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Hello, musicians?
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Hello, musicians?
Hello, musicians?
So, what instrument(s) do you play? Do you sing? Are you involved in a chorus or an orchestra, or both? How long have you been doing your musical endeavors? Do you have a musical family? What songs are you playing?
I have played violin for going on four years. I used to play recorder, lyre and wooden flute and I used to sing in a chorus. Currently I am in two orchestras, a school one and another one composed of retirees and homeschoolers like myself. The last one is about to have a concert. We are playing Concerto Grosso in G major by Handel, Blue Tango and Syncopated Clock by Anderson, Heartsong and Last Spring by Grieg, and a composition by a lady in the group. And my family isn't very musical, except my brother who plays guitar. He used to play electric but now he just plays acoustic. When he played electric our neighbor about four or five houses down the street could hear him!
So, I know you're out there musicians and singers so please post!
And musical Admins if you are interested!
Great thread, Amy! Thanks for including we Admin. I've played violin since I was 9 (too many years to count), was in orchestra and choirs all through school and now play in our community orchestra. We have a concert on May 7. The program is Fanfare from La Péri, Finlandia, Bruch Violin Concerto, and Beethoven's 7th. My whole family is involved with music, many different kinds.
Admin
submitted by Amy G., age 13, PA
(April 29, 2010 - 3:46 pm)
(April 29, 2010 - 3:46 pm)
Wow, Leaf, you are first violin in the Philharmonic!! That's so cool. Is it stressful, though? Schindler's List music must be so sad. I tried auditioning for a second violin seat in a youth orchestra last year, but I didn't get in because they didn't list what suzuki book you had to be in, and I'd only just started the book they wanted me to be in. Luckily this year their website is much more informative. I'm thinking of auditioning again for it this year, because I'm qualified to have a chance to get a second violin seat now, but I'm not sure if I'm going to because that would mean that I would be in three orchestras, and I'd definitly have to quit my school orchestra!
Instead of saying your name is Leaf, it should be Music!! Do you play recorder often? I used to play soprano, and my brother used to play every single level of recorder. He got so good, he was playing with a bunch of recorder societies in Philadelphia (which is where we live, basically) but then he quit because he got involved in all sorts of other things in high school.
Kendra, that's neat that you play the tin whistle! Is it hard? I kind of regret quitting chorus because singing is so fun.
Admin and Leaf, yes Rachel Barton Pine is amazing! There's some videos of her on youtube that you can listen to, I think, and she's really great.
(May 12, 2010 - 12:13 pm)
*raises hand* My symphony played Shostakovich's fifth symphony last year!!! We also played his Festive Overture, which he wrote right after Stalin died, so it's a super happy piece.
(May 12, 2010 - 12:46 pm)
@ Maddy: That's really cool! The Fifth so exciting isn't it? I like the very beginning where the brass have that big crescendo. It gets just loud enough for me to want to cover my ears, and then dies down. And the timpani part is amazing. It's funny to see how Shostakovich is making fun of Stalin right under his nose, when, I think it was his last opera, was taken away because it wasn't up to snuff. You said that you play principal flute; did you get the big solo in the middle? That melody is so beautiful! The ending is really tiring for the strings, because we have to play the repeated A's up the neck triple forte and the brass have that huge strong theme. Stalin actually listened only to the brass, not the strings, and thought that they were representing his huge army (which they were), but he missed the strings acting as the government saying, "You will listen, you will listen," and beating someone over the head or something. Anyway, I sort of get excited about that.
@Amy: Aww, thanks! You're so sweet! I actually used to do Suzuki, but just this year I changed teachers. And, no, I haven't played the recorder much at all, and I don't even really remember how to play it. I also looked up Rachel Barton Pine, and from what I saw, she sounds pretty amazing!
~Leaf
Did I already mention that violinist Rachel Barton Pine was a Cricket reader? And she won a Cricket League contest! We found that out when we interviewed her for Cricket several years ago.
Admin
(May 15, 2010 - 5:24 pm)
@Leaf: It's so funny how Stalin just thought Shoshtakovich wrote a nice symphony just for him, but he was really ridiculing him. Some parts sound so funny! I'm the principal flute this year, but we played this symphony over a year ago, so I played second flute then and didn't get the solo. But it was still really fun to play.
(May 17, 2010 - 2:22 pm)
@Maddy: I agree with you. And Shostakovich had so much to lose, yet he still totally made fun of Stalin. We had our concert three days ago, and I think we did well. I really admire any one who conducts that, because they have to work sooo hard even down to the last seconds. It's quite amazing!
