Daughter is learning this for past 2 months for a Specialist music school audition. We would like to get feedback from you guys so that I can pass on to her.

http://soundcloud.com/gayatrinair/chopin-nocturne-in-c-sharp

Thanks for listening.

Sunil

PS. I'm non-musical parent

There have been previous threads on this work, but Im not prepared to listen and comment as I do not wish to log in to an account at Sound Cloud

I've listened (you don't need a sound cloud account to listen, by the way) and I just wanted to say that your daughter is doing extremely well considering that from what I can gather she is 10 and has played for around 2 years I don't have time to make detailed comments right now, but I will try to do so in a few days.

Thank you Lilly for the comments, yes she is 10 years (and 5 months) old. She has been learning piano for 2.5 years, which started as just to support her singing.



Really appreciate any comments / criticism, so that she can incorporate that into practice.

OK I will try again to listen , as its piece I know well and play
Right now I have had a listen ! WOW, that really is very good for someone of her age, its a Grade 8 level piece. She got the mood of it very well, and the 'cascades' were beautifully controlled.
I thought that at the point the second 'tune' comes in, there was just a tendency for the tempo to be a little rushed , it should just stay the same as the first section. Other wise I dont think there was anything wrong with it. Well done.

I really enjoyed listening to this!

I am not a pianist so can't make any useful comments. I was very impressed, though, and I'm sure your daughter has huge potential to go far, Sunil. I wish her all the best with her audition.

Beautiful.

I'm not a pianist so can't offer any constructive criticism but I really enjoyed listening to that. It was lovely.

Thank you Katia, MNW and Claudia's Mum. Even positive words mean a lot to her!


Thank you fsharpminor, she has more than a month to improve. We hope she can correct this by that time. I never knew that it is classified around Grade 8.

It is very nicely played, a commendable performance by any pianist at any age ... never mind at just 10 years old (as I am sure the OP knows full well ) . I enjoyed listening to it, and if I had not been told that it was a 10 year old playing I would never have guessed. It is a proper, mature performance.


However it is not at all a difficult piece. I took a look at it and found it very easy to sight read. It may, as fsharpminor points out, have been set for Grade 8 in the past, but it is not particularly technically demanding for Grade 8 (compared, for example, with Beethoven's Pathetique, 3rd movement ... which has also been set at Grade 8, or with some of then Gershwin pieces that have featured at Grade 8) so the examiners would be expecting a very accomplished and musical performance. I think it could easily be set for Grade 6, and no-one would complain.


Best of luck in the audition ... but if she plays to this standard she should have no problem.

This is very accomplished playing. The phrasing and tone are particularly fine. Can't really criticise! What type of piano is she playing on? I suspect one she knows very well? Because the only tip I would have is to try the piece out on an audience and on as many different instruments as she can before the audition itself. You never know how nervous you are going to be until you do, and an unfamiliar piano/setting can do some funny things to the memory too!

Last year she played Staccato Beans (Lang Lang - 50 seconds of duration) for audition as second instrument. She managed to held on to waiting list until last minute, but year 7 entry would be much harder! This year we may put both singing & piano as equal priority. Other pieces she practiced are Prelude in B minor (Bach / Siloti) and Debussy - Cakewalk.

BTW, do you know where Cakewalk - Debussy sits in Grading / Level system? Thanks



Thank you very much.




Thank you Hils. Roland FP-7F is the one at home. Teacher has Yamaha GP and she has access to another GP at church as well. But you raised a valid point, Teacher also mentions the same. After a week's practice on Roland Digital, it takes a while to adapt to keys of GP.

She is a natural performer on stage, but I think a bit nervous in auditions. She don't agree that, but I've felt cold hands after having auditions.

Cake Walk is also about the same difficulty as the Chopin Nocturne, ie Gr7 to 8. Need completely different skills though !

Thank you. She is nearly ready with Cakewalk, not in crazy speed as we see in some youtube clips. I'll post it later for feedback.

Cakewalk is here, slightly lower tempo.

http://soundcloud.com/gayatrinair/debussy-golliwogs-cakewalk

Wow thats great for a 10 year old. Tempo is perfectly adequate, I would say one or two small issues with t he dynamics, - Id like to have the accaciacturas in the second section a bit crisper, ie crushed into the notes. The recap of the main theme came as really too much of a sudden surprise after the pp preceding. Can there be more ff at the end ? But really it would get a good mark from the examiners as it stands. Well done !

