hi i need advice!

i've yet to decide which piece of List C to play for my grade 4 violin exam, can anyone out there advise me pls?
my preferred choices are:

1) Yesterday (Beatles)
2) Bink's Waltz (Joplin)
3) Drunkard Song (Bartok)

I thought Yesterday & Bink's should be nice however, I find them very draggy, especially Bink's, so I thought may be I could play Drunkard Song to get it over & done with quickly.

Hi,

I'm doing my grade 4 as well, what pieces are you doing?
I say just go for the one your most comfortable with or if you can't decide, just pick the easiest one (I'm doing Binks' Waltz).
Have you noticed that sometimes in violin concerts, that slowish ones sound soo much better than faster one? If it is, I think, well I'm not sure because I have't heard Yesterday, personally, I prefare Binks' Waltz because I don't think Drunkard's song has got such a nice tune.

Hope this helps

i really can't decide on List C, big sigh. Yesterday is a slow piece too. My fellow students are mostly taking Bink's. I am doing Preludio even though i've been practising Rondeau. I can choose Rondeau if I want to as I think the A list is easy. For List B, I am doing Neapolitan Song just like my fellow students. How about you?

Well, whaddaya know, I just took Grade 4 last month. I tried both the Bink's Waltz and Yesterday. Bink's waltz isn't too bad if you can cope with long slurs and staccato and more shifts. A bit 'wail-ly' in some parts, but I thought it was nicer than the other two songs in the exam pieces book.
But I played Yesterday for the exam. You basically can play it on two strings for the later, but pitching has to be real good.

I didn't fancy Drunkard's song as I tend to play all those grace notes 'ungracefully' and it was rather fast. I'd rather take my time for the exam.

How about trying the Vivace, concerto? It's really nice! And it won't be 'too easy' I think!

I'm not sure about List C either! I have narrowed it down though to:
Clowns or Yesterday.

I like Rondeau too! For list B I'm thinking Hindu Song!

I did that for grade four, last time it was on the syllabus! It's nice, and the opening and closing sections have a beautiful melancholy tune, you will need to have accurate tuning for the chromatic sections though.

I'm doing the St-George Giga - it's really nice
I always struggle to choose a list C piece (I'm more of a List A person really) and I really didn't like any of the ones in the book this time.

Helen

thks everyone. i like the clown but it's too difficult for me.

violin-ann, what do you mean by playing two strings together? i follow what's in the music scores.

what was the position you played in for Yesterday during the exam? can you share with me (if you remember) what were the scales you did and how was your sight-reading & aural?

Isn't that called double stopping?

No, I meant Yesterday can be played with just two strings. Only the A string and the E String are needed to play the song. But I DID play one note on the D string though, because I would have to stretch twice otherwise.

I played in both second and third positions for Yesterday.
Like this:-
Bar 4 (counting the 2 bars piano intro) ascending scalic passage shift from 3rd finger on the A to 2nd finger for the B as stated in the book.
Bar 6, Both quaver A's 1st finger, then G 4th finger on the A string.
Bar 8 follow book: 2nd finger on C and then Bar 9, shift to 1st finger on the C.
Bar 10, 3rd finger on E, on the A string instead of the 2nd as the book says.
Bar 11, 2nd finger on A (E string)
Bar 12, Stay in previous position until the last note E, use 3rd finger on the A string
Bars 14-16 same positions as bars 10-12
Bar 17 use 4th on C, 1st on G (both E string) then 4th on F, 3rd on E (A String)
Now you are in second position, play bar 18 with 2nd finger-D and 1st finger-C
Bars 21-24, same as bars 3-9.
Bar 25 second position- C-1st finger until A cross over to D string.
Bar 26 still in second position

As for scales, I got everything the syllabus wanted, but Ab major came in the form of arpeggios and so did the D minor. The only one she didn't ask for was C major. I suppose the C minor was bad enough. She only asked for one chromatic and one dominant 7th but I can't remember what they were.

Sight-reading was a bit of a disaster for me, because although the key signature was Bb, it changed to natural and flat again at least twice, which was confusing. And so did the accidental F# in the piece. It was in 6/8 time and began in 3rd position but she said I could ignore that if I was uncomfortable with that, and so I did!

My aural was ok, had no problem with the singing. She was nice too, asking me to sing the first note so that the following test would be in tune. The sight-singing of up to 5 notes I bungled up a bit because my 'la' became a 'doh'. (It was in F major, and I sang the D as C, if you didn't understand).
The last test she asked me about the mood of the piece. Which was rather sad at first (mesto) but the mood picked up, and then went back to being sad. I forgot to listen to the time when the whole piece was played, but then after clapping the rhythm and then tapping the pulse and thinking a little, I said it was in 2 time.

