Well that's my deposit paid!

Who else is going, then? I think the forum attendance list so far is:


bevpiano,
DaisyChain,
iamdjoc,
iliketoplaydapiano,
lois,
luke43,
Mad Tom,
Melody Amour,
MissyPiano,
Panthera,
PianoNotes,
Robodoc,
sbhoa,
sbpiano,
Solari
StuMac,
...?

Wow, that's quite a bunch - methinks the social scene will be good!

*Thinks* ...Gosh..am *really really* tempted to do this course. Some great pianists on this list too. Don't know if I can match their standards though.

*Goes off to practice 24/7 for the next six months*.

You know you want to!

Yes. Please come. We can have a big forum party. I think 'oldnotes' will also be there

No No No No NO!!

4 +/- 2 hours is optimal. You need sleep and time for your subconscious to sort things out for you.

I'd love to come along in a few years time so I hope you will be repeat customers at Chet's so I have some company!

Most likely - at least you have company at Benslow!

Sadly, I won't be able to make it but am looking forward to meeting Solari and Mini mo at Benslow.

Last I spoke to (i.e. emailed) him, oldnotes was tempted away by another summer school (Elisabeth Altman's). We should persuade him back!

We can have our own mini concert too (the adult amateur workshop room is free in the evenings) as it might be less scary to play to familiar faces than in the formal concert halls...

Don't worry about it DC

We can sit at the back of the class and cause trouble together

Lois

Desperately desperately disappointed that I won't be able to make it this year...

What's the minimum grade required to go
to Chet's?
Bev

Good idea.. now depends which week people are going... I've not decided yet.

It depends. It says on the website grade 5, but if you speak to Solari, he spoke to one of the organisers, and infact they are more concerned that you have a passion for piano and are willing to learn than actually have a high grade.

Maybe I should come and watch...

Im planning to go I just need to download the application form and send it off. I went last year and met sbhoa for the first time. I thoroughly enjoyed last year and made me realise I needed a better teacher. I found it was great for networking as one of my tutors referred me to a piano teacher in London who I'm taking lessons from since sept.

I would recommend this course to anyone who is looking to do a piano course. I was a little apprehensive at first as I'm quite a shy person but find you make friends quite easily especially as you share the same interest.

Unfortunately I will not be able to attend this year - but hope all Forum members enjoy it. To all those waverers wondering whether or not go, I cannot recommend it enough to anyone who loves the piano.

Aye, you should go, Bev!

pianist_flautist - are you heading up there too?

I'll be there too. I wonder when they will let us know whether we have been accepted or not.

I paid my deposit via bank transfer so am hoping that accepted payment means I'm in!

I suppose at least they haven't told us there are no spaces. I posted mine last week with three second-class stamps on it.

Don't worry, it won't get full this soon. It's the beginning of term, so I expect Kathryn has her hands full and it can sometimes take a while before she gets back to you. Be patient!

Thanks for that, Panthera. It looks as if I will definitely be going as the cheque I sent them last week has cleared through my bank account. OMG , better go and practise. Looks like you're going as well, Solari, since they have taken your money also.

The cheque I sent on 9th has just gone through my account. It does take them a while to deal with everything. Especially this year, I expect, as I think there's been rather a rush because people were a bit panicked about getting a place. I can't see there will be a problem at the moment, as there are still 2 parts, but it's obviously getting more popular every year & people were conscious of booking early, so it will probably fill up a bit quicker. My brochure didn't arrive until after I'd sent the application, which is probably the same for lots of us, so there will be plenty of people who didn't even know booking was open already.

Thank goodness for the forums then. I don't know anything about a brochure and just looked at the info on line and what everyone here has been saying.

You joined at the right time, then!

Hurrah - DaisyChain is coming too!

I've completed the form and sent it off. Hopefully I'll be coming!

I think you should be fine, it's still relatively early!

Which week are you going for Daisy?
I've not decided yet. I want to check on a couple of things first.

