, it used to just be a hobby but... I just got accepted to the Berklee College of Music in Boston so I think music may be becoming my main priority very shortly (got the letter in the mail last night)---the band I'm singer/songwriter for also just got our first pub gig and that's less than a month away now (most important gig of my life).

So you've been playin the piano since you were 4...is music your priority or just a trusty, enjoyable sidekick???

 

[petite]

hello dissonance,

Music 2 must do a contemporary australian piece right? ahh..Spanish, delicious...fantabulous! *laughs*. I'm actually making a major garment for my textiles class with Spanish influence.

My piano peices. well...the 3 electives I chose, Baroque, classical and the romantic period. For Baroque - Bach's Partita 2. Classical -a Haydn Sonata in E minor. I'm doubling up Romantic, doing one of Chopin's Waltz and Mazurka. It's a pity...the limit for each piece is max 5min. I wish to do so much more...my peices are really short, especially the sonata which I can only play the 1st movement or else it exceeds the time limit. Anyway, I must be boring you. )

Wow, in your class 2 people have piano 8th grade and chose other instruments? why?! The whole idea for me to take up music is to take advantage of my 8th grade cerfificate!

"I think piano can be the most passionate instrument..."
Why do you think that dissonance? Yes, it's amazing how connected you can be with an instrument.

haha..you know what? I think I have yet to learn how to sing and play on the piano at the same time. I think it would be so wonderful if I could do that. These days, I'm really into jazz and inprovisation. See, the thing is being brought up as a classical pianist you have the disadvantage of playing by ear.

Congratulations! All the way to Boston ei? hehe...So you'll major in drums and percussion in Boston?
Funny, I never really thought about the perimeter outside Sydney to study, let alone outta the country. Perhaps I should consider...

Ahh! So you're not just a person that "hits stuff" but also writes and sings...ahhh...*swoons* What kind of music do you write/sing?

No, I wouldn't say my music is my priority. But it's definitly something I can consider in the future. mmm...atm my aim is Bachelor of Design or Bachelor of Interior Architecture at UNSW. But...maybe some day, the Sydney Conservatorium could be a backfall for me.

You never know where fate can take you.

 

[dissonance]

mmmm, yeah time limits are annoying. I've had to make cuts in most of my pieces so they don't go overtime...and thats making cuts within the single movement I've chosen....

by the way - what does a Spanish inspired textile garment entail?

Ha, the most impressive thing I can play on piano is the opening chords to that Grieg Concerto in Amin (I think). ---and come on, even I can sing and play piano...granted I'm only playing Ben Folds Five songs so the complexity level is not particularly high

yeah, well one guy who has 8th grade piano also happends to have 8th grade Violin. Actually I think he went for his Amus. when he was in year 8 or somthing but he failed and never bothered again. The other guy who has 8th grade piano also happends to be an amazing singer/actor/performer so he decided to do voice instead --- got a damn 20/20 for one of his trial peices too......It's just that he can perform it so well, he pouts a bit during a sad song and suddenly everyone else is sad too! geez, too much talent for one person.

"I think piano can be the most passionate instrument..."

Well it just has such a dynamic and expessive range, you can play any chord there is, get any and every colour, at least play a reduction of any song ever written for any instrument.


Yeah, I haven't decided if I'll take up the offer to go to Boston yet. My principal instrument would be drum kit, but I think I'll probably ending majoring in Music business/management or songwriting. You see its a contemporary music school, not a conservatory, but I'm considering it because it's the most reknown contemporary school. I'm iffy about majoring in performance because I know that their will be some damn hot players over there and I don't think I'll even be in the same league as them...besides maybe a business degree might give me more options (chance to get a real job!)

Thats cool, Bachelor of design sounds artsy and creative enough for me That means you can draw etc. as well? The only thing I can do in the Visual Arts is appreiciate it. I've always wanted to draw and paint...but thats just never happened for me.

Well the songs I write are influnced mostly be Jeff Buckley, Something for Kate, Coldplay etc. So its kindof artsy rock/pop most of the time...
actually we used to play piano songs as well (I didn't write those) but we recently decided against them

 

[Weisy]

"I think piano can be the most passionate instrument..."

I've been playing the piano for as long as I can remember and to me, it represents lots of things; passion...anger...serenity...nostalgia...that dreadful feeling you get when you have yamaha state finals and you haven't practised...

Perhaps it's not the instrument which is passionate but the colours translucent in the music we play that proffers emotions felt by the composer when the music was being written.

Weisy

 

[dissonance]

yeah weisy, you're right. I was just using the word passion in an all-inclusive sort of way. In that, being a passionate instrument, it is able to communicate anger, serenity, nostagia etc. much better than, well, lets say, the harpsichord...

 

[Weisy]

the harpsichord...ahh that brings me back...

I think the most embarrassing thing I've ever written in a music exam was then taken by my music teacher and immortalised in strange 'teacher circles' when I was very little.

I wrote "Bach was a great organ and harpsichord player who used to practise on an old spinster in his attic..."

hmmm...

Weisy

 

[petite]

hello Dissonance,

I've just finished my trials prac, I suppose I went ok, wasn't my best though...was living on edge and nerves, to think, all the performances/competitions would rid me of that... results come in on thursday.
ahhh...the day before I only slept for 2 hours, trying to get my textiles done. the damn coffee didn't work until I got into bed, now that was an experience I don't want to repeat. *grunts*

Originally posted by dissonance

by the way - what does a Spanish inspired textile garment entail?

Every textile student has to have some sort of inspiration to base their garment on. And I based mine on the Spanish Flamenco, giving it a bit of my own creative design to it. Oh I'm so glad it's over, I can finally relax a bit...and have hot chocolate, nibble on night snacks like what I'm doing now.