Hope that helps and good luck for your choice of list C.

hi violin-ann, thk u so much.
i've tried to play everything in the 2nd position (like what the book says -if you're daring. hahaha) however, the difficult part is the the 4th finger playing the F sharp (A string) & the 1st finger playing G sharp (E string) for bar 3.

now, i'm trying to play like this:
1st position for bar 2.... > shift to 2nd position from the note A using 2nd finger (E string).
i feel that shifting to 3rd position using 1st finger for note A (E string) like you did is too far & "risky" for me as the distance is wide.
at bar 6, i shift to 3rd position using 1st finger for note A (E string)
at bar 8, i shift to 1st position using 2nd finger for note C (A string) just like what you did.
at bar 10, i shift to 2nd position using 3rd finger for note E (A string) which I believe you did that too & so are the rest, until
at bar 19, i go back to 1st position just for the three notes E natuaral, F sharp & G sharp (E string), then I shift to 2nd position from the note A like i did in the beginning. i remain in 2nd position throughout now, but I actually use A open string instead of 3rd finger for note A (D string)

please give me your comments, thanks!

by the way, my classmate who is not playing this piece actually advise me to play everything in 1st position & i just need to stretch my 4th finger for the note C at bar 3 (E string) & also at bar 19. What do you think of this? Means I'll be sliding from note B to C & back to B, all three notes played by 4th finger on E string in 1st position.

I'm doing Rondeau, Neapolitan Song and Bink's Waltz

Your choice to shift to 3rd position for the ascending passage sounds good. Do whatever feels comfortable for you. Although your classmate's advice sounds err.. risky to me. I don't feel comfortable with it myself and I don't think I'll get the pitch right all the time because that is the weakest finger and you'll have to use it quite a bit if everything's in 1st position. Depends also if your slide is smooth enough. 4th finger isn't the easiest to slide smoothly.
As for the ending, it's up to you, but an open string will give you a brighter louder tone, and a stopped one will be more mellow even if they are the same pitch. Depends really on what is more musical if the technique is not a problem to you.

I would agree, shift up to 3rd position - much more secure.

thanks all, i'll work on it again.

i passed my grade 4 violin!

i got 100 marks, yes, 100 marks & it's a Pass! i am very happy cos just 9 months ago, I couldn't even play the violin but today, I have achieved 100 marks in my recent Grade 4 violin exam.

I’ve failed my sight-reading though, I guess I’m more like a Suzuki method learner. I play by ear. When my teacher gives me a new piece, I can’t start it right unless he plays it for me once then I can get it. So is this the problem why I failed my sight-reading? I got 11 marks only.

I’ve not done any aural training in school, I got 12 marks. It was quite difficult, especially the first two tests on singing. The last two tests were ok, about the tonality & the clapping was ok and then he asked me in what time was it.

I got 15 for my scales, he asked me for everything! I did Ab major apeggios in slur & I thought that was the toughest of all. I am happy that I got 15.

He mentioned in my mark form that my progress gradually got better. I think I was too nervous especially at the start, the room was so cold even though I put on my sweater.

I got 20 for my first piece, 21 for my second & 21 for my third. His general comments in all was to use more bow. He did mention I counted well.

Congratulations! That's a pretty good mark for learning the violin for only 9 months. I guess you have to work at sight-reading and aurals for the next exam then. Aural is good, since you have to learn to pitch well on the violin, and it'll be really helpful if you got a couple of aural lessons on the side. Good job on the counting.

wow ...........grade 4 after 9 months
i need more than 9 months to prepare for grade 4.

hi, i practise everyday u see? i work freelance so my timing is very flexible, whenever i have time which i usually do, i pick my violin & practise practise practise. i practise more on pieces actually, not so much on techniques etc, it's also due to luck that i managed to pass Grade 4 cos I think I am really that up to that standard yet. I still have difficulties playing most of the Suzuki pieces in vol 3 & 4.

on average, i practise abt 3 hrs a day, playing pieces from suzuki bks & abrsm exam bks & also the young violinist repertoire book 1, 2 & 3.

during my exam period, i practised almost 8hrs a day!

sometimes, i feel i'm kinda ambitious, i don't know.

actually, i am a bit lost now, i don't know where to proceed. Should I move on to Grade 5? Or should I polish up my basic foundation?

advice?

its great u can practise for so long per day. but sometimes it is not about the length of the practice but it is about the correct technique and the quality of it.

take advice from the examination slip and go for the next grade if u wish so

That would be my recommendation - good habits are much easier to learn than bad ones are to unlearn. Make sure that technically you are very secure where you are, then when you move on you won't run into problems.