Yep, I got a call from Kathryn during the weekend and there are still lots of space... However, it will take a while for them to get back to you at the moment as 1) they've been having computer problems and 2) it's beginning of term, but if your cheque has gone through, then you're on the course.

Did you take the plunge and book both weeks?

Yep, missypiano and I sort of convinced each other 5-day is too short

Good move! We have enough people to arrange our own little recitals if we want to now!

...and it didn't take too long to convince each other!!!
Really looking foward to it!!! that's if I'm accepted...I haven't had a chance to check if my cheque had been cashed yet.

We could maybe arrange to do some duets between us on a few of the evenings?

I shouldn't wish my life away, but... roll on August!

I personally don't intend to play while I'm there. I'll be happy to just listen and try to do a bit of practice while I'm there. If I play something it will probably be a spur of the moment thing.
I'm sure there will be a lot of people looking forward to doing duets while there though!

I am up for that. How do you fancy some of Bizet's "Jeaux d'Enfants"?

True. 70 years x 365 days = a surprisingly small number.


But our main reason for coming is to hear you play!

Believe me if I could play well I wouldn't hesitate to play there but at my level I run the risk of being sued by the school for traumatizing people with my playing!

You play beautifully! Please don't say you're going as an observer! I've not put in to play in a concert as I think it'd snowball out of control and I'd crash, but there will be plenty of opportunities for intimate recitals.



MT - I've not heard of those... I'll look them up!

Aww..thanks Sol . I think I'll see how it goes and if I feel relaxed enough to play I might give it a go.
I hadn't heard of Bizet's "Jeux d'Enfants" either so just listened to them on youtube. WOW they are great!!!! but...do sound VERY challenging!!!!

It is true that a few of them have some tricky bits, but they sound impressive mostly because there are 4-hands doing the playing. In many of them the separate Primo and Secundo parts are surprisingly simple

They certainly sound very impressive but also fun to play!!!
Do you play all of them Tom? and which ones would you say are the simplest to learn?

I have played Primo in all of them. The easiest are No 3 - La Poupee, No 9 - Colin-Maillard, and No. 11 Petit Mari, Petite Femme.

Most of the others have to go quite fast to be effective - which means you can't master them quickly - you have to live with them for a while to gain the comfortable fluency that makes the speed possible.

The REALLY hard thing is staying together with your partner.

I agree five days is too short but thought I would not manage to save up for 10 days, and so have booked five. I have 10 days in mind for next year though. Who know; if a miracle occurs and I suddenly come into funds ..... I have booked the second part because the disadvantage of booking the first part is that when you leave you know that there is a second week you could have done and it would be harder to leave whereas once the second week ends, everyone is going home at the same time.

Tom, what sort of grade would you put Jeux d'Enfants at?

You are doing the adult course though, aren't you?

I looked at the sheets on the petrucci library. Hrm, I was thinking of something a bit slower/easier as I've never done any duets before!

They vary. The simplest I'd say are okay at Grade 4 or 5. The tougher ones are post-Diploma.

Thanks for that. I might look at the grade 4 and 5 ones then, although my rhythm is so, so bad and I'd be totally rubbish keeping in time with anyone else. Wow, I didn't even know there was material post-diploma, so impossible to play then.

I shall be there too Amateur adult course again - going for 10 days. 5 Days will really turn out to be 4.5 days I recon.

Thanks Tom. I'll look more into it. Even though they might be too difficult for me to play now I'll still be interested to check the score for the different pieces! Shame the list of easiest ones doesn't include L'escarpolette (my favourite one!) but I didn't expect it to be there!


Yes and very much looking forward to it!

StuMac, that is what I thought too, but I looked at a brochure I saw in the EPTA magazine, which I received on Monday, and I think you go home after lunch on the sixth day. Goes of to check facts ..... I am really excited about this course and, like Solari, can't wait until August.