Piano is one of the most passionate instruments. I think some people interpret it wrong. They try to outdo themselves all the time, like playing is all about getting your AMEB and getting awards. Not that I'm saying it's not important, but sometimes you just gotta let it go right? And leave a piece for yourself. For me..when I'm sad, I play..when I'm happy, I play. And when I play..I'm happy. I dunno, I probably sound very silly now.

"chance to get a real job!"
Being a musician is not considered a real job? heheh..no no, I know what you mean. Oh, btw I went to your website. It looks like it's going great. How was your pub gig? You guys are going to put your recordings in the site right? Can't wait to hear ur stuff.

Originally posted by dissonance

Thats cool, Bachelor of design sounds artsy and creative enough for me That means you can draw etc. as well? The only thing I can do in the Visual Arts is appreiciate it. I've always wanted to draw and paint...but thats just never happened for me.

Welll...people always think you've gotta be good at drawing/painting to be good at art, but it's not always the case. I can draw, but I can't paint...it must sound weird to you, but I don't know...I guess it's just not one of my thang..*american accent* hehe

I'd better get back to my artwork, one more thing I have to get out of the way. *ponders what mark I got for trials prac*

~petite

 

[petite]

Originally posted by Weisy
"I think piano can be the most passionate instrument..."

I've been playing the piano for as long as I can remember and to me, it represents lots of things; passion...anger...serenity...nostalgia...that dreadful feeling you get when you have yamaha state finals and you haven't practised...

You can never have enough practise.

Originally posted by Weisy

Perhaps it's not the instrument which is passionate but the colours translucent in the music we play that proffers emotions felt by the composer when the music was being written.

Weisy

Nobody knows what emotions the composer goes through when the music is being written. Every pianist plays the piece differently thus interpretting it differently. It differs from good players to people that only 'hit' stuff *grins at dissonance*
So I think it depends on everything, they pianist, the music...but never to say that the instrument is not passionate.

 

[Weisy]

Originally posted by petite


You can never have enough practise.



Nobody knows what emotions the composer goes through when the music is being written. Every pianist plays the piece differently thus interpretting it differently. It differs from good players to people that only 'hit' stuff *grins at dissonance*
So I think it depends on everything, they pianist, the music...but never to say that the instrument is not passionate.

Absolutely, petite. Practise is so very very important. And you're right about the correlation between good players and pieces and the instruments they play. I think one can't say that an imstrument has no emotion, but one can definitely say that without a player who can interpret it, an instrument itself isn't much. Similarly, although people may interpret a piece differently, a composer has always chosen to write a piece a certain way. I guess it's kind of like setting a basic framework around which the player then bases his/her own interpretation. There's no point disregarding a composer's original intention because that's like taking someone else's work, altering it and then not acknowledging them for the original idea.

You sound like a passionate music lover though. Nice to meet you.

So, I take it dissonance would be a drummer, then.
I really admire drummers for their rhythmic skills. My own rhythmic skills are dismal! I think it takes great depth of appreciation in any kind of music to draw that fine line between what fits rhythmically and what in the end just amounts to 'hitting'.
People who just 'hit' stuff should be shot.

Weisy

 

[petite]

hello Weisy,

nice to meet you too. )
Yes, I'm rather fond of my hunk O black polished wood standing in my room. you sound like a very passionate music lover too, a very experienced one too i take it? though piano for me isn't very much a profession.

may i ask, what is your favourite piece to play of all time?

 

[dissonance]

So, I take it dissonance would be a drummer, then.

ha, I like to refer to myself nowdays as a "percussionist".

I think one can't say that an imstrument has no emotion

I've never seen a harpsichord played as passionately as a piano I also don't consider the cowbell as an instrument that conveys a depth of passion.....although I have had a few inspired moments playing the cowbell myself

People who just 'hit' stuff should be shot.

don't mind me...I was just leaving anyway


Billy

 

[Weisy]

what is your favourite piece to play of all time?

petite
I wouldn't be able to choose, really. If I tried to think about it now, I would probably find a piece, then realise that I hadn't taken into consideration about three million other pieces I liked. At the moment I'm loving Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody no.2 in C#min, because I'm working on it, and also because I never quite got over that Tom & Jerry episode....

I have always loved performing Brahms' Eb min intermezzo (Op.118 no.6 I think) - it would have to be one of my favourite pieces for the piano.

Anything from Scarlet Pimpernel I also love.

I actually just got back from a performance of contemporary Australian compositions our school decided to put on with Ars Musica, Musica Viva, and a bunch of other people. The stuff we did was pretty out there and pretty cool, too. I really like some contemporary composers such as Carl Vine, Stephen Adams, Matthew Hindson, Paul Stanhope. All that stuff I studied in 3unit, except perhaps the serialism....*shudder*. Contemp. music is very interesting.

What is your most favourite piece, and why do you like it?

I don't think music will be my profession either. It's too much of a a personal thing, I guess!

although I have had a few inspired moments playing the cowbell myself...

dissonance - first of all, sorry - I'll try to stick to 'percussionist' next time. I should know better - considering I was once I percussionist myself (*ahem*, albeit in year 6, playing "Train Blues", Jupiter and a woeful rendition of the Locomotion) - eh lord I was bad.

I've never reallly explored the harmonic range of the cowbell, but I'm told by my seven-year-old sister that she can make it sound like a collection of pots and pans at different pitches when whacked with different size wooden branches found in the playground.

when we talk about an instrument being 'passionate', are we really talking about the tone and harmonic range of the instrument? Or is it not that simple?

Weisy