~Leaf
(May 19, 2010 - 8:57 am)
Good thread idea!
I've played the pianoforte for about 7-8 years. I stoped taking leasons last summer, as i became much to busy with sports and such. I still play and improv my musical ability.
My mom taught me the guitar, which i've been playing for about 3 years now. I teach myself from some books, it's really fun! I also play the tin whistle and recorder.
Now as for voice, well it's a big part of me. I was actually singing (huming tunes and such) before i could talk. I take part in a local choir, and i also take voice lessons. Both of which are really fun!
I come from a rather musical family, though my dad doesn't play. My mom plays from flute, piano, guitar, and recorder. She is sometimes teaches music classes at elementary schools when the regular teacher is away. My brother plays the piano and violin.
(May 11, 2010 - 11:45 am)
Sorry for going on so long in my last thread, by the way! I'll quit now.
(May 12, 2010 - 12:14 pm)
Well, when I was 6, I started taking piano lessons and joined my church choir. In 3rd grade, I learned a bit of recorder, but I never could perform because I had to move to another town right before our first concert. :( And I also had to join a new church, so my choir changed.
In 5th grade, I auditioned for the District Honor Choir, and I made it in!! I loved it! But it was only for 5th grade.
And we also switched churches that year. The 1 I go to now doesn't have a choir for people my age, unfortunately, but it may start 1 soon if enough people are interested! I hope it does!
In my school district, I'm allowed to quit P.E. if I get a certain amount of exercise outside of school, and get an extra elective class. I hate P.E., so I now swim and do yoga instead. I love it, but it unfortunately meant I had to quit piano lessons.
I'm in my school's 6th grade choir now, though! I love it. I sing much better now than I used to, and it's just fun! Earlier this year, I sang a solo in a song, and I really enjoyed it. But now we're doing a pop show! Ugh. I hate the music we're singing now, and in addition, everyone seemed to expect me to audition for a solo, since I apparently did well before. That's great, but I only audition for solos in songs that I like. Oh well...
And next year, instead of a pop show, I'll be doing a musical! Yay! (I love acting as well as singing.)
By the way, my brother plays electric guitar, and ASBPVN... etc. says pnro! Piano? Does he play it?
(May 14, 2010 - 10:05 pm)
I take guitar lessons and I whistle, and I could sing but I'm shy. I have a harmonica and used to take piano.
Vick says ttfz.
~~NDT~~
(May 16, 2010 - 5:11 pm)
MUSICAL!! Yay! (As you can see, I really like musicals.) I wish that I could sing and act, but those unfortunately are two skills I seem to be rather lacking in. :(
(May 19, 2010 - 11:49 am)
I sing and act! But there are very few opportunities in my town for someone my age to be in a musical. So I have to content myself with just acting... :)
Just yesterday I got some music for A Window To the Past (a melancholy song from HP) and In Dreams from Lord of the Rings (the main song). Can you tell that I really like movie music? My favorite place to get music is from a website called Musicnotes. [I tried really hard not to make that a link or anything, Admin] where you can print music fairly inexpensively. Right now they are having a 20% off sale on Harry Potter music until the end of May. They have a pretty wide selection of stuff there for just about any genre, artist, or popular movie.
(May 21, 2010 - 8:47 pm)
I play the piano and the clarinet. Martia plays piano and violin. I'm trying (and failing) to teach myself to play guitar. We sing for fun all the time, but don't take lessons. I've been composing some stuff recently... songwriting, etc. YAY MUSIC!
(May 22, 2010 - 10:22 am)
@Jen/f+h
I love songwriting and making a tune to go with it too! You're so right about YAY MUSIC!!!!
And, everyone, I'm going away for a while so I won't be able to post. Sorry!
(May 22, 2010 - 12:05 pm)
Piano, mostly, and a little harmonica. I want a ukulele REALLY badly, and I can play the basic chords on the mandolin. My singing voice isn't good, but isn't bad either; I practice whenever I'm home alone, and it's starting to improve. Once it gets a little better, I plan on posting covers on YouTube. Especially with my uke. :)
(May 31, 2010 - 4:19 pm)
Amy, I have also played violin for 4 years. I'm playing the theme from the "Schindler's List". I have also played the piano for 7 years. In my town we have a Junior Youth Symphony for 7th and 8th graders. I'm joining this summer. My mother sings and plays the piano and my brother is a awesome cello player. My dad is tone deff, but other wise you could say I have a musical family.
Does anybody else live in a city with a Junior Youth Symphony?
(June 8, 2010 - 11:35 pm)