Well done!

Concerto, I'd agree with Sarah 100% - a good teacher is likely to say - Have a strong solid foundation, first - rather than - let's hurry up and move on to the next grade. Especially if you are ambitious abt music! Aurals and scales are paramount in my daughter's experience and she's the same level as you are now. Like you, her achilles heel is also SR.

Tess

But it's much better to be good at pieces (more marks! ) then to be good at sight-reading. I hardly come across people who are equally good at both. Students and teachers, I mean... not examiners and professors.
I'm a better sight reader, according to all my previous marks and I learn pieces fast that way. But once I play a piece for like two or three months, it goes downhill from there. And I have no idea why!

Don't go on to Grade 5 unless you're OK with a very basic technique. Violin really isn't something you should rush, and the better your technique, especially with bowing, the more you'll enjoy playing in the long run.

Violinia

hey thank you people!

yes, i think i should work more on technique before i rush on to grade 5, however, the sch has informed me abt my new schedule with a new teacher (apparently a degree holder) & the increase in fees of course!!!

what should i do? tell them i just want to stay on at grade 4 for now? will it sound weird? i don't know.

I doubt that they will consider you Grade 4 now since they know that you have passed. They will still charge you Grade 5, but teach you techniques you should know at that level.

oh i see. do you have any good books to recommend for improving on techniques?

I would say that having a good technique is quite important for you to advance to higher grades. Well, doing lots of lots of studies does help, for example, Wohlfart, Mazas, Kayser to name a few... and try all kinds of bowing patterns besides keeping your intonation and tone secure.

ok, i think i heard keyser before? is the spelling correct? so i just go to the music bookshop & ask for keyser's technique book?

i'm only afraid of getting bored doing techniques, ha ha i don't know. i find playing pieces more enjoyable.

If your new teacher is as good as he/she should be, they will realise exactly what you need and offer you the right studies, exercises, pieces etc to help you improve your technique in readiness for Grade 5.

You can always play to her first and say 'I think I might need some studies - which ones do you recommend?"

I think this is probably better than running out and getting the book yourself; the teacher knows a lot more about violin playing than you do presumably, and will have a better idea of the best repertoire for you to buy.

Violinia

Is spelled Kayser. The copy I have is 36 Studies, Op.20. But I myself actually prefer Wohlfahrt Studies Op.45, it doesn't start off to tough But Mazas is quite tough

Getting bored doing techniques?Well, you have to endure with it Just do one or two for every week. I used to do studies when I didn't go for exams, well, kind of like it. I feel satisfied when I had mastered them

Hi happygirl! Long time no see!
well, I don't mind studies, I endure them, but I can never seem to get them right enough! I practice them everyday now. Well I think one month isn't enough to get one right.
I like pieces too and playing duets with a teacher is fun

Concerto, it's true. Your teacher, after having heard you play, will have a MUCH better idea than all of us here, of the best repertoire for you in terms not only of (improving) technique but also to suit your particular temperament! That's our experience, anyway. All the best!

Fees. Hmmm, shame about the fees, though. Glad we haven't had a fee hike since starting though she's now your level. Thank God. However, even if it does rise, I think we are happy to pay bearing in mind that in fact, one gets what one pays for! Funny, come to think of it, we don't! We get what my girl laughingly called, "Buy one get one FREE!" Her teacher is a perfectionist so we often get one hour but we only pay for half. But we like him a LOT so we give him nice presents from time to time to say thank you.

i spoke to a fellow student yesterday, he said that it's a "huge jump" from Grade 4 to Grade 5 & if i'm not ready, it's better that i do not rush into it. he also mentioned something which I know I'm very bad at, that is to play the kind of style required, it's not just about playing the right notes. May be I should work on my intonation and bowing first before I proceed to Grade 5 taking the challenges like shifting of positions, playing with style.. etc.

Totally agree with your friend, no point rushing it. Much better to do the work, get the technique solid, than rush on and scrape a pass or something.

How abt looking at the exam marksheet itself for clues on what to improve? It's bound to say something abt your ability re. bowing technique/intonation/scales/expressivity, etc?

That was how we know for sure our girl needs to work really hard on SR.

the mark form says to use more bow ; fingering patterns were there but intonation was not always sure ;

So two things to work on straight away. I would think working on intonation and bowing will keep you busy for quite some time

haha i guess so. i want to work more on sight reading too.