I think her playing is excellent. I'm not an expert on either piano or voice, and others may disagree, but on the basis of the four tracks on sound cloud, personally I would be tempted to put piano first.

I agree with last post. She appears to have made a lot of progess in piano over one year - I would also think that you should be seeking advice about putting that first. They are looking for potential and her piano certainly seems to have that.

Thank you FSM for the comments, I'll pass it to her teacher.

She just finished her scales and sight reading of Grade 7 with teacher. After attempting Mozart presto, teacher given the idea of taking up the whole Sonata / let her develop the repertoire and not focus on exams.




Thank you Soccermom, The voice clips on sound cloud was more than 2 year old which we sent to openmic few years ago (before introducing her to classical music). Last 2.5 years she has been trained in Classical voice, but sadly no opportunities to perform even in charity concerts she regularly attend. That side of skill is used only for ABRSM so far!

On the other hand there is very good interest in contemporary songs, which she learnt herself. She performed in many good venues across london. Not intended to share here but this is the latest one, again please note that this will not reflect her singing in classical style





Thank you GMc, I've just prepared applications for 3 schools and all going out today. I've detailed the same in covering letter and requested to allow her to play / sing contrasting pieces from both the instruments.

Last year, same time she was playing pieces like the one below. Teacher also said she made good progress this year.

I looked at a few of the You Tube videos. She has enormous ability for her age, and at 10 years old, has more confidence than most adults.

There is a massive leap in ability and musicianship from the you tube Canon to her current standard over a relatively small time period. So she looks very "teachable" and responsive which is a major plus for specialist school. They look for it at audition too from my experience - see how she responds to new ideas. Your piano teacher is obviously very skilled and must work well with her. Is there one place that she is really keen on or is she fairly easy going about it? Lets hope the latter. It is highly competitive for piano! Good luck.

Thank you VH2 for the comments. Next year is so worrying, as she has to go to secondary school that means more engagement, homework etc. I hope she can address the situation, as it arises. In this term they have to do Football as part of PE, but she mentioned to teacher that I cannot afford any injury to the fingers

Thank you for looking back and analysing her musical journey. We have no musical background and never listened to any classical music before she started doing ABRSM exams. But she works hard, though mistakes are there.

Still the main problem is her ability is more driven by contemporary music hence more approximate than accurate, chords in particular!



Teacher is a touring pianist, so we have to work around her timings. She is amazing and we are lucky have one like her. Many times I've to remind her that session is over and we have to head to next lesson.

Once again thank you for the kind words, but do feel free to criticise!

I very much enjoyed the Chopin - well done, very good contrasts in dynamics, and a mature performance.

I also enjoyed listening to the Debussy - the opening I enjoyed.
In the middle section (G flat major).... perhaps some more use of the sustain pedal? (and dont be afraid to pedal through "Debussy rests") and one or two of the acciaccatura moments (I felt) were a little too contrasted in tempo? .... however, crikey, for a 10 year old - very well done. Both pieces are Grade 8 - though I think the Debussy is more technically demanding.

Well done

Thanks I enjoyed it and was impressed at the musicality and polish of the performance for such a young pianist.
It's good if you hear other pianists play the same piece and see what they bring out in the piece, so you can emulate or incorporate if you liked it. Here's my rendition of the Nocturne C# minor posthumous
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPLzUIzelh8...ture=plpp_video

Is it? My sister did the Debussy for grade 7 many years ago.

I would still say so, if played at the right tempo. The crosshands bit is quite fast and slick. For me personally not much to choose between them.

thought to update this thread, for the benefit of other members (special thanks to all those who commented).

Now she is spot on and clean with right tempo on both Cakewalk & Nocturne. I should mention it with stress, at least in my daughter's case final 10% of perfection took more than 70% of the total time spent. As back-up, she has Mozart Sonata K280 but not as good as other 2 pieces.

2 of the specialist schools agreed to call her for audition on both Voice & Piano with equal importance. I'll update again, once I hear further info.

Also for the records, she only has ABRSM Grade 5 certificate

Edit: 24 Feb 2012

Thank you everyone who supported! Mission Accomplished!!! She got in with both Piano and Singing as equal priority, may switch over later once her voice matures